North Egmont - King's Birthday Weekend

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NORTH EGONT - "ume 4/7th. rida, niht say a wilirush for the top berth on the truck with a joful 7 decurin Dossession - the rest contenting theaseives with strav a oun below instead of nattresses. e left at 3.15 to journey throu_h the niht - soutins sleeping - until our errival at 6.15 Baturday iorning to be grected by a viw of a partiy nist covred gmont in the early mornin light. te found ur quartrs in a very sind enttage with all mod. con. and settld in to have breskfast. 9.30 found us off un the mountain and after the graunch un to the Tahuranga Hut at 5,500ft. we were really in to snow. The weather vas not partimularly inviting with a thicl- mist but no wind. After a short spell at the hut to re-nrganise,the party pressed on gradually dr pping bods by the wayside. Shortly after sti rting up the snow fields to the izard the mist c'ear ed briefly giving an excellent view of the mountain standing proudly arrayed in a shimmering mantle of fresh snow. It was a beautiful sight and a pause was made while camcras elicked in an effort to record the climpse of Nature's OVE iness. nward avain to the base Df the izard whe re the party roped up in preparation for the final stege of the climb anong the fantastic foraations of iou festooning the rocky cliff near the sumnit. n too at ast with not a thing to be seen by the ten who had empleted the climb, the mist beinu too thick for even a glinse of the crater. unch vas quicly disposed of in a still and quiet atos here rasomblin, that of fairy lend, cut off frm cntect vith the ordinary vay of life. ith a sli_ht fee'ing of reret ve 1 ft the ton, returning in o od tine to an alrcady orepared mel and the comfrt and wamth of a fire with a dance at the Hostel for those who vanted it. Sunday was spent in various ways. rive tramping to the Daws n Palls H stel, five tryi in their hand at faliing off skis on the Stretford side, three va king un to the Tahuranga Hut and the other sven bein siven extra a'pine instruction by th. leader in a secluded valley above and to thr left of the Tahuranga Hut. Hre wes practised clissading, sefing ir m falls, sten cuttin_,and r ne work,with one member's hurried exit down the mountain and over 2 rick outcrm all the added excitement that se reruired. "venturlly the nangs of hung r became too great and we retired back to the hut for 'unch - thor hly enioyed on a small knoll where we also had a rc'cme brew and rasoberry ice cream eaten out of everything from muge to snow g'asses.

ith the mist enin, Awn and fine snow with it we denarted for the cottage down a con sted track, and there awaited the return of th Davs on Fa S and tratf ord contingents. Sunday night saw some off to dance again at the Hostel while the bulk Lathered around the fire singing until the ear y hours. fonday bought the usual chores of packing and cleaning up, the truck leaving at 12 with 21 contented people on board, a 1 happy in the thought that we had accomplished something. The party was; Buthch farshall, Trev alsh, Rod filne, Gracne rall, Bill Rice, Don Dement, Cliff Ingnire, Keith Garbutt, Barry ilcox, aurie and 3ruce Nei'son, Des and Hlelwyn lanning, Terry ioore, fax artin, H. Stretton, - hn binson, and Trev Parks, ohn Latcliffe and Roy Cave (T.T.C. 1 - a by Rob Tamieson.