Neill-Winchcombe Crossing

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NEILL- WINCHCOMBE CROSSING. June 10/12th. Along with the Southern Crossing party we Watched the truck for Pakuratahi disappear and then waited. This was a fine start to a Tararue Crossing to have no trensport. Iventually the truck. did arrive and we were away at last for Otaki Forks. We found we hed an excellent tenor on board in the person of Frank and the singing was quite good - when Phil kept quiet. As usual we had a long walk to the Cottage. Stan nearly decidedto come with us but in the endstayed with the Southern Party at the Cottage leaving 7 males to tramp on up to Fields. It was a beautiful night with no wind and Frank had no difficulty in following the Fields Treck without e. torch, We had all decided not to wreck ourselves on this first section of the Crossing so took it easy, arriving at Fields at 1a.m., three hours after leaving the truck. When we arrived Phil had a brew on. An opossum, whieh had inconsiderately died under the floor, was unceremoniously removed with the aid of an ice axe and we were able to breathe freely again. It was also about now that Luke and son turned up, and kept on tu urning up until we reached Smiths Creek on Sunday, although Phil occasionally got mixed up with them. What a wonderful leader Phil makes. He got up and cooked breekfast himself next morning 1 but we wished he wouldn't be so early as we had only just got to bed. Phil cursed us for being so slow but we were finally away at 7a.me We had perfect tramping conditions, a clear still morning with the ground hard from frost. The sun rose when we were on Dennan and from here we could see "Tappy" and the Seawerd Kaikouras. We also had a good view of the Northern Tararuas all day. A stop was made at Kime. There were only small patches of snow around but there was an inch and a half of ice on the tarn and Tom gave us a demonstration of skating in hobnailed boots. The ice creaked ominously and heaved up and down every time he went from side to side. Meanwhile Hori and I weited expectantly with cameras at the ready but fortunately for Tom the ice held. There was more snow on Hector but it was still somewhat patchy elthough firm underfoot. We stopped for a while to have some scroggin and chocolato and took a long look elong our ridge stretching to Cone in the distance. ie decided it was a damn long way to go. By now there was a light breeze, cold while you were not moving but quite pleasant while tramping. There hed also been a dark cloud bank out to sea ell morning and this was slowly approaching, Between Hector and Winchcombe it was fairly good going on the open tops although one or two places would be tricky under snow. We saw a few deer and before reaching Winchcombe Frank shot a stag. While the others followed up the stag, Phil, Dave and T went on to the tarn at the bush line below Winchcombe in the Neill-winchcombe Saddle. It was now 12 o'clock and we'dbeen going for five hours so were receiving insistent summonses from our stomachs. Phil carefully baled out mugs full of the somewhat muddy water into a billy and accidentally dropped some more mud in for luck. The primus was temperamantal as usual, however we finally started the water heating. Somehow we had to conceal from the others the muddy scum floating on top of the water so Phil suggested soup. He put in a packet of pemmican l perked from a Christmas trip - but even that didn't hide the muddy scum so he broke up some service biscuits and put those on top. You should have heard the comments when the others arrived and saw the mess; even Luke Was shocked. Thon to finish off the brew Phil put in a packet of soup - perked from a very distant Christmas trip. They tell me pemmican soup is an acquired taste. Personally, I acquired the taste rapidly, but Bill and Frank couldn't have been so thirsty. It tastes and smells just like blood and bone manure - in fact I have a darned good idea that those are its main constituents. The biscuits were definitely not a. success, although it certainly was the first ti ime I have known service biscuits to be somewhat soft. Anyway the food side of the lunch was very successful as everybody seemed determined to give all their food awe.y and lighten their packs. We were now in the stunted bush of the ridge between Winchcombe and Neill. This was more like the teeth of a saw than a ridge, just a series of short but steep ups and downs, and they get horribly monotonous. This is a silly route to do a Southern Crossing by anyvay. Then we came to a bigger up than usual and we were on top of Neill and going down the Neill Saddle between Neill and Cone. The difference here is that instead of a lot of ups and downs there is only one down, a long way down, into the Neill Saddle and then only one up, a. long way up, onto Cone Peak. lie had a short spell at the bottom of Neill Saddle. Frenk fell on his face in his eagerness to get started again and Bill and Hori laughed continuously for quarter of an hour. Finally we were on top of Cone and finished with climbing. From here we had a good view of the Tararua Peaks. In the open the wind was cold and we could see the clouds spilling over Hector and the Main Range so we were gled to hurry down to Cons Hut which we renched at 5.30 pom. just as it was getting derk. Good conditions had enabled us to come through from Fields in 10-2 hours including all spells,without hurrying. Fortuetely Cone Hut was vacant so we soon had our gear scattered through out it. It wasn't long before the stew was on the fire, P. brew of tea was on the way and Hori was toasting crumpets. After a while I gave up eating crumpets and toast to leave some room for the stow. By half past seven we were all in the sack except for the cooks, Bill and Hori. They soon followed us though intonding to get up and look after the stew when necessary but unfortunately Hori's alarm clock decided it was time to break down. Pityl (Pity, he seys. I've waited months for that darned thing to break down. - Ed.) I woke up once or twice during the night and thought that I should have enten a stew but couldn't remember doing so. No doubt some of the others thought the same - but, the sleeping bag was certainly comfortable and sleep wes good. It must have been half past eight Sunday morning when Tom who was on breakfast duty startled us all by jumping out of his bag. He reported the stew and apples wero both cooked (I am surprised. - Ed.) and neither burnt (still more surprising. - Ed.) so they were soon being re-hoatede I still don't know if we were eating dinner or breakfast but neverthelass it was goode Bill moened about carrying a pound of sausages over the Noill-winchcombe and then taking them home again. We left the hut about 11a.m. in light rain. Apparently it had been raining most of the night and it gradually got worse during the day. We Rll tramped into the mangrove swamps as usual and then Phil very cunningly invited us up to the 'Versity Huto When we left we were carrying out for the 'Varsity Club all sorts of tools and an adze, shovel head etc. At lenst we were plensed that Phil had a ten pound mallet in his pack to hold him back. The 'Varsity Hut is well built and has plenty of room, we liked the look of the double bunks. Incidentally we didn't carry out anything we shouldn't hrve in sase anyone hes their doubts. We burst in on the Hut Working Party at Smiths Creek and found ourselves in mixed company again - pityo There was time for a cuppa and a lot of noise and then we rushed out over the Puffer in whet was now stormy weather. It had been a most enjoyable weekend, due to a good party and what was the best weather conditions I heve yet struck on the tops in the Tararuas. Those in the party weres- Phil Gardner (Leader), Dave Lowe, Tom Lawton, Frank Johnson, B ill Rice, Graeme Hall and Barrie O'Donnell. B.O(stinker)'D.