Sign of the Bendy Tree (Canturbury) Ataahua, South Island, New Zealand
By contagious123 on 18-Aug-12. Waypoint GC3TY78

A great distraction for the little people on the way up. Thanks for the cache.

Muggle65 and l are in NZ for the Dunedin Mega. We also have some visiting to do so we are all over the place. We picked up our camper van and are discovering the joys of a very gutless vehicle.Track is very well marked. We did this on the way down as we had a great rhythm going up and didn't want to mess with it.Thank you for the fun

In NZ for the Dunedin Mega Mashup coming in a couple of days. After picking up the windowed brick on wheels, we were off to fill our picnic basket full of cache finds and have too many options available to choose from. Hopefully we wont get overly distracted by caches not on our targeted list for this trip.This cache is on our list, on our decent to the carpark we dropped in on this one to make the walk complete.

Had a great walk up here with tarmacprof, I wasn't paying too much attention to when the cache was completely but spied the bendy tree as we were walking. Found the cache scattered around the ground but everything appeared present and I returned it to its rightful spot. Tftc!

Nice stop on my way down the mountain. These hills are calf-burners!

Judging by the creaking in the wind might not last long. Found on the ground so wedged back in. Handy rest walking up to the hut.

Found it thanks. On a mission to the hut for the night.

Great Saturday afternoon hike - TFTC

Found this cache on a day walk from Kaituna valley ️ Pack horse hut. Once we got through all the rivers and up part of the hill we got to this cache. Good work Contagious123 for creating and maintaining this cache!
TFTC

Such a cool tree.

Container was completely full of water. Emptied and ran a towel through it. I replaced it upside down. I think the water is getting in through that hole on the top.

Well I am on my way to the Packhorse hut to stay the night, I am making good time the sign says 2hr, 4.1km. The sun is shining, and thankfully the stream crossings have been all good, just a little rock hopping, and so far the boots are staying dry.

The tree is so cool, took some pictures, and found the cache.

Thanks for the hide contagious123, worth the small detour

Was in need of a breather about now so bagged the cache then found some shade to sit in for a while. Glad I set out early. Only 8am and already very hot. Nice walk and nice bendy tree

Apologies hopefully the cache has now been enabled. It has been replaced a while ago now

Replaced and where it should be, good to go again

The cache has been replaced. Happy geocaching!

Hi, I have noted from logs that this cache has gone missing! Apologies, I have another ready to place and will do so weather permitting shortly! Will log when available again.

Couldn't find this, and as there's very limited possible hiding spots I think it might be missing. Cool tree!

This geocacher reported that the cache might be missing.

No luck here today. Did a pretty thorough search

Cool cache nice easy find with paddle chick on our way towards packhorse hut. TFTC

On a day walk to Packhorse Hut with Sir Belac, no need for a gps to find this one. Thanks contagious123

#11688

FITW Harisree

Did someone say they in love with BENDY things ??

Nice hide and easy find

TFTC

FITW Albijos

Early morning walk to the hut and back. It was pretty windy and cold up there and now its drizzling. Cache was easily found, but unfortunately we cant find any writting object at this point. Hope you wont mind a photo log. Can always sign it once when we come back with the whole family at somepoint for an overnight camping.

PS : Yes someone did say that they love bendy things.. shhh..

Have been waiting for a cooler day to nab this one; TFTC

Quick walk up to Packhorse for an early lunch. Quick find on the ascent.

Cache was laying on the ground on front. Not too many places to hide it. Found on a nice afternoon walk. TFTC

I apologise for extreemly late log. I was told off by coconuts3 for not yet logging this one. Found on our way back down from the event at the packhorse on a fine november day. This way was by far the better than the way up!! TFTC

#20411. I stopped to make a quick find on my way up to the event at the Packhorse Hut. The cache was about a foot from the base of the bendy tree (the log was in good shape even though the container looks a bit nibbled on). Replaced the cache nestled in the tree; it was still there on the way down when I stopped by with some of the event attendees. TFTC.

Last cache find of a longish day walking from Gebbies Pass to the Sign of the Packhorse and then down this track to the car parked in Kaituna Valley.
The tree didn't look too bendy as we approached from above, but it certainly lived up to its name! I wonder which way the prevailing wind blows in the valley .
Nearly halfway down now, will be pleased to get back to the car and sit down . TFTC.

A quick find on the way down the track and I regret that I forgot to get a photo of the tree

Stopped here on our way down from event at Packhorse hut. Gave Bendy a hug and pat and said you are doing so well. Gorgeous tree trying so hard. Thanks for the cache here contagious 123.

Location was clear enough.
Hunted in and around .
Eventually spotted 6m down slope in the paddock . Replaced securely with solid cover.
Hopefully wind and stock proof. Thanks

Beautiful day for a walk! Cache was out in the open so I replaced with some cover. Thanks trifolia argentea for replacing! TFTC!!

Clearly this cache was missing given the previous logs. (We checked all possible locations, digging deeply, just to be sure.) Furthermore the CO has not been active for 5 years. To keep this cache alive and prevent its otherwise inevitable archiving, we have replaced it with a 200ml pill bottle. We are messaging the CO with photos, for permission to do so. The replacement cache is almost 2m above ground (i.e., head height for a tall person) within the main trunk, where it is out of sight at a first glance.

DNF
Searched for a while
GC location is clear, but container not there anymore ...
Didn't have anything to replace it.

CO should visit and do maintenance work...

5 December 2020 12:06

This geocacher reported that the cache might be missing.

No luck today

I still cannot believe that I did not find the container. Searched about 20min at THE tree but no success. Did not want to give up as I was so disappointed that there was nothing to sign in. I keep an eye on this one and will be back for another try.
Thanks for the break to the top though.

Nice to have a break from walking up this part of the trek to Pack Horse Hut - TFTC

Quick find.

An easy find on the way up. Had to guess where the most logical place would likely be, or risk staring at my phone and not enjoying the walk. First place I guessed was within 50m, a quick look around for any signs... a quick find and the walk continued. TFTC (sadly, no cab165 on this walk!)

Last day of my annual leave so I set myself a mission. Only a little one, though!

Today's plan was a wee jaunt from Kaituna Valley up to Packhorse Hut, collecting this and another couple of caches near the hut.

I must say this track was much easier than expected. Always nice when you get to the hut early!

The GZ for the cache was easy to spot from a distance, and the cache was soon in hand. Onwards and upwards!

TFTC contagious123
Find # 3906

Very straightforward find on a pleasant track. Picked up the TB and removed the broken pen - but forgot to take one to drop off. Many thanks

From New Plymouth, thanks alot!

Had no reception at t time. But found t tree and cache. Pen not working, used crayon and added some more pages of paper.

Great day for a walk up to Packhorse Hut from Gebbies and then out through Kaituna Valley. Dropped off TB. TFTC.

Thanks for the cache! Ran up the track on Christmas Eve to retrieve.

Lovely tree! Cache easily spotted and found, its a work of art this tree. Left a couple of TBs in a bag

Lots of lambs about to keep the kids amused up here as we plodded our way up. Luckily no stinging nettle near this one, two of the kids discovered it on the track and no all about how nasty it can be now. Cheers for the cache

#192 nice spot for picking but a bit windy today. Not sure how long this cache location will last.

TFTC. Very nice!

The perfect name. Thanks

Wow hot today! Great cache to keep the kids going uphill.

Cool one with some new catchers!

Christmas Eve, so we left the masses panic buying those last minute gifts at the mall, and headed out for a walk.
We have walked to the Packhorse Hut from Gebbies Pass so today we walked to it from Kaituna Valley. Such a beautiful day and very few people around made for a pleasant walk for us.
The cache was a quick find. TFTC.

TFTC! One happy kid left a golden mini Biner and got a band aid!

After a long day yesterday driving down to Timaru and back for a wedding today's warm, sunny calm day was too nice to pass up for a bit of a walk. Headed out after lunch with some packed afternoon tea to see how far up the track we could get. Mrs TG ran ahead with the plan of tagging the hut then coming down to met us again somewhere along the track. Heaps of others enjoying the walk as well. Boys did well slogging up the hill & tip toeing across the handful of river crossings from all the rain. Lovely day. Made it to the cache & signed it off. Not too much further and we met up with Mrs TG again.......By this time wee wee dude had had enough of the relentless up so we parked up with a lovely view of the valley and had a snack before heading back down. Not toooooo far from the top. Next time we'll aim for the hut and an overnight stay......Cool cache on a nice autumnal day. Cheers.

I had a few hours up my sleeve before picking up cachelet #3 from preschool. I dropped off Mrs TW to her mum's for the day and was given the hard word to 'go for a walk'. I listened and decided to head up the Kaituna Valley and I haven't been up this way for a very long time. The last time I walked up this way was in Form 3 some 30 years back! The day was fabulous and it was getting warm. It was a bit of a slog to get up and I spotted the bendy tree from a mile away. Quick find and I headed back down to the truck and did about 5km in just over an hour. I'm going to head back up to the hut next week.

Thanks for the cache SnarkyMX.
#4759

Bendy alright. Easy find on way up to packhorse hut. Tftc

Great space to have a break on the uphill climb and grab a cache at the same time. Thanks

At least one cache on my two- day-hike from Diamond Harbour to Kaituna Valley via Mt. Herbert. Was a bit too lazy to do all the other ones and quite a few seemed to be gone concerning previous logs. Anyway, this one was easy, nice place with a really funny tree
TFTC and greets from an Austrian cacher

Tftc hwr. Nat found this cache just as she was finding the uphill a challenge.

Nice cache on evening side trip from overnight at packhorse. Tftc

Found it today while in the area for work it was the only one in the area that I had time tto get. Thanks

Found this on the way up the hill to Packhorse Hut - the cache was a good excuse for my muggle friends to stop for a break. Dropped off a TB. TFTC

I badly needed some exercise so what better than a walk to the Packhorse with a few caches thrown in, TFTC

Fund on my back;)

Tftc.

Easy find for our 5 year old. No need for GPS with a name like this!
TFTC

We missed this cache on the way up the hill, but a nice easy find on the way back down.

We were lugging packs up here just because we could.

Cheers and thanks,

S.t.

Not hard to spot. Was intending to cache on Mt Somers today but the weather forecast was not in our favour, so we decided to do a couple of caches on the Port Hills. TFTC

An easy find on the way down from the Packhorse. TFTC

Cheer for the hide.All is in good order.

Could not find this one on my 1st visit. I was on my way to Packhorse Hut on my way back I had a 2nd visit an 2nd look. I found on the ground some distance from GZ I place it back in its hiding place.

Quick find while out with theroamingreliever. tftc

Out for a run today with justanurse.

Cache was on ground, placed back where I believe it is meant to be. Tftc!

TFTC I was just walking to take the photo and saw the catch laying on the open ground. The strong wind might have been the cause for this. Anyway, I've put it back to the location where it think it should be as per the name of this catch. Happy caching!!!

Cool tree! Good to see the cache can hang in there in a norwester gale.

Nice quick find on a walk to the Hut for the night, TFTC.

Nice walk up the hill from the Kaituna Track car park on this autumnal day. Up in 40 mins, down in 30 mins. Left some silica gel. Thanks for the cache.

Found! Awesome walk, Thanks - Tamryn and Slim

A nice walk up the hill today, threatening to rain. A quick find, and a bit of a rest! Thanks for the stop.

Not many here

#2711 @0920
Walked in from Gebbies Pass. Quickly found after stopping briefly at the hut. The slogged my way back up to hut and back out to Gebbies Pass. A lovely morning to be out in the hills. TFTC. (As others have said the log is damp, but managed to write on it).

lambing season is over
i will get a new log book up there ASAP

Nice hide, but as previous cacher mentions, log is wet and needs attention. Thks

Lambing season over!

Are we the first to find? Great day for a walk and the cache is all in order, made it a bit less obvious in the spot it is hidden which is a great place on the way up to the Packhorse. Unfortunately the logbook is very wet and may need attending to.

2 months since published/disabled, have the land issues been sorted yet?

Published

Disabled, land access issues to be sorted

Gidday!!

Is that track not closed for lambing at the moment?

Cheers,
S.t.