Nelson Lakes - Spensers

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Nelson Lakes - Spensers Jan Simmons It was back in October '78 that Nick draughts. While Nick, James, Martin and Miller sat for hours and hours poring over Richard took off to scale another 'Nurg', maps and old club Journals to find the Rainbow, Sean led the swim in the icy cold most interesting route through Nelson tarn. We sunbathed for a while anointing Lakes and the Spensers. By mid November our bodies with the communal mixture of he had sorted out a route that was not vinegar, dettol and olive oil - it smelled too strenuous. He used various wiles foul but seemed to keep the sandflies and tactics to assemble five people and down a bit. two psychologists, and delegated the task of organising 10 days food to Martin, On the descent into the Sabine we found our Chef Extraordinaire. large numbers of caterpillars hanging down on threads from the trees. We were It was decided that to carry 10 days food soon covered in crawling bugs and sticky would be too much of a chore, so we threads. Some of the trees, particularly arranged for five days worth, an incredthe silver beech, were almost completely ible six cans full, to be left in a defoliated. A lot of these trees will convenient place for us by the local probably die, as they have in Tongariro cockie. Certainly there would be no National Park from the ravages of the austerities on this trip. same insect. We camped at Sabine Forks and made our fire on the river bed. On Friday December 22nd eight crazy loons Christmas dinner was salmon and rice were seen alighting from the plane at salad, complete with Christmas pudding, Nelson, and after a quick game of Frisbee a bottle of rum, and a couple of cerethey disappeared on a bus in the direction monial fireworks left over from Nov. 5th. of St. Arnaud. By this stage everyone except Nick and On Saturday morning the boat took eight Sean had blisters, and every morning packs and a couple of people to Lake Head. there was a sticking plaster ritual. The journey began up the Travers in James's feet looked like they were made "drist and mizzle" with James grumbling of sticking plaster, and no matter how at the rear (his exuberance melts commuch trouble he took to stick it on, it pletely in the rain). At John Tait a always came adrift by lunchtime. warm fire was lit and plans made for the following day. Blue Lake was a beautiful sight, the water The weather had cleared overnight and so clear and inviting. But those who there was no holding us back. We raced dived in just squealed, thrashed around, up the track to Cupola Basin, pausing only and jumped out again - it was so icy. to gape for a minute at water tumbling That is, except for Clinton who made a down the chasms in Cupola Creek. We kept stylish entry without a word or even a going past the hut, across the screes grimace. He went striding towards the dotted with heavily scented alpine flowers middle, straightfaced, until the water to the ridge, and gazed out over the reached his armpits, then swam gently Franklin Range, Lake Rotoroa, and Northaround so as not to dislodge his leather West Nelson. Nick and James were keen cowboy hat. He emerged amidst loud to spend as much time as possible climbing applause. 'Nurgs'. They disappeared along the ridge to test their agility scrambling over slabs of rock, and caught up again later After lunch we made the ascent to Moss at the hut. The Cupola Hut toilet has a Pass, enjoying the view down over the breathtaking view of Mt. Hopeless towering bright Blue Lake, scattering grasshoppers above and the basin way below, framed by as we went. We sat at the narrow notch beech trees. Well worth a prolonged visit, in the ridge enjoying the view, then but we planned on being at Upper Travers dropped down to camp in the D'Urville. for dinner so could not linger. By mid afternoon the following day we It was Christmas Eve and when we reached were high above the D'Urville. Due to the hut it was decorated with stars and higher rainfall the vegetation as we tinsel. Martin produced another excellent travelled towards the West was becoming meal, adding secret ingredients from his more diverse, and there was a belt of subbag of herbs and spices. The evening alpine scrub to bash through. We climbed concluded with Christmas carols accomover the rim of a large basin, and there panied by recorder and tin whistle. before us was the magnificent Lake Ella. This was definitely the place for a high Christmas day dawned fine. We left our camp. The lake was a brilliant blue packs on Travers Saddle and climbed up to colour and behind it a pile of enormous Rainbow Pass, sending grasshoppers in all rocks, just right for dancing across. directions as we picked our way across At the other side of the lake investigathe scree. The view down into the head tion revealed the outlet stream meandof the Rainbow was well worth the climb, ering a couple of hundred metres through and we watched a couple of black-backed the tussock then abruptly thundering off gulls soaring and gliding on the upover the cliff.

Nick, James and Sean were keen to climb bathing spot with several tarns. One of 'Nurgs' still, so set off for an attempt them not quite as cold as the rest. on Ella. The less energetic of us rigged up a magnificent sultan's tent with the It was decided that the New Year's Eve red WT & MC fly, then whiled away the camp would be another high altitude affair afternoon shaded from the heat of the sun and we found just the spot when we crossed sipping cool drinks and looking out over into the basin on the other side. The the azure waters. Who needs to visit tent and fly were pitched on flat ground the Mediterranean? amongst beautiful yellow and white alpine flowers. We cooked dinner behind a Later on the adventurers returned and the large rock using packs to shelter the other tent was pitched for the night. primus from a stiff breeze. The evening Playing frisbee here was a test of skill sky was bristling with hogs backs, and for as well as keeping your eye on the the breeze ruined the evening's frolic flying saucer, you had to be careful not with the frisbee. to break an ankle tripping over a tussock clump. We were visited by a friendly kea, Martin, James and Richard were together curious of the human creatures trespassin the tent. They decided to see in the ing in his domain, and eager to get his New Year and stayed awake for a long time, beak around those colourful belongings laughing and singing and playing the fool. and taste them for himself. He was just The rest of us fell asleep under the fly. settling down to an entree of orange tent, During the night there was a cold, damp when a small rock tossed by Jan hit him wind howling through the fly and by dawn square on the head. With a surprised it was pretty unpleasant so we threw squawk and a flurry of wings he took off everything into our packs and headed off. toa safer vantage point, and sat there Within a couple of hours we were in the for a long time plotting his revenge. Ada Pass Hut drinking a hot brew and When we awoke in the morning, there was stoking up the fire. a sizable hole gnawed in Bruce's pack!! This was the final day of the trip, and We made our way up to the pass, fooling after a pleasant stroll down Cannibal around in the snow as we went. Once down Gorge to Lewis Pass we arrived at Maruia into the bush on the other side we paused Springs in time for a dip in the hot for lunch beside the stream and sunbathed pools. Having washed away the tramping on the mossy bank. Martin and Richard grime, we put on our "cleanest" dirty were in a civilised mood, and set about clothes and went for dinner at the Hotel. heating water on the primus. We realised this was not for a brew when a cardboard The clean tablecloths, serviettes and sign appeared mounted on an ice axe wine glasses were a little unfamiliar, "Sweeney Todd's Barber Shop". Out came but it seemed fitting to celebrate after the soap and razor, and within half an such a euphoric trip in the hills. hour the gentlemen had shaved each others Perhaps one day some of the 'crazies' faces smooth. will get together and head off for another expedition. On the West side of the Ella Range the bush was far more diverse. The overgrown Those on the trip were: Clinton Hayes, New Zealand Forest Service track descended Sean Wakely, Bruce Wilson, Martin Taylor, through mixed beech and podocarp forest James Smithells, Richard Whitney, Jan into the Matakitaki. We heard kakas in Simmons and leader Nick Miller. the trees above us, and walked through many patches of red flowers fallen from the native mistletoe. Downies Hut greeted us with a huge pile of food, and voracious West Coast sandflies. We dined well that night - canned Wills Hut fruit for dessert, and again for breakfast. Valley In the morning we took soap and towels and went for a bathe in the river. Everyone had brought a musical instrument of Yes, I remember Wills Hut some kind on the trip so the crazy loons For three days and nights we sat made music with a tin whistle, a recorder, And idled, and lingered, squat baby's rattle, tambourine, kazoo, and Snug and talked of this and that beat out primitive rhythms on rocks and lumps of driftwood. The accompanying And how we sunbathed, and joked movements were not a pagan dance, but to Amongst ourselves, and brewed stop the sandflies settling. Thoughtfully thru a rainy day and stoked Up the fire into a happier mood That afternoon and the next day we continued up the Matakitaki, taking the west How every shift in the weather brought fork. We camped in the tussock near the Us closer to a regretful end bush edge on the evening of the 30th. When we would leave behind this hut From there, a couple of hours climb As if leaving a friend. through fields of tussock and mountain flowers, and we were in the basin at the head of the river. It was a superb sun-