Robert Ridge – Sunset Saddle – Labour Weekend

This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.

To tramp or not to tramp. That was the question. It took a lot of time for some people to make up their minds. In the end we were turning people away. 29 zigs up Mt Robert then a long climb in the heat to the snow, We lunched beside a tarn and then climbed back on to the Robert Ridge. Angelus was full of snow. We bum glissaded down the hill to the hut. But no hut for us. We camped in Hukere stream, a beautiful camp site. Next morning was brilliantly fine.. Dave and Raimund pranged their knees. They decided to descend to the Travers. Ian and Annette went, along to assist. Dave blessed Mike's alpenstock it made a great: walking stick. The snow was soft. The climb to Hinapouri tarn was taken in easy stages. On went the overtrou and various other protective devices to keep the sun off. Roz was bedecked with a Vesta hat made from a bandage and a: Vesta packet. By 12 we were on Sunset saddle. Iv. It was a rapid descent, much easier on the snow than on the rack. Lunch was taken besideia tarn. Craig ventured in for a swim. Three strokes took him to the edge of the ice, a hurried turn and three strokes out. He spent the rest.of lunch time huddled in longjohns and parka. T Sunday night was spent. in:the Travers valley, another great camp site about 100 metres above/Hopeless creek. By 10 a.m. we reached the crocks who hobbled down to the lake edge to await a ride down the lake. The rest did a fast trip around Lake Rotoiti. :. 5, On the trip: Mike Hollis, Dave Gilroy, Raimund Weilgolawski, Peter Jackson, Ian Hadfield, Neil Woodrow, Russell Williams, Richard Whitney, Annette Johnson, Brian Charles, Anna Harris, Craig Boosey, Chris Hutchings, and Roz Greenfield.