Makahika-Tawiririkohukohu

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.

MAKAHIKA-TAWIRIRIKOHUKOHU It's not often one gets the opportunity clightest elevation in the Ridge gave to visit this part of the Main Range, reason for hopes that at long last we'd and of those who were assembled on the reached this elusive bump. When finally station on Friday night, five were de- we did reach it, it. went unnoticed, so lighted at this chance, while the sixth the trip was doomed. member of th eparty had no idea what We were going east now. East? . he'd let himself in for. Just one thing That's right, that was Marquee, the marred our joy-Murray Hall-who was Ridge turns east there, and then south supposed to lead this trip, was unavail- again. South again! repeated our leader, able. rather sharply, but to the south was but Weather conditions made us toy with an empty void. SOUTH! he commanded the idea of doing it from Ohau, but the as we strolled along the undulating discovery that there were two tent-fly's ridge, while still facing the rising sun in the party changed all that, and we (now well in our backs). South, he beghappily set off from the Pipe Bridge ged, and behold, a knob appeared ahead, to walk the last few miles of road which a fork in the ridge, one of them going south. We're right, BUT WERE WE separated us from the start of the tram- WRONG! line. The Fly's proved to be psychologicai Suddenly, the sound of water. Water? shelter only, and we spent a restless Stop. Conference, consult maps, indenight, followed by an early start. Our cision. A look at the time convinced us wet gear adding considerable weight to that it might be as well to go. on. And our already overloaded backs. now our "Ridge" dropped with awful The tramline was most pleasant, and suddenness. Soon we were below the far superior to the one going into Waite- clouds and gazed into Johnson waewae, and so was the creek we went Creek? Roaring Stream? Only one way up. Once we started to climb, however, to find out, said the Chief Guide, and all favourable comparison ceased led us down. Soon we were drinking our abruptly, and those who were from ex- fill. perience able to make a comparison The stream proved pleasant enough, muttered that "It was as bad as Oriwa", with but two waterfalls providing some only to alter that statement later in the excitement, due to the fact that one of day to: "Worse than Oriwa". the party could neither climb rocks, nor We reached the top of Makahika at swim. He learned fast to do the former, nine and had an unusual view of Tara- and there was no need for the latter. - rua mist. The stuff we hear so much Time was running out on us, when about, but see so seldom. Compasses we reached the Mangahao, but we HAD appeared and we knew we just could come down Johnson Creek, and Harris not possibly make it now. Too many Creek hut was near. Only 20 minutes cooks, etc., etc.! upstream, whereas we'd reckoned on an Two of the party eagerly set off in the hour. So excess energy was spent chopwrong direction (yes, compass in hand), ping wood and onions. but were called back by Nick, who put The meal was hilarious and painful, us on the track. Freshly blazed at that. as stomachs got bloated, and no one From whence it came we did not know, was in the mood for a game of cards where it went we soon found out. Right after tea. We snuggled up in our wet in the thick of lawyer, cutty grass, and sleeping bags instead, and slept, snored, scrub it fiendishly stopped, leaving us and slumbered. to flounder through impregnable vege- The relentless Daniel had us out of tation, bent on destroying us. We fought bed again. far too early, so we killed back courageously, leaving a trail of time by having, an occasional swim. skin, blood, and bits of clothing behind. Some of us did, anyway. The early After some hours, we climbed Mar- hour of rising and the most glorious quee, but it wasn't. We climbed Mar- weather were responsible for this folly. quee again, but it wasn't. A tarn, show- It was half past ten, and still we were ing previous habitation, provided water in the Mangahao (but directly beneath for a lunch stop, and once again we Girdlestone Saddle). Time to get a move set off, to climb Marquee. In fact that on. So five minutes later we had descended into the south Ohau and They were still thinking for a good reraced one another down the creek, the tort when the easy trippers arrived, prowaterfall acting as an equalizer, giving viding welcome diversion. the slower ones time to catch up again. Makahika-Tawirikohukohu as such South Ohau was occupied, so we failed, and we'd like to see it on the next moved down the river and had lunch schedule, with Murray Hall as leader. just around the first corner. A rather After all, it was his idea in the first place. prolonged lunch, which worried some -H.J.B. of our party. So two of us showed it was possible to get from south Ohau to the Those on the trip: John Patchett Pipe Bridge comfortably in under three (leader), Nick Jennings, Peter Daniel, hours, for which research they got no Geoff Drake, Geoff Aitken, Hank thanks, but merely sarcasm to hear. Bertholet.