Girdlestone Saddle - Te Matawai

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GIRDLESTONE SADDLE-TE MATAWAI Black clouds gathered in blankets sound of chopping wood us overhead and the weather forecast A short time later we were spurred all on. dicted showers. It didn't promise to Pte milo and tea at Te Matawai Hut. supping a dry weekend. time-2.30. It took approximately The two The party boarded the bus at Wel- hours for the slower party to reach the lington and made one stop at Johnson- but and by this time a blazing fre was ville to pick up three more trampers. going and with a combined effort, a We arrived at the "dropping off" point tasty stew was well on the way to being at 9.45 and three keen members set off cooked. Ten ravenous appetites mad: straight away. The majority didn't know short work of it. Early to bed, early the way so they kept together. We to rise was the motto, so we all tumbled crossed open farm land at a fairly slow into our pits. pace, so the party leaders, Margaret In the early hours of the morning and Steve, decided that the party should an earthquake shook the hut and those be split up into three groups: fast, that didn't awaken by it didn't get much medium, and slow, with the leaders in peace from the rest of us. Outside the rear. mist had lifted, the sky was grey with the The weather wasn't going to be kind a few patches of blue sneaking through. and at about 11.30 p.m. we arrived at We set off at 9 a.m. and conditions had Ohau Hut, muddy and soaked to the improved. The Main Range was visible skin. There was a hive of activity going and it looked very impressive. Our rout: on, trampers sorting their belongings out, out was via Russell's Knob. Six of settling their pits and trying to dry their us took the quickest way, along Gable bair and clothes. Except for two tramp- End Ridge, the rest preferred to ers who preferred to swap jokes, every- down Waiopehu Ridge. We stopped for body settled down for the night. A a few minutes to admire the view from rather blunt "SHUT UP" stopped the Russell's Knob. It was magnificent. Levin raucous laughter of the two men. We to the north-west was quite visible. The all had a good night's shut-eye. more experienced trampers identified the Main Range peaks on the east. Gable Saturday morning was overcast, so End comes out behind Ohau Hut. We the fit party set off, taking advantage of reached there at about 2.45, the Waiopehu the weather. Two hours later we all party made the road at 3.00. Ohau Hut arrived at South Ohau Hut. After lunch accommodated us and a brew was soon we started up Yeat's Track, which climb- bubbling on the primuses. It was a ed steeply behind the hut. The original trip out to the bus and we cut quick the trip was planned to go up Girdlestone 4.30 p.m. deadline pretty slim. A few Saddle and this would have meant going members of the party broke forth in of the way up South Branch Creek, song, a very cheerful ending to a most part the weather turned to light showers, enjoyable weekend. a prelude to worse. Yeat's Track proved quite easy and soon we were up on the Members of the party: Steve Moynitop. Mist and light rain blocked out any han (Leader), Peter Stewart, Merv chance to recognize any landmarks. Steele, Alan Seelye, Kevin Forrest, John Nev and a couple of the faster ones Gilbert, Ian McGregor, Nev. Taylor, raced on to start a fire and prepare a Ann McSweeny. brew. Ten minutes from the hut the -Neil Carey.