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: : A rystery trip with a difference - only those fairly clued-up on bush navigation would be likely to complete the weekend successfully." This was thei weekend to put into practicé the knowledge gained during. the two bushcraft weekends." : : C : 102 : As observer I held privileged information 8 nineteen six' figure crid references which the party.were to attempt to navigate their wway around in 2 days. After dropping several parties off: on the: Mangaterere Road, Team 3 made a rapic exit from the bus at Holdsworth: !: road endo The pace: slackeneda bit up to Carrinaton Ridge, but the stretch through, the mud and up the hill to Powell was covered in good timeo Alonm the vay, prefabricated catwalks. were seen lying besico the track over: Pig Flat. Timesto Powell and Mountain House should fimprove, when those. are: installec. :
1r, y Saturday': morning confirmed that: we were,, in the Tararuas low cloud with drizzle. Clue 2 led us to the peak of Holdsworth, so we drifted off into the murk wondering when the forecasted southerly was due to hit. Clue 3 indicated Isobelle," a neak notu 20, minutes away to the west. As Clue - l was unfolded; Glenn and Martin couldbegin to take' educated guesses as to where we would camp tonight. In fact, they even began hoping to spend the night in a hut: To' get to the next point involvgd dropping down a spur into the bush, negotiating 'a 90 turn in the ridge, and stopping at a predetermined point on the ridge- all in 150m visibility. Clue 5 indicated a point in de ' Francis Creek. Arriving bang on this point after Evaon dropping 1500 feet dida lot for morale on a very miserable day. i Snt N After lunch Clue 6 was revealed. This proved to be and the easiest route was 2700 feet : Shingle Slip Knob of climbing up a steep spur. 3y 20'clock we were on "the knob* after negotiating 75 -80° moss and leather- : JY. wood covered slopos. : 5
Weather conditions put us off visiting the Devon crash So we plotted reference 7 on the map. To check it we also plotted reference 8. This described a spur dropping into Angle Knob Creek. Travel was good until halfway down. The spur gave way to a grass covered hillsice, So we swung down through this and the occasional tree into the creek. Travel in the creek would be good, but getting into it...:: The last reference for Saturday spurred the lads on - McGregor Bivo Teh thousand or so feet up to the bushline passed quickly and we were soon battling the wind on the traverse to the bivo We were rocked to sleep (literally) by occasional southerly gusts. Sunday morning ins temperature felt like something below zero with six inches of snow to prove ito It was unanimously decided to abort the trip and go for a quick trip out. Up on the main ridge we were. faced with knee deep snow or ice covered graound. The latter proved very tricky to negotiate in the gale force cross wind. With spin drift stinging our faces we plodded on over Angle Knob to Jurbo, falling into occasional thigh deep drifts. At Jumbo ve: dropped off down. Rainguage Spur to the Atiwhakatu. The Forest Service were putting the finishina touches to a 12 bunk hut at the bushline. Out of the snow, the pace increased. Lunch was had at Atiwhakatu Hut with the owners of the mysterious footprints seen on Junbo Bruce W. and Bruce S. After shedding storm gear and vith. Bruce W. in the leac we raced down river to grid reference. number 19 in time to spend half anc. Hour impressing the easier trips with the rugged conditions we encountered. Those on the trip: Martin: Thrupp, Glènn Turner and Sean Wakely. :
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