Saxton - Boundary Stream - Severn Valley - Severn Saddle
17-20 November 2023
I advertised this trip as the Saxton-Leatham-Severn circuit but research online made me realise it was too long for four days and that the upper Leatham is a nightmare of large wilding pines and windfalls which have obscured the tracks and made travel very difficult. DOC is waging war on the pines in that area at present. So, I put together an interesting and not-so-demanding Saxton, Boundary Stream, Mt Severn, Severn Valley, Severn Saddle adventure. It proved to be varied, immensely enjoyable and not too hard on an aging mountain woman! Perfect sunny, windless conditions prevailed for the whole trip.
Day 1: A 7am start from Christchurch got us on to the start of the Saxton Valley track before 11am. We strolled up easy farm tracks beside the Saxton River and just over an hour later we lunched near the Saxton Hut. At this time of year there are no farm animals in these areas. We had the whole beautiful place to ourselves, seeing neither men nor beasts for the duration of the trip. After a leisurely lunch we walked up Boundary Stream on cattle tracks to find a lovely camping spot at 4pm on the last flat. With no wind to trouble us, we lazed on the terraces and enjoyed a relaxing evening in the sun.
Day 2: The saddle just south of 1764m was calling us up and we eagerly climbed towards it along the picturesque winding creek-bed, then open upland grasslands. Big screes leading up to high ridges and peaks flanked us on both sides. All, except me, parked their packs on the saddle and proceeded up the ridge to the summit of Mt Severn 2027m. I luxuriated in an ambling approach to the saddle, enjoying just being at one with the beauty all around me, feeling it, breathing it in, committing it to memory, photographing it. Far to the east were the peaks of Tapuae-O-Uenuku and Mt Alarm, to the west the Severn Valley lay at our feet with the Raglan Range beyond. Closer to hand was Mt Saxton which we climbed on a club trip about 4 years ago. The climbers returned for lunch on the saddle, then we dropped down to the Severn Hut via 1764m and the ridge off it, which is the usual route. We made ourselves at home in this delightful hut for the next 2 nights. Helen especially enjoyed the lovely sun-bathing deck on the north side. It was a relaxing vibe, with easy conversations, bathing in the creek, some games of yahtzee and good food, and the feeling of satisfaction at what we had achieved that day.
Day 3: We set off early with light day packs, destination Severn Saddle, 1600m. It took about 3 hours of easy travel up the terraces on the true-left of the river to reach the head of the valley. This is a beautiful cirque, with towering bluffs, threaded with silvery waterfalls. To negotiate the 18m waterfall marked on the map, we sidled high on the true-left, which in hindsight was a mistake. It took us up into unpleasantly steep, loose and bouldery scree, which I did not enjoy! However, arriving at the saddle for another leisurely lunch in sunny, windless conditions made it all worthwhile. A glance down into the tree-choked Leatham Valley had me congratulating myself on some good planning decisions. The track, sidling down the scree directly off the saddle made for a blissfully easy descent. We dropped to the flat area just above the 18m waterfall, then found a good track close on its true right, with a few poles to show the way and excellent viewpoints too. This took us to the valley floor, easily and efficiently. We found it faster and easier to stay beside the river most of the way home to our hut, rather than go up on the terraces we had used in the morning. I was reluctant to go down-valley and leave the beauty of the Upper Severn behind, so I dawdled, often stopping to look behind and watch the light changing on the peaks as some clouds and afternoon showers gathered over them.
Day 4: Vroom! All go! Up at 4:30am, out the hut door just before 6am, a delightful unbroken, rhythmic climb up the steep ridge in the early morning cool to burst on to 1764 and break into the sunshine in less than 2 hours. Down, down, down the scree, then retracing our tracks, down sinuous Boundary Stream to a lovely grass terrace opposite Saxton Hut, for lunch beside the river. The final hot trundle along the 4WD track to the vehicle was soon over and by 1:30 pm we were on our way back to Hanmer for coffee and pies or cake. A big thank you to my tramping buddies for good food, good company and fantastic tramping. This classic high-country farming landscape with its easy access through open, golden tussock valleys, babbling crystal-clear creeks and rivers, saddles and screes leading up to 2000m tops, makes my soul sing. It is a tramp I can highly recommend.
We were: Di Mellish (leader), Helen Binnie (driver) Chris Leaver, Vesna Mojsilovic, Raymond Ford. [DM]
