Operation "Acid Drop" (Part I)

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OPERATION "ACID DROP" PartI I leave Wellington on Saturday, December 22nd on the Rangatira bound for the Southern Alps on what is to be my first Christmas trip, also my first major tramping tripo I have a feelingi I don't know what it is but let's call it anticipationo On our arrival at Lyttelton the rain is coming down in its usual steady way and continues to do 8o for almost the rest of the dayo Our first day was to be spent at Corsair Bay; we might have known it would be fatal to pack our bathing togso However, having Denis in the party, the other two being Barrie and I, helped no end; you see, he usually seems to know somebody somewhere and does in Christchurch so we have a roof to go over our heads. On Monday we are up bright and early and leave Christchurch on the 10.45 a.mo bus, heading for the Hermit tage. The weather today is very nice (it usually is when you are sitting in a bus). Lunch at Ashburton where we meet up with Bill, Hori and Rodo They are travelling on the Takapo bus bound for the Godley. Afternoon tea at Lake Tekapo Hotel; here we watch the other three unload their gear (doesn't look as if they've got much food) and bid them good-bye.

We arrive at the Hermitage in wind and rain, but before we pay much attention to this, our appetites have to be looked aftero Barrie makos a hit with the waitress right away, so we are alright for "seconds" from the start. The guides don't seem too cheerful about conditions for crossing the Copeland Pass and by the look of the weather we don't either. Tonight we slecp in Sealy Cottage I Ohd what luxury tramping. Hot water and a soft bedo I hope it will be like this all the way, but I have my doubts o o Tuesday, Christmas Day, I wake to find the sun shiningo Denis and Barrie inform me that they were up at 5.30 aomo taking phc : sographs of Mto Cook in case they never see it againo I suppose I shall have to believe themo We havea lazy morn: ng Wc .1c.ering round the Hermitage, taking photographs and sitting in the sun. I am really tarilled with the magnificent seenery, especially Mto Sefton with its hanging Glaciers. This is all very new to me. Christmas lunch is good; we would like to stay for dinner but must push off while the weather is good so are taking our Christmas Dinner up to the Hooker Huto We leave the Hermitage somewhere about 2.00 pomo having, we hope, made good impessions on the friendly Aussie girls and other tourists who watch us goo Who suggested carrying our dinner to Hooker, I don't know, but my pack is awfully heavyo It's not long, though, before we have our first rest I or rather I doo Denis and Barrie want to take photographs. The way to Hooker is very easy going, mostly flat, but it's good to drop the pack at the hut just the sameo In fact, I think we've had it for todayo Why can't the huts in the Tararuas be like this? - loads of blankets, soft mattresses and pillows, all the pots and pans needed to cook a good meal, in fact, almost a kitchen sinko We find three Auckland types in occupation; they have attempted to crose the Pass today, but had to turn back as one of them is sicko Our Christmas Dinner is super I braised steak, fresh carrots, peas and potatoes, with fruit salad and cream to followo To bed carly tonight, as we have to be up early tomorrow morningo Wonder why Barrie is getting up? It's not even light yeto Oh dear! It seems like I've got to get up as it's 3.00 ao mo It's a beautiful morning, no cloud, no wind and a wonderful view of Cook. I'm awfully tired though. We say good-bye to the Aucklanders at about 5.20 aomo and start climbing right awayo It really is a wonderful morning, but after just one hour's climbing we all feel dreadful. Still, by 7.30 aomos when we have another rest we agree that we feel greato That is the worst of town hourso Onward and upward all the time, but as lots of photographs are being taken, I get lots of restso As the sun rises higher in the sky we hear the avalanches rumbling away, very frightening but we are a long way away from thea thank goodness. Presently two of the Aucklanders catch us up, they are not carrying packs, just doing an up and down on this side. As we get higher the going gets slower. The snow is very low this year according to Barrie's earlier experiences and we rope up for the last 2,000 feet. When we reach the final snow field before the top of the pass, we see our Auckland friends well up in fronto They have cut steps all the way and we follow in them, thanking oun lucky stars for them because it's an awfully big snowfield and we are getting a bit tired of going up and upo The weather is still perfect, no cloud or haze at all, so you can guess the cameras are working overtime. I wouldn't be surprised if Denis hasn't covered quite a bit more ground than Barrie or I, getting into the right position on the top cf rocks etco I guess he thinks things look better from those spotso Fancy climbing mountains in shorts, on Boxing day tooo It would sound fantastic where I come fromo We put our parkas on on top though as it's a bit fresh, sucking acid drops and posing for more photographs. After almost an hour's knitting, aleo scouting on Denis and Barrie's part for the easiest route down off the pass, we bid a final farewell to our step-cutting friends and rope up once more. This time the going isn't so easy, in fact my knees are almost knocking at one stageo I always said that I wouldn't go rock climbing but have had no choice todayo This first little piece going down is a mixture of snow and rock and about a hundred feet takes an hour. The trouble with these men is that their legs are longer than mine and although I keep telling them, I'm sure they don't believe me, Never mind, we are over the worst now and have a glorious view of the other side of Sefton, the Footstool and all the way down the Copeland Valleyo When we reach the smooth snow, we down packs and out with the acid dropso Golly it's hot, we are just about roastedo Although we rub in plenty of snow cream, we feel the sun burning into uso Now we have a good time glissading down the easy slopes which turn out to be a lot longer than we thought at firet, but we eventually reach the end of the snow and fall into an untidy heap to eat lunch, somewhere about 111 hours after we ate breakfast. We are' all starving and enjoy our snack very mucho I suppose we will have to move on although it's very pleasant hereo The valley looks awfully long but we shall sec. Two hours later we are still struggling along a track that really isn't to be seeno The leatherwood etco scratches our sunburnt legs terribly and in sheer desperation we don our slacks and find it a great improvement, We plod on and on, Barrie says we should be there but we can't find the huto Barrie goes ahead to scout aroundo I think

Denis is already aslecp almost standing on his head on his packo There's Barrie and he says the hut is only about 200 yards awayo What a wonderful sight Douglas Rock Hut iso Good gracious! Denis is off to chop wood so we can't feel as bad as we thinko After a short while we manage to find enough energy to get the stew cooked and it goes down very wello And so to bedo It would be very comfortable if thissunburn would stop hurtingo I think Barrie is having the same troubleo I hear him turn over with almost a groano Wonder how Denis manages to sleep, so comfortably. Must have a tough old hide and the sun didn't get throug him as it did us : o It's been a long night and I really don't feel like getting upo Still, after one look at my face, Denis has brought my breakfast to me, so I don't have to test my legs for a few more minutes. We are up at last and it's almost 9.00 aol mo so we will have to bid goodbye to the other occupants of the hut, mostly shooters, and be on our way once moreo The weather is still good and it's hoto We reach Welcome Flats Hut in three hours. Barrie seems sure he's had ito Denis as usual, is rull of energy and goes off to the hot spring for a dip. Barrie and I just sit and look at each other and hope we feel better in a short while. After food and drink and a jolly_good five minutes on the bunks we move off againo Funny, I don't feel half as bad nowo It should take another four hours to the roado The track is good from here and much easier. We only find one snago The bridge is down at Architects Creeko Some people cross on the wire, but thank heavens Barrie decides not too Crossing with a rope takes nearly an hour and now we have to change So we will be late getting to the roado We eventually reach the road at dusk. It was a long way and we are tired and now we have millions of Mossies to beat offo What a lifed It's too late now to get a taxi to Fox so we dump our sleeping bags right on the edge of the Karangarua Bridge in the hope that there will be fewer Mossies there and just crawl ino I'm glad Denis likes tea so much; he's making a brew on the primus. I'll have to take this shirt off my head though to drink it and those wretched Mossies will get at meo It's morning againo I think I slept quite a bito Poor Denis has a swollen lip where he has been bitten and he looks as if he has been in a fighto We manage to have a lick and a promise in the river before breakfast and feel a lot better for ito We have asked two motor cyclists to ring for a taxi at the nearest farm and it arrives at 8.30 aon mo Hazel Jordan.