Bannister Crossing (4-6 February)

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* BANNISTER CROSSING (4-6 February) With some trepidation I added my small slip. We woke on Saturday to find name to the trip list, for this was to be the valley full of mist and intermittent my first FE trip. Would I be able to light rain falling. Starting time up, the keep up with the rocket-like speed of river was 7.45. I struggled up the hill to those gents who make up FE parties? Te Matawai, not too far behind the Our numbers were sadly depleted by others, and thought that perhaps FE trips having to make an early start-the weren't too bad after all. The mist 5.45 p.m. train to Levin. Graham Hancox seemed to clear after we left Te Matawas the leader, Brian Hunt and I com- wai, but our hopes were dashed when prising the rest of the party. down it came again as thick as ever. The trip to Ohau hut was uneventful Our despair was unwarranted, however, except for Brian's mud dance across a for 200 feet from the top of Pukemata- wai we burst through the mist into bril- Brian and I sat on a pinnacle and enliant currant bun. Off came parkas and joyed the scenery. bush singlets and we bathed in brilliant At 5.30 we were on Waingawa. sunshine and were cooled by a pleasant Graham saw a large tarn. We decided breeze for the rest of the trip. to take advantage of the perfect weather Brian made a prophecy that we would and camp on the tops. Brian improved see deer. We laughed, but not too the site by building a rock wall. The heartily. From the top of Arete I got site even had a built-in rubbish hole my first look at the northern Tararuas, which Brian attempted to descend. and splendid they looked too. Bannister Next morning we started at 9.15 stood ahead challenging us, but we Cattle Ridge, rather than a straight along looked unbelievingly at the depth of the descent into the Ruamahanga. A welltwo saddles on either side of the Twins. cut track took us to the river below On we plodded, rested on the Twins, and Roaring Stag Lodge. We found just the footground our way to the summit of Ban- prints of the Ruapai Stream party in the nister. sand, and hurried on to meet them. One Brian saw his deer, and I had to hurry and a half hours later we were well bethe last few yards up Bannister so that low Cleft Creek and still had not found I could see them as well, and congratu- the other We for lunch, late the prophet. Minutes later two more and then climbed party. out stopped of the river. After deer were sighted, and from a pinnacle five minutes we saw them in the a few hundred yards farther on three below. We "far called", and conversed gorge deer stopped to gaze at us, aware no above the roar of the river. doubt of our lack of firearms. A number of sharp descents took some time, and A swim at the ford refreshed us bewe found it necessary to sidle several fore the final leg out to the road. pinnacles. On one our leader dropped his Well,Iwasn't too far behind, and some pack to make his descent easier. The of the time I even managed to keep up. pack decided to go for a burn, and Perhaps I might even venture to do bounced down a gut. Graham took off another FE trip some day. after it and had an extra climb, while -Mike Hollis.