The bus finally arrived and we piled our packs and ourselves onto the bus. As we drove away from Wellington the weather was fine and a cheerful happy feeling of expectation came over me. Before we got to camp the bus pulled into Greytown and we were let loose to forage for our dinner. I chose a small Chinese takeaway shop that hadn’t seen so much business in months … probably since the last Freshers trip actually. It occurred to me as I was walking down the street, that the only other people I saw out were fellow trampers … distinguished by their tramping boots… had the residents of Greytown been forewarned of our visit and locked themselves in doors?
After we were fed we continued on our camp for the night – the Waiohine Gorge road end. This included a fifteen minute boot march in as the bus couldn’t continue farther down the road (did I mention it was dark?). People’s names were called out in the dark as leaders gathered together their groups. Tess was leader of my group, and after quick introductions we all pitched in putting up our fly for the night.
Some were strung up connected to each other and some attached to trees.
Some of us more adventurous trampers (or could that be just crazy people), decided on a midnight swim in a lovely swimming hole just a bit down a track. The night sky looked stunning with its heavenly bodies and satellites blinking down on the wet group of trampers staring up at them from their perch on the cliff side.
After our midnight dip some of us went visiting others tents and decided to sing the night away. Highlights of which included our epic rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody and Yesterday, after which we snuggled into our sleeping bags and awaited the next day.
Morning came with brilliant blue skies. Bodies slowly crawled out of sleeping bags and set to with breakfast. From a lookout at the camp we could see where we had swum the night before. We chatted over tea, the morning sunlight illuminating the steam from boiling billies. I got to know members of my group and what they actually looked like in the daylight, including the three Annas on the trip. They were all christened with distinguishing characters, American Anna, My Anna (the Anna in my group) and Original Anna.
Camp was taken down and groups started off for the day’s tramping ahead. First we had to negotiate the second longest swing bridge in the country (according to Ronnie), which was a little daunting at first, with the rushing water and jagged rocks below us. We travelled along the easygoing track through the morning in our small groups, occasionally meeting up with others. At about 12:30 we came to a small river crossing where we we all left the track and jumped over the rocks to a lovely watering hole for lunch. The following swim was welcome relief from the sticky midday sun. We spent a couple of hours here just lazing in the sun, talking or swimming. It was pretty much the perfect swimming hole, it reminded me of the beach in the book ‘The Beach’, in that it was so deserted, apart from us trampers, no sign of civilisation at all…
A couple of hours later, I think it was around 3:00pm, groups started
meandering off to go back on track to Totara Flats. There were two
possible routes to the flats;
a) a flatter route along the river bank,
or,
b) a steep climb up and around a slip.
Now guess which route we took … actually the longer and steeper route did have its advantages, as we climbed higher up there was a magnificent view of the flats and surrounding vista trailing off into an infinite distance, and the sun was still
shining. We descended slowly down again to river level and then
across the start of the Flats, weaving between golden grass shoots towards
the Totara Flats hut “the little house on the prairie” someone called it.
Here we all had a well-deserved rest; most other groups gathered here and
rested too, filling up our depleted drink bottles and eating scroggin.
Ten minutes away from the hut, surrounded by the same tall grass we
found Anna’s group (named the geriatrics) their fly all set up, lounging
in the grass as if they’d been waiting for us for hours (which they probably
had). We all joined them, heads on backpacks and tramping boots off
– finally.
The camp had a lovely small town type feel to it. There was the hustle of groups deciding where to put their flys up, people hovering around billies cooking dinner, groups visiting other groups for a chat and even a hacky game which I joined in. It was all very welcoming and friendly. Later in the evening we prepared a bonfire. We all sat around the campfire talking, drinking and telling bad jokes that were good. The festivities went on well into the night and early morn… I believe the VERY early morning for some ?
Next morning started yet again with a brilliant blue sky, except for some daunting looking dark clouds near the mountains. But resident weatherman Stu, predicted that it wouldn’t rain that day but at nightfall. I should point out that he was well right and was correct for all of the weekend’s weather, including the wind coming up the day before … could he be the next Augie Auer?
We set off late that morning and as with the day before it started with another swing bridge crossing. - this time not as long but doubly as windy! Then it was about an hour walking along the riverside before a climb straight up for about 45 minutes - needless to say this was not my favourite part of the trip! We came out at the main Holdsworth track and a gentle tramp down to the Holdsworth road end.
There waiting on the grassy field was a barbecue for us. It was a perfect end to a wonderful trip. Frisbee and soccer were played while others went swimming, but mostly we all just relaxed on the grass under the forever-blue sky and socialised.
I really enjoyed the Freshers tramping trip. The scenery was gorgeous, the weather was perfect all weekend long, everyone was welcoming and it was easy to make new friends.
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Climbing in the Sun and Rain |
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Wow, trying to condense a record of who's done what climbing wise
over the last few months into less than a page. Might have to leave
a lot out, apologies for the biased nature of this report (again mainly
stuff I know about = usually related to people I climb with). Hopefully
it's accurate, but if not doesn't matter...
The powerband national boulder series happened. Derek won, Rachael won and everyone cranked.
South Island: I went to Paynes for six weeks. All good. Derek and Rachael and Andrew Nevin and heaps of other Wellington crew were there. Everyone cranked!!! Derek did tonnes of 28's, including Electrocution second go. Jeremy Haines and Steve Yeoman visited Wanaka and Steve learnt about falling.
Baring Head: Site of the tramping club introduction to rock climbing day. 30 keen types, bad weather and a democratic decision to risk the rain. Cool. Brief tour, top rope on the right hand slab - an impressive number of people successfully scaling it - and a bit of bouldering. Even a Massey crew there. New lines spotted and worked. Yeah. Then a party that night...hmmm....
Some people even climbed mountains. A selection. Mt. Cook by Eric, Simon, and Andy (twice). Near summit on Cook - Jeremy, Benj, Steve. Otira Face of Rolleston by Eric, Simon, Jeremy and Benj. Climax Peak in the Olivines by Angela, June, Aroha, Eric, Steve, Jeremy and Rob. Small bump near the col in the Olivines bouldered by Dave and Jeremy.
Can't remember much more offhand. Never mind. Rec. Centre - Thursday nights still happening. Rock climbing instruction trips and Tourney coming up, plus climbs to be done. It may even snow, so time for winter climbing.
Enjoy yourself,
Dave
I met Matt Meehan at the railway station on a Friday night in February and we headed over the hill in his car. Matt is from HVTC and it turns out he is quite keen. He had done a day Maungahuka Loop before in 19 hours, they had had to stop and help some guys that got lost. After a large burger and beer at the pub in Featherston we head off for Holdsworth road end. We realise that none of us have watches so it is a matter of getting up every couple of hours and checking the clock in the car.
3 am and we’re off up the track to Powell. The pace isn’t that fast, more steady as we try to wake up. At Pig flat it’s quite windy and we realise there won’t be views on the tops today. We check out the new Powell Hut and after putting on more clothes head up towards the trig. It is raining and very windy on top and no visibility, not the nicest at 5 in the morning. We are relieved to reach the bush line on Concertina knob but it’s a lot darker than we were hoping.
A fast trip down to Mid-Waiohine isn’t good for the knees but it means we are there before sunrise. We talk to a 75-year-old man who is in at Mid Waiohine fishing with friends. They were hoping for a helicopter ride out but it doesn’t look too hopeful today. The climb up to Aokaparangi doesn’t seem that fast but we keep going at a constant pace. I try the cellphone at the bush line and leave a message on Simon’s phone. We also find out from Telecom that it is 7.30 am.
Along the tops it is very cold and windy with lots of rain and mist. We run off Aokap but are more circumspect going over Wright and Simpson. That seems to drag on and on and it is an age before Maungahuka appears out of the mist. It’s not very warm at Maungahuka and I have trouble writing in the book with frozen fingers. After ringing Telecom we find out it is now 9am. It’s a strange feeling being at Maungahuka at 9am, having come from Holdsworth that day.
It is a lot nicer down at Neill Forks, almost pleasant now we are out of the wind. The climb onto Cone is brutal though. We take our time down Cone Ridge but once it steepens at the end we start to run. By the time we reach Totara Creek the sun is out and it feels like it is 30oC, quite a contrast from the tops earlier on. Nothing can make us run up Totara Creek so we plod along slowly.
The last climb back to the Powell track is short and sharp. It is then a fast sprint back down to Holdsworth lodge, to finish off our knees. Back at the car we look at the clock and are both surprised to find out is 3 o’clock, only 12 hours for the loop.