Umukarikari – Waipakihi

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A record breaking Club Trip to the Kaimanawas was lead by Claire Douglas at Queen's Birthday weekend - the record was for the number of women, eight of the Medium Party of eleven (what great odds, what bliss:) The eleven hardy souls, plus all the rest, braved a long bus trip northwards. Fresh from an Offensive Driving Course, the driver provided the excitement - some dazzling displays of tailgating. But there was little warmth, the heaters worked only very occàsionaily, snow lay on the ground north of Taihape- the windows iced up inside was this a portent of the cold to come?: The roadend at. Rangipo Power Station was unfriendly, stony ground and not a tent site to be found - who chose this "campsite?" However the F.E.'s found shelter, the Fits "pitched" tents on solid ground, the Easys squashed themselves into a grimy wooden hut - and the Mediums demonstrated their atrength of character (or was it just plain idiocy?); they slept out under the stars a and awoke with ice on the outside of their sleeping bags. The chilly dawn ushered in bright blue skies and warm sun, the pattern for the rest of the weekend. The first hurdle was an easy river crossing but young Prue still managed to fail in. It was the first and last dunking for the weekend. The uphill going through bush was also easy at first but then came the results of the devastating 1982 Easter storm. Uprooted solid trees were still strewn across the track. There was lots of grovelling in the mud as we crawied and weaved our way through the tangle of trees - progress was slow. All the effort was most worthwhile however, just on lunch-time we /4

:4, :: sacted the tops. And we came fact to face with the magnificènce of :aiw glistening snow capped peaks, Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. 33 SC vicw was breathtaking, the air was still, and the sun continued to 1 tire brightly, our spirits soared. Following lunch, progress on the :ne was goody along a weli marked and poled track. A rinal stage wasa deseent down icy slopes to the Waipakihi Hut, in nc shade of the fast fading sun. The hut was full of Fits and Hutt Tamnoys, but that didn't worry us. Once again we showed our superior artitude; all but two (the youngest) slept in.tents amongst the ice. L, litter chill it was", brass monkéys wouldn't have stood a chance. ater.froze in billies while we ate breakfast the next morning. Te second spectacular day was spent following the Waipakihi River, and involved many crosaings. The water wasn't very deep (most of the time out even' crutch height on our Trip Leader). but it. was: cold. Icicles dungling from cliff faces, from rocks. and river banks, all shapes: and sizes were a source of endless wonderment. In shady spots, powdered ice liberally coeting snow tussock and trees, created a. fairy land enchantment. a Mosey river flats near the track to Urchin provided the final campsite. Claire demonstrated her firelighting expertise for cooking tea: However, aopes of sitting around a roaring camp-fire after tea were dashed just as quickly as the firewood iced over. We can honestly say that icy wood. ducs not burn well. That night with no warm hut to store our boots in, rhe alternativel to, frozen boots was to sleep with them in our pits. Wet vear left in packs. or even in the tents, was frozen in the morning. (A piyiative cry from.Claire "How do. you put on frozen puttees"). de final. day. was another great one despite meeting another Hutt Valley tty soeariy in the morning. The ascent to Urchin was quickly arcusplishee, along a busy track (the Fits also entered i the: scene) and a tritographic session was held at the summit. From then on; completion of ha.trip was a mere formality although one group did its best to find a ar cer way toidescend. Marion had the most novel idea, she tried a Zowvard roll down a bank, a very difficult accomplishment with a pack on your backn, : : : Th class of Queen's Birthday weekend '83 was as follows: aTE Deuglas (leader). Janine Tooley, Karen O'Byrne, Barbara Johnsen, Canis Weodrow, Kay Schrader, Marion Griffiths, Simon van Os, wyne Hamilton, and Murray Worsop. (scribe). tany thanks to Claire for taking over the leadership at the last moment, Grom a very sick Barbara Thompson. The trip was undisputably one of the best in recent times; the weather was superb despite the cold, the ocnery. was at-r times awe inspiring, the company was convivial, and Karen's feet sutvived yet another round of, the inevitable blisters.