Journey to the Kaikouras

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Journey to the Kaikouras by John Booth With Dale Parsons, Kirsty Wood, Wayne A few hours later we rose to a perfect day. Clark, Harry Smith and Rohan Harrigan. The Hodder River flowed into the Awatere immediately beneath us, and a number of The weekend was a great success. We six the local turkeys (yes, real ones) wandered sailed aboard the Friday night inter-island about, their unusual honks sounding like ferry without any more ado than the affixing deep well pumps gone wrong. We had ahead of the latest anti-seasickness devices and of us six hours up the river with 27kg packs having to sit out an hour's delay. Feeling and 86 river crossings, to reach the Hodder like naughty truants, we had managed one Hut. way or another to wangle an extra day from the world to stretch our Labour Weekend Starting out through pleasant farmland on into four days. This would mean two days a vehicle track some distance above the of climbing in the Inland Kaikouras rather Hodder River, we walked for an hour before than one (allowing for the days tramping dropping down a steep face into the gorge to and from the Hodder base). and the river bed. We were straight into our first crossing, but the river was quite But horrors! Fifty (it seemed) more ice-axes fordable and the cold bearable except when were coming on board. Obviously with only the water occasionally reached our nether one destination possible (?) for Wellington regions. With the gorge opening out in places Labour Weekenders we weren't going to quite a sizeable width, the next three to have Tapuaenuku all to ourselves. Being hours saw us crossing, recrossing and wading too late to change our plans, we would just up the river. have to hurry along to make sure we didn't miss out on the last tent sites on the mountain. The track then left the gorge, foliowing a steep sidle route for an hour and bypassing As it happened, once the boat did get under a couple of waterfalls in the river below. way it wasn't such a bad crossing. Those This was a real puffer with that overweight anti-seasick things really do work wonders - affair on my back, and Wayne didn't help we had one of the flattest Cook Strait by reminding me several times that I was passages on record. (For further details carrying plastic climbing boots. He, in his on these amazing devices, see Kirsty.) Then foresight, had decided they were better the question came up at some stage: "Who left at home because they really weren't have we hired our Picton rental van from?" needed for this trip. I was in no position As no-one seemed to have the answer, all to judge, of course, because I had only just we could do was wait and see. purchased mine and they were as yet untried. But the thought of having carried them We arrived at Picton late, and managed in for nothing was most unkind. (However to locate someone who had heard about all things have a happy ending, and time a Tongue and Meats crew wanting their would tell.) van. But no, we couldn't have it for four days.... it had been booked only three. No Wayne and I had found ourselves ahead for matter. With a little ingenuity and Chief (G) some time, and coming to a picturesque to the rescue, with a pen stroke here and stream, stopped in the sun, had lunch, and a sideways wink from the Tararuas party went to sleep, awaking somewhat overheated. (some of the other ice-axes noted earlier) The others still not having appeared (they there, some sort of deal was struck. We had themselves fallen asleep further back!), were away. (Now thinking back, how did we pressed on. The track dropped back we later get to travel back to Picton in into the river and before long the Hodder a different company's van?) Hut became visible some distance up the valley. The sight gave us a much needed Stopping about 1.30 am by a hay shed someboost, and a short half-hour later we dropped where up the Awatere Valley south of Sefton, our packs under a great boulder alongside we sought shelter. Alas, we were obviously the river and clambered up the last steep last to arrive, as slumbering bodies everywhere 100m or SO to the hut. The club itself was littered the soft floor of the barn. Three not available to us as the Marlborough Club or four of our number managed to squeeze had a work party there rebuilding, but we their pits into the odd space while the others introduced ourselves (and saw quite a bit simply slept out in the long grass or in the of them over the next days). van.

Tapuaenuku John Booth The views were impressive. Rising up great As we climbed we passed over several scree scree slopes above us on all sides, the slips and snow patches before entering onto mountains were capped in snow, shining a very large snow basin up which we travelled in the mid-afternoon sun, and imparting for an hour or two, until we reached the a cold, bracing crispness to the air. So col. Here we stood and gazed in horror - scrambling back down to the river, we set a great rock pinnacle rising before us. Surely up our tents and made camp. that's not "Tapi?! Our recently acquired but as yet unproven skills in rock and ice The next morning, Sunday, the weather climbing were suddenly put in question. looked disgustingly promising, so 4 am saw But the thought was reassuring - 'Tapi' us of the downstream tent devising various was a straightforward climb, so that couldn't ways of trying to make our muesli edible. be it! and we walked around it instead, Imagination straining just a little, one could plugging in a grand traverse of the steep see mixed anticipation and excitement showing snow slope at its foot. on torchlit faces. No movement was detected from the next tent - surely the mountain We lunched on top of Tapuaenuku, victorious, mothers were not still asleep? Dale and feeling like the conquerors we were, and Kirsty had planned a separate climb that gazed at the views for an hour. Conditions day, to Mitre, at the head of the Hodder were perfect with just a little wind and Valley. And shame! Seemingly they had cloud springing up as we shared the peak stolen the march and left already. Half with 20 others who arrived by various routes. an hour. after them we followed. Harry arrived belatedly, ably giving expression to Hillary's immortal "We knocked the bastard Our route took us across a huge scree slope, off". And again with imagination's focus, then over the river and up the Staircase we could make out Mitre on the next range to the col between Tapuaenuku and Mt Alarm. and see Dale and Kirsty like two black fleas As we travelled up the Staircase we passed clinging to a snow funnel leading up its flank. a number of tents pitched on tiny patches of flattish ground spread over a kilometre The way down was much easier! As the or so, their occupants generally having started day went on the snow was softening and out towards "Tapi' before us. it was then, when I removed my crampons, that I experienced for the second time that Coming down we descended a narrow funnel day the superior edging grip, confidence of soft snow edging the rock face, again and speed which the new plastic boots belaying for three-quarters of an hour. Quite provided. Having warm feet at the end alone in the cold, low visibility and high of the day was very nice, too! Sorry, Wayne, wind, we were two small specks clinging I'm glad I took my plastics. to the steep face of the mountain. The cloud meant navigation was not so straight- Returning to base, Rohan tried the 'obvious' forward. Up was easy, descent another short-cut down the river until encountering story. Aware that a number of inviting waterfalls. So that was why the track snow slopes off to the side terminated in followed the more devious line across the sheer rock faces of 300m and more, it was scree hundreds of metres above! not so obvious where we had come up. Uphill footsteps had snowed over and spurs leading away were more numerous than we remembered. However, we must have eventually found the right lead off into the head of the big basin, and as we pointed downhill, heart far-off voices in the mist. Hurrying, we made voice contact, and a half-hour later met up with - yes Kirsty and Dale It was heaven relaxing in our pits at three returning from an ascent of Tapuaenuku. in the afternoon, conscience absolved by a good day's effort! Rohan and Wayne meantime left camp after an indeterminate amount of pit bashing, Monday, Harry and I had decided we would and wandered off along the scree slopes attempt Mt Alarm. This peak is almost up the Hodder Valley, taking in the views. the same height as 'Tapi' though a more Tiring, they returned to their pits where difficult climb. We left camp at 3 am with we found them upon our return. (Of course, an ultra-fit guy from the Marlborough TC we only have their word for it that they up at the hut. (His idea of an early morning were out of their pits at all!) "stroll" was to take in the odd peak before a 9 am breakfast and a day's work on the Night brought with it a storm which tore hut.) Rising was not so easy, but once on at our tent anchors and repeatedly lifted the way, our bodies responded. We retraced the fly. The cramped site amongst the rocks the steps of the day before for the first had made the corner anchor at a difficult 1000m of climb, up onto the col at the head angle, so in the end I hung a billy of water of the big snow basin by 6 am. off the guy to hold it down. That worked well for about five minutes and the swing- The moonlight "stroll" up the snow basin ing of the billy had spilled all the water! was simply amazing. The effect of all that I had already braved the incredible cold vastness and whiteness and smoothness made a couple of times and, badly chilled, I begged the early start a small price to pay. Rohan to do the honours and load the billy with rocks. Sleep ensued. It was daybreak when Harry and I paused to fit our safety harness and crampons, K and our fit friend, who had stayed with us K until half an hour previously, was already halfway up to the peak, 700m above. By We broke camp early. The night's storm the time we were halfway, we met him had given way to clear skies and a freeze. on the way back down, having 'knocked it As we headed off, the sun rose above the off' in sunshine on his way to a day's work surrounding ranges, pleasantly warming on the Hodder Hut extensions. We weren't us, and the cold of the river became less so lucky. fearsome. By 8.30 am cloud and wind closed in while After a slow beginning we soon picked up we were still 200m from the top. The peak pace and repeated Saturday's trip (in reverse) included very soft snow, steep approach down 86 river crossings. The route being faces and a steep face of weathered broken downhill and our packs being lighter, we rock. When we reached the final rock face, shaved two hours off our time, and there what had earlier in good visibility been an being a fair difference in pace on river travel, obvious landmark was not now so recognisable. the front runners managed lunch and an Harry and I spent three-quarters of an hour hour of sleep in the sun beside the van awaitbelaying over this face, then with a few ing the others. There followed a peaceful final steps up a short snow ridge, cloud all amble back to Picton and another calm round and sheer drops below, suddenly = sea crossing back to Wellington. almost unexpectedly found ourselves on the peak. Barely space to turn or to brace All in all it was a marvellous weekend. Let's against the wind, but we were there! do it again!