Northern Crossing, Anniversary Weekend 1961

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NORTHERN CROSSING Anniversary Weekend, 1961 The trip began not too well with thought to be a mirage in the mist our being delayed for some two hours later proved to be a reality, as we at Ohau where the truck developed staggered into the half-built deersome internal sickness, requiring the stalkers' hut there. We stopped for services of a mechanic from Levin. lunch and the enthusiastic working Our waiting time was made rather party there hardly took time off for enjoyable though, as we were very a. brew with us, as they had amaptly entertained by one of the "local bitions of getting the roof on the yokels" who had pulled up in his car next day. to offer his (rather doubtful) ser- By the time we were crawling up vices. The truck eventually recovered Girdlestone the mist had started to and no relapses occurred, enabling us lift, and at last we were beginning to reach the pipe bridge at least to feel rewarded for our efforts by before midnight! After stumbling the sight of the wonderful panorama along that infamous track from the lying all around us. Approaching pipe bridge in pitch blackness, per- Girdlestone towards Brocket and sisting drizzle, and fewer torches Mitre was a pleasure, when there was than bods, we arrived at Ohau Hut so much to see, and by this time to find it packed to the door and the party was well straggled out wood shed with indistinguishable along the ridge; some on hunks of humanity in brown cacoons. and other more energetic Girdlestone, ones sil- Next morning after cooking break- houetted on Mitre. fast in aforementioned persistant Mitre Peak welcomed us with drizzle we headed up the Ohau to- fect conditions for perwards South Ohau Hut (for lunch) sunbathing, photoand thereafter Te Matawai Hut where graphing, eating, or merely musing a mighty communal stew and over the panorama from Kapiti Island "tatties" were prepared and satis- in the west, along the route which factorily devoured. we had traversed from Pukematewai, and in the east, the extensive Waira- The weather had been very clear rapa Plains. Surely a satisfactory and warm since morning and we reward for our supreme effort! hoped (in vain) for similar conditions on Sunday morning, but instead, The party must have started arrivawoke to cold and mist at 5 a.m. We ing on the top of Mitre at about 2 set off at 6.15, not too enthus- p.m. with the final platoon arriving iastically, on the initial graunch of an hour later, which left us plenty the day towards the summit of Puke- of time to reach Mitre Flats, so the matewai. The only way that we descent was taken gradually, but uncould tell that we were approaching fortunately on our eventual arrival the top through the mist was by at Mitre Flats we found the hut full guiding whoops of victory from those but were able to erect a rather who preceeded us. From there we superior type of bivouac with sheets stumbled off to Arete, the cradle of of corrugated iron which are going Tararua watershed, where we were to be used for the extensions of the denied any rest by Chiefie whom we present hut. tried to keep in sight as he led us We praised the efforts of the down through the mist towards the M.T.C. for bringing them to the tarn. Thirsts were quenched, aching hut, many a time during up the limbs rested momentarily, before at- especially when heavy rain began night, to tempting the next grind on to fail and never ceased to fall until Lancaster, over the Waiohine Pinnacles we reached the truck the next afterand on to Tarn Ridge. As we came noon. down into the campsite on the middle of the ridge, what was at first By MOIRA PATERSON.