Sunday Special (Powell Hut to Mitre Flats, Tararua Crossing)

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SUNDALSPRCIALL August 12/15th. In spito of the fact that a mere woman managed to put hor neme on the trip list, the Holdsworth - Mitre was, as advertised, an all male Luke McLuke trip, but thet was the only part of it thnt went according to schedule. For some reason Butch dropped out of the trip leaving eight men to catch the truck along with othor"Holdsworth only" peoplo. After purchasing pies and other indigestiblos at Foatherston we moved on to Bannister, drivor Bob amusing us as he tried to skittle rebbits on the road. in cerly start Saturday was necessery so off to Powell was the cry onco evoryone stopped their toeth from rattling with the cold. Once wO ronched the Hut (There's a dickons of a lot of effort summod up in those five words. - Ed.) in the carly hours of the morning, as the woll known song says, staying up was not the capor so into the scratcher. Having had the alern clock fixod (Worse luck. - Ed.) it went off (No. Not bang.) sharply at 5a.m. In my hurry to get to it before someone hurled a boot at it I tore the zipper off my sleeping bag. Next I tried to got the cooks onto the job. Rod, comparativoly speeking, loaped out, but young Dave proclaimed loudly end long thet he couldn't possibly tramp without his sleep. Sventually he rose with tho assistance of some cool, clear wator, still complaining,shilo I retired again. Before I dozod off Rod was giving some excellent advice

14 = to all and sundry on how to get a fire going in the stove at Powell Hut. Anyone who is interested could get these tips from those who were on the trip, however, ladics need not apply for this information. Breakfast was on about 7.30 but mist was forming about the tops accompaniod by a very, very cold wind so it soemed a bit useless to start out. So we ate, slopt and choppod wood throughout the day. Consequently, however, tho wocther bocame finer and sunny although the three who climbed Holdsworth reported high winds on the tops. However the wind died down and the sky cleared in the evening so an early morning start was decided on - we could go to South King at least., Onco moro the alnrm clock broke the rythmical snores in the hut, this timo at midnight. A peop outside showed stars shining in the North with high cloud Southward. we'd try. Bill and Terry got cracking on the cooking but about then we discovered the alarm clock had lost helf an hour during the night. we eventually started out at about 2.45 with Koith who had talked his way into coming as an extra. Holdsworth was soon conquered in the crisp morning eir and even crispor snow but as we stood chipping the ice off the trig fine snow commencod falling lmost from nowhere. The moon still showed through the little cloud there was and only a slight breeze blew. Terry announced here that he was not foeling too well, (Hori seoms to be a pretty accomplished mastor of the art of undor-statoment. - Edo) but after giving him time to cough away we went. The snow lasted only a. few minutes and progress was goodo We reached Jumbo in 2 hr. 5 mins. from Powell, the final 15 minutos being in mist. This too clesred and aftor an ice cold drink we moved awa.yo Whereas previously the snow had been patchy and mainly on the Northern slopes, it now became continuous and quito doep. When a foot went through the upper crust this latter fact was obviouso On Angle Knob step cutting was necessary and this delay soon brought a previously un-noticod wind to our attention. Those who hed set out in shorts soon remodied the situetion and slickors and perakas were donned. Light mist had come over again by now but with the rising sun the mist liftod too. By the time we reachod McGregor it was quite light and we could see that we were above the cloud level which was at about 3,500'. After a bite to cat and the admiring of the view of Crewford and Nicholls we dropped down a steep slope to the Broken Axe Pinnacles. we ropod up here and traversed all but the lnst where a sidle was nocessary to bypass an almost vertical rock faco tastefully decorated with ice. Iced rock and mud slowed up the proceedings but orC3 back on the ridge it was easy going on a flat ridge to South King. The ridge to Mitre seemed easy enough so we set off. The Middle and North Kings passed wo started to climb on to Adkin but before we reached the top the warm sun was blotted out by mist. However it cleared and we discovered that what wO had come over in mist must have been only the North King and not Adkin but Girdlestone did not seem that far away. However, we were wrong egain because when WG geined the summit what sight bofell our eyes? A dirty big saddlo with the reel Girdlestone looming on the othor side. Having climbed Adkin three times according to our cnlculations we decided that lunch was the next item on the programme. The sight of Mitre, Brockett and Girdlestono aided digertion no end and off we wont once more. Fortunately, tho thought in my mind of iced up rock was not fulfillod clthough tho rocks were woll plastered with wind-drivon snow in pleces. On top of Girdlostone wO found the trig a little the worse for wear. iftor posing round it for Barrie's canera off we went once moroe This time in the now thick mist we mistook Brockett for Mitre and those who had been ovor bofore on Northern Crossings woro thinkins they must have had it the previous timo as it now seomed so oasy, It was not for long though. The mist cloared for : momont and thero, towering above us, was Hitroe The mist WaS thickoning and a cold wind Was blowing nS we startod up. Hrlf way up we struck hard snow and steps were cut in C couloir to whore it ended in a rock climb of some ten feet, however a stop to one side soon overcame this obstacle. From this spot to the top the snow was soft and geve at ovory step. Only the snow grass undornonth stopped it, and us, from sliding down the steep slope. But wO mado it and strrted tho downward journoy. Rod and Koith went on choad to try and stop the truck hile the rest of us took it more or less ensily. it the bush line surplus clothing was removed and away WO wont once more, sometimos on the trnck and sometimes bush-pushing, until rt last Mitre Flats Hut WaS roached. Another spell thon off down the rivor to the Barton Trocko Fording tho rivor which was knoc doop tho track wes found for a few minutes and lost again rathor promptly. Playing hide and seck at 6,30 with rapidly dimming torches isn't very emusing but by spreading out the track wis located cnd we kept to it moro or loss until wo met Trevor (who ld also gone ehoad) ct tho bottom of the last opon spur where he was waiting for we slow coaches. Following the stroem down we found Blakes Hut and Rod and Koith who hrd beon at the Hut nt 6.30 but were unable to locate the road. Ninc O'clock was no time for toa and anyway we needed the food for the morning so bed was the story until about 12 hours Inter when stomachs indicated a vory large vecancy. Breakfast over WO packed in tho sun, took & last look up the valley to whero we could SGO Girdlestono, and movod avay to the noarest farm where we rong for t.xis after Rod hrd drivon off an attack by the local canine company. Aftor somo doubt on the part of station officials wo got standing room on the rnil car and so hit Wellington, minus packs, nt 4.15p.me on the Mondey efternoon. In spite of having to face angry bosses next day Rod Milno, Bill Rice, Keith Durrant, Davo Lowo, Dave (Taddy) Catchpolo, Trev Walsh, Torry Moore, Barrie O'Donnell and I thought the trip well worth it. It is nowhore particularly difficult although ono or two spurs drop off but should not cause any concern if chockod by compass. In prrts the ridge is nerrow and would be tricky in a wind. Apart from tho sidle of tho last Pinnacle we kept to the ridge all the way although the drop to the Pinnacles is casily missed owing to a spur off McGregor. The water question is no trouble Rs tarns are fairly plentiful and regularly spaced about overy two or three hours. On 2 fine summor weekend with perhaps a night on the tops, this would bo an easy and pleasant trip as our Powell to Mitre Hut section only took 132 hours. This was the first trip from our Club to complete this section of the Teraruas and our sectional times for 2. perfect woekend in regard to conditions are 2s follows:- Powell Hut to Toldaworth 55 minso Holdsworth to Jumbo 1 hr. 10 mins. Jumbo to McGro-or 2 hr. McGroror to Sontli King 2 hr. 30 mins. South King to adkin 1 hr. Adkin to hirllestone Saddle 1 hr. 30 mins. Saddle to Girdlestone 30 mins. Cirdlestono to litre 1 hr. 25 mins. Mitro to llitre Flats ut 2 hr. 30 mins. nitro Flats Hut to Blakos Iut 4 hr. 20 nins. TCTAL il 17 hrs. 50 mins. Timos includo all spells and are l1 party times. A final word of thanks to Rod and Keith for their fino ettempt to get to the truck and to Rod and Berrie for step-cutting and route-finding on Various parts of the trip. Greome Hall. (Leader)