Time: 7 hours and 14 minutes
Distance: 20.5 km
Start: Coopers creek car park
Finish: Same place (it's a loop)
Date: Friday 7th May 2021
Walking times:
Coopers creek car park to summit: 2.5 hours
Summit to Link Track junction: 2.5 hours
Link Track junction to Coopers creek car park: 1 hour and 45 minutes
This was always going to be an epic day. A 20 km loop encompassing the summit of Mt. Oxford (1364 m), with an altitude gain of around 1000 meters. The DOC track time is 6 - 8 hours. Not for the faint-hearted.
We set out late (my left eye twitching intermittently) from Christchurch, stopped for snacks in Oxford (the twitching starting to ramp up) and arrived at the Coopers Creek car park at 9.20 am. Rather horrifyingly it was full - don't these people have jobs to go to?? But we got organised, the twitching stopped and we were soon happily on our way.
It was one of those stunningly, crisp and clear autumn mornings. The ski folk call it (oddly) a bluebird day. Signs of a frost over night. Fairly nippy. The track crosses the bridge, meanders past Payton's Lodge and then simply goes straight up a very loooong ridge to the top. Through the gorgeous beach forest. No sweat.
Well, to be truthful it was a lot of sweat. One hour and 40 minutes later, fairly dripping, we were at the bush line and pfaffing around for the perfect place to stop for snacks. We found it and eventually settled down to admire the fabulous patchwork quilt vista that is the Canterbury Plains, stretching out to a hazy coastline in the distance.
Above the bush-line it was a cinch to follow the track up to the top where an icy breeze was blowing. A cluster of septuagenarians were hooning down towards us having already summited. They looked youthful. We touched the remains of the Trig, took photos and ate lunch at the conveniently stacked rock shelter.
From the summit, the track continues down the hill to the Oxford Route Junction and the Wharfdale Track. The first bit is steep with loose rock and within five minutes we had the "Twisted Ankle Incident". Visions of helicopter rescues flashed before my minds eye, but Waimate chicks are hardy creatures and we were soon on our way again.
The first part is across the tops. Absolutely fabulous - I love tops walking. Then the descent is pretty steep and relentless. But still, it's on the ridge through the beech forest and pretty. Some of us were slowed down by poles (bwahahahahahaha). I must admit here that today (one day later) I am hobbling around a bit. I am receiving clear messages about the virtues of poles. But will I go out and buy some? Yeah Nah. Not yet.
Eventually we were back on the flat and at the Link Junction Track feeling stuffed. Just a mere 2.5 hours to go back to the car park according to the signage. We gritted our teeth and set off at a cracking pace and managed it in a mere one hour and 45 minutes.
The days are shortening and it was already twilight as we drove home, looking forward to a glass of wine or even perhaps a G&T for the hard core individuals amongst us. Well deserved after such an epic walk.
