A Bird in the Bush, or Travels with a Mountain Mule (Christmas, 1964)

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A BIRD IN THE BUSH-OR TRAVELS WITH A MOUNTAIN MULE (Christmas, 1964) We left Wellington on Christmas eve, ing (horrible, too much) were indulged rather late, farewelled by far calls drift- in, and we did NOT play Musical Pits. ing after us across the harbour. The fol- The sky cleared overnight, and Peter, lowing evening we were dumped at Graham, Colin and Fraser ieft to go to Cameron Flat in the Matukituki alone Colin Todd Hut over the Boner Glacier, with our rations in the gathering dusk. to attempt the north-west ridge from It was a bad beginning-we had gained there. Colin and Fraser turned back, an ice axe and lost some of our medicinal and Murray Brown shot a deer below rum. the camp site. On Boxing Day we continued up the true right bank to Cascade Hut, arriv- We visited the head of the Matukituki ing by various routes. It was noticeable next day, and the boys climbed to Hector that some of these routes required vege- Col to look over into the Waipara. We table climbing and delicate rope work, had come down from French Ridge by and took longer than others. Waiting the old route, and returned the same at the hut were Fraser, Colin and Murray way not far in front of Peter and Brown, who had come in a day earlier Graham, who had made a fast trip back with Paul, Gary, Julian and Norm. Paul via Bevan Col, after a unsuccessful has been around, and was using a bad morning just trying to get on to the ankle as an excuse to be carried across ridge. streams! On the 3rd we packed in the rain, On we plodded to Aspiring Hut, sorted and made a quick trip back to Pearl food in readiness for attempts on Aspir- Flat where we forded the river, then ing via French Ridge bivvy and Colin went on to camp at the top of Shovel Todd Hut, and camped. Bill's party left Flat. The rain grew heavier, and the for French Ridge in the morning: we river rose faster. Bill's party appeared looked at the gathering clouds and stayed on the opposite bank and went on to ford put. Tomorrow, we said: so two went lower down. They went on to Aspiring to Shotover Saddle, one deerstalking, and Hut, leaving Neil with us. The water five to Liverpool bivvy to arrange for began coming up through the ground weather forecasts. At the bivvy we found under the tents-frantically we dug Julian suffering from light headedness ditches and moved gear, but one of due to the high altitude-he spent all the tents had to be evacuated. We sat his time playing with a little toy car. under the fly watching flocks of two- That night we went out at 9.15 p.m. and legged deer browsing across the river. tried to remember whether four long and wondering whether Rough Creek and flashes meant wet or fine. the Cascade Burn would be fordable, or Paul came down to visit us next day, whether we'd have company for the and the day after we left for French night. Fortunately the rain ceased next Ridge-pausing at Pearl Flat for a bath. day, and we continued to Aspiring Hut At Pearl Flat this interesting remark was -there had been 64 in the hut the night overhead: before. "You've got a bloody sandfly right We re-organised food, and prepared in your mouth. Close your lips-got to cross Cascade Saddle. However, snow 'im!" fell overnight and we postponed the On French Ridge we camped by the trip. By the day after, Hughey was back tarns and went on up to the bivvy- with reinforcements: Fraser was so dis- Bill, Mac, Peter Atkinson and Neil had gusted that he went home, and Bill, left that morning for an attempt on Shona, Peter Atkinson, Murray and Mac Aspiring. In the evening Neil came down decided to go into the Rees by road to to us: they had succeeded, going up the play safe. January 7th was damp and south-east ridge and coming down the misty-then it poured. While Bill's party north-west. Next day it rained, and the battled with the cold on their way to day after, so out came the cards and Wanaka, we went the cullers' route to chess boards. We began bedtime read- Cascade Saddle. "Thth rain continued. ings of Frankenstein. The second day We reached the pylon sooner than we was New Year's eve: plum pudding (de- expected, in crampons for the last licious, not enough) and community sing- stretch, and found lots of lovely falling snow. Across the Cascade Burn, follow- men and five women, and they could ing yeti tracks, and so to the Dart side play Musical Women. - where the vast blue and slotted expanse Bill's party was installed in of the Dart Glacier gleamed coldly under Esquilant a dirty sky. Stop for lunch, trying to bivvy, living on "weet-bix" and feeling undo crampons with numb fingers, un- unfriendly. They didn't get up Earnslaw able even to hold a biscuit. On the move either. again, sidling interminably down the Kevin left on the 12th, and our party bleak and barren upper Dart-miles of returned. Rain began again. (By Lennox moraine and mud, crossing creeks swol- Falls, where we camped, it is always len and unusually swift-finally, wet and raining and there is a continual roar weary, arriving at Dart Hut. The fire rather like an aeroplane engine.) wouldn't go, but no one minded much. The climbing party called on the 12th, Overnight the beating of the rain on the and departed. Graham Swan roof ceased and in the morning the grass mile hut and found over to 25outside was blanketed with snow. Paul and Gary, also some venison which he brought back. After a day's rest at the hut, admiring Paul and Gary had been over the river the super flush outhouse, we left for the from us for three days. Rees Saddle via the Snowy. The Snowy On the 14th we was up, but there was a snow-bridge and packed for the last we were soon on the saddle-or various time, and were soon refuelling at Glensaddles-and descended into the Rees orchy. by several different routes. The first de- Lest the trip should end with an antipression in the ridge is the fastest route climax, we were taken into the Rockwhen travelling in this direction. We burn for a couple of days and fed on camped in the Rees below Shelter Rock forestry beans and weet-bix, then trans- Hut, and continued next day to 25-mile ported to Queenstown, where we slept hut and Lennox Falls. Here Kevin, on the courthouse lawn, behind a picket David, Murray, John and I camped; fence of ice-axes. The boys lay back in Peter, Graham, Neil and Colin left for their pits and whistled to passing birds the upper rock bivvy on Earnslaw. - another Christmas trip was over. On the 11th, Kevin, John and I went Peter Daniel (leader), Neil Gray, up to Kea Basin and I went on to the Graham Hancox, David Ryrie, Kevin bivvy, where I found the boys sitting Jamieson, John Watts, Linda Redmond, grouching about the weather. Peter has Mac Riding, Murray Hall, Peter Atkina theory that taking only one woman son, Bill Drake, Shona Baker. Also on a Christmas trip is the cause of the Fraser Watts, Murray Brown, Colin Mcbad weather. Someone suggested that Natty. next year the party should consist of five LINDA REDMOND.