Broken River

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BROKEN RIVER Have you ever been in a ski basin road which was easier although a little with powder snow, no rocks, two long longer. rope tows and just 24 people to use Monday dawned clear and bright with them? Broken River, ski-field of the no wind. So away we went, eager to see North Canterbury Ski Club, was a what the basin was like. The first probskier's paradise when six Wellingtonians lem which faced us was the access tow visited it early in September. Alan Gibb with the rope on the right hand sidewas organiser and hut mother! with Jo and a notice saying "For use by ex- Flavin and Fay Crump, also of Hutt perienced skiers only-you have been Valleys, Val, Neil and myself making warned 1 Well, how experienced does up the rest of the party. one consider oneself? However, we We left Christchurch, after breakfast "gave it a go" and did not really have at the railway station on Sunday morn- much difficulty with it. One of the main ing, in a rental van with three other tows was also right handed, and on girls, also looking forward to a week Tuesday, when the fog was thick, we in the snow. Such a contingent was were forced to master this as it was the soon known as Alan's Aviary (I don't only one running. We also discovered know where Neil was supposed to fit that the tows had to be tied up at night. in). Once over Porter's Pass and past I hadn't thought it possible for them to Lake Lyndon it was not long before we run away and was told that the rope turned off the main road and started was to be tied to each pulley. So climbing up the ski club's access road. obviously they don't like digging ropes It took four attempts at the last hill out of snowdrifts! before we reluctantly put on chains to The iongest tow took you almost on reach the parking area. to the ridge at the top of the basin from After about an hour's walk (Alan in- which there was a breathtaking view of sists its three-quarters), and staggering mountains and valleys. It was pleasant under the weight of skis and pack, we to stay and admire it a while, as quite arrived at the hut which was very com- frankly, I wasn't looking forward to fortably nestled on the bush edge with negotiating the steep top face. When startling views down deep gullies and looking downwards, all memories of then out on to rolling hills and moun- "how to turn" seemed to vanish. Howtains. After exploring the hut and ex- ever, we "got" down by varying methods claiming over such luxuries as showers, and were soon back to try again. flush toilets, soft mattresses, etc., lunch Such exercise all day and every day was a necessity. We then had the choice was most tiring and frequent excuses of going skiing for a couple of hours or were made to visit the "lunch hut" for back down the hill for the food. The a quiet cup of coffee and a chat. The general opinion was obviously that two lunch stop, too, was something quite trips up the hill was enough exercise new to us whose normai "lunches" at for one day and we set off back to the Ruapehu consist of a snack between car park. Having found the foot track waits in the queue. But here with the was slippery and not posessing instep coal range stoked up, hot and cold crampons like many Canterbury mem- water laid on, a meal of soup and toast, bers, we walked back down the summer etc. was a very welcome break.

We had our first lesson during the It was a very weary but cheerful afternoon. Val and I joined the fourth group who made their way back to the class-beginning parallels. We would go hut as the shadows of night were falling. to bed at night with cries of "more "Washroom sessions" were lengthy and angulation" ringing in our ears. Imagine all sorts of interesting hairdos, etc., were our horror when after the third day we manufactured in the girls' bunkroom. were transferred to the fifth class "with We found the all the experts". I am sure I was the cooking evening meal only one who tried to do parallels with on the coal range a little different from skis continually 3 feet apart. Arthur's electricity, and governing the heat of (the instructor) comment of "just a little ovens just by shovelling on coal and closer together" was the understatement pushing and pulling dampers was quite of the day! He praised everyone's en- an interesting experiment! thusiasm which seemed to make up for The evenings were very enjoyable witha lot of skiing ability which we didn't out any radio or gramophone, but were possess. Arthur had been resident on often filled with song to the accompanithe mountain for seven weeks, taking ment of the guitar. In fact, we wondered five classes a day, and said he had very whether we ought to take singing lessons much enjoyed it. He later visited us at during the day instead of skiing. Ruapehu on a brief tour round New Saturday, the Zealand before returning to another ski day of departure, arseason on the other side of the world. rived all too quickly and it was sad to leave a place which had become so like Other than the main ski basin, Val home in a very short time. Our thanks and I were told of a run into Allen's go to Arthur for his instruction and Basin from the top of the right tow. patience, the members and friends of Once down the first face, we were in the North Canterbury Ski Club for maka world of our own with peaks all round ing our stay so enjoyable and to our us glinting in the sun. It was so quiet Hutt Valley friends who made the trip and our own ski tracks were the only possible. mark not made by nature. -Rosie Chitt