Victorian Easter

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Victorian Easter by Mike Edginton It all began some years back while thrashing it out in the "Paps" with Brian, Owen, Gerry and Eric Evans, when some smart soul suggested we should venture into the Victorias for an Easter stroll.... So it was decided.... and three years later Hunty rang Westport trying to drum up support again for a "stroll" Climbing above the Cloud Third Day in the Victoria Range, with a bunch of happy Rob Stone survivors from the Easter of '84. the upper bush edge, beside, as the name would suggest, a small lake. Six squares Commitments were made and we all duly of choc and a boiled sweet later we were met at Edges in Westport at all sorts of pushing through frozen snow grass in the unreasonable hours. Departure for the Rahu upper valley, then out of the mountain beech was delayed by fish 'n' chips and last minute and onto the tops where we stayed for the panics. But eventually we were motoring next four days. up the Buller for Reefton with Bruce Jefferies' niece, Helen, keeping all amused with "Coast" There was one unfortunate incident involving tales. Brian and Owen as we descended a very steep face of scrub that day. They chose There was some difficulty finding the start to go left, which would have been okay except of the track up Lake Stream in the dark, they went too far and ended up in a very so we just walked off into the night, assuring very steep water course. Rob managed Helen that "Yes, we would be okay," and to find us an "easier" way down and we that we'd see her next week. Of course, watched from the bottom (with quite a lot being familiar with the Victorias after years of mirth) their battle through leatherwood, of possuming in the area, she was sceptical.... dracophylum, coprosma, spaniard, and all but kept it to herself as she returned to those other delightful sub-alpine veges that the relative comfort of Dawsons with our choose to grow in such close proximity. van. On our own, with rapidly dimming We did get the billy on as we could see it torches, we searched again for the track was going to take them some time to catch and bridge. With neither in our torch beams, up. Some of the expletives from the hill it was decided we should forge on, crossing tended to reinforce our analysis of the the river to look on the other side. Brian situation. immediately fell in, followed closely by Rob. Owen chose to get wet feet instead A team talk indicated that energies were of body, and lead the charge upstream. Ten down and that we should only continue over minutes later we stumbled on bridge and one more saddle and peak to the next best track. The latter we followed for some campsite. Ascent followed ascent followed time until a halt was called. Blue "slugs" ascent, and there it was.... the typically were quickly pitched as Brian just as quickly idyllic spot, thousands of feet below. had a brew underway. Our first cold night Knee-jarring stuff after SO much up. It in the scrub. was necessary to get quite close to the bush edge each night because of some problem Next day we emerged to a frost, clear skies identifying fuel in Westport. 'Kero' had and the promise of a real slog onto the tops. been purchased for the white spirit burner!!!! With atypical enthusiasm I threw the Still, we struggled with dry sub-alpine scrub overweight sack on and strolled off up the and a good accelerant, and enjoyed hot meals track to Lake Stream Hut - a dog box near and brews for almost the whole trip.

The evening of the first day was the time (with wood) near our line of travel. I was for those on the trip still operating on the into lunch, not campsites yet, and knew 63,000 series maps, and unfamiliar with anyway that "slugs" can be fitted almost the new 50,000 scale, to find out about a anywhere. So we quickly stormed Mt Ralph's new phenomenon called "Estimate By Squares", southern ridge and were soon looking along or EBS for short. Instead of the old travel the range to Victoria herself. At last some by time that we used to work on, it's all easy going, and off we powered. The thrust done now by counting the 1,000 metre squares for Vic' was on, and we only stopped when covered each day to estimate to within Brian bribed us with promises of jugs and a tenth of a square the number of squares Black Russians if we brought him some water to be travelled tomorrow, with a factor from the tarn 100 feet below. built in to allow for what are considered more rugged sections (usually defined by Later we were on Vic' threatening to carve brown lines at very close intervals). The obscenities in the trig as dusk settled around other important thing about EBS is that us. An emergency meeting of the planning it's usually done by the more senior members group decided we should camp at the next of the team under the cover of darkness idyllic spot, so twigs of leatherwood were and blue "slugs", with hushed voices so as collected as we wandered along looking not to alarm the less informed. Still those for water and "slug" sites. Both were found of us in the number two slug who were to in close proximity high on Victoria's shoulder. lead the thrusts each day, became privy to this new method of planning and did all Day Four I think came next, and was a bit grey in our power to try and retain some of the as we zoomed off toward the Brunner Range. mystery of each day, and only operate on Mt Pelion was first on the list as we were the old 1:63,000 scale system. joined by a friendly kea for a few squares of travel to the top. This was cruising country and we made great progress. Another bush Day Two brought some concerted thrusts saddle proved easier than the other two, by all as we vied for the lead over peak and we were soon discussing the best way and bluff. A short first aid stop was a off Mt Wynn to Inangahua. Our spur was welcome break as we pushed for the main chosen wisely and an old track through an ridge. With body repaired we attacked again, amazing stand of yellow silver pine and this time making some good time square dracophylum found. We reached the beech progress to end the day under Mt Crosscut on dusk and enjoyed our last hot brew while at another idyllic campsite. fitting the "slugs" between soggy moss-covered logs for a very damp night. The next day dawned calm but misty, so we packed quickly in the cloud and made Things looked dark and wet at nine next our way to the steep part of the hill. Climbing morning as we slunk off down the spur for and sidling through some flattish snow grass Brown Creek and a brew at the Junction. benches took us above the cloud. We enjoyed The sound of a log hauler and chainsaw drew an hour up there before descending into us like bees to honey, and our conservation the first of two bush saddles. Some tricky ethics were conveniently put aside (after navigation was needed in the bush and we five hours of wet grovelling) for a ride out ended up outsmarting ourselves and several on the back of a logging truck.... hot pies hundred feet too high! The cloud cleared and tea greeted us at Inangahua's only shop. and with the way clear to Larry Saddle, The four happy strollers were Brian Hunt, we were soon discussing our next move as Owen Cox, Rob Stone and Mike Edginton. brews and lunch were consumed. Apparently we had got behind on our square schedule, and weren't going to make our next EBS stop! This seemed to be of some The four happy strollers were Brian Hunt, concern as the new map showed no campsites Owen Cox, Rob Stone and Mike Edginton. First Night's Campsite Rob Stone