Mount Plenty - Ghost Creek Waterfall

Saturday 10 September 2022

Five in Graeme's car parked in a big off-road car park on the west bank of the Porter River and headed downstream on broad boulder-strewn flats. Eventually we had to wash our socks and cross to connect with Ghost Creek. It is a ghost in that it’s invisible in some lower reaches as it travels through the gravel. When scrub allowed, we diverted to climb on tussock-land to reach a spur that took us all the way up Mt Plenty. Further up the spur we started to see the occasional pine tree which Doug quickly sawed through. All the others could do was act as spotters. On 1459m Mt Plenty we had lunch in a gentle breeze and full sunshine, with minimal snow around us.

On the way down we went a little further east, on the same spur and came upon lots of pines, some of them pullable. Doug had a field-day cutting and still managed to catch us up as we looked for a safe way into Ghost Creek. We picked our way down a steep 40m section of scrub and gravel and headed up-stream in search of the waterfall many know about, though few have seen. The 1 hour walk to this secluded fall was worth it.

We reached the car at 5pm, the ignition key activated myriad lights and dials on the car but the very demanding starter motor was unmoved. Oh dear. Jumper leads came out but there was nothing available to connect to. Graeme went up to the main road and waved the leads at passing motorists. Within five minutes a kind gent in a small Honda stopped and provided 12 volts and many amps to activate the demanding diesel engine. With cheers and profuse thanks to the good Samaritan we were on our way, with definitely no stops on the way home.

A good day out with Graeme Nicholas leading, Doug Woods, Shi Ping Wang, John Robinson and Kerry Moore. [KM]