Hopkins Valley, Christmas 1962

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.

HOPKINS VALLEY Christmas, 1962 As usual, a terrific Tongue and Meat We had lunch at Elcho at 5.30. Christsend off from Wellington was given to mas dinner, venison and Christmas pud., the two velly strong, velly fit, velly was served at 10.00 and halfway through hygienic, good-looking Swissmen, Nick's Christmas cake-we all fell namely, Florian and Eugene, four asleep. We woke the next morning to miserable Poms, Peter, Penny, Robin find that the snow was down to about and Nick, still struggling for racial 200 feet above us. This, we decided, acceptance with the natives, who for was to be the day of rest. once outnumbered them, Murray, The sixth day we moved on to Margaret, Tom, Shona, Colin, Ken, Dodgers Hut which is situated on a Gary, Julian, Trevor and Norm., the huge tussock plateau opposite Thomp- Trip Leader. son Creek with a terrific view of Mt. We arrived at Lake Ohau after a long Hopkins, the Black Tower, McKerrow and tiring journey from Christchurch, to and Ward. find that the bus could take us up to our Dodgers being a cullers hut with only first camp site in the Hopkins, Rabbiters four bunks and full of their food sup- Camp. plies, made it uncomfortable for all of We knocked back our first meal us to fit in so we pitched an Arab's of dehy and thoroughly satisfied, retired camp around it. to bed. The following morning, laugh- In the afternoon Gary, Tom and ing to ourselves, we watched other Penny went up the Thompson Creek party members being forced out of their shooting. This was Gary's first time out pits, grabbing the tickertape and gallop- shooting and lo-and-behold, he shot a ing to the nearest coverage, only to find chamois. Well done Gary-but don't ourselves doing likewise a moment later. let an incident like this make you forget Much later, we swagged up the valley the bacon!! for an hour with full loads, in suffo- On the eighth day, Margaret, Norm., cating heat, to the Huxley where we left Colin and Nick left at 3.30 a.m. for Mt. all but four days' supply of food hang- Ward. The route they took, straight up ing in a tree, and with our packs not from Dodgers Hut and along the rock seeming much lighter, went on up the ridge, had not been attempted since North Huxley to the bushline where we 1947, made our first base camp. Gary, Tom, Peter, Trevor and ourselves went up. as far as the rock The third day, leaving at 2 o'clock in had a terrific view of the Elcho and ridge, saw the morning, Margaret, Norm., Ken, the others plugging up Ward. It was Murray, Nick and Colin set off on a 2 o'clock and late for them to still be nearly successful attempt on Strauchon. going up. The others excluding Florian, who went Quarter of an hour later we saw them shooting, and Trevor, who was left be- coming back down and decided to wait hind to keep the sandflies off the camp, and put a brew on for them, we then climbed up to Broderick Pass and met saw them changing course and the others returning. All had gone across the glacier SO Gary went going down well with them, except when Murray had a most precarious bluff into fallen down a slot. We bum glissaded Creek to meet them. The rest Thompson of us back through the snowfields to camp returned to camp. where a grinning Florian produced a leg The others finally arrived back at of venison for Christmas Eve. Good camp after 20 hours solid going, and due old Florian. to the difficulties and time wasted on Christmas Day and rain, so we packed up and left. After picking up the food COVER PICTURE from the bottom of the Huxley we headed for Elcho Hut, three hours away View looking down the Upper Huxley up the main valley. It was HELLI!! River with Mount Huxley in the More rain and mistletoe, heavy packs background. and soaking wet, this was one Christmas Photos by Eugen Seiler. Day none of us will forget in a hurry.

the rock ridge, were not able to reach avalanche, Murray, like a hero, swam the top. the glacial lake. We returned back Ninth day. Peter (J.C.) and Julian down the valley to the Huxley River left at 4.30 a.m. to go out to Ohau where we set up our last camp, joined Lodge for some baccy for Nick and a by the Hutt Valley's and the Levin lettuce for Norm. They arrived back Waiopehu's. at 12.30 that night, merry as can be. The last day we walked right out to They both swore that the pub was closed Lake Ohau Station, owing to a mess-up and to compensate for the noise, made about the buses, where the farmer ofeveryone a brew of cocoa. fered to take us in his truck to Ohau Last day of the year. Gary, Florian Lodge if the boys helped him bring in and Penny left at 3.30 a.m. to go shoot- his hay. ing at the head of the valley. At the In the evening, we provided entertainhead they saw the Tararua boys on ment for all the old guests at the Lodge, top of McKerrow. They returned to twisting and limboing, till we were camp without any game- dehydrated, thrown out. exhausted and sunburnt. Next day we caught the bus to New Year's Eve, we were all asleep Christchurch and the ferry home, where by 10 but woke at 12 to see the New we were greeted by JIM at the wharf Year in and celebrated by passing the with the roll of bacon under his arm. bottle of raspberry cordial around. Terrific holiday-whose for the Hopkins Three days left, sO we all rushed to this Christmas. the head of the valley, saw terrific ice -THE BUSH MAIDENS. Hopkins Christmas Trip Group on steps outside Lake Ohau Lodge. From left rear: Eugen, Colin, Julian, Norm., Murray, Gary, Ken, Trevor, Robin, Margaret, Shona, Penny, Peter, Nick, Tom, Florian.