Kaitoke - Akatarawa Variation

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KAITOKE-AKATARAWA VARIATION Three panting wrecks manfully 5.15 p.m. camp, was pitched high struggled up to Dobson's in a vain above a waterfall. attempt to keep one Capper in sight. (Note.-The gorge and Tregear The hut progressively became more Stream are insignificant although crowded as Saturday arrived, but there is some slight justification for eventually the occupants settled down their appearance on the map.) to sleep-sardine fashion. The alarm Sunday was another alarm clock clock broke up this peaceful scene morning followed by the best part of at about 5 a.m., and with much an hour's stumbling down river to grumbling, the leader whipped some the Waiotauru Forks. Here there was life and enthusiasm into his party a vigorous discussion, but again the and followed them out of the hut at leader prevailed, and the party turned about 6.40 a.m. its backs on Otaki Forks and started MARCHANT-grim silence broken up the Waitauru. For half an hour by the sound of laboured breathing the going was routine river work, and muttered curses. A pause was and then-enter the promised landmade at the top to squint at the view a warm sunny day, open river flats, through bloodshot eyes. easy going-it was almost too much BLOCK XVI-food, and a brief, for them, but after a 15-minute unreasy rest, then on again. By some thanksgiving session to relieve overcurious mishap the party took the wrought emotions, this joyful band down escalator instead of the up on of happy travellers resumed their the Golden Stairs, a mistake our ex- journey. hausted bodies objected to violently. At every fork the most modern ALPHA HUT-11 a.m., and with navigational method was used: "That full "tums" the party found plenty one seems to have the lowest skyof excuses for doing "Southerns", line", and after three hours the river "Neil-Winchcombes". etc. receive a fond farewell. But the leader was adamant, and Then came an unnecessarily lengthy at noon the party struggled over spur which precipitated the party on Alpha to the Dress Circle. By Aston to the Renata Ridge in an unidentiall personnel were at last awake and fiable position-but 25 minutes later raving over the panoramas all around lunch was being consumed at Renata and were quite willing to spend the Hut. rest of the day on the tops. But the Again there was a diseussion, this leader prevailed and precedence was time on the possibility of spending once again given to the serious busi- the night in the hut and going out ness of tramping. Monday morning, but the leader's On the bump beyond Aston all sense of responsibility again prevailfaces were resolutely turned west- ed, and shouldering their packs the ward, and the party dropped off on four tottering so-called trampers deto the ridge. During the descent they parted, leaving behind them. a cryptic impersonated a pendulum--the leader entry in the logbook: "Arrived from swinging from side to side of the Dobson's via Waiotauru Forks." ridge, the next two swinging pro- Two and a quarter hours later a gressively less, with the last man band of laughing. rosy-faced, disguststaying more or less on the ridge. ingly self-satisfied Davy Crockett After one and a half gruelling hours swung out on to the main (actually it was surprisingly easy XEsAraVET Road, manfully struggling travel) this well-knit team fell off to hide the fact that they could hardthe ridge into the Snowy River-this ly walk and just in time for the truck was not exactly on the programme as -which eventually arrived over an they had intended to follow the ridge hour later. right down, but on the other hand Total times: Saturday 101 hours; they were supposed to spend some Sunday, 81 hours. time in the Snowy- "so what the Those involved: Dave Capper, hell!" The descent involved two cas- Norm Gray, Bill Tidswell, and Nick ualties and could best be described Jennings. as an "uncontrolled" descent. ANON. After a pause to make the ac- (Editor's Note: The name of the quaintance of a stag the party braved author has been suppressed for obvithe iey waters of the Snowy, and- at ous reasons.)