Ruahine Trip - Queen's Birthday Weekend

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Ruahine Fe Trip = Queen's Birthday Weekend The bad start was no indication of a deer, and he spent the rest of the the fantastic trip that followed. night telling us about it (it was the We stopped at the South end of Levin first deer he'd seen). where it was suggested that those who Using torches for the first ten minutes needed batteries etc. could make a quick we began the next day with a two sprint through town and meet the bus and a half hour drag on to Peak 5165 again at the North end. After half an ft. on the Hikurangi Range, which is hour of waiting at the Northern end, the highest ridge in the Ruahines. We a car pulled up beside us and in it ploughed onwards to Ohuinga (5630 was a certain Mr. Hunt looking on ft.), then it was south along Sawtooth the verge of panic. Apparently the bus and down a delightful spur towards had remained waiting where it had drop- the Oroua River. ped us. We didn't want to go right to the At 5.30 a.m, brew at the Te Parapara end of the spur because it involved road-end and we were on our way by a deep leatherwood saddle and a long 7.00 a.m., making sure to wake the climb, so we decided to drop off into mediums as we passed. A well graded the creek. The creek on either side track took us over a 150 ft. high bridge of the spur would have got us where and up to the Rangiwahia Ski Club we wanted, but the one on the left hut above the bush. Some bikkies and looked a bit gorgy. So for about three a lemon brew sustained us enough to quarters of an hour. we bashed our carry on up the ridge to Mangahuia way over, under, through, and around (5195 ft.). At a rest stop half an some head-high Ruahine leatherwood, hour later Dave wandered over to the then at last emerged through a clump side of the ridge to look for some of lawyer and dropped into the creek water. Suddenly he dropped to the on the right. For half an hour it was ground and came crawling back whis- good travel, but then it narrowed to pering "Get down, there's some deer". a width of 15 ft. and plunged over So everyone ran around shouting "Where, a 30 ft. waterfall. We managed to sidle where?". But it didn't matter anyway, this one. because Dave's gun was jammed. As All was well for another 200 yards. he frantically poked a bit of wire down then it narrowed in again and presented the barrel the eight deer (including sev- a 20 ft. fall. Sidling would have meant eral stags) ambled off towards the bush, climbing back on to the ridge. That was the last one disappearing just as the not on, so the only thing was to climb barrel came clear. down, lowering the packs by Some When we reached Mangamahue (5450 packs got dunked, but that didore, matter ft.), we could see the spur where Joe because they were all to meet the same had said there was a track down to fate 50 yds. further on. Pourangaki Hut. We arrived at the hut The next was only a small waterfall, for lunch and decided to stay the rest but because of the size of the pool of the day because of the dismal weather and the shape of the rock it was impos- (and because of lack of energy). In sible to either sidle or climb down. the hut we met "Charlie Horse" and Dave and Warren solved the problem his boss-the former a classic 'good by stripping off their shirts and diving keen man' Crump style. He left the into the pool from the top of the fall. city to try out the glamourous life of Then we threw them a rope to pull a Government shooter and spent hours the packs across. Barry, with forethought (between listening to the rugby) telling put a rock in his shirt and threw it us of the rugged life he lives in the across for someone to catch. Dave, unbush. Dave (sucker) Forbes went out aware of the rock, took the impact for a shoot with him and found that on his chest! Others thinking to save our hero had only been in the Forest their shirts from a wetting also sent Service three days and didn't even own them air-borne but without the weight a gun, "Charlie Horse" thought he saw of a rock most of them caught in the dead overhanging tree and dropped into hundred yard stretch of gorge at the the pool. After an interesting exhibition edge of the farmland), thus halving of dives and jumps we all eventually the shooters' "fit" time. We met the got across. Dave would have had some medium party here, but they left as anxious moments if he had seen the soon as they saw us. knot coming undone in the rope as We stopped there for lunch and had his rifle was being pulled across. time for two brews instead of our usual Quarter of an hour later we heard none, then galloped out over the farma shout as those in front rounded land to the road, with Paul demona bend-was it another waterfall or strating the Gazley method of climbing what? It was a pleasant surprise to over barbed wire fences on the way! find that a Forest Service Hut was In between showers, while waiting the cause of the excitement. It was for the bus, we kept warm by climbing the first spot we'd found to camp in trees and playing cricket with pine cones the river, and the sun had already gone and a fence post. down. A 'Hunt Stew' of bacon and A trip to be remembered. Those there macaroni etc., a roaring fire, several _Brian Hunt (leader), Barry Biggs, Dave brews, and we were set for a pleasant Forbes, Warren Thorburn, Owen Cox, night on the gravel flats. Ian McDonald, Paul, Tony and Dennis A couple of shooters assured us that Gazley, Barry Thomas, Roland Klocek, for fit types it was only four and a Jeff Bryant, and Laurie Gallagher. half hours from Triangle Hut to Iron L.G. Gates so we lingered till 8 a.m. before making a start. It took us one hour N.B. We have since heard that the to Iron Gate Hut, and another hour branch of the creek we did not come and a quarter to Iron Gates ( a narrow down is good travel all the way. Penn Creek Peregrinations = or How to Recognise the Time of Year When River Travel Is