AIC III

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AIC III Past Alpine Instruction Courses at Mt. Egmont have become reknown for striking bad weather, and few could have been as much fun as this year's third one was. We arrived at the Dawson Falls side late on Friday night amid rain and hail, and this continued throughout the next day. Although we had heard that two men from Stratford had had to turn back whilst en route to Kapuni Hut because of the deep snow, we all decided to go there anyway. Laden with bags of wood and coke, several not-too-fit, would-be climbers staggered up to the hut after: one false start on the wrong track and another, intentional non-start, drinking ginger ale and eating ice-cream at the tourist lodge. (I've never heard anyone say "I'll see you one and raise you one" when referring to ice-crean before).

Once up at Kapuni hut most people were content to sit reading in front of the stove, but a few enthusiasts went out in the storm to contend the land-speed record for five on a polythene sheet down a 60 degree slope. Madness maybe, but good fun unless you're lighter than the others and somehow get thrown off halfway, or asphyxiated by snow. Sunday was a glorious day So all the trampers come climbers came out in their crampons for an assault on the mighty summit of Mt. Egmont. It was an easy walk with real good views up and down the coastline. We roped up in twos for the last section, in order to practice our 'dynamic belays'. It may have looked impressive, but luckily none had to rely on it. Lunch on the top was an unforgettable experience, with views of Ruapehu, the Ruahines and Tararuas, and the seaward Kaikouras. Bumsliding off Sharks Tooth may be fantastic, but bumsliding back down the entire mountain to the hut has just got to be something else again. Once you have learnt the hard way to avoid the ice, it's all go, very fast. As cloud had begun to gather around it wasn't a bad time to leave. It had taken about three hours to get to the top; it took barely one to return. Back at the bottom it was "See you one and raise you one" on the ice-cream again, punctuated by some locals who seemed determined to start a snow fight. They did too, but as Bunks said: "He who laughs last laughs loudest", and, needless to say, we laughed last. KAREN BROIN.