Snow Caving - Labour Weekend

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SNOW CAVING-LABOUR WEEKEND 6.30 p.m., Friday evenings at the sea- Jock found a use for his ice screws and ward side of the railway station is a hung his pack from them. Noel's lilo nightmare of people, packs and trans- was found to have a puncture so he port. The Friday evening of the 21st spent the night on three pack frames (no was no better, people were rushing curses). I hear that our trip leader also around madly, looking for the ski trip slept on three pack frames (too hardy meat, ice axes, crampons, and missing to sleep on a lilo?). That evening Pete bods. made an excellent dinner. A few giggles later we were all pitted In the morning we awoke to another down in the truck and on our way to miserable day and after a hootenanny Ruapehu. Pukerua Bay saw the start of of all the cave leaders, it was decided to our sing-song and Lindsay was treated head down to Wanganui Hut, while to an edited version of "The Wild West Allen, Noel, Kevin and Graham were Show". At Mount View we met a bunch to go around the mountain to the Whakaof scruffy looking skiers who apparently papa ski fields to notify the driver of thought we were equally so, and after a the change in few rude comments they rode off in When going down pick-up we used arrangements. crampons and their Runciman-type bus for the Top we couldn't help but wonder if Bill o' the Bruce. Cronin and Norm Clarkson would suffer After spending the night in the truck that night, seeing that they had stayed at Ohakune, we walked up to the public behind to have an attempt to cross the shelter for breakfast and found some next day. Ivan also left us and headed Hutt Valleys crammed inside, so we ate down to Ohakune in hope of hitchoutside in drizzling rain. Nine o'clock hiking to Whakapapa, determined to saw us up at the ski tows and buying use his skis. At Wanganui Hut we met extra food. By this time the weather was Allen & Co. who had to toss in their miserable but our able trip leader urged effort due to weather conditions. Thus us on. Farther up and many curses later we spent a warm, cheerful night listena glimpse of the saddle and summit was ing to Brian's jokes about "Cedric" and had, and so we, like pioneers, headed Lindsay voicing his opinion about fifthfor it. Two and a half curses later, again rate jokes. shrouded in mist, we were unable to find The next was the saddle and, seeing the weather was day beautifully fine and so bad, we went back down a bit and Brian and Pete set off early to the Horostarted digging our caves on a nearby pito Road end to phone the truck driver. slope. About ten o'clock two tiny specks were seen high up on the saddle and we We had five caves in all, which con- knew that the two die-hards had sucsisted of: ceeded in going across, much to the dis- Cave 1: Allen Higgins, Ivan Booth, pleasure of Lindsay who wished he Brian Carey, Ken Churchill, Stan Boyd. was with them. After a game of hockey Cave 2: Fraser Walls, Tony Gazely, with Jock's biscuit ten we headed out Dennis Gazely, Stephanie Carrad, Mike down the valley to Horopito. Bain. On arrival we found Pete and Brian Cave 3: Pete Goodwin, Noel Thomas, sunbathing by the roadside after having Neville Taylor, Dave Ryrie, Jock Mc- a cup of tea with the local postmistress. Ewan. Soft drinks were bought from the local Cave 4: Brian Hunt, Tiare Jackson, garage while Kev. bought a packet of John Moynihan, Mike Wing, Lindsay much-needed "mokes". Everyone then Cuthbertson. threw out their pits and gloated in the sun. Cave 5: Graham Westerby, Ken The trip home was cheerful and Moynihan, Jeff Young, Norm Clarkson, flourished whilst Stan songs Bill Cronin, Harry Percival. and Ken sang Many, many curses later, we were all insults to anyone who dared to venture in our caves with primuses roaring into the unknown depths of the bottom steadily (this is not bad bushcraft, Nick, bunk. After an hour-long traffic holdthere was no firewood around) while up we reached Wellington at 9 p.m., all some nocturnal prowlers wondered from slightly burnt, slightly sore, but all cave to cave admiring the beautiful pin- happy and each a little more experienced. ups on the snow cave walls. In our cave, -N.B.T.