High country by horse

By VIVIENNE JEFFS

We huddle round the mountain radio after dinner and hear the bad news - more heavy rain. Yup! No mistaking it ... most of us sleep lightly that night as heavy rain hammers the roof. The morning's radio report is not good news: swollen, muddy and fast-running rivers.

We are hut-bound in a beautiful, remote mountain valley on Poplars Station in the North Canterbury high country.

In the nine years that Alpine Horse Safaris have been running, only once before has a crew been held up for three nights because of bad weather.

We have no idea how long we will be forced to stay here. Another day and we will need more supplies brought in. The horses, too, will soon be out of food. Till now we've been moving them daily to fresh grass and securing them with a portable electric fence.

Alpine Horse Safaris offers rides ranging from two hours to 11 days, catering for the novice as well as experienced rider, and trek through some of the South Island's most rugged, remote and beautiful landscapes.

Jenny and Lawrie O'Carroll, who run the safari company, own Waitohi Downs near Hawarden, not far from Hanmer Springs, where they breed horses and run sheep, cattle and deer on their 932ha.

Lawrie breaks and trains Clydesdales and knows every one of them and their personalities well. Equally importantly, he has spent most of his life in this back country, he knows it intimately so he is an invaluable and safe guide.

Having had horses as a teenager, and still riding occasionally as an adult, I finally organised myself and a friend to saddle up.

We start from the Glynn Wye station, off Lewis Pass Rd, ride through farmed pasture and on to Poplars Station, where we descend into a lush river valley. Native birdcalls echo, and a few riders dismount to pick wild mushrooms.

As we near the end of day one, soft drizzle begins to fall. It's not unpleasant, but little do we know how bad it will get over the next three days.

Predictably though, the weather clears eventually and day four dawns fine.

We have a 5am wake-up call from Lawrie advising that we have to make a break while the weather is clear.

That means traversing both major river crossings in one day - a 10-hour ride that effectively covers a two-day ride. Some in the group aren't overly eager, but the rest of us are enjoying this adventurous unpredictability.

The dawn is breathtakingly beautiful, magically still and quiet. The horses are in silhouette under the trees. The stars are fading and a glow is emerging beyond the mountains.

Riding up the valley is like nothing I've experienced, with the early sun casting a dreamy light over everything. Keas circle above, crying out to break the silence. I spot a rare bush robin perched on a beech tree. The three nights hut-bound are forgotten quickly.

At the end of the valley we ride single-file along an old stock route through a mountain-beech forest. Lawrie says the track has been used since the 1860s, when sheep and cattle were driven over to the West Coast.

The track is narrow and rain has made tree roots slippery and turned natural muddy spots into bogs. But the horses make light work of it and two hours later we emerge from the bush at the edge of picturesque Lake Sumner.

We sidle round the edge of the lake and make our way to the first river crossing, over the Hurunui. Fortunately the river has dropped and it is not so treacherous, but caution is still needed and Lawrie tells us to wait while he forges across to find a safe path.

"Okay, come over," he yells, "but make sure you follow my path exactly ... we haven't lost a horse or rider yet and I don't intend to start now."

It's times like these that you really appreciate riding with someone who knows what they're doing.

My horse, Fern, picks her way over carefully as the water rushes forcefully against her chest, but she remains steady and sure-footed and I'm relieved when we reach the other side.

We carry on over hills and make our way down to beautiful Lake Mason for lunch - "10 minutes only", says Lawrie - a loo break, a few photos, and to scoff down some of Jenny's fab home baking.

This is possibly one of the most beautiful spots I have visited, so it's unfortunate there is no time to explore before we're back in the saddle heading towards the Eskhead Station, where tonight we'll be staying in old shearers' quarters.

Near the end of the day we are met by Lawrie and Jenny's relatives in a truck. As arranged, they collect the packhorses' luggage and carry on ahead to our accommodation.

Relieved of the weight they have been carrying, the packhorses all have a roll and make their own way ahead, knowing there's not far to go.

The rest of us dismount and lead our horses for a while to give them a break, but also to stop ourselves seizing up.

As the day closes in and the sun goes down, the sky changes colour and a cool mountain air envelops us. We soon see buildings and arrive at last, nearly 10 hours after leaving the Hope Valley hut this morning. Tired horses are dealt to quickly, and we gather in the shearers' kitchen for hot soup.

After hot showers (the first in days) we have stew and potatoes and delicious plum crumble, then collapse into bed.

The day has been incredible. We have been blown away by the beauty of the hidden backcountry, by enticing tourist material that you would like to keep secret, but it's so special you know you will rave. Not surprisingly, I'm a little sad that tomorrow is our last day.

Breakfast is followed by the routine packing frenzy. The final leg takes us back home to Waitohi Downs, and for a few kilometres we each lead a packhorse from our own mounts down the public road before reaching a paddock where they are released to make their own way home.

At Waitohi Downs the horses are hosed down and put into grassy paddocks. Gear is returned to its rack in the stable, and we shuffle our tired bodies inside for a last meal together.

Alpine Horse Safaris

Case notes

* What to take:

Regardless of the season, it is always advisable to bring warm gear. The Southern Alps make their own weather, and summer evenings can be very cool. The snowstorm that held us up came in mid-April, so gloves and scarves were welcome.

Once a booking is made, a checklist of what to bring is sent to help.

* Alpine Horse Safaris:

The company runs year-round, but longer expeditions (4 to 11 days) are restricted from November through to April.

* Getting there:

If you are flying in and out of Christchurch Airport, a complimentary shuttle service provided by Alpine Horse Safaris will take you to and from Waitohi Downs. Accommodation at Waitohi Downs before and after your your trek is available for around $60 a night.

* Advisory:

Take books - you could be stuck in a hut for three days during bad weather. And be prepared for a change in plan. Although it's not expected of riders, it certainly helps group dynamics if everyone is prepared to help load and unload the packhorses and generally muck in.

* Alpine Horse Safaris resume tours on October 9.

Costs: From $45 for 2 hours to $2680 for 11 days.

Contact: Alpine Horse Safaris, Lawrie and Jenny O'Carroll, Waitohi Downs, North Canterbury.

Phone/Fax 64 3 314 4293 / 0800 425 746

Email: alpinehorse@xtra.co.nz