On Trek with the H.V.s - Kiriwhakapapa - Te Mara - Cow Saddle - Mitre Flats

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ON TREK WITH THE H.V.s Kiriwhakepepo-Mitre Fiats As the club trip scheduled for June which, as you get down, you can see 20-22 did not run a few of us more quite plainly. It was just about 1 energetic members decided on a Kiri- o'clock that a rather amusing inciwhakapapa - Te Mara--Cow Saddle- dent occurred. Passing along the track Mitre Flats trip, using the Hutt Val- we saw a rusty, water-filled sardine ley Club's transport. We were four tin-nothing unusual about that, realin number-George Davies, Phil Bar- ly, except that 30 minutes later we ton, Les Sisley and I, Alistair Bar- stopped for a feed and to verify our clay. As previously arranged, we bearings. We started off again, but met at the railway station and after in the meantime George had wandertraversing the Hutt Valley to pick ed off to see which ridges went up several of their members, we fin- where, and Phil had also done a bit ally arrived at the end of the Micki of spying. Merrily along we went Micki road after 1 o'clock. Naturally, and what should catch our eye but the T. & M.'s were away first and another sardine tin. Les exclaimed, fortune was indeed smiling, for no "H'm, somebody sure loves sardines one had any idea just where the around here." What had happened, we Rover's hut was situated nor did they realised, was that in our wanderings know how big it was, so a few min- we had just turned right round. utes after leaving the truck the four Laugh? No, we didn't! Out came of us came across a disused (now Phil's 35" prismatic compass and off used) Forest Service hut with the we went the way we should have been door open (honest, it was open!) going in the first place. Thirty min- Thus it came about that we four utes later we stopped at a forks in spent a very comfortable night. Sat- the tracks. There we had a choice of urday morning, Phil woke us early direction-one way to Cow Saddle, and after breakfast and numerous the other to the river; we took the brews we were ready for the day. latter, and we later came upon a However, just as we were about to creek and decided to follow it down. leave, along came a group from the Ten windfalls and six boulders later, Masterton T.C., who were off on a Les disappeared over a boulder. After working party to their new hut on that we took to the bush again. Very Te Mara. They invited us (we didn't soon we came down to the Waingawa offer) to carry a piece of timber each, River, where we had a brew and the offer we accepted. Well, it was tucker, shortly after which the H.V.'s only about 2ft. long by 3in. wide and hove into view, they, apparently, lin. thick, so we couldn't very well making a similar mistake to ours. refuse, could we! Finding the track From just below Cow Creek we headup to the Rover's hut, we stopped ed off towards Mitre Flats, crossing to chat with the H.V.'s, who had only and recrossing the river many times; just risen from their pits. They were we had to use torches to see our way nowhere near ready, so we pushed on. into the Flats. Once there we found The track up to Te Mara is very well the hut full of 'Varsity types, and defined, disced all the way up and the other party of H.V.'s (they'd very well graded, and after an hour come via Bruce Hill) were 20 minutes we sleeping and emerged from the out. We also had to sleep out, though bush into snow grass and tussock; Te the weather was fine and clear. The Mara was only about 200 feet higher stew was cooked from the sacks (not up. It was here, surveying the vari- really, but you know what we mean!) ous peaks in the Tararuas, we had a and we settled down for the night. short rest and after a few recitations On the Sunday we left Mitre Flats from Churchill (Les's latest crazefor the pines at 12.30 and thus came A.B.) and some photographs, we to an end another good tramping were off again. Through the springing weekend. leatherwood we finally arrived on ALISTAIR. the summit of Te Mara and moved on immediately N.W. to Cow Saddle. Editor's Note: There was footnote The ridge runs parallel with the river to this story which, although a bit late, is worth printing. It reads: were 16 people on the trip, and it is "Please patronise the club trip in similar to the account which you have this area July 11-13 and we will find just been reading. Cow Saddle, and although we have * * * nothing to offer but blood, sweat, toil and tears, you will be under the lov- "With these noble mountains ing supervision of George Davies." around us, standing high and look- This trip did run, but via Bruce Hill. ing unmoved the The weather, although cold, was perover centuries of fect. The snow was quite deep in men's petty affairs, they warn us places and there were some terrific with a new sense of proportion and views of the snow peaks, and great to aim high and to look wide." sighs of "we shoulda done the Northern this weekend" were heard. There B.P. +