Holdsworth (Medium Trip)

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HOLDSWORTH - JULY 21-23 (MEDIUM TRIP) Bruce Wilson Viewed from a comfortable sleeping bag, Covered in light dry powder, we all Saturday's grey watery dawn looked fairly arrived at Powell Hut to find that the fit uninviting. party had stayed the night and spent the day climbing Holdsworth. The fire was lit Saturday mid-morning didn't look much and the weather was clear so we decided better but Eric was boiling the billy so we that Powell Hut looked a much better punters made the effort and levered prospect than a plod along High Ridge. ourselves at least into a sitting position. Disgusted at this display of piking, We all spent a pleasant hour or so huddled Delmar and George continued 10 min past under the truck awning, drinking tea and the hut and dug a snow cave. After a dodging irregular torrents of water gourmet meal of assorted nameless things whenever someone bumped the poles. By with pasta we hit the pit. 9:30 the snow on the lower slopes of the surrounding hills became visible through Sunday dawned red and clear, as if the clearing mist and so, filled with making up for Saturday. Even if my enthusiasm for winter tramping, the bladder hadn't been full it was well worth seven of us trudged reluctantly off towards the wade through an inch of melted snow Holdsworth. on the floor of the hut to see it. One tramper earned my awed respect by Debbie remarked cheerfully that she waking up to a breakfast of saveloys. didn't think we would make it to Totara Flats before dark. Holdsworth was pretty crowded on Sunday. Literally every man and his dog Soon after we climbed onto the ridge, seemed to be enjoying the fresh crisp patches of snow appeared on the ground to powder. Debbie even met one of her either side of the track. A little later, flatmates. They were so pleased to see Richard graphically proved that muesli is each other they started a snow fight. Four hazardous to the health; something I have cross-country skiers were making the believed for a long time. most of the conditions, carving long graceful turns and falling over in the Continuing on up the ridge, our intrepid occasional painful heap. band arrived at Mountain House, Club Med Tararua, for lunch. Above Mountain House, the snow completely coated the ground and trees, outlining every leaf and twig in white. The sun came out and danced lightly across this magically transformed landscape. The sun can't have done much dancing lately and as it cavorted among the wind-sculpted CEEPT masterpieces of snow it knocked quite a few, sending them crashing down into the bush and onto the punters. They made a disconcertingly loud thud when they hit the hut and an even louder shriek when they hit the ChiefGuide.

From the top of Holdsworth the air was still and clear from Palliser Bay to Mt Taranaki. Six inch vertical icicles on the trig were the only reminders that the weather is not always so good in the Tararuas. After lunch and a leisurely crash through the white bush we all arrived back at the truck for a return to the world of concrete, steel and hot baths. Punters: Eric Evans, Bruce Wilson, Richard Player, Debbie Douglas, Delmar Schafer, George Williams and Mark. Snow Debbie Douglas Powell Hut Debbie Douglas