Cross Roads on Wither Hills.(Marlborough) Taylor Pass, South Island, New Zealand
By bumandworker on 13-Jul-11. Waypoint GC303Z9

Time for a different route up Wither Hills to collect some caches on the western side. Started successfully with 7 finds in a row then 2 DNFs at the top. Searched for a while but the cold wind was not inducive for stopping for long.

Had twoo goes buut noo luck. Getting cold up herrr

Seeing the new fence last week meant another trip up here, for more Everest Challenge metres, and to drop in a replacement. All good now. Wonder how these "plastic" fenceposts go. Hope they don't smoke too much in a fire.

Passing by today on the way up to this ridge for the second time today, to clock up some more Everest metres. While I caught my breathe from the Quail Junction up track I had a look here. I had to reload the page as I didn't recognise the fence-line. That's because the fencing up here has been replaced and the cache is now missing. Dipped all the TBs. May drop in a replacement sometime if passing.

Beautiful day for a walk - first time up here and had to find this one - TFTC !

After a through search of the area mentioned in the July 2016 CO log, I determined that it was no longer. So, with agreement of the CO, I dropped in a replacement to keep this one going. See the July 2016 update for where to find it. Left here and headed to the Dam lookout and while searching there realised I had left a blank log here so on the way back remedied that.

Just couldn't find this. Great views tho!

Its Easter Friday and I am home alone - so lets break out of camp today. Another great day for a walk - Wither Hills it is. So lets go.
There were people at the seat on my way to The Lookout so thought I would try on the way back out. Got to the seat and Nigel is indication 50 meters behind me, Dah. Back up the hill to snag and tag this one. Cheers

Found with Annacons senior - a big night out geocaching without kids, we know how to party! Nice find, tftc.

Out with Maike from Maikenkids on an evening walk in the hills and a chance to get the 'treasure' too far away for the kids to manage!
First one for the evening and a quick find. tftc

Before the farm might be closed due to fire risk we thought to have another go at the Wither Hills' caches. Fantastic cover on the ground and stock is looking very good. We first found what looked like a nice placement but appeared to be a red herring. Then Holymu looked where the cache was and it was all good Thank you bumandworker

We are slowly turning green into yellow on the Wither Hills and hoping to get it all converted before the heat of summer arrives coupled with the increased fire risk, especially on the higher reaches in case the park is closed.
Arriving here we spotted what appeared to be the obvious hide but alas no cache to be found. A slightly wider search was undertaken and very soon we had the log signed. A very strong gust of wind nearly had me land on my butt as I climbed the stile on the return from the Taylor Dam Lookout so more care was taken from then on.
Thank you bumandworker.

Thanks for the bench - a nice break. TFTC

Replaced compromised cache.

After having found it yesterday, I came back today with a friend on this trail: I explained him what geocaching is and I was ready to show him this cache but... is no longer here!!! I suggest the owner to replace it, thanks

poop

sure gotta wonder , after 5 years with no issues, it is missing a day later after last find.

Easy cache

Another successful hunt, smiley face in return..tftc

TFTC

This was a must for Mrs Sobad today. At one stage there were only 2 unfound caches on the Wither Hills for the team - this one and Reception on Wither Hills. They were both placed in 2011 - and since then a large number of extra caches have been placed in the Hills Reception was found earlier in the year in a walk with Sidewaze so it was fitting to find Cross Roads today in a walk with the same cacher. Well Mrs Sobad spotted the spot and Sidewaze collected the cache - good teamwork again. Oddly enough, at the end of the day there were only 2 caches in the Hills we haven't found - but both mcuh shorter walks than this.
Worth a favourite point for the history and the views. Thanks.

Yeah, the signs are a bit confusing eh! Really enjoying the walk and the awesome views. Thanks!

Tftc

Good day for a walk in the hills today. Plan was to get as high up as possible and stay there as long as possible to get those caches. Ended up being a 5 hour trek that makes Frodos trip to Mordor look like a stroll to the dairy. Ok, maybe not. But we got 13 for the day and some great views. Thanks for the caches to all owners and sorry for the cut and paste- but they were all pretty much where they should be so not much else to report. I now have some smiley faces looking down on me

Out and about with Kiwimykl attempting to clear as many of the local caches that I can. KM has most of these already which gives me an advantage but I didn't need his help for a QEF tonight.

TFTC B&W

Excellent views from here.

Evening walk with brother to pick up some more caches. A few runners to begin with, then it was just us and the farm animals until it started raining. We cut the caching short and finished vis Sutherland stream. Tftc

#688 found with wb1116

#1439 Lovely day for a climb. It is warm, however the breeze today is great. This is one of the high points - what I love doing. This gets a Favourite Point from me - thanks for this one.

All is good at GZ, however Geomum is huffing and puffing. There is another local walk that I might do by myself over the next few days.

Did a hike with friends around Wither Hills. Great view/weather/caches! Cheers!

hard rain and wind but came to the cache and found it.
thanks

#1321

Very cold wind up here today, by lying down at GZ I was able to get out of it for a couple of minutes while signing the log. Should have read the description at the time regarding the sign but I figured it looks a lot older than the last find at the lookout and that cacher is still going strong so it must be ok. TFTC

#3587

Quick find but an even quicker sign and shove back before the approaching jogger arrived. Tucked away a lot neater with more time on the way back from overlooking the Dam. TFTC #6872

Thought I'd head up this way early to avoid too many muggles. But alas this Easter monday - everyone had the same thought.
This part of the farm is not as busy so quick easy find.
TFTC

Replaced container

[green] I have a spare weekend so decided to put in a bit of work at clearing out Blenheim before I leave in a few days. Which means climbing back up the Wither Hills. It would be a hot day if it wasn't for the cool wind, which made the walk quite enjoyable. Cache is severly broken (see photo). I had some replacement log paper, but alas, no containers. Nesxt person up - please drop a new container in. Picked up a TB to move on. Strange - photo uploads denied. Will try agin when i get to a proper pc ratheer than trying to do upload it from my phone.

thanks to capperz.....but it is already on our list and hope to get there soon

Passing by, again, on a Heaphy Track training walk and yet again have forgotten to bring a replacement container, sorry. Added a TB as a lure, brought down from North Island as it wants to go to the Ice of Antarctica!
Can the next cacher please bring a replacement container. Log is dry and bagged.

Found it during my trip from south of South Island to north of South Island.
Thanks for this cache!:)
Greetings from Czech

well this was a hike but the views were amazing, nice easy find on an awesome night for a stroll tftc

Week three of our training for the Heaphy Track next month and todays walk was a 9 kms plus loop of part of the Wither Hills Farm Park.

The Wither Hills Farm Park is a working sheep and cattle farm covering 1,100 ha, and extends the full length of the southern boundary of the Blenheim urban area, offering a magnificent recreational opportunity for locals and visitors alike. The park boasts an extensive network of walkways and tracks that guide you to a variety of tree-lined valleys and breathtaking hill-top vantage points overlooking Blenheim, Wairau basin and lagoons, and the North Island.

Nine of us, including fellow Geocachers 'GH6710' and 'Capperz' set off with packs and boots in preparation for the 82 kms we will be doing next month.

This was the fourth of six caches I bagged this morning and the effort to get here opened up the sweat glands in excess of what the wind could get rid of. Due to our delays searching and signing logs, the Muggles in the group, (who were aware of what we were doing) had got ahead of us and it was at Jane's Seat that they decided to wait and let us catch up. How nice of them... of course as soon as we turned up, they decided to head off again... we would like a rest too thanks. Never mind, I had a diversion to GZ which was going to hold me up longer.


This was the highest point on out little excursion today and by now the wind was a full blown Marlborough gale and as 'Troodles' commented a couple of weeks ago, I forgot to take in the view while concentrating on not losing the paperwork or my hat. It would appear that GH6710 forgot to bring a new container with him as he didn't replace it.


Thanks, once again, go to B&W... is there anywhere in Blenheim this man hasn't been.

Awesome run and walk this evening. Up quail stream to the top then along the ridge and down gentle Annie at some serious pace. Stopped off here briefly for a breather and the cache. Will try and remember a container next time. Still bone dry like the rest of these hills.

#8984. I thin this was the highest cache of our walk, and probably the windiest too. Great views though. TFTC.

Temperature was increasing as we walked up from the water tanks, and was very pleased as the top of the hill got closer and closer. StreetWalker took the direct, fence line approach towards the end but I took the proper zig zag approach, so by the time I got to GZ, all I needed to do was sign the log book.
Container is broken, sorry we had none with us to replace it, but the logbook seems to be surviving OK despite the container.
The wind was blasting us here, and I was so busy trying to stop paper, hat etc from blowing away I forgot to check out the view! TFTC.

Nice day for a WH GC run! TFTC

After yesterdays exertions up to Mount Vernon Trig and surrounds I drove towards this 'cluster' of four caches before deciding to leave until tonight. The weather has been threatening rain for most of the day but had come to not much by mid afternoon. Got my stuff together, including red rain jacket, and headed up to the car park at Forest park Road. G P S was showing me 1 point something kms to cache number one and with a winding path it promised to be another afternoon of 6-8kms walked, nice.
Weather was distinctly average after a bit, but decided to push on anyway and try and clear out the fabulous four, or at least I hoped they'd be fabulous!
The rain was now coming down in earnest, poor old Ernest, but decided to knock off this final cache whilst 'in the area' Messed myself around before heading back to near Quail Stream cache and heading directly up the hill. Using the markers as targets the 600 or so metres were slowly whittled away until I was alongside the bench. On a good day there would be good views, but sadly just rain, clouds and mist today. Kept the temperature down though.
Up and up to G Z and spotted the container on approach. It looks a bit worse for wear with a hole in the bottom. Log book still dry in its bag and resident earwigs scarpered too.
Thanks for bringing me up here, it's opened my eyes to some great walking around this area. F P for the experience. Stuck on a tantalizing 2899 caches after this one.
T F T C b&w

Beauty view from the seat. I was surprised Mr 6 yr old made it fine, miss 9 yr old... struggled a little. But, we made it! Tftc.

Found on our way to the lookout

Found during an enjoyable walk at Wither Hills on a fine, sunny day. Great views from here. Unfortunately the container is broken again, but the log book is OK at the moment. TFTC.

Bit slippery on the way up in the rain, nice views from what we could see tftc

The rain come down but still pushed on. Got to clear the map

The high point on this mornings walk. The fitness Mum's don't venture this far. Only sheep for company now. Easy find. Lid broken. CO had supplied me with a new container. Duly replaced. All good again and water tight. Had a laugh at the two adjacent signs.
TFTC

Problem contacting NM logger....nought required? But we gonna visit it any way.....soon.

A great hike up and around the Wither Hills with some fantastic views. TFTC.

New container needed. Thanks

Needs new container. Thanks

Found it, walked from Vernon around.

Found !!! thx!

This was the only cache on a track which would let me ride on....but the last 100m were too steep, so I had to walk it. Good day out though and I am pleased I made the effort to get up to this cache. TFTC

Quick find on a marvellous day to be out walking in the Wither Hills. Thanks from this Canadian!

Huffed and puffed around the wither hills tracks after work, a nice spot but very hot today,TFTC

This one rolled out to meet us! Hidden it better this time!

#725, 11:10, found during short walk in Wither Hills. TFTC!

Lovely day thanks

Man what a long walk time for a coffee then continue, TFTC TFTV.

Came here on a walk around this part of the Wither Hills Farm Park to pick up a few unfound caches. Took the low route at first heading towards Quail Junction, realised my error and then took off straight up the slope - rather steep but good exercise. Cache was found after a short search. Magnificent view from here! Signed log, TFTC!

A nice way to start the day, in fact wouldn't it be brilliant if every morning I had time to wander to places like this - oh to be a bum. One day maybe but until then this is the next best option. Back to work tomorrow. Thanks for the cache too.

Good view today. GPS took me straight to it.

Hardest cache to find all weekend. TFTC

very cold southerly blowing, so I had the place to myself.TFTC

Completed a big circuit of here to find heaps of caches.

Great location, been here many times, last time was on a bike, think i enjoyed the walk more. TFTC.

FTF, yeah. Great spot, well worth the climb. Great views of snow covered hills today, nice weather for a walk and not too muddy. TFTC I will add it to my favourites.

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