Ruahine Rambles, Scrambles and Shambles

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RUAHINE RAMBLES I SCRAMBIES and SHAMBLES Labour Week End 19540 Along with most of the tramping population of Wellington, the "Tongue and Meats" were to be seen milling round the station on Friday night, awaiting their Ruahine-bound charioto All proceeded smoothly on the journey with only a few jolts jarring the slumbers of the occupants whilst being carried to some remote fastness in Hawkes Bay. At an early hour the truck stopped and driver Jim Dow came around and laconically remarked that he hoped he had brought us to the right place and it was # a hell of a place to get to, # When daylight came the party blinked blearily at snow capped peaks in the background, and discovered that they were in a deep valley with pine trees, sheep pastures, shearers' hut (sporting a fine collection of heads) farm house, dog kennels and well appointed "little house" (all unoccupied), That was all it conveyed, even with reference to the famous Ruahine Map. All these amenities were reluctantly left about 7.45am. in sparkling sunshine, The fit party of five (David, Phil, Hori, "Nuts" and Peter) roared on ahead for Government Spur and a round trip, over the tops, leaving the slow party of 14 (armed with all manner of scientific instruments) to amble up the river, The Tukituki was easy to cross in most places and it was pleasant travelling in perfect weat ther. In about 22 hours the first fork was passed, and the right one taken. Inmedigtely above, a slip had dammed up a deep hole. The more aquaticallyinclined walled through up to their chests, whilst the dry school sidled round to the left. Soon another fork was passedo It looked mogA like a side stream than a proper fork, and it was decided by some experts to move/upstream, At 11.30 amo an eight foot waterfall presented such a serious obstacle that we decided the party must fortify itself with lunch before attempting to surmount ito Whilst some had uneasy suspicions about the large stream previously passed, majority opinion favoured pressing on up the river. It soon narrowed into a gorge with deep pools and plenty of good rock elimbing practice thrown ine This went on for about an hour and a half until a second big wat terfall was encountered. A conference of war was then held and it was at last agreed that we had-passed our proper turning-off place for the Daphne Spur before lunch, However, we had gained about 1,000 feet in altitude up the river and Leon decided that we should climb the nearest spur we could find, We started clambering up something that was hardly distinguishable from the sheer precipices on either side of the river, breaking through undergrowth and dislodging much loose stuff under our feet. After a while the gradient became more gentle - we could stop using our teeth - and we proceeded upwards by means of a well marked deer-trail, As the party wended up, ever up, gaining altitude very quickly, it was apparent that the classification tt Easy Trip" was somewhat of a misnomer, and that it should have been "Fitness Essential". The effects began to show in most of the party. By 5.30 p.m. the open tops looked quite close but intervening was a patch of tough-looking leatherwood - the last straw at that hour, However a small level spot of the ridge and one or two patches of snow offered a heaven' sent opportunity to divest ourselves of packs and make campo Soon tents W6 ere up, a fire was lit, and brew and stew were not too far distant possibilities.

Before nightfall we had an opportunity to admire the sweeping panorama of the plains of Hawkes Bay, the open tops opposite across the valley we had come up and snow-capped Ohuinga in the North. Little did we know that was to be our last view that weekend. The next day we woke to mist! The remaining snow was melted for breakfast and camp was struck with light rain beginning to fall, (Leon's altimeter showed we had climbed 200 feet in the night,) Half an hour's battle with the leatherwood saw us on the tons, but all we saw was derision, A well beaten trail was found,compass be rigs taken and the party headed on a southward course, Almost before we knew it, we had stumbled onto Howlett's Hut, our objective of the day before. We found it small, but on a much higher plane tha Shut-eye Shacka It is in use by Government Deer-cullers and had evidently been well supplied by air drops. There were several canisters full of water' caught from the roof ( the standard method of water-supply in Ruahine Huts), and inside there was a vast quantity of tinned food and sacks of supplies hanging from the roof. In addition there were three bunks and floor space amounting to about 8 feet by 10, When the sacks had been removed from their hanging position and piled on one of the bunks there was standing room for about ten bodies. Fervent hopes were expressed that Bavid's party would not make it in the murk, and that the deer-cullers would not return before the end of the week end, The rest of the day was spent in competing for sitting positions on the bunks, eating, "500", and reading the deer-cullers' varied supply of literature. The wea ther worsened, rain became sleet, and sleet became snow, About 3 p.m, our worst fears were realised, there came a thump on the door and in dripped Hori, "Nuts" and Peter, They had accomplished the traverse of awtooth Ridge and Ohuinga in the mist and snow, but had struck a little trouble on the last bump before descending to the point where the slow party had reached the tops, and even went back on their tracks a little way. We almost told them to go and pitch their tents outside, but so relieved were we to find out that they "had buried Dave and Phil somewhere en route", that we let them share our cramped quarters, After tea a hot game of "500" continued well into the evening, much to the disgust of those standing round with sleeping bags poised to grab a little floor space for sleep. When a everyone was "laid out" the floor was a billowing sea of humans in bags. We wondered what the cullers would think if they should stumble in in the dead of night and find that mass below their feet. Fortunately they did not. After a cramped night, Monday dawned fine but misty, Everything looked quite picturesque in its mantle of snow, but it was a little chillyo Ice had to be broken from the water supply and breakfast was gobbled hastily by those driven outside whilst others cooked, The safari left Howletts about 7.45 a.me taking the track down Daphne Spur. This presented no difficulty and the Tukituki was reached in about 11 hours, at the identical point which we had passed before lunch on Saturday and suspected might be the second forks, The trip down the river took about 2 - 3 hours. As we descended the tempera ture became less frigid, and the sky clearer. By the time we reached the truck it was appreciably warme On the first stage of the journey out we held our breaths while the truck negotiated hair-pin bends with terrible drops beneathe At Takapau a certain time honoured custom was observed, but the local brew was pronounced rather "soapy".

On reaching the other side of the Manawatu Gorge we found perfect wea ther. I guess we were just a little bit unlucky. Everyone pronounced it a good week-end, but those who have seen the Ruahines at their best and have had wonderful views from the tops felt disappointed that the weather"aid the dirty" on us on the Sunday. We reached Wellington at an early hour for such a long trip - 8.30 p.m, Party - (slow) Leon Sondey (Leader) Ted Dakin, Stan Potter, Bob Williams, John Bate, Jack Whitsitt, Jim ? era Morgan, Esther-Mary Pigs; Cecilia Little, Ethel Maxwell, Brian ? Bernie Nappo and not so Fast - ) Phil Barton, Davia Borley (Leadzr?) Hori Peter Davis and "Nuts" Bolto Mrast "Alpha"-