Big Timber (Nelson) Richmond, South Island, New Zealand
By bumandworker on 23-Jan-13. Waypoint GC44T9K

No luck today.

Found on Saturday 22 January.
Decided to re-visit this cache after finding Weta Motel and was going past anyway. Had actually been here with my brother Team_Gaters back in jan 2018. Logged in the book but forgot to log the find….so had to return. I seem to remember that it was in a different spot but I could be wrong…I’m getting old and my memory is getting fuzzy. TFTC.

GPS very insistent that the place I was looking for was about 30m off the track under low shrubs. Given the hint I doubt that, will return on a clear day

Walked up the Richmond hills with paddle chick and my dog Rosie great to beable to mark this cache off my list .Thanks bumandworker

Trees all around the place, and this one had me searching high and low. After two DNFs on the previous two attempts, I was starting to get a little frustrated with this one. Ruled out early on the obvious hide spot, correctly as it turned out, and from then on it was reading old logs from other cachers that got me there. Slowly ruled out options, then found the correct arrow the hint referred to and I made the find. Not that easy, I guess the D/T rating reflects that, but three DNFs in a row would have been depressing. Especially as it is now that we take a different route that bypasses the next two on our list. All good in the end, TFTC B&W.

Today we went for a loop walk up Reservoir Creek track and then back down another series of tracks. A good 3 hours on the hills but a large proportion of that standing around looking for caches (according to RG1972 at least - who had the Strava on). A few finds, a few DNFs, and some we just got lost and disorientated on, to be honest. Good exercise though. Thanks all.

Located with Ricardinho
There were a few beep beep moments on this one. A GPS jumping around & a bit of frustration, but finally success & a happy camper!
I provided vital moral support Taking a cheeky selfie or 2 or 3
TFTC

Well this wasn’t a cache I’d had any intention of looking for today. I’d originally planned to head up towards the fire lookout area but with the track taped off at Grassy Saddle I pushed on along the the line back towards Jimmy Lee.

With several other tracks similarly taped off I then decided to push on down towards the reservoir and take a look for the handful of older caches along the gully.

Instead I ended up mapping part of the Big Trees Loop Track which landed me oh-so very close to the GZ of this one.

A few years back I’d Bush-bashed my way towards this one but fell short having lost the track. No such problems here today. Now! Where to start looking?

Taking the previous finders’ log as a guide I opted for the ‘up’ option ruling out a couple of possibilities as I went. After a bit of head scratching I let the GPS settle and followed its suggestion towards a likely looking tree.

S 041° 21.611' E 173° 12.134'


A poke around here and there and a quick stone-shift later and I was delighted to uncover the cache; happy as the day it was placed.

Then trying my luck a little further up stream I decided to leave the others for another day but headed back rather happy with a D/T 4/4 under my belt although I’d say it’s more of a 2/3 now to be honest.

Thanks bumandworker
#2776

Logged using Cachly.

Andy went out for a bike ride this morning and when he got home he suggested that we go grab the Reservoir Creek caches this afternoon. Yeah right, I thought - go and get some 4/4 caches during the hottest part of the day. Anyway, being the dutiful caching partner that I am, we had an earlyish lunch, packed up our gear and headed to Richmond. It was hot just getting out of the car, but we headed off up the track, following signs and hoping we were going in the right direction.

After leaving Reservoir Creek we carried on up the track, turning here and there as the signs and GPS lead us onwards. The track slowly got narrower and we encountered more and more shaded areas which was good considering the temperature today. Passed a few side tracks leading off to other big trees etc, but we kept on in the direction the GPS wanted us to go. Eventually we came to a split track - up or down. We chose up as there was a big tree there. Gps still gave us 12 odd metres so Andy tried the downside track but no good there so came back up where we spotted a possibility. Headed up and checked it out - yep there was a cache there. Log signed, another D/T combo achieved for us and we headed on to the next one. tftc

When I was looking for where I might go to find todays cache, I remembered this one. I noticed there have been a couple of finds since we last looked.
We have been here before and searched in what we thought was every nook that could have hidden the cache. On that trip we had come down the gully from the top.
Today I followed the same track up to GZ, over, under and through fallen trees, up and down on a fairly slippery track (after the rain) up the creek. When I got to a spot where I thought I had lost the track I rang GK to ask if he could remember anything that might help me to work out where to go. He could not really remember that particular spot. Just as I was talking to him I spotted a possum line marker so up the rock face I carefully headed. To me surprise someone has built a highway that goes nearly right to the cache. Well I had a T4 experience. I initially went where we had searched last time and I can confirm the cache is still not there = lol. So I tried plan B. Within a couple of minutes I was signing the log.
Once I started heading back to the track I spotted the marker, that we had not seen last time.
Thanks for the fun and experience I had getting to GZ and of course thank you for the smilie.

Took several visits but really pleased to come away this time with a smilie, in the area with SJT_NZ enjoying a walk. Thanks B&W all in good order.

Third visit and this time came up trumps. All in good order, signed log and replaced as found.

Thanks B&W for yet another cache.

In town on holiday visiting family. DNF'd this one a couple times now......and what better thing to do of a morning than get everyone back up the track again - Mrs TG and kids love it, my Sister and her kids love it...so wasn't too much effort to get them up here again. Fun as always...and this time we made a quick find and sign!! Duh. I'm sure we looked there last time, clearly not closely enough!! Yay we finally ticked this one off! Whilst everyong headed back down I tried to make it up to Weta Motel (the only other one on this track we have a DNF on - from a couple years ago when we approached from the top!). Followed the trap line from the weta box just over the creek from Big Timbrer, but lost it with 80m to go - and I wasn't up for the direct bush bash! Next time!). Woohoo. Pleased to finally tick this one off!

My first time up this creek and I didn't want to end up 'up the creek' looking for a trail that ran cold for me today. Fell around 150m short of the GZ with no obvious trail onwards. Looked for the trap line without success.

Another time...

Having slept in this morning and missed the club paddle I decided it was about time I had second attempt at the two blue frowns on this track. At reservoir creek there was a sign that looked fairly new saying track closed use at your own risk. I figured I'd give it a go and see how far I could get, I don't think it was any worse than 3 years ago. At the tree something caught my eye so went to investigate, it wasn't the arrow I was looking for but when I got there I could see where a marker had been nearby, from there was one logical place to put a cache. Thanks for the adventure b&w

#6536

passing, so checked...all good

Back in town for a couple days for a family celebration. Came up the track with our kids, my sister & her kids...absolutely poured with rain. Great fun. Made it this far up. Had another look around but no luck. GPS all over the show. Great adventure though! Shame to DNF again. Contacted B&W when we got home & got an extra hint for next time! LOL. We will be back!

The track from [Weta Motel](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC44T1W_weta-motel-nelson) to Big Timber was much better that the upper Reservoir Creek track, but still challenging in places. Again, the GPS jumped around never giving me good info (+/- 20m). I didn't find an arrow, but I did find the *obvious* hiding spot. Surely this was it--but no. Nothing.

I checked, reread description, hints and bumandworker's posts from August and checked again. Nada.

Tired, dirty and dejected, i moved on down the creek to [On the Creek](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC44T6R_on-the-creek-nelson).

Checked. Track and then cache in good condition

Went on a big adventure with Wafflekitties and geo pups, had a blast thanks for the memories! TFTC.

Found while on a winter holiday with LCBuilder and our two geodogs. We spent 3 weeks travelling down the east coast and then up the west coast, setting our tent up at a different campsite each night. We didn't have any real plan, just went where the caches took us we saw a lot of awesome sights and will definitely have to come back one day as 3 weeks isn't really that long!
Finally made it to Sunny Nelson, definitely one of my favourite places.

This was one of our more memorable days, we spend the entire day up on these hills going from cache to cache. Beautiful day for it, we were all exhausted by the end (or even before the end), I don't think the dogs moved another muscle all night once we were home..

This actually took me a moment to find last check, so I suspect it is PK. Another DNF, and I will check yet again.......watching.

Took a while here, the longest search of the day. Went up and down and despite finding a marker on a tree on the way up the bank could not make the find today. I turned back at this point and with other caches further up this creek I will return

A joint effort with SAFCman, who is home from Auckland for Christmas. This one took us ages to find. My GPS was all over the place. Eventually resorted to the assistance of SAFCman's phone app which suggested we should backtrack to a location we had passed previously. Really? Yep, gotcha!! Must have taken us 45 minutes to zone in on the cache but got there in the end. Thanks to SAFCman. I reckon this would have been a DNF without your help. Thanks also to BW for another great cache!!

checked

Soon after walking up creek from "On the Creek", we met up with the muggle family who had passed us there. They were turning back as they had found the going a bit treacherous on the slippery rocks in the creek bed. We didn't see many track markers along here so hoped we were on the right path. Needed a few more of the handy ropes at certain points too.
The cache was a quick find - thanks to the good hint. I spotted one of the hint objects and StreetWalker retrieved the cache.
These trees are certainly worth a cache placement. The Kahikatea was mentioned on the sign board close to where this track branches off from the main one, and according to the info there (which StreetWalker read on the way out instead of the way in), the track ends at that point. We didn't get much further past the second tree before realising that the going looked even tougher and with the Weta Motel having a few DNFs since the last find, decided to turn back. Just as well by the looks of it.
Thanks for the mini adventure, B&W, and the cache.

#9238. Given the reception conditions, and the terrain at GZ we went straight for the hint. We were pleased that lead to a pretty quick find. Had to be careful not to slip down the slope while signing the log. We enjoyed our trip up the stream. TFTC.

[Felt the need to come back today on my morning run and try to complete the unfinished business! The next paragraph is encrypted because it discusses the hint...]

My GPSr was pointing in the same direction as it was yesterday - up the hill. So that is where I went. When I got to where it said GZ was, I was standing on the side of a very unstable hill. I couldn't see either the first part of the hint (an arrow) or anything that might be suitable for a cache that matched the second part of the hint (above the ground). Then halfway back down I saw a spot that might be suitable, but I didn't take much notice until I spied an arrow a bit further below me. It was a bit more than the 2m in the hint, but could it be...?
[A check, and, yes, it was! What a great hiding spot! And a lonely cache no longer! Great location too - two magnificent trees here.

For the record, my GPSr was reading about 10m away from GZ. ]

My second attempt at this track this week - the first was wet and I didn't have a lot of time; today was the perfect day to go further up the track.

Second DNF on the Reservoir Creek track today. GPSr pointed way off the track, and I didn't find anything that could match the hint.

This may well still be in place but.........bookmarked to check (see link on cache)

In Richmond for a wee family holiday. Was planning on coming up here yesterday but heavy rain prevented that! Today dawned lovely, and our last day in Richmond before heading home to Christchurch, so we decided to leave Nana and grandand in charge of the wee dudes and head up the hill early. Decided on the steep direct route up! Having gained the LookOut we then looked for a way down....and we choose Reservoir creek. Not sure that that was a wise choice, lots of rain yesterday made it very wet and slippery. Took a couple goes to get the right elevation to gain entrance, once found we headed down the "track" - Found a couple markers but no such luck finding a cache. GPS spinning and time was running out. Another day perhaps. Cheers.

Spent ages looking, GPS would only give me an accuracy of 23-50 meters. Only found 1 arrow but no luck nearby. Tried the other coordinates mentioned in other logs but GPS was bouncing all over the place. I'll be back to try again another day

Returned today to complete some unfinished business and clear the closest to home cache off the RADAR. Nice new chute they've built below the reservoir. Got to try out Keith's track extension too as I see that they don't want us going over the private land any more. Found a different arrow this time and the cache where you said it would be. GPS reading about 24M. My coords were S 41 21.630 E 173 12.127 but the GPS does bounce around quite a bit in this tight valley. The stream up was easier to negotiate too this time.
TFTC

Yes, I read the instructions more carefully, and there it was! http://www.geocaching.com/images/icons/icon_smile_cool.gif

Took a bit of time for me to realise I could trust the gps. No problems when I got to the correct spot.

TFTC

found it on a day walk with an expert geocacher.

A good trip up here, with one of the local geocachers who maintains this trapline.

Found Big Timber. Found the arrow 26M from GZ. Focused our search on the tree across the path and uphill from the arrow. No sign of the cache where we were looking. Tough bit of track between Weta and here. It disappeared into the stream a couple of times.

GPS had me wanding around a bit till it setteled then no problem

The cache name may give people the wrong idea about this cache site. After a long search, the cache was finally found with the help of the hint. Enjoyed the walk up the creek.

Started our search in the wrong place. Reread clue and Ducksarse Dave located cache with his "man's look!"

Jeez! What a hike so far. Out on a solo walk today and this is my first find of 3. The Co-ords i recorded were S 41° 21.635 E 173° 12.138 just for interest's sake. Glad to finally make a find on this crazy walk, thanks!!!

Would never have found this one without the hint. Even the hint object was pretty hard to spot. My GPS never got closer than about 25m. I've recorded a reading at GZ which I've attached to this log. I'd be interested if anyone gets any better / other readings here. TFTC, Biggles.

enjoyable walk
good one
thank you for the cache

FTF!!! Mrs KE was keen to head up with Ellie and the kids today and try for these unfound ones. After a DNF at the first Mr KE managed to find this cache quite quickly which was a relief. Second visit to the big timber for Mr KE but first for everyone else. Thanks.

#6669

Three of us following the KE's around the track - as we discovered when this one was found. GPS was more helpful here and had Mrs SoBad in the right place - to have the cache handed to her. Enjoying the chat amongst the scramble.
Thanks.

This entry was edited by SoBad on Saturday, 26 January 2013 at 07:42:22 UTC.

Argh but which arrow? After a while one of us decided to follow the GPS first and the hint second, a ploy which soon brought reward. TFTC.

Little arrows everywhere! Almost aligned to a song. Very pleased to hear that another of the team found it - would it be a blank log? No. nevermind still an enjoyable trek along the track. TFTC #4474

I remember this spot from my unsuccessful search for Red Beech cache. Again coverage was bad, but after some unsuccessful searching I had to chase the GPS a bit. No luck and time was ticking, so another DNF!! 0 from 2 it was a bad start up the valley!!

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