Ruapehu Snow Camp (Labour Weekend 1962)

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RUAPEHU SNOW CAMP Labour Week-end, 1962 This weekend was specially reserved though the time was only three or four for the annual snow caving trip but some o'clock. cunning bods spread a rumour that there A wasn't enough snow this year, thus tot of "Captain Morgan's" rum resaving themselves the sweat and tears placed the evening's brew and I believe of digging a cave. Perhaps this was all it helped us to weather a stormy night. for the best as our camp proved very Next morning the roof of the tent was successful. sheathed in ice, inside and out, and when the sun came over the ridge we When we arrived at the end of the showered with drips. We burrowed got road on Friday night Bruce Jefferies further into our bags and tried to catch said, and I quote: "It's always fine on that elusive Jast few minutes sleep. Friday night but it always rains on Breakfast was, as usual with these Saturday!" Thus I went to bed in great Tongue and Meats, rather spartan. A heart with views of a peaceful week- piece of bacon and a brew isn't much end. of a breakfast in any language, and Saturday dawned fine. Curses! After hardly seems sufficient for a full day a leisurely start and a good breakfast running about on a mountain. (If we pushed off-John Patchett and me Ruepehu can be called a mountain), heading for the ski-hire shop and the but it appears to do the job though I chair lift while the other poor kids am sure I was running on willpower and swagged their packs and skis up the sunlight most of the time. ridge. Margaret and Eugene took our The first part of the day was spent on skis up the first two lifts while we rode the "glacier", to the east of our camp, in comfort, pack in lap, ice-axe in hand; trying variantly (like all beginners) to thinking of the sweat we were saving, master that figment of the imaginationthe money we were spending and the perfect turn. The snow was quite wondering who had flogged all the snow hard until after ten o'clock by which since we were there last. time we were feeling rather more con- At the top of the second chair we fident, and the soft snow was welcomed were sorely tempted to go on up the to soften the spills of over-confidence. third, but were soon plodding in the Some time after lunch, about two or direction of our rendezvous with the three o'clock, we decided to go and others at the Alpine Club Hut. About climb Pare so we fastened skins on twenty minutes later up the ridge came our skis and strode of the ridge and five packs variously decorated with skis, across the head of the Whakapapa poles. ice axes and crampons, under Glacier. Skinning is most pleasurable, which five stout hearted mountain mules without a pack on, and if a steady rhythm sweated their hearts out. The state is maintained you can have a good of exhaustion necessitated a long rest yarn as you go along. At the foot of a and a brew. After most of us had steep face across the glacier we waited bashed our boards about a bit in the a few minutes until Bruce J. and Dave basin behind the hut, we pushed on arrived, then, after a round of scrog we the ridge and with much sweat and tofl headed upwards, each taking turns at reached an area where it was possible to kicking a hundred steps until the ridge skin up. We did this for a couple of was reached. Here we formed up in hundred feet or so but the two Bruces single file and wandered up on to the and I had had enough so we eventually bump just north of Paretaitonga. talked the others into camping on the Allah was duly praised by seven ridge where we were. The crater would humble idiots prostrating themselves in probably have been too crowded with the general direction of east and moanpeasants anyway (or that was our story). ing in unison. This ceremony was re- Skis proved very good for levelling our peated on the true summit with Dave's tent sites and also for cutting the blocks cowbell adding to the din. We partook of snow for the wall along the downhill communion here (it was Sunday) with side. After the tents were pitched we the Dalai Llama, each murmuring ferlost no time in hitting the sack even vently "Omane Padme Hum" before sipping some watered down lemon drink. ered in stars; countless millions of them Apparently this exhibition disturbed illuminating the mountain with a cold some paternal instinct in Bill Bridge and eerie glow. A still cold night. down below. Bacon was again for breakfast, variety After everyone had finished we filed is the spice of life! The packing-up down to the face we had come up. process was completed in good time and Several times upon the ridge I had we descended to the Alp.ne Club Hut. qualms about falling, down either side, The two Bruces and Dave skied down and pined for the familiarity and trust of but the rest of us had neither the apmy ice axe. A cautious beginning to our titude nor the experience to risk broken descent ended for most of us in a legs so close to Christmas as the snow sizzling glissade. Ski-ing certaining im- was still quite hard, and packs make proves one's confidence and technique ski-ing a little awkward. A short rest for glissading. At the bottom we had a and we were again away plodding downshort rest, then clipped on our skis and hill past the snowline and down through sped off to brave again the inevitable the scoria to the shop and a welcome crash-landing. A few minutes later we round of orange drinks. Ah!! Pure slid into our campen-heydin ("that's nectar! German you know"), after a most The weekend was well rounded off exhilarating day. with a swim at Tokaanu and an interest- A spartan tea followed some time ing drive down the Desert Road. Our later (frankfurters and soup). What is thanks go to the respective trip. leaders the logic in travelling "light" with dehy and our trusty driver for making this foods and tins upon tins of Raro and enjoyable and welcome detour from the apple juice? It was good to drink but usual route home. I'm glad I didn't have to carry any of Party: John Patchett, Alan Higgins, it. Dave Forbes, Bruce Jefferies, Bruce Sunday night was a complete contrast Miller, Bill Drake, and myself, Geoff. to that of Saturday-the sky was cov- Aitken. *