Under the Mountain (Canterbury) Maungati, South Island, New Zealand
By Brendon, Murray & Tui on 25-Aug-02. Waypoint GC84DC

CaptainVimes and I have crossed the ditch to attend the Geo Toroa mega in Dunedin and tour around the South Island for two weeks.It took me 15min to walk up here. If there are no spiders in NZ, why did I walk through so many spiderwebs.Once at the clearing, I sat down under a likely looking tree to ponder my options. It was then I saw it a metre or so further down the hill at the base of a sapling.Good to see a semi-original log.Thanks swanny and happy caching

This one has been on my list for a while but i have never been in area to give it a go .But to day is the day and the rain is not going to slow me down .So with rain cots on we set off Annielin was not so keen as she had only bought her rain sive and it not so water proof. After some time we soon got close .Now to track down the cache. After a few minutes and a hop past from a woliby i spoted some thing out of place and we added our name to roll of honor, now to get bzck down with out sliding all the way .We made down and now get the heater going was call for .This was a great find with Abbykitt and annielin. Thanks for bring me here i did enjoy it even though my companion may not have .Getting out and about in to the out doors is my happy place so any excuse to go caching. As if I need an excuse aahhh nop I will go rain hail or snow so let's goooo and have as much fun and adventures as possible tomorrow may never come. Life is short. Live life one foot step at a time.Never say" I'm gonna "- Just do it!! Tomorrow may never come just grab Life by the horns Thanks for the hide tftc

Hats of to whoever put this challenging track in place. Not easy, a short hunt required.

This cache was my target for the day. More zig zags than expected. Soon reached the opening and then it was a matter of searching the base of all the bushes/trees in the area. After a while it was time to investigate earlier logs where I gleaned some interesting information. It has obviously been dislodged from its spot in the past and is possibly not at its original spot. Best to ignore bushes and concentrate on trees at the edge. There was a likely one only a few metres from where I was sitting at GZ that was on the edge of the opening so I go and investigate. A wallaby was resting only a few metres up from the tree but I was more interested in the plastic bag that I could see sticking up. Yippee. Replaced as found. Nice to knock off another oldie. Thanks Brendon, Murray & Tui for the cache.

Missing date month for me. Another on filled it.
Kiscardi didn’t realise there was a climb.
I took a geocoin but Kiscardi has grabbed it off me.
There is a great view, it is worth the walk.
Would have been nice to have time to walk further but placed to be.

Came up here today to grab this old cache. Interesting drive up the valley. And a very neat pull up to the view. Thanks for the oldie and placing and maintaining all those years.
Awesome

As you approach the carpark you get a sense of how steep the area is and hope for a well graded zig-zag track to get to GZ. Indeed there were zigzags but they were still challenging. Took me twenty minutes to get to GZ and the view was worth it. Needed to get this for my Jasmer and I also needed a ‘U’ named cache for a spelling challenge. Dropped a TB. Don’t have time today to do the loop but will hope to come back to explore a bit more and get the other caches here. Thanks for maintaining this old cache and for bringing me here. Favourite point from me.

This was the first of my target caches today. I have been working away at my Jasmer grid for a while and so got quite a surprise when the checker on GC4R9Z6 came back with a big fat red cross! Turns out some of the grid doesn't have finds in New Zealand - so back to the drawing board starting with this one. I enjoyed the walk up in the bush. I had totally forgotten about the possibility of seeing wallabies until I thought I saw some one in the bush close to where I needed to turn off for the cache. I looked up and there was a wallaby standing/sitting watching me - we had a bit of a Mexican stand off for a while before I continued on. I was heading a bit further up when I spotted a cache on the ground sort of in the open. Yeah, and when I got closer spotted another matching the hint. So I signed both and placed them back together matching the hint. Absolutely delighted to find this old cache - thanks so much for keeping it active. It was only a short distance to the next cache but I hadn't got far when the terrain went down and I could see where I presumed I was going - hmmm not today. The wallaby was still close to where I had first spotted it on the way back down too. Great experience so an easy favourite. TFTC # 17,260

Seen as I was so close, I thought I'd try have a crack at this. Didn't expect I'd make it, however I did, and was feeling pretty pleased with myself, given the Terrain rating and not really having decent shoes for the job. Was quite keen to get this as it ticks off a Jasmer month for me. Thanks for keeping this one going, Brendon, Murray & Tui !

TFTC Brendon, Murray & Tui, the cache was found in good order Signed, sealed and returned to GZ. 2 find(s) of 5 today, making this find #2494

This was our target cache today. Gk went on ahead as I knew there would be no keeping up with him. I was really hoping to see a wild wallaby but thought it was unlikely as he was probably going to scare any that were there away. Off he headed and off I plodded. At one of my stops I heard a rustle in the trees and there was the first wallaby I had seen in the wild in NZ. I got to the top of the hill and I could hear gk up above so I called out to him and he came down and guided me up to where he is. Within a couple of seconds he found the cache. We signed the log and returned it to where he found it. We sat and enjoyed the view and the 31 degree heat. On the way back to the track gk was helping me down a steep bit when he spied another cache container. We had a look and it is obviously a throw down that has been there for nine years. It was over 20m from gz. Not quite sure of the story behind it but we removed it. Thanks for placing this cache and thank you for the smiley. That is one more date placed gap now filled on our grid

After a nice weekend in Temuka, I decided to pop in the area, get a good walk in, and find some caches while at it. Quick find here after scrambling up to gz. Thank you for keeping this one alive!!! TFTC!!

Made it to gz for great view. But too worried about getting down safe for a concerted look.

Tftc. Description and size a bit misleading but easy enough to find

A little behind in the logging, but was on a caching adventure with a group of Westies: rebel98, rustynz and gorby.

Thanks for the hides, another caching adventure

Rustynz, Rebel98 and myself Gorby are Westies from Auckland. We regularly head away on cheap flights to here and there, this time we have flown to Christchurch for another 3 day adventure of fun and caching. This time it’s all about the old caches.

We parked up and were warned this was going to be steep (cache page) but what I didn't realise that it was such a zig-zag route to get to the top. Sometimes the cellphone said way more meters then it closed in, then it stretched again, but eventually we found a huge tree and knew we were close. Then straight up the hill from there and since I was in the lead, I spotted a wallaby first. He just sat there, curious about me as I was about him. I tried to get the camera going quickly, hopefully film him, but he started to bounce away and I got a fleeting image only, but at least I got a foto! I waited for Rebel to get up to where we were, but in the mean time rusty was searching for the oldie cache and soon found it. Could have been anywhere, but I guess she struck it lucky. Happy to sign this one in for the Jasmer Challenge.

Thanks swanny for the oldie.

With a group of Westies (rustynz, rebel98 and gorby) on a long weekend of caching fun

This was one of our must finds for the day, so serious driving from Christchurch.

On arrival its misty, and lots of grey. If there is a view we will not be seeing it today sadly. Luckily it is not raining. So on goes the layers, across the bridge, and up... and up... and up.

Its only 300+ m to the cache, but we were warned it would take at least 30 minutes to get to the cache. A slow steady pace, and eventually we got to GZ. I went to the left, and within minutes had the cache in the first place I looked. Love it when that happens.

When we first got to GZ there was a wallaby! was not expecting that (although it was mentioned in earlier logs). As to birds got to see a fantail. Lots of cows/bulls down by the carpark (evidenced by all the poop), who where calling out whilst we climbed up.

A fun little adventure, a strenuous climb, but no falls, although gorby did do battle with a spikey plant and left some DNA

Thanks Brendon, Murray & Tui for the hide, no time to do the loop today, we returned the way we came. All good with the contents.

Log later

So pleased to have found this one! It was very cool to find such an old log book, and we totally agree with the comments made by Rayzr2 below. We’ve added our name and left a couple of small items.
We continued on and walked the whole loop, which was very challenging but made worth it by the views, the waterfall detour and the sense of achievement, especially for the 8 yr old. Thanks so much for a great find.

#114 we found it fast,hopefully we will find a way back now

this one had been on my list for a very long time and my second attempt at it. it is very awesome to be able to log a cache that has been around this long and it shows me what caching is really about... none of this open your car door sign the log and move on to the next one 200mts down the road just a shame it is not the original cache container and log book.. a well worthwhile walk up a pretty steep hill and a few rest breaks along the way TFTC

FITW FMZ
We are heading to south,and this cache was a must do in our bucket list. The climb was really steep, but the views were amazing,especially as we reached up just after the sunrise. Saw few Wallabies in this forest, i have never seen them before. Cache was definitely not an easy find. we took ages to find it. No idea, what to log to make it helpful everything looks the same. It under a tree, not a bush. But then there are lot of trees.. Oh well good luck all. tftc.

Found this cache on a trip to the south with harisree targeting older caches. This one was important because it's a genuine August 2002 hide, pretty rare in NZ. Needed to find it to complete my NZ Jasmer grid - I had all the months but my 2 August 2002 hides were fake, actually 2013 hides with the wrong year entered. I know a bunch of people have used them for the NZ Jasmer, but that did not sit well with me and i wanted to do it properly without cheating. Anyway, arrived here in the morning and headed up the hill. It's quite a climb, short but steep, up the track, and then a bit more of a scramble up the ridge from the track to steep and slippy GZ. Took us a few minutes to spot but thankfully got there in the end. Great spot. TFTC!!!

Great views. Worth the walk. Tftc

Hell yeah! I'm on a 5 day caching trip in the south island. Have a few aims - right now its to find a few specific caches that I need to complete my grid for a challenge - and this was one of them. So found my way to the car park, and then prompty took the wrong track. Once realising my mistake I headed back to the car park and headed up the other path. There was one area where I needed to navigate a tree that had fallen over the path, but otherwise a fairly uneventful trip up to where we leave the path.
Headed up to GZ, and searched all around. There was NO WAY I was leaving without finding this cache. Finally dug deeper back at the original tree I'd searched around, and dug the container out of the leaves. It was Full of water. So tipped it all out and signed the soggy paper. It was as I was leaving I slipped over! ouch. Then it was back down the hill, and into Oamaru to stay for the night.

This cache was our reason for a weekend in the area - well, if you're going to walk up this far, you might as well take the time to do the whole loop track. We were shocked by how the wallabies have eaten out the understorey; even the lawyer has been browsed. Saw a couple of them on our way up, and more on the way down. Mr D found the cache rolled down the hill a bit - put it back securely in a place which fits the clue. It's a 400 ml snaplock at the moment. Unfortunately someone had left a sweet in the cache and you know how that ends up... wiped it out as best we could, removed what couldn't be saved, replaced bags with clean ones. Great to be here - thanks swanny!

well at least this one was where it said it was.. unlike the last one... didnt even need the gps once i got in to the open ground as there it was plain as day devoid of camo, sitting under a small weedy shrub that looks prickly but isnt... under a larger tree on the edge of the bush as noted... contents all nice and dry.. and some interesting loot in the cache... mmm some batteries.. a packet of hotel soap? couldn't see the shower any where darn it.. had a quick bite before heading back on the way.. with a now wet bum..moss!

Found on a day's outing to Mt Nimrod. Walked right around the loop track and now recovering. TFTC.

Found on a very hot walk around the track. TFC

well that's one way to walk off the xmas pudding 20min to the cache but the calves were feeling the burn tftc

Managed to get this cache today, I enjoyed the view from here, next C/O can I have a bit less haze, can I order it now Cheers for this

TFTC

Scrambling around the mountain with the family, stunning views, well worth the climb. GPS all over the show but found it eventually. TFTC

Found it with kakariki - needed to trust GPS as assumptions are usually wrong - as indeed they were today.

With Reshamfiriri. This took a bit of searching. Being very familiar with Mt Nimrod Reserve we thought we'd just walk up to it... haha. Had to retrace our steps and go into unfamiliar terrain. Thanks for the cache!

With recovering from a cold the walk up was a little harder then normal for me. Nice sweat up. Great views. Tftc

Nice bush, decent climb up, cache quickly in hand tftc

thanks for the cache

Found after long day on this track. Home to a warm bath!!' Maree and Mouse

Nice challenge.

#3447
I found this cache box only by chance with 24 meters off. Must have been instinct
However I didn't find any bonus number...
Thanks for the nice bush walk.

[blue]spy_guy[/blue]

TFTC

Took a bit of hunting at GZ, but earned a smiley for my trouble. Thanks for the hide.

Took 12 minutes to get up, so hoping the loop will take only 90 minutes . Coordinates pretty good.

Sloged up and then the GPS over shot me a good distance just to add to the sweet factor.

came back with a new container to replace the broken one.
unfortunatly the log book was beond repair so replaced it with a new one.
cache is placed where I found it, at the base of a tree just below the bush line.

found on a walk with the family. I did not read that the container was broken in the last log so did not bring a new cache. I did see who i think was the culprit, wild sheep with long bushy tails.
I will be back in a couple of weeks so will bring a new container then.

This was the last find on our clockwise circut. I was about 20 short of GZ when I noticed the cache tucked in beside a tree.
It is indeed broken, can someone take another container when they go up there as this is a rather venerable old cache that is worth saving.

Cheers and thanks, S.t.

Decent climb up here. Found cache very easily - it was sitting out in the open with a hole in the side of the container. Log contained a note from a tramper too. Log book etc still all dry and usable.

This has been just off my radar for many a month and today, it finally came onto the radar and when I realised that this was "MY" mountain (Mt. Nimrod) - I wondered why it had taken me so long. Bit worried by the nearby gun shots - but we didn't get hunted. Nice walk.

What a neat little reserve and camping area. One campervan there today. After finding the right track got to cache OK. Great views. TFTC

We spent the night at the camp ground and found the cache the next day. Amazing spot, so quiet and peaceful. Great view from the cache site. Thanks

I see that this was replaced on the day that I archived it.
Unarchived at the owners request.

The owner has advised that theyve replaced the cache.

Oh dear, we finally made it down, replaced the box (and put a rock on it this time).

There's a new log, two pencils, some foreign coins and a kiwi.

Enjoy. Swanny, Regina & Emantee.

I've given you 1 1/2 months in which to maintain this cache from the time of my reviewer note advising that you have 1 month in which to fix it.

This cache has therefore been archived due to a lack of owner maintenance.

Regards,
camocrab
New Zealand based Geocaching.com Volunteer reviewer

NOTE: please do not select reply in your e-mail program if you wish to respond to this message from the geocaching.com mail bot. Go to your cache page and post a Reviewer Note or e-mail camocrab from the log there, or email me directly at [email protected]
Please send me a link to the cache in question, or at least provide its GC number, so I will know which cache you are writing about.

The Possums must have got to it again . Will take a look soon.

I too fell into the trap of following the "Well defined track" in the wrong direction, but after realising the track wasn't likely to loop back for sometime returned to start again. Upon arriving at GZ started to search, and search and search. The GPS was determined to lock on to one spot which was turned upside down. I then decided to extend the search area and let the GPS wander from GZ to GZ, but still no cache I must have spent nearly an hour searching any likely location the vague hint refered to (there are plenty of trees or bushes to choose from). Is it likely the cache has washed down hill with all the heavy rain over winter? Not likely to return to this cache for some time. Oh, watch the possum traps scattered on the track side.

Looks like the cache might have moved since it was placed (the possums must like this one ?). Have updated the hint, making it more vague until I can get back to check on the cache.

[We took 3 attempts to find this cache.
We knew it was a steep climb but we made it much harder than it should have been. We arrived at the parking spot and saw the notice board that looked as though there had once been a map on it. We then followed the obvious track which began as a vehicle track and came to a sign saying Nimrod Track 3 hours. Off we went up an extremely steep track. After quite some time Mr W.E.K.A. commented we must have climbed more than the 140m we are expected to climb. But Mrs WEKA pointed out we were still in the bush and not above the bushline yet. After 25 minutes we reached the edge of the bushline and checked how far we had climbed. Oh dear 240m and the cache is twice the distance it was when we began. We must have been meant to go anticlockwise we decided. Down we went to the beginning of the track where the vehicle track continued beside the stream. We tried this track but it ended abruptly after 400m. Back to the car and a look at previous logs on the laptop plus a good look at the Lands and Survey map. Lunch seemed a good idea. While sitting in the hot sun eating lunch, Mrs W.E.K.A. suddenly spied a track to the right of the notice board and more than that, there was a bridge over the stream we knew we had to cross. So after lunch off we went for a 3rd time. This track was of course steep also, but not as steep as attempt number 1. Once we got above the bushline it was time to search for the cache. After searching for 40 minutes and always ending back at the same spot Mr W.E.K.A. found it. The additional hint had mislead us somewhat.] Should the hint say small tree or bush? [We should have trusted the GPS more than we did.]

This was a day for doing caches that required some effort to reach them and this was no different. The landscapes and views in this back country are well worth the effort, and the find, a worthy bonus. rchd tripped on the way down, which appears to have broken his toe. Ouch, but took another cache attempt and a long drive home before this was realised. TFTC TNLNSL

Spent a while searching around all of the trees in the area of the GPS coordinates - to no avail. Only found a soggy keyring in the grass. Wonder whether the cache has been destroyed again?

Came back to find the track cleared at last. It's quite a hike up the hill, which made finding the cache feel all the more like an achievement.

- nil
+ silica - mostly just in case.

June's snow and/or this week's wind have made a mess of the track. Got to about 180m winding my way up the switchbacks, but after skirting over, under and around several blockages I finally hit one that looked like more than I wanted to tackle on Black Friday. Looks like it'll be a year since it was last found on Sunday!

Found this after deciding not to go down other side of track but to take a right and go up the ridge further - good decision as we found it fine. For those wanting a good view of valley below take a right at the top of the track up.

Very very steep track up - might need to get some tramping boots for caches like this in future.

Great stuff

TNLN

The Lady was sick today, and Pippi is not allowed in some of these places, unfortunately.
However, she may have had trouble making the climb.

Sir Rick went out for a hunt on his own, and started the climb. Half way up, I discarded my anorak, to be retrieved on the way back. Two thirds up, and I was almost ready to quit. However, I decided that I had already done at least 15 minutes, so the end would not be too far to go. Made the top, turned off at the "triangle" place.
Started looking under the first tree, but a word from a nasty "bush lawyer" suggested to try the next tree up; which was good advice indeed.
The container is not the one in the description, nor the photo. It now is a tiny "snaplock" container.
I was going to take the Carabena, and leave a couple of cool pens, but they would not fit inside the box.
So, took nothing, left only a note.

A much needed afternoon out in the hills; on the most beautiful Spring afternoon.
Thanks for the challenge, Emantee (Murray and Tui) and BaldEd for helping sort the cache out some time back.

Loved it.
Cheers.

Thin (thawing) patches of snow around the cache from yesterdays dump.
It's quite a walk, certainly helped to quieten the kids.
Blake (6) found the cache, with a little help from myself.
+ Badge ex My Home My Castle
- Colourful Pencil

At last I got it, 3rd time lucky.I honestly dont think it was there the other times as I looked really hard around that tree. Thanks Balded for reinstating it. Are Brendon, Murray & Tui still in action ?

Cheers JohnK

Yes we're still around (sort of). I'm in Sweden at the moment but will check back when I'm in the country. I'm not sure how this cache moves from the spot I've put it in (twice). I think that some critter has taken a fancy to it. Good to know it's still there.

Only 220m away by GPSr, but a bit further by Bear feet!
We puffed and panted our way up (don't you hate approaching the cache on the zig, only to lose most of the gain on the zag?) and found the cache where it should be.
Thanks for rebuilding it, BaldEd!
No swaps, but a great view and a welcome workout!

This cache has been on my to do list for quite some time. That hill is steep! I would recommend not to do this cache if it is raining and you want to keep the seat of your pants dry and clean.

Walking uphill toward the published coords and whilst still 40 metres directly below the site I discovered firstly the cache lid then a few metres further up hill the container and close nearby was the plastic bag containing a sodden logbook. This logbook was the replacement one deposited at 8.30pm on the 15 Feb 2004. No other contents were found. It seems that the cache must have been washed downhill. How did it come to be open? Muggle or possum? I repacked the container with another new logbook , 2 x new AA batteries, a bar of soap and a carabina keyring and replaced the container at the coords (on the uphill side of the tree, as the downhill side was exposed to weather).

Will update cache decription when I get more time.
Bascially: There's something in the right place now.

Tried again but to no avail and there were three of us looking. I paced Myself going up hill this time My GPS took me to the same spot (as described) we almost done a full grid search but not to be. The weather wasn't the best (raining) and a bit wet in the open, so that didn't help. Barbara stayed at the truck with the other girls but said she wuold have found it. So you know who going up that damn hill next time and, there will be a next time providing the cache is still listed. Thanks for the excercise anyway I'm sure it helped My dicky back.

John K & Friends (Barbara, Nev & Trish, Brian & Sue, Hung and Pom. )

This was to be our 4th for the day but. The very hot day and My enthuisam in climbing steep tracks-not no water bottle and heaps of other excuses too many to mention I had nothing in reserve for the final search Was within 10m but FAILED. I'll try again and make it first for day next time.
Some more clues near the site would help

Thanks Brendon Murray & Tui

Jolden (John & Barbara)

This was to be our 4th today but not to be. I think the very hot day (it was even hot in the bush), the steep climb and not being able to pin point it with My GPS made this difficult to find. Maybe some more clues near the cache for those who don't have the high tech machines would be useful.I will try again but will make it the first for the day next time.

Thanks Brendon, Murray & Tui

Jolden ( John K)

Bit of an effort getting there and GPS put us well above the cache. Eventually found it and then enjoyed the view.
Jan & Sam

Luckily we had saved all our energy for this one! Rodney thought it was great and would have taken off like a mountain goat, but decided that he had better stick with me (Iris) so we went up the hill slowly - step by step with breathing spaces. But the good part is that I made it and we found the cache! The GPS coordinates were bang on. What a view! It was a long way down and very impressive (especially for someone who doesn't much like climbing hills!) Rodney found a possum skull to add to the sheep's jaw he found at McKenzie. They will both go to Tush - she is a preschool teacher!
We ate the amazing fruits and took the hacky sak. We left a 10cent coin, a rubber ball, a nail brush and some artificial flowers.
Thanks Swanny - it was worth the climb.
Iris & Rodney

Our Second fine for the day, What a climb but it was worth it, the GPS was bang on, I used a Navman pluged into Palm M130 and Dave uses a Navman pluged into a Palm IIIc,the cache was well hidden,
There was no Exchange.

The cache was well hidden and good order

Great time had by all...

many thanks Robert & Dave

[last edit: 12/29/2002 4:37:03 AM PST]

I was in a real hurry, so I didn't have time to search too thoroughly, the climb is a killer if you rush. Anyway, it was a great drive and great view from the top of the hill. Thanks for a great cache, Donovan.

[last edit: 12/22/2002 7:02:07 PM PST]

[last edit: 12/22/2002 7:02:32 PM PST]

Quite amazing how 300m seems like such a short distance, but such a long way when you are walking uphill! Found the cache exactly where the GPS said it would be. Amazing view on such a great day, took the Pineapple Pencil sharpener (which I think was ours from one of BaldEds caches ) and added a US$100 hacky sack and a ladybird. Thanks Swanny for a great adventure.
Cheers
Nick and Bernadette