A Trip to the Northerns

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ATRIP TO TEIORTBUS. Oct. 1/3rd This trip should be known as tho "Plan Changing Wenkond" or som-thing to that offoct. "ho trip was originally schoduled for To Matawai - Carkonk, but as We had no transport and fow Snonnd intorestod in catching tho 5.47 Finlds "xpross on Frinay night the thron (Pod Milne, (lrador), Bill Rico and Torry Moore) loft on tho trip list docidod to attompt a Northorn Crossing. Friday night saw us arrive at tho Pipr Bridgo by dovious moans, woll fortifiod by Railway sandwiches and roady to wond our way to Ohau Hut. From tho road Wo actodas guidos for sono timo to-four shoot-Ts but soon aftar ontoring tho bush lino Wo mislaid thom although Wo had slowod our paco down a bit - naybr it was a littlo-warm tranping in "longs" and loathor jackots. "ho-Hut-was reached saoly in spito of tho clinging tendencios of tho uniquo Ohau mud and although wo didn't turn inuntil 12.30 aftor a brow and a "nattorl- round the fire our shooting frionds did not arrivo - Wo gathored that thoy had now nislaid thom- Solves. Saturday dawnod OVorcast with tho threat of rain soon fulfillad. 1s wo toro packing,the shootors arrived havingslopt out aeterlosing tho track and a riflo I To woro glad to Son thom as it saved US going out to look "or thom, "o loft tho Hut at 7.40 and plunged (?) through tho first crossing of that cold, cold rivor. "Io had not boon going long whon tho rain started," and accompanird 1s, togother with somn hail, all tho way up tho rising rivor. Tho arrival at South Ohau Hut (glorious vision) was made at 9.50 after some-nnorthodox rock climbing had boon indulged in on the way - shados of tho Alpinn Instruction Course trips to Titahi Bay. Tho timo takon for this part of-tho trip Tas accounted for by tho slightly swollon river, Aftor a confor-ner of mar inthn hut's sheltor Wo docidod to lavo tho Northorn whore-it was I tho bad conditions in tho valloy augurod Vory ill for the "tops". -As soon-as thr docision was mado Wo took up rosidonco and spent Ovor tvo hours in gotting a fire parmanently alight il ths brevr coming along in nico-time for lunch amid tho ochons of our loador's plaintivo wail of "bring mo moro dry wood I it's going out again", During the astornoon as tho wrath-r startod clearing Weo brought in a good supplyof wood, proparad onr toa, read and rostod - a mervollous life,

Wo-docidod that on the Sunday wo should justify our existence as tranpors SO 7.40 again saw us onour way - this timo up Yeates Track to Butchors Saddlo-- WoTo the rocks heavy Rod? From tho Saddlo Wo turnod off, hoading for Pichards Knob. Tho track hore consists mainlyof mud and cunningly placed rocks and tree roots all clovorly carouflaged by "lax, dracophyllum and long grass and Well guarded by leathervood, with sortios - over, undor and around windfalls for varioty. To evontualiy came to tio conclusion that tho flax otc. had its usos as it givos somot ing to hold-on to when you trip on the obstructions that it obscurns. Tho track has beon disced by tho fenawatu Tranping Club and I - porsonally think that tho M. m. C. mombors whordid tho job might profit by a course in psychology. "To know tho track is only mrant as a vot wrathor route but why, oh why, at tho hairiost parts put discs with thet fino messago "M.T.C. Track -pfort" on them - and that one that roads Io havo vacancios for now monbors" surely that would bo bottorphnced at some othor part of the mararurs - o -Anyray Wo pressodon - poor old "regerdless" must have boon slightly bruised at tho ond of tho day. Wo mislaid tho "track" in ono or two places, at one spot climbing Ovora nico colloction of rotton, vind-fallen troos which wore sprinklod, as all tho fallon logs woro, with P layer of light, fine snow. Looking backfron Richards Knob Wo had an oxhiltarating" viow of tho Main Rango, Crawford to tho South with Pukotoro, Dracophyllum Knob, Butchors Knob, Pukomatawai and Aroto filting in tho Porerround to Dundas in tho North and Lancaster, Thonpson and-Carkosk appearing in tho background - sun shining on tho whole panorama of praks and saddlos, bush nd tho opon "tops" mantlod in scattored snow and wrrathed in wisps of nist. From tho top of Richards Knob Wo turned off down 2 nasty pi-co of loathervood covorad saddle-end, climbing again, roachod tho top of Twin Poak whero We inspocted the trig Tectod as a nomorial to Ralph "oods 1 a victin of exposure and oxhanstion in tho 1936 storn - and peid our rospocts at his grave which lios a fow yerds awayo Off again, up on to "aiopehu and down tho ridgo to the-"aiopohu Tut for lunch and 2 Tolcomn brow provid-d by a Lovin-"niopohu lass who also told us it wonld taka us 3 to 3-hours down to tho Pipo Bridge (soo list of timos takon bolow). After lunch and th signing of the visitor's-book wo pashod off down tho 5 milo long ridgo to the odgo of tho bush lino and thon ovor tho peddocks to tho Fipo Bridgo whore We encountered 2 taxi roturning ompty to Lovin. Thankfully Wo piled in, boots, mud, sweat and all and wore Vory much estoundod at tho Lovin Station wh-n the taxi movad off as Wo Wore bringing out th mony to nay tho driver - many than S to our unknown benofactor. so ended a really good trip and horo I would liko to add a fotr words about that enterprising body - the Lavin-"niopolu Tranping Club. "fany of our mo nbors conld well-tako noto of thn offorts nut forth by this clubsinco it camo out of its wartimo rocoss. During tho rolativoly short tino that thoy have gain boon oporating as an activa club thry have builtra now Waiop-hu flut, (tho old one was blown away in tho 1936 storm), and also a"complotaly now hut - tho South Ohau at tho foot of Yoatos Track - this incidentally was built in 11 conseCutivo wockonds. Aso undertaken has boon th- cloaring of tho "aiopohu and Ohau tracks :t tho former baing a roally gargantuan task. Lovin-"aiopohu - I take my hat off to you, Our timos for the various Sections of the route travolled on tho Sunday are as follows. SouthOheu Hut- Butchers Saddlo 1 . 14 Butchors Saddlo Richards Knob Richards Knob "aiopohu Hut "aiopohu Hut Pipo Bridgo 2 28 All thoso timos include rests and wero for a fairly fit, small party in good woather. Wo hops that thoy may bn OP somo-uso to othor mombors - and We would cartainly liko to Son-more of our followclub mombors hoading for tho Northarn Tararuas - there is somo great tramping country thore. T.M.