Mount Egmont (Easter 1950)

Machine-read text (unproofread)

Read from the scans by software, so it contains mistakes. Typing it up properly would help blind readers: use Suggest an edit.

MO NT EGMONT, il Easter, 1950. After the usual trouble of fitting 20 bods, packs, ice-axes and the odd weckend bag, and other sundries, all into one truck comfortably, we said last Goodbyes to T.T.C. and H.V.T.C. members gathered at the Station and pulled out, bound for Egmont. First stop was Levin for food where we managed to talk our way into an officially closed milk-bar, and then on again to Wanganui and the Pie Cart minus Snow Willioms and Frank Johnson who headed towards Te Matawai. Around Hawera there was a little bother about which way we were going and we eventually pulled up outside Stratford Mountain House a little before 4 a.m. It was a brilliant morning with the full moon shining on the snow covered ground, House and trees making a really beautiful picture. A couplé of us who had not been in snow before were initiated with a few well-aimed snow balls, and then we all turned in for a few hours before breakfast.

O The day dawned unbelievably clear and I for one woke to the strains of Itolian Opera, which could only mean one thing - sure enough it was Johnny who had arrived the previous day. After breakfast skis, boots and sticks were hired and we made use of the truck untii it docided to get stuck in the snow, a short distence from the plateau. It was "walk" from there to Manganui Hut where those who had skis got ready to use them and those who hadn't got ready to laugho In the afternoon the keen ski-ing types went further up the mountain in search of better snow while the rest of us waged a long, bitter and exhausting snow war with everyone arriving back at the Hostel in good time for teao Next morning the cro d split up, some going up the mountain, some rouna it and some being content to stay put and read and play vith the puppies which, incidentally, caused a lot of amusement during our stay. Those of us who went round to Dawson Falls had a very pleasant walk, took the usual photos and arrived back shortly before the other party. Rod, Dave, Tom, Trev and Phil had been up the Sharks Tooth to the summit. As the Mountain House did not provide much in the way of efter-tea entertainment, and as nobody could afford to taxi down to Stratford, Phil decided we would provide our own amusement. Soon we were climbing round tables, standing on our heads and generally tying ourselves in knotso Highlight of the evening was a ten-man pyremid which collepsed violently just before completion. Strangely enough after these exhausting antics we still had cnough breath to sing for some tine before eventually retiring for the remainder of the nighto Came Sunday and Trev, Rod, Rocky and Dave announced their intention of spending the day, and probably the night, at North Egmont. Dick organised a party to go to the top and Lorna, Edith, Barbara and myself decided to gO round to North Egmont for the day; however, at Manganui, Lorna and Edith discovered some prize blisters so we went on alone. Up till now the weather had been reasonably clear and mild, but as we got higher the temperature dropped considerably and the last hundred yards to Tahurangi Hut saw us struggling against a rising wind, rith the mist coming down in fine style. At the Hut we found a party of T.A.C. bods who were just leaving for the Cottage and after lunch the 6 of us followed suit, deciding that in view of the weather none of us would return to Stratford. At the Cottage we joined forces with Phil who had been doing treverses and things all day and D'Arcy treated us to one of his fires - now we know what they mean by a "warn reception from the T.A.C." After an enormous meal at the Hostel we made our way back to the Cottage and spent a happy and hot evening with D'Arcy and Co. - that fire! Peace eventually reigned in the early hours, and we woke next morning, in varying stages of worn-outness to find the rain coming steadily downo Barbara and I left at 9a.m., the boys somewhat later, and we all trooped into Stratford Mountain House at 12 noon in an exccedingly damp condition to find the others sitting confortably around the heater. Shorers and lunch did the trick, and the truck arrived just after tro. We left Egmont at stopping on the way home at Stratford and Vanganui and 2:306 Levin to pick up Frank and Snowo Those on the trip were:- Lorna Woods, Edith Anderson, Bruce Diggle (Whakahnere), Dick Archer (Leader), Barbara Bartley, Trev Walsh, Rod Miine, Dave Lowe, Rocky Garbutt, Phil Gardner, Jack Whitsitt, Tes. Seckor, Johnny Robinson, Ton Lawton, George Ilorwood, Charlie Calcutt, Hori McGahey, Jack Jessop and Pat White. Pato