Southern Main Range

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SOUTHERN MAIN RANGE The cold night air was pleasant, after make sure it did not sneak up on us) the stuffy heat and petrol fumes of the that we wandered off the track and only Thames van, as we piled out at Otaki regained it after considerable difficulty. Forks and prepared for the grind up to Kime. The hour was reasonable as we Then Brian had the brilliant idea of had left the station at 5.30 p.m. and sleeping out on the main range not far the sky was full of the promise of a fine from the hut, only 15 minutes or so. We weekend. stopped at Kime for a brew and to listen to the comments of the other We arrived at Fields after the usual members of the trip, who perhaps would mud and curses and stopped for a short have liked to come with us but being snack before heading up to Kime. As already in the pit, decided to scoff at we mere climbing up on to Table Top, us instead. Outside in the cold wind someone noticed a red flashing light we began to have second thoughts but over Kapakapanui and a lively discus- couldn't turn back for fear of being sion ensued as to whether it was a rubbished by the rest of the party. We plane or a star. As it was not a plane, stumbled round West Peak and headed "because planes move and that's not down the Main Range to the first nearly moving, you dumb irk!", and not a star level area we could find. The sheltered because of the regular red flashing, we side of the range was too steep, so we decided it must be a flying saucer whose settled down in the wind trying in vain occupants were aware of our presence to think of reasons why we were doing and were watching us. We became so this mad thing. I was on the windward engrossed with watching the object (to side with the fly tucked under me with instructions from the others to avoid sons with the mist starting to break up, turning over during the night. Noel and Brian, Noel, Bill, and Lyle decided to Brian were in the middle, too high for continue on down to Waitewaewae the fly to come up around their heads where they could sleep in the next mornand Graham was on the lee side with ing. The rest of us put up flys on the not enough fly to cover him properly. bush edge and got the stew under way. In these uncomfortable positions we Reception was now good and Paul confinally fell asleep. tacted Tararua base every hour till In the morning a beautiful sunrise 91 p.m. gave us some small compensation for Sunday morning was reasonably fine, the cold and discomfort, but the diffi- with only the odd patch of stubborn culty of cooking breakfast in the wind mist still hanging about as we left was such that the rest of the party had Andersons and made our way up togone past and were an hour ahead of us wards Junction Knob where we would before we were finally under way. leave the Main Range. Waitewaewae Mist enveloped us as we were climb- was empty when we arrived, the other ing out of the first sadle and we tramped two trips having already left to give to Maungahuka without getting a view themselves time for the long road walk. of any kind, the only interest being pro- The sun was warm on our backs as we vided by the exposed scrambling round wandered off down the river and climbed the Tararua Peaks. up to the plateau where a radio schedule While having lunch at Maungahuka, provided a good excuse for a last rest Paul set up the new radio which we before the forks and the end of our trip. were testing and attempted to call the Those on the trip were Roger Foley, base at Tauherenikau hut. We heard a Peter Goodwin, Paul Green, Keith Dick, few garbled words which were finally Brian Hunt, Dennis Gazley, Bill Macstrangled by static. Lennon, Lyle Mason, Noel Thomas, After lunch we left for Andersons, Graham Westerby, and Kevin Moynistill shrouded in mist and occasionally han. staggered by the rising wind. At Ander- -Kevin Moynihan