The Annual Adrian Barr Farewell Trip

by Peter Rowe

The trip planned was to head in to Jumbo on Friday night and on to Carkeek on Saturday. But the real excitement started as we slid our way up the Rimutakas with the sound of the techno only matched by that of the rear tyres.

All nine of the party strolled up to Jumbo Hut on Friday night and arrived there at about twelve. By nine the next morning we were on the go. After looking at the weather our group decided we might skip the Three Kings/ Broken Axe Pinnacles and go down McGregor Spur. As it turned out this trip created a lot of red lines for many in the group.

We stopped at McGregor Biv for a hot drink and enjoyed the views before it clouded in for the rest of the weekend.

Our navigation down McGregor Spur was amazing with the lead often changing every couple of minutes as we misplaced the track. One navigator's keen sense of direction lead him to a stack of old porn that was left to rot, this was swiftly picked up to carry out, after all he didn't want to leave any rubbish in the hills. It was soon after this that Eric decided maybe he had been to Carkeek after all, and the track was well over in this direction, he was right.

At the bottom of McGregor Spur we stopped for lunch at the intersection of the Waiohine and Dorset Creek.

We then started on our chest high river crossings, which lead to many of us questioning whether or not we had any manhood left. After all had had a go at being swept over we finally started the long awaited climb up Carkeek ridge. It at least warmed us up.

Upon getting to the hut in darkness again, we discovered it to be empty, and by a few double bunking arrangements all had a bunk to sleep on. After a few hot brews the potbelly was roaring and dinners were under way. These were no small feats but fabulous feasts.

As we all sat around the hut wondering where the other groups were the hut was being filled by the smoke from the stove (with its chimney closed), the smell of dinner and the slowly drying porn on the stove. Yes it was a truly great time to be in a warm hut. With the constant rain outside we were happy to jump into our sleeping bags and share a bunk for the night.

The next morning at eight am we were all asleep, oops. At eight thirty am we were all still asleep. By nine we started stirring, we all got ready at a leisurely pace and were standing outside the hut by ten fifteen am, oops.

After a drawn out decision process we elected to go up Carkeek ridge, down into the river and back up Dorset ridge. Eric again decided maybe he had been here before and had us up and onto Dorset ridge.

We then sent three of the group to go and get cars via Three Kings, Baldy and Atiwhakatu to Holdsworth whilst the rest of us went out via Mitre, Mitre Flats and out to the Pines where hopefully the cars would be waiting. It was exciting as we climbed Girdlestone and Mitre, the wind removed a few of us from our feet, but all were enjoying the experience.

We lunched just above the bush line on Mitre at five pm and then trundled down the hill to Mitre Flats, resorting once more to torches. At ten fifteen pm we got to the Pines, after a long but very rewarding day. The cars arrived right on cue.

While we were having a pie and waiting for pizza in Masterton a few questions were raised; where were Scott, Dave and Joe who were meant to meet us in there. And where was Adrian? or by your third farewell trip are you not obliged to turn up?

Punter's Trip

Sunday 18 June 2000

The Punters trip had been a planned highlight of the year since its inception in December 1999. But as the date got closer it downsized to become a Sunday day trip. There were only five of us on the trip: Jeremy Haines, Peter Rowe, Joe Prebble, Steve Reid and myself. It started in the usual way. We planned to meet at the Hunter Carpark at 7am but Joe was the only one there, eating his Weetbix. A few phone calls to wake the rest of us up and we were meeting at 8am. Petone was the next stop to pick up Steve, a Canadian on his first New Zealand tramping trip. Then Pak n Save for breakfast and lunch.

It was a fine day at Holdsworth carpark, a bit gusty but warm. We headed up to Powell Hut first to catch some views before they disappeared under the clouds. Steve mentioned that he had never experienced wind that could knock someone over; I took that as an omen. Powell is all new and shiny - well it was when we arrived. After lunch I wasn't too keen to move on beyond the hut, it has previously always been the limit of my explorations in the area. The wind was reasonably strong; every now and again the hut would give a huge shudder as a gust hit it. But despite my protestations we hauled on long johns and overtrou and wombled off into the wind.

It was all new territory for Steve and me. I inspected the ground cover frequently as the wind knocked me sideways. Mmmm…nice tussock. The wind did provide much entertainment; at times we would link up like for a river crossing in order to move forward upright. Peter and Jeremy practised flying at one stage while Joe and I contented ourselves with resistance training as we spent a good two minutes in one spot trying to stand up. It got a bit difficult to breathe as the wind sucked the air out of my lungs. As we neared Holdsworth summit the weather started packing in, we were hailed on a few times and the cloud would surround us for a while before whisking off. The summit moment was brief and soon after we headed down the East Holdsworth track, my head still spinning from the wind. As we were in the final stages of the Atiwhakatu it started to rain and once we were in the carpark it truly began to piss down. Good timing. Later I heard that high winds in the Wairarapa had caused some power shortages and that they were considering closing the Mt Bruce road….

Arthur's Pass National Park - Mid-Year Trip - July 8-16

• Eric' Group
• Adrian’s Group
• Caroline’s Group
• Chris's Group

Adrian’s Group:
We (myself, Anna Biggs and Berber Rouwe) followed Caroline and Dave's group up to Edwards Hut on Sunday and then wandered over the Taruahuna Pass the next day, down into the Otehake Valley and onto Otahake Hut. We made fairly slow progress but as we were the easy group that was fine. On Tuesday we headed further down the Otehake and came across some fairly interesting terrain. The track was very over grown and we were basically following Caroline and Dave's group (well their footprints) until it became to late to go on. We decided to set the tent up on the track in a wee hollow and ate a cold dinner as we were running low on water. That night on the radio Dave suggested that our best course of action was to turn back as the track just got worse, so the next morning we packed up and headed back to the Hut, stopping to fill our water bottles and have breakfast at the first stream we came to about and hour and a half back down the track. Thursday was a pit day and on Friday and Saturday we headed out to SH 73 the way we had come in (we saw a blue duck on Saturday, which was pretty cool). Once at the highway we road-bashed and hitched to the pub where we ate and drank...lots.

Caroline’s Group:
JG65 consisting of Caroline, Dave, Tess, Anna, Kathryn and Hannah headed off with JG40 across the Bealy River. A brief navigational exercise set by Dave was only passed by Kathryn (with flying colours). Finally we were off in the right direction up the Edwards River at the junction of the Mingha River. Sidled past the lower gorge and onto frosty river flats that don't see sun in winter where we lost Adrian's group. After lunch it was onto the second sidle (complete with wire rope sections) which bypassed the waterfall route the river took. Arrived at Edwards Hut, to be joined 2 hours later by Adrian's group (just in time for the radio sked).

Monday was a gentle wander up the top of the valley to Taruahuna Pass and the big rock fall (remnants of the 1929 earthquake). Followed the Otehake River down the gorge rather than the suggested route in the hut book of bushbashing on the true left. Arrived at Otehake Hut again just after 4pm, again to be joined by Adrian's group 2 hours later. Tuesday was described in the route guide as the most rugged and wild of the Arthur's Pass river valleys. Sidling above the gorged river following the ground trail looking for that elusive/non existent marker. Seemed to spend a lot of our time crawling under things with our faces in the mud. It had to happen that we finally lost the track at a large treefall. More bushbashing had us arriving at the base of a large bluff. Decided to go up and over it and stumbled onto the track. Arrived at what we hoped was Whaiti Stream only to find the entrance into the river consisted of a large waterfall so decided to climb the rope provided on the other side. Arrived at the real Whaiti Stream at 4.30 and decided to camp there (it was still another 2 hours to the hot springs).

Expecting a short day we were up and away late on Wednesday. Took the river option as both Simon and the route guide suggested it was quicker and easier than the sidle track. After 3 hours negotiating gorges and becoming bluffed out we decided to go back and take the sidle track. Which ended up being 2 hours and easy to follow. Time in the evening for a long soak in the multi temperature pools. Had another soak on Thursday morning and dried the tents and our gear out in the sun and headed off after lunch for the start of the Mingha Deception track (our third change of route that week). However Kathryn found it hard to cope with well marked trails on easy paths and sprained her ankle at Lake Kaurapataka . Dave finally got to use his First Aid training and we emptied her pack, strapped the ankle and gave her the hiking poles. We stopped at the first flat camping spot near the Taramakau River in time for the radio sked.

Friday was spent limping to the road end and trying to hitch over Arthur's Pass. Ended up going with the local farmer for $10 a head. Latte and cake in AP and Kathryn and Caroline hitched a ride with Dave's landlord to Chch Hospital A&E. Prognosis was it wasn't broken but don't walk on it for the next few days. Caroline & Kathryn enjoyed hot showers and food in Chch that night while the rest of the group also enjoyed showers at the local AP Backpackers.

While Dave, Tess, Anna and Hannah finally got to use their crampons up Avalanche Peak on Saturday Kathryn and Caroline were back on the shuttle to Arthur's Pass arriving at the Bealy at 10.15 am. Met everyone else for a night of feasting, drinking, playing pool and watching rugby. To be followed by a morning of feasting, pool and watching rugby. And the bus didn't get lost going back to Picton.

Chris's Group:

An opportunity to visit untamed areas of New Zealand in Arthurs Pass NP or a trip to Thailand. Perhaps both. Those were the decisions facing the young jet setting decision maker. Luckily he decided to attempt both… … and what a place Arthurs Pass NP is. The trip offered great opportunities to combine seven days of fabulous weather with areas of New Zealand seldomly explored by the average tramper. What, could it be that we are having thoughts that we are more than the average New Zealand tramper… as the six of us embark from Andrews Shelter on the first day. Our destination, over Casey Saddle to Casey Hut, where we basked in the sun before heading indoors for the warmth of a fire.

Kea within the park are plentiful. Our first of many kea were heard within hours of beginning our trip, and often found on the top of the mountains we climbed and at the passes. These kea are definitely different to their cousins in Nelson Lakes NP and other places in the South Island that I have visited. They are more than happy to observe you and your doings without deciding that your food looked good to steel or that your belongings were fun to play with. They were also rather obliging for close up photos. Another interesting bird that I have often heard but seldom seen in the bush, is the bellbird. It was found in the first two hours of the track from Andrews Shelter. The resident male was proudly singing away in the midst of a courtship display. Morning of the second day arose a little less early than the previous day (but too early for some) on the belief that the day will be a little shorter. A mistake easily made without the knowledge of what is really in store when heading up to Ranger Biv. "A little windfall" were Simon's comments. I would hate to see what Simon means from a lot of windfall. Still it was worth the effort as the views from the tops on the way to Waterfall Biv were fantastic. Pole stand beech is far easier down hill than up. Perhaps it's the extra momentum involved. Waterfall Biv is in a swamp so we camped beside the river. Wow, the day of our first pass, and a significantly easier day with more great views. On the way to the pass was a steep section of snow, gleefully climbed so that we could use the ice-axes that we were carrying. At the top of the pass were two friendly kea, so friendly that my camera had difficultly focusing on them! Cox Biv, supposedly removed by DOC, was sitting amongst a heap of hebe, so we camped with the sandflys on the river flats. Isn't this winter? We tried to find the start of the "old blazed trail" for the following day's travel. But gave up and resigned to another morning of bashing up through bush to the swampy tarn. Thankfully there was no windfall to contend with. We arrived at the swampy tarn, posed for a few photos and headed up to Cox Pass. Cox Pass is a great place to camp (there's a tarn there for water in summer), with great views of the upper Poulter and Cox river valleys and surrounding mountains, but we decided to press on into Cherrywood creek for a night camping just below the gorge. Stopping for a snack at the swampy tarn Cox Pass With the hard part of the trip done it is time to relax. We headed down to Poulter/Trust Hut for a day of lazing in the sun killing sandflys and drying everything out. Then a daytrip to Lake Minchin (very beautiful) before heading back to Casey Hut for the final night in the bush. Later that day, two Westcoast trampers arrived, with their swiggle tops and bacon. Six envious trampers looked on as the two new trampers began to devour their bounty. By crikey, if they were hokey pokey swiggle tops there would have been trouble. The final day was back over Casey Saddle to Andrews Shelter for an afternoon sitting in the sun, waiting to see of a ute would drive by to give us a ride to the pub. No such luck and we headed to pit to keep warm and eat all of Cielle's left over food. Thanks to Cielle, Kylie, Karla, Bernard and Michael for a great trip. Lake Minchin

Climbing News

By Dave Hodson

Rock Scene

Rock climbing instruction course. Seemed to work and fun enough, I definitely enjoyed Saturday night, although in hindsight I should've been shocked by the alcohol intake of Peter and Richie. Everyone played hard, with some impressive first-up climbing being done - especially loved the joint effort by Pete and Richie on Spiky Norman (16, Froggat Edge).Glyn impressed on Pupuke Centre (steep 15) and everyone went super keen.

Baring Head hasn't been seeing so much club action recently, lucky that Scott, Pete and Richie are keeping up our presence out there. Titahi Bay and crazy cave fire photography soloing by Andrew may make up for it ? or maybe windy boulder problems by Dave H and Simon on the Wairarapa coast?

And the rec. Still people pulling and playing - 100.8 fm for the music. See ya there. Plus Fergs and Hangdog are seeing the occasional visit by people wanting to stay in/improve shape over winter.

While others went Arthurs Passing, Andrew, Sylv and Dave hit Paynes Ford and Matt Bayliss, Dave Kopp, Dan Mackay, Kevin et al. went north. Paynes was all good, lots of poi action and a dose of climbing. Andrew got Redlining to the Max (23), onsighted Rawhide (22) and generally went crazy. Dave did the occasional climb - favourite would have to be Rat up a Drainpipe (20) but spent more time on Gangrene (25, next time!!). Sylv climbed and fell and rope burned and tree scraped and inverted and swam and climbed some more. Most of the north-ites sent Ado (V6?), Dan bouldered 0-10 in 60 (25), Dave K almost got Mossy Menopause (V8) and all had fun.

Derek, Rachael and John are firmly ensconced in Chch now, climbing full-time and none of them have quite sent the job project some news: John onsighted/ flashed Rambandit 21 at castle hill – very impressive ascent of a scary crack. Derek did Quantum Mechanics V8 and onsighted a V6 chair at 9a (the chch co-op hippy sharing climbing wall). Rach pioneered squeeze boulder through gap in school chair V0-, Derek got second ascent – Johnny Bravo nearly had to call Fire Brigade but managed to back off. Maybe naked and oiled will get him through it? John is an apprentice offwidther. He has a passion for hand jams, body jams and jam sandwiches. Derek got the third ascent of an off width while John tried but fell out, luckily not in. John nearly became the jam. John did his 2nd V5 at Castle Hill and many V4's as well as some impressive mantle / grovels. More importantly he got a rare ascent (possibly 2nd ascent) of an 'Andrew Nevin' run and jump problem. Apparently John is becoming a premiere New Zealand run and jump man.

Rachael's done heaps, including It's love V6 and Jihad V7 (only the second NZ woman to climb this grade. Derek has been doing new routes all over Castle Hill including Jant (V8), an old project - Monkey see, Monkey Do (V7) and "one of the best problems ever" Vision (V7) at Dry Valley. He also claimed the third ascent of dag-muncher at Hulk Hogan, downgrading it to V8.

And some comments for all, from the south crew. "What about the Baring Head Action? Hope you fucking Hippys are still doing some shit." Climbing advice from and for the (wannabe) hard-core: "Say 'Fiddlesticks' every time you fall off and want to throw a wobbler."

Alpine Scene

In early June, Simon, Lisa Lee-Johnson, Benj, Glyn, June, Peter, Jeremy H, and Eric wandered up to the top Chair at Turoa in a bit of a storm for a ski.

Basic AIC had 32 pupils and 11 instructors. Nice hard snow, great weather, people learned heaps. Including: how to relieve yourself out of a moving van, compromise about the rugby, eat Johnny's chocolate éclairs and look dangerous at cafes. Looks like there's some serious keenness, huge plans and potential for big action later in the year.

July 8-16 saw heaps of alpine happenings as well as all the rock. About 20 people went on the club mid-winter Arthur’s Pass trip (see the Arthur’s Pass trip reports in this isue). Those remaining in Wellington didn't merely eat pies though. The Grand Pinnacle on Ruapehu was played on by Benj and others and eventually topped out on by Graham, Catherine and Jeremy H. The following weekend Jeremy H, Jeremy B, Duncan, Glyn, Benj, Catherine, and Joe went to Ruapehu, most visited the top and they all played around on frozen waterfalls. Then off to Mangatepopo for a dose of rock in original style - alpine ropes, no climbing shoes and minimal gear. Ta Lao the old-school way by Jeremy!! Simon did some skiing and wandered up one of the pinnacles from Grand Gully. Andy H, Matt Woods and Dave Morgan also hit Ruapehu, a week of snow cave based action climbing, boarding and skiing around Whakapapa (following up on their mountain day-trips and weekends). Going hard and having fun!

For those keen to climb, now is the moment! Instruction and climbing trips galore to choose from. A selection: two rope skills nights in Wellington, two rock climbing trips in the next two months, two advanced alpine instruction courses, a weekend trip to Taranaki, a Ruapehu weekend, the inter-club trip also to Ruapehu, a trip to Tapi, and another to the Hopkins Valley - probably to attempt Mount Ward. Wow. So much to do. (see the updated calendar in this issue of Baaa for more details). Dunno where I'll see y'all next - probably at meetings I guess - but I'll keep an eye out at Ruapehu, Egmont, Baring Head, North rock, Paynes, the rec. and further south over the next few months (I expect to see most of you!).

Bye for now
dave

p.s. chuck any climbing news in my direction for the next instalment.