Mt Robert (12th July)

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MT. ROBERT (12th July) With the club hut fully booked and Next morning was somewhat chilly, the mountain predicted to erupt any- but still beautifully fine, and after an way, a small of T. & M's set sail early breakfast and a short drive to the for the ski eayar of the "Mainland" with end of the road, we were deposited high hopes of fine weather, good snow at the bottom of the dreaded zig-zag. and no tow queues. Two hours and many zigs later, we were reunited at the gear hut above the A stormy crossing of Cook Strait on bushline and just below the ski basin. Friday night found most of the party A quick change into ski gear and a collapsed in the lounge seats looking short walk to the ridge above the tow, strangely subdued, but on arriving at on with skis and down to the huts. Picton to firm land and a fine night the outlook improved. Unfortunately the tow safety wire was After cramming loads of gear and deeply buried and an hour was spent 10 bodies into a rental van a two-hour digging before a temporary, safety trip drive took us to Lake Rotoiti. A glorious was rigged and the tow could be started. sight, snow down to the water's edge, Once under way everyone was keen to a bright moon glinting on the tranquil make up for lost time, and make up we lake and the tops of the Mt. Robert did. Perfect weather, good compact Range. A much-needed brew and into the snow and no queue, up the tow, down pit for a short and none-too-warm sleep. and straight back up.

The "guns" would take the whole other side of the tow, there was a choice run at a- good speed," every turn send- of runs down. In one day we would have ing. out - a great cloud of fine powder, skied more than a good weekend at while the few "stem" exponents man- Ruapehu. aged a slower descent on easy-to-turn snow. At two o'clock it was time to leave By late afternoon all were tiring and and most of us felt we couldn't have some were getting noticably ragged with skied more anyway, so after a final run, many falls. One last run, then we skied it was back to the gear hut, collect packs down to a small hut on the bushline, and off down the zig-zag to the van. arriving well after dark. With a blazing Already we were behind time and from fire in the camp oven the place was soon here back to Picton it was a question of warm and comfortable. An enormous will we, won't we make the boat. We meal which hardly anyone managed to roared into Picton just a few minutes finish, followed by stewed fruit which before the boat left and it was 10 rather only one attempted, and into the pits dirty, untidy, and sunburnt bodies that for a much-needed rest. tramped into the boat to catch up on a lot of eating and sleeping. A peaceful sleep was shattered by the alarm at some unearthly hour and, Thanks to Rosie and Bob Chittenden after breakfast of cold left-over stew and for organizing the whole trip. The others fruit we trudged back to the gear hut, who enjoyed the "good value" weekend changed into ski clothes and back to were, Val Ireson, Annette Easton, Neil the tow, Gray, Tony Gazley, Dennis Gazley, Bill Again conditions were just as good Rice, Bob Hoy, Steve Moynihan. and, after compacting a slope down the -A.E.