TRIP REPORT : Part of Pakuratahi Forest and Climie Ridge

 Saturday :   22 January 2005

Pittosporum rigidum. Illustration: Eleanor Burton.

Under a canopy of mixed beech, podocarp and broadleaf species, we climbed from Tane’s Track via an informal route, to near Spot Height 614.   Turning south here, we continued along the spur crest towards Spot Height 792, adding some fern and shrub species to the list compiled on our December recce.   These included five epiphytic Raukaua edgerleyi, a threatened tree species spotted by Dianne.   Hunger and a strong nor’wester drove us to the lee of the spur crest to have lunch in deep mossy armchairs, near the only Pittosporum rigidum seen.   Later, in silver beech goblin forest, among layer upon layer of luxuriant bryophytes, we admired epiphytic Hymenophyllum pulcherrimum, and Chris Hopkins added H. peltatum to the list.   We were concerned to note considerable ungulate browse throughout and Chris and I were disappointed to see no trace of the highly palatable shrub Brachyglottis kirkii, Kirk’s tree daisy, seen trackside in the 1990s.   Turning west, we had occasional views west over the Plateau and Collins Stream, and mop-headed mountain cabbage tree / tooii / Cordyline indivisa were seen occasionally on this stretch.   After reaching the road we enjoyed a panorama from the North Climie trig, 830 m, a superb viewpoint surrounded by fire-induced Chionochloa conspicua and old, silver beech stagheads.   On our long, steep descent, spectacular, roadside groves of tooii, some of them in fruit, were much admired and photographed.

Participants: Barbara Clark, Barry Dent, Frances Forsyth, Sue Freitag, Dianne Harries, ...., Dave Holey, Chris Hopkins, Chris Horne (co-leader), Gordon and Sheelagh Leary, ?? Barbara Mitcalfe (co-leader), Mick Parsons, Leon Perrie, Lara Shepherd, Joyce Stretton,

Barbara Mitcalfe