10T Camp at Mt Aspiring

By Richard Roe | Posted: Wednesday November 19, 2025

The first class heading off to camp in Term 4 was 10T.

With numbers bolstered by the addition of 9 boys who had missed out on camp with their own class, the group set off last Monday morning.

The Mt Aspiring road was in good shape despite having been closed due to storm damage just a couple of weeks previously.  We arrived to find the Matukituki River running high and discoloured, and the little stream beside the Lodge (MacPherson Creek) in a similar state.  This necessitated our first outdoor education lesson so we could cross the creek safely in groups using a mutual support method.  As the rain continued that afternoon we made the decision to leave all our extra gear and food supplies in the van overnight, just bringing up what we needed for the first night’s meal and breakfast.

The weather cleared on Tuesday and once we had set up our plank bridge over the creek we rescued our remaining gear from the van whilst preparing to head out on our overnight expedition.  We left the Lodge early afternoon and relocated to our Triangle Rock campsite about 8km away.  Once camp was set up some hardy souls went for a swim then tackled the challenging task of getting fires going with damp wood.  Each group functioned well to cook their own meals and survive quite happily for 24 hours with very little staff intervention.

On Wednesday, after a short exploration up the East Branch walking track we packed up camp and returned to the Lodge.  There were some tired bodies crawling into sleeping bags that night and we enjoyed a bit of a lie-in next day.

After a morning of getting chores done and sorting out overnight equipment, the rest of Thursday was devoted to some kayaking, orienteering, and a whole lot of eating.  As if the huge pot of stew wasn’t enough, Zac and his team whipped up a large batch of pancakes for dessert.

The weather closed in again on Friday, but we did venture out in the morning before it got too bad to check out the West Branch beyond the carpark, and call in to Wishbone Falls.  Then it was an inside afternoon where we indulged in a lot more eating and put Mr Mitchell’s large selection of board games to good use.

Our final day dawned clear and sunny, with fresh snow on the hills making for some excellent scenic views as we walked out to meet the bus for our return journey.

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