Date: September 25, 2024
Location: Rees Valley, Otago, New Zealand
Total Trip Distance: Paddling - 5.43 mi / 8.73 km | Hiking - 6.46 mi / 10.39 km
Total Elevation Gain: 656 ft / 200 m
Trip Duration: 4 hours
Team: Chris Churcher
Field Notes: A perfect first river trip, even after rain. Walk up the valley and depending on flow, put in at either Twenty Five Mile Creek or higher up the valley. Due to recent rainfall we were able to put in closer to the Hunter, although this is unlikely as the season goes on. Gauge flow for the Rees at Invincible: 25 cumec. We only scraped bottom a handful of times with no walking.
Chris and I were brimming with excitement as we drove the Queenstown Glenorchy road on a stunning Wednesday morning. In my excitement I kept calling out the names of all the peaks we were driving past - namely the ones of the Richardson Mountains which I love so much.
With all of the rain we were both curious as to how the Rees River would look. However, when we arrived at Muddy Creek it looked just as I remembered it almost a year ago when I climbed Mount Clarke. It was going to be a good day.
We shouldered packs and marched North up the Rees. The last time I was here I took the 4wd track. This trip we opted for the actual trail. After having done both - the 4wd is faster and you’re going to get wet feet either way. If I was going on a non packrafting trip I’d just use my bike.
As we walked up the valley there were three noticeable avalanches that had released in the last storm. Two on the east facing slopes of Mount Earnslaw and one on the east aspect of Ellie Peak. Unfortunately climbing season isn’t here just yet.
It was hard to take our eyes off the dominant peaks of the valley, so I pitched Chris the idea of an ascent of Moira Peak and Mount Head this spring. “You’ll never be the same.” The sales pitch worked and he sounded stoked.
As time ticked on our stoke was almost too much to handle. We had purchased these rafts months ago in the dead of winter knowing they weren’t going to be able to be put to use anytime soon. The only trip I had done was on Lake Manapouri - but it was flat water. This was an actual moving body of water (called a river). Our blood was boiling.
Halfway between Twenty Five Mile Creek and the West Hunter we put in. We were borderline foaming at the mouth. This is the moment we had been waiting for. Paddling a pristine river surrounded by sandflies with the Forbes Mountain on our left and the Richardson Mountains on our right.
I hope I never lose this level of stoke in the mountains. Whether it’s a grade 1 river, a grade 1 climb, a simple hike or a mellow backcountry ski run - it’s all about having fun. And today was beyond fun.
We floated down the river, hit a few small wave trains, and smiled the entire way. It was awesome to see Chris totally absorbed and loving his decision to buy a packraft.
When we took out just before Muddy Creek, the clouds came in and the wind picked up sending a cold chill through our bodies. We quickly packed up and headed back to Glenorchy so we could enjoy a celebratory coffee at the one and only - Mrs. Wooly’s.
Happy days…
Comments