Grand Labour Weekend Traverse

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Grand Labour Weekend Traverse This intrepid trip travelled from Ohau of the Waingawa and thence to Arete to the Kiriwhakapapa Road end and Forks Hut. We were grateful to the was not without its ups and downs. Ably discs along the river otherwise we would led by Brian (it's good to be here) Hunt, have been bound to lose the We a total of eight members tripped happily stayed at Arete Forks in favour rare going up to South Ohau Hut under blacken- on to Cow Creek and as it turned out ing skies, on Friday night, after a 5 p.m. the latter was full anyway. That afterstart from the Railway Station. noon we sat and talked of many things At South Ohau we were treated to while Dave (carry a gun) Forbes said tried he the first in a. series of concerts given by his luck at stalking again. He that the "versimilitudinous' soloist Peter could smell them but unfortunately (steady on) Reid on his versatile gazoo. was as close as we came to venison stew. He convinced himself that if practised And Monday it rained. awoke with a roar. The Arete hard enough over the weekend he could stream could be sighted from the hut become a virtuoso in no time and could doorway as a wall of foam. Both the then give lessons during the week. Waingawa River and the Arete Stream Saturday's weather was reasonable and had risen considerably overnight and took us to Dracophyllem Knob bivvy were in high flood. After a spate of via Yeate's Track, the Otaki River and photographing we aqua-planed the sidle Butcher's Knob thus avoiding the com- irack while Lyle (forgot me overtrou) mon route around to Pukematawai. A Mason streaked ahead in an attempt to quick drop into the Park and then a divert the bus from the Pines (our plannot so quick climb on to Carkeek Ridge ned exit) to the Kiriwhakapapa Road brought us to Carkeek Ridge Hut-an ena. This was because the North Mitre 81 hour day. To have been able to and Peggy's Stream which we figured adapt ourselves to this Huey's play- would be uncrossable. ls it was we ground spot where only 12 pages of log- were delayed 50 minutes a two of the book had been filled in eight years, side streams being swollen and rumbly. called for a celebration. Just perchance A quick lunch at Cow Creek then it we had some brandy and lemons in the was up over The Blue Range to the party and so it was the old Rule Bri- road end. On Te Mara it even tried to tannia, marmalade and jam' nikolosh - snow while in the vicinity of the Blue I believe it's very good for colds too. Range Hut turnoff we noticed some- On Sunday, after 35 minutes along, the one had gone berserk with blue blazing. cold and misty tops we dropped into A pleasant trip which provided some the Waiohine then up on to Tarn Ridro red lines for all, although a little damp where the wind was cruel and the rain at times. Other guns not aforemenhorizontal. After fortification of choco- tioned were Mike McConchie. Rogelate we descended into the upper reaches and Jeffrey Bryant and Ian MacDonald