Foggy Peak
Sunday 29 Oct 2017
Fine weather lured fourteen PTCers to Porters Pass for this easy-moderate 800m climb to 1741m Foggy Peak. Leader, Gary stayed near the tail-enders while Merv pushed for the top and then went part-way to Castle Hill Peak.
On Foggy we sat on the lee side out of the cool NW wind to munch lunch and admire the snow-streaked spring landscape. Sue and Mike wandered around looking for unusual alpine plants but it was Gary who spotted the Haast Buttercup which Andy with his flash new camera captured with glee. There were plenty of a common variety of buttercup but ranunculus hastii is considered to be “at risk and declining’’ according to the NZ Plant Conservation Network. http://www.nzpcn.org.nz
Yellow was the colour of the day. Gary was sporting yellow gaiters and doing a fine Malvolio imitation. We must have razzed him a little too much because the following Sunday he wore short, subdued green gaiters--the sensitive flower. Afternoon coffees and teas were had at Springfield and we were home with some afternoon remaining.
We were: Gary Huish, Margot Bowden, Wendy Wallace, Merv Meredith, Aarn Tate, Sue Britain, Mike Bourke, Peter Umbers, Doug Forster, Susan, Andy Duck, S-P Wang, and Kerry Moore