A Wilkin Wander

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A Wilkin Wander Anne Greenwood The weather didn't look too promis- We decided to cross Maori Saddle ing as we drove down the West the next day and began hunting Coast to the Haast Pass on Boxing for a campsite. Kev found a Day. In fact, it rained with rock bivy big enough for two true West Coast persistance until people. Half an hour's work, we arrived at our starting point he reckoned, to enlarge it for the access track across the the four of us. While he and Makarora River leading to the Jack started the major interior Blue. As a precaution against design job with ice axes, Barbara vandalism Kev drove the car on and I took our revenge on the to Makarora, and then jogged plants which had been attacking back again. We reached Camp us all day and collected them Flats after about an hour's travel, for the floor of the bivy. and proceeded to set up the tent It was finished on schedule, and prepare the evening speciality too - and pretty classy by rock of dehy mince. bivy standards. Jack and Kev nipped up to Maori Saddle at The following day the weather this point just to have a look packed in, and we spent the day round, while Barbara and I climbed eating and reading. The only into our pits and tried to warm sounds were the rain and Kev's up, as it had become really cold space invader on the calculator during the afternoon. which had originally been brought just for metric-imperial conver- It was fine the next morning sions on the altimeter or and we climbed up through the so he said! tussock and a rock gully to the saddle. in less than an hour. From there we headed down to However, the weather cleared the head of the Okuru River. during the night, and we were boulder-hopping up the Blue soon I fell over on the tussockafter 8 the next morning. We clad descent a truly amazing crossed the river by the North number of times - obviously there Branch and followed the track is a knack to this game I haven't to the next flats where we paused mastered yet. Travel down the for lunch and to dry out the Okuru was slow, but not dull. tent. In the afternoon we con- We had to leave the river frequenttinued to the head of the Blue. ly for detours through undergrowth infested with We finally Kev, Barbara and I followed a lawyer. pretty rough deer trail up the camped on top of an enormous true left bank while Jack took rock covered with about four inches the true right. Barbara and of soil and some determined little I got attacked by various savage trees. One of the roots apparentplants and collected a fair number ly attacked Kev in the night. of scratches. The following morning, with the Head of the Blue River Jack McConchie

Leaving the Ngataul River for Siberia Saddle Jack McConchie aid of an ice axe, it was taught ledge extending down onto the a lesson it wasn't likely to snow. Jack belayed Kev, who forget in a hurry. went over to check out the best route. Nettles flourish in the area, and they made a lively little Our packs were lowered over on addition to the scenery as we a rope, then Barbara and I were continued down the Okuru. In roped up in turn and we descended order to avoid 'a gorge we tried using the' steps which Kev had a high saddle on the true left, kicked for us in the snow. We but it was pretty rough going. trotted down the scree slopes We had to lose height and climb to the flats at the head of Siberia back onto Hesper Spur before Stream, where we camped the night. we could descend to the flats There were no nearby trees we at the junction of the Okuru could use as a pole for the fly, and the Ngatau where we camped. so Jack set off, slasher in hand, The sandflies were thrilled to to find one. He disappeared see us, but we had our revenge off to a distant slope and rewith Wild Mint flyspray (mentholappeared triumphantly some time ated). later complete with pole. It was a very warm night, I remember - The next morning it was raining curses upon the suntan lotion steadily. We set off on a deer manufacturer. My legs glowed trail up the Ngatau, lined with like a twin bar heater. nettles the size of small trees. None of us escaped unmarked. The following morning we boulder We had a lunch break under the hopped down the Siberia until fly and continued on to Shelter we reached the flats where we Ravine. That evening we dined paused for chocolate. Then on chow mein and cheesecake in we set off through the flats honour of it being New Year's which were covered with cattle Eve, but we certainly didn't and flowering grasses. Barbara hang around to welcome 1984 in. suffered from an acute attack of hayfever. We had lunch near New Year's Day was fine - which Siberia Hut, and in the afternoon was just as well as we were going went on to Kerin Forks, where to cross Siberia Saddle. We Siberia Stream joins the Wilkin continued up the Ngatau, crossed River. The sandflies at the Ultima Creek and set off uphill. forks have teeth and we were I was trailing the field by this forced to hide in the tent. stage. We had lunch about 1000 feet below the saddle with all January 3 was a day of rest despite our gear spread out to dry. the fact that the weather was I covered myself in a suntan fine. We spent the day relaxing, lotion guaranteed to stop anything thickly coated in Dimp, and met short of gamma rays, as the idea the first people S ince the start of sunburn on top of all of the trip. They assured us my scratches didn't appeal. that the most important piece Then we set off for the saddle. of news was the knighting of On the far side there was a rock Muldoon - the world was obviously getting on okay without us. which used to be at Jumboland Flats. The following morning we set off on the track on the true We decided to try for a ride right of the Wilkin to Jumboland out on a jet boat to Makarora Flats, and stopped for lunch rather than spend a day walking in a minute hut (shaped like out through farmland, so we waited a biscuit box and not a lot larger) in the hut and drank endless by the airstrip on the top flats. cups of tea and coffee. The It turned out to be a long lunch boat arrived on schedule and break we camped there. The we shot off back to civilization. weather was deteriorating and we decided to continue on to I suppose this was the official Lake Diana and Lake Castalia endpoint to the trip, although the following day only if it there were still some moments was fine, otherwise we would of excitement before we arrived head home. Both Jack and Kev back in the capital. For example, were by this stage space invader we paused at Lake Matheson to addicts and the little machine frighten busloads of tourists, was really in demand that afterall smelling of soap and cleanlinoon. The hut was only big ness. The little lookout jetty enough for two, so the others cleared soon after we arrived. had to spend the night in the We were late for the 8 o'clock fly. ferry sailing but then so was the ferry, and we got the final We were woken in the morning space on board. by sandflies and Kev bringing us a brew in the pit. The weather Finally, I'd just like to say was not good so we returned to that Barbara, Kev and Jack are Kerin Forks in the rain and had all great people to tramp with, lunch in the new hut there, which and Barbara makes the world's is a replacement for the one finest dehy mince dinners. If you take mountaineering seriously, sooner or later you will have that religious experience. You are going to be looking at God saying, "We're going to be lucky to get out of here. Your life is going to be in front of you and then you are going to realise that you'ld rather be grocery shopping. Ed. Barry, a US rock climber, quoted in Newsweek, Oct '84 TVA