A Northern Crossing with Snorkels

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A NORTHERN CROSSING WITH SNORKELS Shane Connolly Harry Smith 've left a few footprints in the when Gerard Galvin kindly volun- who asked us for some advice on hills this winter. A continuous teered his ute, and Chris Collyns various nearby tracks. Travelling back log of washing has paid testa- chauffeured us to the Ohau roadend. alone with a "Park Map", wearing ment to this. Most often the extra fleecy cottonshorts, water bottles slung washing has been a small price to pay On Friday night we took a short stroll around his waist, and gear bursting for a great weekend and this turned up the Ohau Rivert to a grassy flatj just out all over his pack, it was easy to out to be no exception. past the derelict Ohau shelter. The see he wasn't well-prepared. Our clear night saw to it that our rise on well-considered advice was that he I'm not sure why I decided to go on Saturday morning was an icy one. opt for the quickest way out! this trip. Harry's trip promotion went After thawing out ourt bootswestarted to great lengths describing how snor- rock hopping up the Ohau. Along the A climb over the "Yeates 500" track kels would be required for the ex- way there was much talk about the saw us basking in the sun at Te pected Tararua weather. However, photos we could take in the weekend Matawai. The ice melted off the fly when the reply to my challenge and Iwas offered a bottle of whiskyto as wehada 12:00 lunchand posed for "Harry, convince me to go on your pose swimming for Harry's first shot. more: snorkelphotos. Between photos trip" was a brusque "Come if you Foolishly, I declined this offer stating I discovered that when blown, a want, I'mnot going toconvinceyou", that the water temperature required a snorkel sounds more like a Conch Iknew this trip was for me. payment of nothing short ofa crate of shell than a didgeridoo. whisky Within ten minutes I had The preparations didn't augur well slipped on a rock and had gone for an From Te Matawai it was a long for the weekend. First we had unplanned swim. No payment was constant grind up to Pukematawai. changes with the trip leader (a received! There was hardly a breeze, just gloridouble switch-back), and perhaps ous sunshineand frozen mud crunchmore importantly the Duchess was At South Ohau Hut we stopped for ing under our boots. Stopping at the going to be on the wrong side of the ourf first: snorkel photo session. While top of Pukematawai the views were Tararuas for the weekend! A "Long making some glamorous poses we breathtaking. The outline of Mt March" was circumvented however, met an amused Australian tourist Ruapehu could be made out to the north - a truly glorious day. It was the menu for Saturday night was a relatively direct path and we were only a further 100m climb to the top simple spaghetti bolognese meal. soon back down in the bush again of Arete from Pukematawai but by However, in thel hands ofmaster chefs and out of the bright sunshine. this stage the energy reserves were Matthew and Gerard it became the starting to become drained and I food ofl kings - sheer ambrosia! Lunch was taken in the sun down at found it hard work. Itwas breezy and Mitre Flats where we met up with chilly on Arete SO we dropped down The next morning saw us rise at 6am Claire Silcock: and Gary Goldsworthy on to the snow covered southern side still with full bellies and on the track returning from a "nostalgia" trip to and rested by a welcome tarn, glad by 7am (after another snorkel photo Dorset Hut. While resting for lunch that most of the days climbing was session ofcourse!) with an icy breeze we noted that Matthew was taking complete. and morning cloud cover. Forty min- some time in joining us. By the time utes later we reached the new Tarn Harry managed to tear himself away Continuing on from the foot ofArete Ridge Hut which looked very cosy from lunch to search for the wayward we passed the smooth glacial carved compared to our night's modest ac- tramper, Matthew had already seen head of the Park valley and on to the commodation. After more snorkel the error ofhis ways (a wrong turn gnarly Waiohine Pinnacles Thesnow photos we climbed again through the att the T-junction) and was on his way covered pinnacles required some snow to Girdlestone. By this time we to join us for lunch, limping slightly careful tip toeing and it was with were basking in sunshine again and after another session in his feetsome relief that we reached the flat taking in coast to coast views. munching boots, appropriately nickofTarn Ridge. Dropping down from Girdlestoneand named the "IRON MAIDENS". up over Brockett, we were soon on The old Tarn Ridge Hut was a wel- the final steep ascent of Mitre. We By 3:00pm we were back at the come sight for the tired travellers. stopped for a half hour photo session Duchess. With the cooperation of We had hoped to reach the new Tarn and break on Mitre and relished the some particularly mild elements a Ridge Hut but with failing light, an superb conditions. Here Harry took great weekend was complete. We uncertainty of the hut's exact posi- thel best photosofthetrip with Gerard finished up, as all great adventures tion, and some of the party feeling being the commensurate snow cov- should, by stopping for an ice cream stuffed (me!) weoptedtocallitaday. ered snorkeller posing fully geared at Featherston on the way home While Harry scooped most of the behind tussock. Ifonlywehadthought surrounding tarns dry the rest of us of bringing a plastic crayfish! Trip Members: Harry Smith, Gerard settled into the hut and started Galvin, Matthew Craig, Shane preparations for the night's meal. On The track down from Mitre takes a Connolly. Harry Smith