Copland

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COPLAND. Christmas, 1949. Well, to start off with it took us (the "us" being John Robinson, Brian Williams and Tom Lawton) one night and one day to reach Hokitika. Next day we caught a Railways Bus to the Fox Glacier Hostel. I should say the road bctween Hokitika and the Hostel is one of the best and longest bush roads in N. Z. The bush is 95% Rimu and the distance is about 110 miles. After an enjoyable dance we pushed off from the Hostel about 12.30a.m., our objectiv the Cook River 5 miles down the road. Then we saw the Cook River in the morning we gave up all hope of going up it and crossing the Copland Range to the Copland River and thence over the Copland Pass (See why we've called this Copland? = Ed.) to the Hermitage as the river was just a raging torrent of water. So we pushed off doin the road for another 15 niles till we reached the Kerangarua River where we stopped th. night at Red Hut = but never again. I think all the mosquitos in the country cane to shelter from the rain that night in our hut. Next day we pushed off (we weren't sorry either) about 8 o'clock to Douglas Rock Hut at approx. 3,0007 which is about 9 hours up the river fron the road. The track is in fairly good condition to this hut. It starts off by going through about 2 miles of river flats, which support quite a few curious beef cattle, and then it leaves the Karangarua River and follows the Coplénd River. On both sides of the river there are snow capped peaks which drop down in sheer cliffs to the bush where you see an occasional Rata tree showing its red beauty off amongst the green. Another sight of the valley is its beautiful waterfall and the huge rocks in the streams. Some are as big as houses, if not larger. Two thirds of the distance to Douglas Rock Hut we came across Welcome Flats Hut. Here our party increased to five, for half an hour, the two new members being a curious woodhen that would eat out of our hands and a noisy kea. Another thing of interest about the hut is the Hot Springs about a hundred yards away. They provided us with a very hot bath. Two and a half hours past Welcome Flats we arrived at Douglas Rock. Next Morning was fine so we pushed off at 5 for the Pass. The track continues up valley for another hour and then turns to the right and climbs over the Main Divide via Copland Pass to the Hermitage. The Copland Pass is an easy trip to the average tramper when it 1S in good condition, but I an afraid we found it in bad condition that day, because at mid-day we were still plodding our way up through thick snow which at times came up to our waist. By one o'clock we were a hundred feet from the top, but by this timethe weather had deteriorated So much that we couldn't see a hundred yards away So we decided the best thing was to turn back, perticularly as none of us had been over before. If we had gone on we would probably have lost ourselves on the other side. The nest day turned out fine so we left the hut for the last tine at 4.30a.m. and arrived at the top of the Pass at 9a.m, The snow was firm enough to support us that day. When we reached the top we gazed across the Hooker Valley at the mighty peak of Cook, and we said to ourselves that the climb was worth doing a hundred times for a view like that. After a half hour stop on the Pass we pushed off down a steep rocky ridge to the Hooker Hut which is situated about 400' above the Hooker Glacier. The Hooker Hut is provided with kerosene stoves as therc are very few trees on the East side of the Alps. Seven more miles do n the valley and we arrived at the Hermitage I the end of the Copland Pass tripo We still had six more days to fill in in the Hermitage area, two of which were spent by playing billiards and table tennis while waiting for the weat..er to clear. When we did Ect a fine day we cleared off to the Mueller Glacier valley which is five hours from the Hermitage. We spent three of our four nights there in a snow cave, the otner being spent in Mueller Hut. The cave had a tunnel about three feet long leading into the main room which was about six feet by seven by five feet high. It took us 'our hours to build. While ve were over there we only had one fine day and that was spent in walking up the Mueller Glacier which is about 9 miles long and moves at the rate of one mile in twenty six years. We also had three inches of snow one day. On the sixth day we packed our packs which vere very light by now and headed for the Hermitage - so ending an enjoyable holiday. T.L.