A Long Weekend in the South Island

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A LONG WEEKEND IN THE SOUTH ISLAND Last summer I spent a long weekend is a fair description. It is steep and not down south. Here are two excerpts from well blazed at first, then the track is my trip. good where the ridge levels off and is well defined. Farther on the ridge be- Storm in the Waitaha comes ill-defined and almost a face, The Waitaha is one of the river sys- the brated track "B being 600", steeper or Liverpool than the celetems on wet Bivvy the wild coast, next north track. Where the scrub is met the track of the Wanganui, and south of its main is good. Meanwhile the weather was tributary, the Little Waitaha or Kaka- deteriorating, the showers becoming both potahi or Happy Valley. Between these heavier and more frequent. At the bush two rivers, Big and Little Waitaha, lies edge I decided to camp on account of the Hitchin Range, similar to, but higher the prevailing weather. My camp was a than the Tararuas at its western end, but nylon flysheet and a plastic groundsheet. becoming higher and more rugged where My diary describes the as it abuts on to the Lange Range, over- mediocre. There was mist campsite and showers looking the Whitcombe. This valley is of rain, sleat, snow, and hail. little visited by Wellington parties. There are two alternative routes into this val- Next day's weather was similar, and ley from the West Coast. One may fol- I spent the day reading an Agatha low a road up the true left for 10 miles, Christie mystery until an ominous and then a track threads its way between gurgling sound revealed that a spring the gorges, fording where necessary, and had sprung where I was camped, and there is a new N.Z.F.S. hut. This is a was leaking thru' a tear in the groundrecent development of which I was un- sheet. I cooked on a fire of damp turaware, and so used the alternative ap- pentine and had an attack of silicosis. proach, which starts from the end of Late in the afternoon the sun came out the road on the true right, and climbs again. over the Hitchin Range. Four days seemed adequate time, so to be on the Next day the weather was fine, but safe side, knowing what the western with snow down to a low level. I traweather can do, I took (and used) 10 versed over Mt. Allan, and along the days' food supply. Hitchin Range, until I came to a notch that was tricky on account of soft new Early in December the weather was snow. I piked and descended north into hot, but the eight-mile road bash up the basin at the head of the Little Waithe lower Waitaha was not unpleasant taha. Progress was slow on account of as road walks go, especially the last steep, snow-covered snowgrass, that was mile which I shared with some sheep- slippery. (Sounds like a tongue-twister.) dogs on a tractor trailer. I was told My main objective now was to find a that my proposed route was impossible, good campsite, so followed downstream but when I said that it had been used to where the stream plunged over a by John Pascoe many years ago, the waterfall at the start of a Here farmer replied, "Oh, Pascoe did a minor stream came in from gorge. the left, come out that way. Pminrn was the time and there was the first stunted bush. he almost died." Further information Imagine my surprise seeing eviwas that two stalkers were already in dence that Flinstone Fred upon had been here. the Hitchin Basin, and since I did not There was his table and bench conwish to admit my ignorance concerning structed Stonehenge fashion, a the location of the Hitchin Basin, which and two old fireplace by marked tarpaulins; entirely acciis not on my map. I made the dent I had found the Hitchin Basin (I hope) appropriate comments. I fol- campsite, albeit by a roundabout route. lowed up Anderson's Creek, to a brown slip where the track was said to be- Next morning two chamois ran thru' gin, and which I could not find, so I my campsite. I sorted out my gear into camped by the creek. On a reccee after two lots, hiding one lot from the keas, tea, I met the stalkers just as the first and set off with the rest to a saddle rain shower began, and they directed east of Mt. Hitchin. The sun was obme to where the track begins. One has structed by high cirrus clouds, and there first to climb out of the creek, where was signs that the weather was breakit starts to become rough, and then the ing, as I left for the Upper Waitaha. track and the first blaze is found on the Mist clamped down and on my way up ridge above. Pascoe's guidebook de- the ridge the keas were unusually scribes it as "a rough track", and this raucous, then the seagulls joined in. The last film I had seen was Hitchcock's "The tap, but cut rations down to half. Birds". Fortunately neither the keas nor Overnight The wind came up, and seagulls had seen it! When I reached the there was heavy thundery showers, so saddle the mist lifted briefly, so that I that I slept little. The weather slowly had a view of the Kensington or County improved the next day, so that on the River, draining from Mt. Evans, which following day I was able to leave with was in the cluds; the bad gorge where a one-day pack, after hiding my gear the Waitahi plunges 1000 ft. in half a from the keas.. În spite of fine weather mile, and a monstrous slip in the lower early, I was soon in mist, and wasted Waitaha. I sidled above the gorge in an hour waiting for the mist to clear Chainman Creek, a deep rift with screes. in order to see a route off the Hitchin Again new snow over snowgrass made Range. I found a good spur which for slow progress. Lower down bluffs ended in bluffs which I avoided by barred further progress, although it was sidling across to another spur, and so possible to bypass them by climbing reached the Waitaha for lunch, and higher. I noted an impending climatic sighted another chamois. The mist scungification, and decided to leave the clamped down to only 100 feet above Waitaha for another day. On my return the valley floor. My return was thru' I had a white-out. Where the keas had mist of the scottish variety by map and been raucous, I found a wing, some compass. On the last day I returned over feathers and other pieces of a kea torn the top of Mt. Allan, in mist and fine apart by his cobbers. On arrival at Camp weather rain. My four-day trip had Flinstone, drizzle had begun as I made taken ten days due to bad weather and two "A" frames for my flysheet. the need for greater caution than a There is nowhere in the temperate party would take. This was the last big zone where rain is heavier than in the storm of '67, and although there were western Southern Alps. Recently I had lesser storms, it was not exceeded until witnessed 15in. in one day, which had the Great Storm of April 10th. swept away a new suspension bridge, 10 Copland Interlude feet above stream level. The only heavier The bus debauched me at the start rain I have witnessed was in Panama. of the Copland track, where I saw a But how gently and mildly the Westland Wintest tent and pondered whose it rain can begin, softly caressing the cheek might be. Further along the track I so that one wonders why one is wet! came upon a recent bivvy site right That was how it was. Next day was spent alongside the track where it is a narrow comfortably in the sack. The following terrare, and wondered who had been day was the 13th. foolish enough, or unfortunate enough On the morning of the 13th the rain to camp there. I saw some spectacular stopped altogether for a while. This gorge country and met Karl Austmann could be interpreted as a sign of im- of the TTC, who told me my mates were provement, or a pause for breath before at Welcome Flats. Not wishing to appear getting down to business. Now I am not ignorant of the fact that I had some superstitious, and the calendar date did mates, I muttered "Of course!" The penny not worry me as I had taken the pre- (or cent, now we are on decimals) dropcaution of throwing salt over my left pod. Who but Tongues and Meats would shoulder, but, more ominous was a drop camp in such a suffer-provoking spot. in barometric pressure. There was a The Clarkson brain started ticking to heavy downpour of only twenty minutes the tune of cuppertea at Welcome Flats. which brought the creek up alarmingly. Arrived there to find Neil Gray, Alan When another downpour began it was Higgins, Steve Moynihan, and Graham obvious that I would have to retreat Westerby. Soon we were in Wellington to a new campsite. My original site had boots wallowing in something. I told been chosen because it was the only flat, them a tall story about a campsite I had grassy area large enough to pitch a tent seen by the track, and they told me. a on. There was water everywhere, and taller story about being caught a the only available site was on a spur flooded stream and camping by the inck with good drainage and a tree to stop Not to be outdone I told them that me from rolling off; in every other re- when I was in the Kokatahi I came spect it was a poor camp site. Moving arross a little man on a toadstool, and house and keeping my gear dry was a asked him, "Does it ever stop raining slow job, which took about an hour. here?" To which he replied, "I don't During this time an empty four-pint know, you had better ask my grandbilly, sitting in the open was filled. did, I have only been here 35 years!" Settled in again, I brewed up from water Whereupon they told me to go jump that ran off my flysheet like a running in the hot pool, which I did.

Pondering how to leave my nice warm "It is the mighty Cook." We were at pool without being eaten alive, when first sceptical, but when we realised that there came a Hollis commotion type he was right, we were much impressed, noise from the hut. Of course it couldn't and hung our heads in shame. We made be But it was! The new arrivals for the low point on the divide, which were Mike, Dave Ryrie, Graham Mc- is the Fitzgerald Pass, and hung over Ready, Hugh Middleton, John Campbell, the edge, with our heads in Canterbury and 50,000 Boy Scouts. What an evil and feet in Westland. "Isn't Canterbury collection of bodies in one hut! More ugly." Whether this remark refererd to bull slinging. I told Mike a tall story the bare tussock and scree covered about a Wintest tent at the start of the slopes, the glacial debris at the foot of track; and he told me a taller story about the Hooker, compared with the Westland camping at the start of the Copland bush, or my ugly face, I do not know. track, and how certain members were The peaks about the Main Divide were wandering around looking for the track, immaculately white, with Mt. Cook lord whilst others were away at Fox Glacier- of all; the Hooker moraine an alpine ville, and I went past. So I told him midden excreted by the glacier. another tall story about a little man on A party was crossing the true a toadstool in the Kokatahi . - : and their progress was very slow in descend- pass, he told me a taller story that he had ing, from which we concluded been in the Kokatahi and the weather route was very icy. We lunched that and the was fine; so I called him a liar. brewed and salubed and sunbathed and Overnight and early morning there drank in the scene and made an historic was rain, and we were struck with a first. This honour belongs to Graham, great lethargy, but managed to leave for who is the first man to play a clarinet Douglas Rock Hut in the afternoon. The on the Main Divide. Now some learners scenery becomes grander as the valley play wrong notes, but Graham is not head is reached. Wally Weka was in the à man to do things by halves; he plays bush near the hut. This extrovert show- the wrong octave! Too soon it was time man made sure he was fed and photo- to depart. We overtook the Copland graphed by pretending to be shy. There çrossing party on the track and added are few huts so excellently sited for insult to insult by extolling the beauties bush and mountain scenery. There was of Westland against the ugliness of a radio in the hut, and three radio men Canterbury. On the radio we heard in the party, and an opportunity to about the fatal accident near De La baffle everyone, including themselves Beche Hut. We decided not to advertise with science. Eventually one bold lay- my intended crossing in case this worman asked, "What is PAR?" "Precision ried the rangers. Firelighting was a com- Approach Radar, of course." "Oh", was munity effort. "In these modern times. the reply. "How about some ADBSS". one should do things by committee," "What is that?" asked the radio men quoth Mike. "Not always the best way," aghast. "Alliance dehyd beef steak stew; said I. The fire agreed and went out. then we can have some BPVFCP and ** Next morning was fine, but mist prunes. clamped down on the Divide and the Next day was fine, so the intrepid wind was strong and cool. The route ones set off in search of the intrepid, used the previous day was icy, and not whilst the rest of us asked the Copland having crampons, I decided to follow a what it had to offer. "I am the great- rock rib to the left. Across the other est," was the reply. "You drooled de- side I sheltered from the wind, opened leriously over the Dart," muttered my pack for lunch, and my plastic bowl moronically about the Matukituki, raved blew away. Arrived at Hooker Hut to wildly about the Wilkins, and burbled in- find some potholers in residence; made coherently of the Hopkins, but com- a brew and moved down valley to the pared with me they are nothing! You bright lights. Soon tiring of these. I will see the magnificence of my forest crossed Jamieson's Saddle into the Doband gorges, the lushness of my grassy son. In crossing my Mountain Mule ran flats, the majesty of my waterfalls, the away, bumping and bouncing over rocks, ruggedness of the Sierra Range, but the scattering its contents, then finally, ragmost wonderous sight of all lies ahead. ged and torn, coming to rest on the Though I say So modestly, I am the edge of a big drop. Thereafter it was most!" held tocether with safety pins and We set off in search of the pass, round initiative. the corner we saw a snow-capped peak -Norman Clarkson and argued over its identity. "That peak *Brown & Polson's vanilla flavoured cusis further than it looks," said Mike. tard powder.