Kahutara Biv, Clarence Reserve

25-26 September 2021

This was yet again another weather-induced change of plan. The trip was down for Discovery Stream - Sudden Valley. The club has been trying to get back there for a while, without success and this time the forecast said nor-westers on Saturday and southerly rain on Sunday. So, a Plan B was needed. Liz suggested Kahutara Biv and if Peter chose that, she would come too. So, we did, in the hope that the NWer wouldn’t be too bad in the Seaward Kaikouras and Sunday’s southerly not as wet.

Kahutara Biv is reached from the historic road that starts on the north side of the Kahutara River on the Inland Kaikoura Road. The road goes all the way over the range and down to the Clarence River. The route to the biv starts at the ‘real’ saddle at 1200m± on the high point about a kilometre north of Blind Saddle. Warden Hut is about 6 km further on. Getting down to the biv requires a sidle up from the road to cross the 1354m high-point that leads down and around a number of spurs and faces to the biv in fairly high regenerating bush. Liz had checked with Bill Templeton who suggested that giving the matagouri a bit of a tickle would be appreciated, so we took our loppers.

With an early start from Christchurch, we had driven the short distance up the riverbed track to the locked gate at the start of the hill climb, got packed and were walking before 10am on the steady plod up the road, with the nor-wester increasingly becoming a pain. Fortunately, we picked a sheltered bend in the road for a good lunch spot, before continuing on up to Blind Saddle. The nor-wester became a severe head wind. Approaching the turn-off to point 1354 at 1.15pm, Kerry decided it would be wise for him to bail out and return to the vehicle for the night. We discussed the logistics and agreed that, apart from missing out on dinner, Kerry would be happiest retreating.