2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Castle Hill, Southern Alps

One perfect winter's day, cirrus cloudy and windless, I drove westwards from Yaldhurst Road, Christchurch, along the Great Alpine Highway 73, as we wanted to see Castle Hill Reserve in the Southern Alps, about 100 kms from our Burnside home. Early on the Canterbury Plains, a digital road sign flickered:

PORTERS PASS OPEN
CHAINS NEEDED
NO TOWING

I thought, "Bugger that!" as we'd hired chains before to climb Porter Heights ski resort road, but didn't need chains. We passed through Canterbury Plains towns Darfield and Sheffield, with grand views of snowy Southern Alps against blue skies.


2009. Springfield on Great Alpine Highway 73, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps Torlesse Range, NZ

We stopped at Springfield for petrol and coolpix, and looked at the war memorial and aluminium plane table indicating distances to Alpine peaks and cities like Christchurch, Wellington, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Perth, London... We passed Rewi Alley Reserve, as we'd stopped there several times before.


2009. Bottom of Porters Pass westwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Bottom of Porters Pass northwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Bottom of Porters Pass eastwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ

By a hut at the bottom of Porters Pass, road workers stopped us, as they were only allowing batches of cars up Porters Pass, giving leeway for slippery compacted ice on Porters Pass. We waited for about 15 minutes, with a line of cars behind us, while cars came down Porters Pass. While waiting, Leah talked to a family of Dutch immigrants.


2009. Porters Pass northern view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Top of Porters Pass eastwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Grader on top of Porters Pass eastwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Grader on top of Porters Pass westwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ

Sunny midday, our Toyota Corolla easily climbed the slippery ice and grit on Porters Pass (942m). We stopped on top to coolpix spectacular snowy views. I was interested in road graders parked on top, reminding me of De Beers excavators I'd written job descriptions for in the 1980s.


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of frozen Lake Lyndon near Porters Pass, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of Moraine & Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of Moraine & Torlesse Range near Castle Hill, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of frozen paddocks & Torlesse Range near Castle Hill, Southern Alps, NZ

Snow lay thick in the Alps down to the great Alpine Highway, but graders had heaped blackened sludge beside the road, making the highway passable. We passed icy Lake Lyndon where we'd skated before. Snowy Craigieburn Range was on our left with snowy Torlesse Range on our right, with the Great Alpine Highway going through a great basin between the snowy ranges.

We passed icy creeks and ancient moraines. Sheep and black cattle in snowy paddocks grazed fodder left on icy ground by farmers. Otherwise paddocks were snow white as far as the eye could see. Several farm gate signs stated:

CASTLE HILL STATION
IS A WORKING FARM
NO ACCESS


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 view of Castle Hill Station & Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 view of sheep in frozen paddock, Castle Hill Station, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 eastwards view towards Porters Pass: Lunch by Castle Hill Reserve entrance, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 westwards view, near Castle Hill Reserve entrance, on the way to Arthurs Pass, Southern Alps, NZ

At Castle Hill Reserve entrance, we lunched beside the Great Alpine Highway, with trucks thundering past and great views of nearby Mount Torlesse and Castle Hill which loomed above us over karst landscape. Sunlight sparkled on snow like billions of diamonds.


2009. Castle Hill Station / Reserve westwards view of Craigieburn Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Carpark by Great Alpine Highway 73: Castle Hill Reserve, Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Carpark by Great Alpine Highway 73: Craigieburn Range backdrop to Castle Hill Reserve Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Great Alpine Highway 73 Info Map, Castle Hill Reserve Carpark, Southern Alps, NZ

At Castle Hill Reserve carpark, we read the Department of Conservation info board, which mapped sights along the Great Alpine Highway, including Castle Hill, from Christchurch in the east to Greymouth and Hokitika in the west, beyond Southern Alps.

The DOC board stated stuff in Maori, as Castle Hill / Kura Tawhiti was a Maori sacred place. DOC rules, aka "Code of Conduct," were inevitably stated too:

"Welcome to Kura Tawhiti a special place with many historic and cultural values. It is ideal for exploring, picknicking, bouldering and rock climbing.

Visitors here to enjoy this intriguing landscape are asked to help protect these values by following the code of conduct.

Enjoy your visit."


2009. DOC Info Board, Castle Hill Reserve Carpark, Southern Alps, NZ

"Code of conduct.

Please stay on the track and within the reserve...

Please use the toilet facilities provided

Refrain from digging holes and disturbing the surface of the ground...

Avoid trampling on endangered plants...

Respect fenced areas...

Take ALL rubbish away with you.

Please do not mark the surface of rocks...

Consider others in the area.

Rock climbers please read and comply with the climbers' code of conduct and respect the value of the rock art to Ngai Tahu." (DOC)


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Path to Limestone Outcrops in Karst Landscape. Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve path northwards view of Castle Hill Station & Craigieburn Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve southwards view of Limestone Outcrops, Kart Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Station northwards view of Craigieburn Range, Southern Alps, NZ

Along the sunny path to Castle Hill karst rocks, we passed a woman in the snow reading a book by a pine tree. We had Castle Hill rocks to ourselves, except for the noisy Dutch family: fat yelling wife, fat sister, tall, handsome muscley men, noisy blonde kids. They reminded us of holiday Vaalies in Durban. Along the path another DOC sign stated:

"Sculpture in stone - art or nature?

These spectacular rocks are natural outcrops of soft limestone, not the ruins of some ancient city. Their sculptured forms have attracted the attention of travellers past and present. This scenic limestone landscape supports a variety of significant natural and cultural values."


2009. DOC Castle Hill Reserve "Sculpture in Stone" Info Board, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"A natural treasure house.

This limestone landscape contains classic examples of geological structures formed during the most recent mountain-building period. Beds of fossils are also present.

The rock outcrops are the home of several endemic plants, some of which are discovered only recently."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve northwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve westwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve southwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"On the Maori trails.

Rock shelters amongst the limestone outcrops were used by early Maori. They were travellers on a network of trails that gave access to rich food and fibre reserves in the Waimakariri basin.

Some shelters contain rock art drawn by these first occupants.

The traditions of knowledge associated with this landscape are still held and valued by present-day Maori. Kura Tawhiti now has topuni status, symbolising a chiefly cloak of protection. This recognises the area's significance to the early Maori and the role of their Ngai Tahu descendents in the continuing protection of cultural values.

This topuni (dog skin cloak) and the remains of the backpack shown in the drawing... can be seen in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch." (DOC)


2009. Castle Hill Reserve south-eastwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve southern Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape & Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Castle Hill Reserve Signs by Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

We'd visited Castle Rock several times over the years, and had never seen Maori there.

I was skeptical of precious "cultural values," as SA had espoused Afrikaner cultural values during apartheid and black cultural values after apartheid. And where did that get us?


2009. DOC Sign "Natures Sculpture," Castle Hill Reserve, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

Below Castle Hill rocks were more DOC signs. One stated:

"Nature's Sculpture.

Limestone rock erodes into the sculptured landforms you see around you. This is called karst landscape."


2009. Tobogganing past DOC signs, Castle Hill Reserve, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Tobogganing, Castle Hill Reserve, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"What is limestone?

Limestone is formed from layers of organic sediment deposited in oceans far from land. The resulting rock can eventually end up hundreds of metres above sea level during periods of mountain-building.

The calcium-rich remains of tiny marine animals build up into layers on the ocean floor. These layers are compressed into soft rock."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve view of Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve eastwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"How are the sculptures created?

Limestone is soluble. The acids present in rainwater work on joints in the soft rock, gradually enlarging them. Small differences in rock structure and solubility cause a wide range of fluting, pits and grooves. These sculptured landforms are the result."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape & Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape north-westwards view, Southern Alps, NZ

"Why is limestone fragile?

Limestone is shedding its skin. The exposed surface layer gradually flakes off as the soft rock expands and contracts with changing temperature. This process makes limestone vulnerable to change."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape westwards view. Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ

"Climbers' code of ethics.

Use of bolts is an intrusion in a nature reserve. The metal accelerates rock weathering and alters the environment for plants. Fixing new bolts or replacing existing ones requires special permission from the Department of Conservation.

Brushing or preparing of rock surfaces damages the habitat of small plants such as lichens. Please do not use these techniques.

Cleaning or gardening clefts or depressions destroys important refuges for plants and animals no longer found elsewhere. Please do not use these techniques."


2009. Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Castle Hill Reserve, Torlesse Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ. Straight line in mid-ground is the Great Alpine Highway 73

"Concentrations of people disturbs fragile habitats and the plants growing at the base of rocks. Please do not gather in these places.

Remove all equipment at the end of your day.

Climbing in a conservation area is a privilege not a right. Please observe these requirements." (DOC)


2009. Castle Hill Reserve eastwards view of Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ

After tobogganing below giant rocks on Castle Hill slopes, back at the DOC carpark, Leah was unimpressed by the carpark portaloo, chock-a-block with frozen crap.


2009. Entrance to DOC Castle Hill Reserve from Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ

We left about 4pm as ice would still be on Porters Pass, and I didn't want to drive Canterbury Plains in icy darkness. Going past Porter Heights ski resort gate, we saw cars leaving the ski field too. On our way down Porters Pass, gritted ice was still thick at the bottom hairpin bend.

Before reaching Canterbury Plains, we followed a flashing-light Caterpillar grader at 50 kms / hour. I was impressed by strong chains on the back of the grader, useful for towing snowbound vehicles.


2009. Caterpillar Grader on Great Alpine Highway 73, bottom of Porters Pass, Southern Alps, NZ

It took about ten minutes' driving through snowy sheep paddocks before we left Alpine shadow behind. At Darfield we stopped at Luke's favourite Great Alpine Highway tearoom to buy a scoop of chips to scoff.

Only low cloud we saw that afternoon was a long white cloud over distant Port Hills, while the sun set behind Southern Alps, and Port Hills glowed salmon pink.

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.