Set Misery (Easter 1949)

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"SET MISERY." Eastor.. 19490 "Oh, sweet misery o? life, at last I've found you, Oh, et last, I know the meaning of it all." Although we did not know it on Thursday, April 14th. the above slightly altered two lines were to be the theme song of the wholo weekend. The trip started off in fine style with most members meeting down at Club before going down to tho Railwey Station to see the Janganui River-ites off in their truck - unfortunately they secmed to went the truck to themselves end did not take very kindly to all the "Tappy" bods infiltrating on it = I always preferred truck to boat travel anyway. On the way down to the Station we had a rece with a fire engine; overyone must have been fit at that stage; and then efter the truck left there came a wild rece through town with stops for "rock climbing' on the Reilway Station and the Telephone Ex xchange b efore a geme of "football" which ended in a milk bar where we went for supper. Eventuelly we collected our packs again and staggered under them down to the 'T amahine". We did not take too kindly to the fact that there was only one gangway to use. I can think of betterithings to do than stand hommed in by a largo crowd with a lerge peok for about an hour. At long last around 12.15 the "Tam" pulled out a what's 1t hours here or there in a ship's sailing time? - and some prepared to sleep while othors enjoyed themselves in various ways for a further couple of hours eventually getting into their bags in tho scuppers at 2.15. Luckily the scuppers were dry. Around 7.30 or so, our truck, driven by Dick Townley 9 arrived the next morning. We piled in and headed for Blenhein and breakfast where we also picked up Des and Norman, - then on egain along the main road to Dashwood and then the turn up the road which fairly closely follows the Awatere River. A long, dusty ride ensued until we finally arrived at the Hodder Bridge. The weather all the time had been deteriorating and our arrivel we.s greeted by rain. After lunch we pushed off up the river to tho Hodder Hut and pulled in there. With me omories of last' year's trip and a. flooded Hodder it was not thought wise to carry on up tothe Camp site when there wa.s a great possibility of having to come down again the next day with a flooded river to cope with. (Incidentally, members of last yeer's trip knew this hut by the na.me of Shin Hut but Shin is about an hour up the Shin Stream from the junction with the Hodder River.) During the afternoon various exploratory trips were made in the immediate Hut area with soke rock climbing also featured. Des also shot a young boar portions of which mado a. fino eddition to the stew that night. Unfortunstely the next norning Walla was feeling far from well so he stayed at the Hut with Butch keeping him company, Phil Gardner was placed in charge of the climb and here is Phil's report of it. "It was decided to attempt to climb "Tappy" by the long ridge between the Shin and the Hodder. The chief supporters of this route decided to stay at Hodder Hut. From these two facts it appeers as if aforementioned people knew a thing or two, however, the rest of the suckers soon after 4 a.m, allowed themselves to be led forth like sheep to the slaughter. An hour and a half later we had geined an altitude of 3,580 feet and the summit of what later became known to us as "Swoet Misery." Other names were suggested but they have been rigidly censored. Just past Sweet Misery there is a low Seddle. Now there is a time and place for everything and low sddles are very nice if you happen to be crossing from one side of a ridge to the other but in the wee smell hours when you are following the ridge - well that's another metter. Sp with"low" grumbling (Sorry!) like the roll of distant thunder we proceeded down one side and. up the other where we stopped to hear the cracking of dawn and have a little refreshment. From here also we had a marvellous view of the surrounding peaks with Pin.acle, Alerm, Mitre and Gladstone to the foro and an oxcéodingly well snow-covered Schooner Renge in the background. To the North appeared the Southern end of the North Island with the Teraruas and Kapiti Island easily distinguishablo. while we pushod on up that intermina.ble ridge Terry turned back for Hodder with a dameged knse, the third chief supporter for the ridge route safely out of it. As we continued a small flock of sheep which insisted on running along the ridge ahead of us must have been getting quite fit by the time we had come to a steep rotten rock step in the ridge about 800 feet below the Pinnacle. They went down a scree slide while we roped up and sidled tot he right onto the top of the usual route up from the Hodder. We reached the crest of the ridge alongside the Pinnacle at about the same time as a nasty bit of weather turned up. The temperature was well below Freezing Point and a biting wind didn't help matters much. We decided as the time was now 1.30 Pom. and the weather showed every sign of getting worse that this was no place for us so after a quick snack the retreat was sounded. We little knew that at about that t ime another party was on top of Alarm - a party which was to have a profound influence on our movements for the next few days. However, that comes later in my story so back to the ridge where we up-tailed and beat it for a warmer clime, We descended by th he usual route to the Upper Hodder meeting on the way some stragglers from the other party which was in the area. With them we descended to their Base Camp where a very welcome cuppa was enjoyed by all.

Thence back to the Hodder Hut where those of our party who had stayed at home had not been idle. Boy was that roast pork good! The last members arrived about 7.30 p.m. Next morning three keon types were up at 2 a.m. and away by four for another climb. During the night the storm which had turned us off t "Tappy" had sprinklod the tops with snow down to 4,000 feet. The fresh snow on the rocks and the coldness of the river, which had to be felt to be believed, provided sufficient deterrent even for the keonest and those who had stayed behind were woken from their slumbers as three lusty a throated would-be mountaineers tumblec back into their sacks at 8a.m. There is no peace for the wicked, however, as at 10.30 a.m. two members of the other party in the area arrived from their base camp up the Hodder with the news that five of thoir members and two others to whom we hed given transport had not returned from climbing the previous day. They hed last been seen nearing the summit of Alarm at about 1.15 p.m. Knowing that a night out at that altitude, especially with the snow which had fallen, would be unpleagant to say the least of it, we proceeded to pack up camp and move up to the normal Camp Site three hours further up the river. Atbthe other's Camp Site we met some of their party who had conducted a search that day. It was then decided that as wO only had one day's food left to send two runners out for more supplies. It was too late by this time to send parties far up the valley so two of our members went to a knob about an hour above the Base Camp where they lit a fire and flashed torches till after datk. That night we arranged for five ropes of three to proceed on the search. Next morning the cooks were up by 2 a.m. while the last rope left at 4.15. A watcher was stationed up the "Tappy" ridge with a rifle for signalling purposes. It is into a full description of what the parties did that day but a very/search made of the "Tappy" - ATENTANES Alarm area and foot prints were found in the snow leading off "Teppy" down into the Clarenco. That evening news was brought into camp that the missing party was safe and there were sighs of relief from everyone. The search was off. The moral of this story should be plain to everyone. That anyone who, not content with climbing one 9.000 foot peak by after lo'clock in the afternoon, sets out to traverse another in badweatner ana without bothering to use a compass deserves to be at least "temporarily embarassed." Not only is it inconvenient to those who do such things but several of the search parties had to venture into places where they would not normally gos thus exposing themselves to a very real danger from the falling stones. It should also be recorded that during the search Rod Milne,Barrie

O'Donnell and Stan Kinder traversed "Tappy"; Graem Hall, Dave Lowe and Tom Lawton climbed "Tappy" and Phil Gardner, Harold Stretton and Des Manning climbed Alarm. A very fine job of work was done by the girls who organised the cooking and the Base Cemp judging,by the amount of work they seemed to get done thay couldn't have hed a dull moment." With Phil's report on the attemptod climb of "Tappy" and the search operations over it only remains for me to tell of the exodus from the Hodder Valley. Beingle st rope back from the search the news of the safety of the lost party awaited my toam on arrival back at Base on the Monday - as also did some very excellent ceke sent on by Mr.Camoron who sheep-farms the area. A new face at Base was that of Dick Townley who had come up to see if he could be of assistance and Walla had also arrived minus pack a ofcourso we had 7 spare sleeping bags anywayo Most people hit the sack carly that night - maybe they were tired a but four stalwarts : b sat up for a game of cards. Although I was asleep when Stan came to bed I hear that he was slightly cold during the night a he didn't like to disturb the other occupants of the tent and so could not get his cover, extra sweater or socks - the penalty of gambling for such high stakes I suppose a from what I heard they seemed to be about a halfpenny per box of matches. Tuesday morning dawned fine and we left base about 10 a.m. apart from Strett who HAD to get back to work and Frank who was our runner egain sontout to jack up accomodation for uso When we left Base we thought that the "Tam" sailed at 2 pomo and so we knew we had no shw of catching it. We had resigned ourselves, therefore, to a stay of two days in either Blenheim or Picton and then went geily ahead planning how to spend the said days - it didn't take much planning either. We made our way down-river, stopping at the lower camp to pick up additional gear that had been left there and then in groups and ones and twos down to Hodder Hut. Some stopped for a short time at Hodder for lunch (?) and to pick up gear thet he.d been left there and then offagain down to the bridge. On arrival all thoughts of that lavely swim and that marvellous wash and that glorious two days without a care in Blenheim or Picton went by the board for there came news - relayed by Mr.Cnmeron-thet the "Tam" did not sail till 6 Dom. and the Police would hold it for us. Up onto the truck, dirt and sweat and all, and off down the road to Camden Station, Mr.Cenoron's homestead, where a meal was ready and waiting for us. We changed our clothes, but that didn't make much compensation for the still-present dirt, and tucked into the food as fast as possible. Then off along that long, dusty road in the Awatere Velley. Hori and I had been smart and so had bagged seats in the cab with Dick Townley, but the sight that greeted us on arrival at Blenheim, We piled out and saw not our companions of the last few days, definitely not. What greeted us were groy countenances of entire strangers - certainly VERY dusty strangers at that. After some time we managed to recognise the various personages to whom they belonged but it was mainly by their voices that we did.

Also, at Blenheim on arrival were the wanderers returned. Seemingly very pleased with thoir exploit - we weren't. After roporting to the Police and being told to got out and make for the boat the two trucks screamed out of Blonheim with ours at loast "all jubilant with song." Ànd soon Picton and the mad dash onto the wharf. The "Tamahine" berthed with steam ups the rails lined with waiting passongers wondering what the hold up was; and thon two trucks appear and shuddor to a stop; trampors, packs, ropes and ice axos in all directions, what a panic! The "Tam" sailed; the bar opened - ahhhhhhh! the dining saloon openod - again ahhhhhhhh! then back to the bar and again ahhhhhh! A perfoct ending to an excellent trip. Those on the trip were - W-lla Hobbs (Leader),Marie Marshall, Agnes Wells, Diana Collings, Betty Brewster, Trev Walsh, Graeme Hall, Frank McGowan, Des Mannings Norman Thawley, Tom Lawton, Rod Milne, Dave Lowe, Phil Gardnor, Barrie O'Donnell, Stan Kinder, Ian Hindmarsh, Harold Stretton and Torry Moore (Asst. Leader) also down there were Jim Dawson and Don Langford who went into the Jordan area on a. shooting trip. We also gave transport to two other bods on a private trip. Our gratitude to Dick Townley and to Mr.Cameron of the Camden Station can not be properly expressed - we can only say here to both of them that we are glad we have met such fine people. T.M.