This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
SU . Registérad at Post Office Heddquarcers, Wellington asa magazine. at 3 SEPTEMBER 1980 - '_ Editor: Annette Johnson
Hi, ‘Mike Hollis complained I because his name wasn't in,.the last ‘newsletter, SO now its right at. the front of this », ONES. . spring: has well and truly sprung, its time for all I Summer" trampers to come out of hibernation again. There “are “some really good trips running around the Mitre’ Flats area, September 25-27, so get your names down .
_ With respect. to. ‘the Basy trip into the. Ruahines —| Hinerua - 21-23 August,. the trip was a good one = although it did‘ have its moments. ' é 7 The trip started with a quick descent down a 300 metre ~ ‘vertical bank (just to get everyone warmed up)... much to the girls' delight. A very pleasant colony of N.Z. “Wood Pigeons in this part.-~ Soon the plod up to Hinerua Hut' began and after a steady climb with a lot of good mountain ' views the hut was reached. al think Ratwyo was pleased to be there. After a brew we all (except two whem! I won't. name who decided to hit the pit for 18 hours) climbed up one of the nearby peaks with a ‘good - ‘view of ‘the surrounding _-xange. The ‘weather closed in with snow starting to fall, Soon developing the area into a ace & picturesque’ eprace.} Generally there were quite a’ few’ mishaps over the weekend = starting with me forgetting” to put my tramping boots on to start the tramp. Raewyn developed Ruahine -'tramping legs (cramp)’ but otherwise, excepting for.a ‘few ‘burnt fingers: and socks, the trip went smoothly. The Saturday evening neal ‘prepared mY, ~~ Jane = ‘was “a good I one. : on the ‘tramp were: Ross Neville, Jane Neville, Tessa - Van Tuil, Raewyn eager Robert. Renning~one and: Chris Bdickson (1eader). ryt =
Ps Priday night and we're off to the Ruahines for a change. After a four hour drive we all bunk down at the aad farm, Tim and I opting for the back Or theyvan to * save putting up the tent. After a cold and somewhat restless night < on : my part, we: wake to a half. frost» and the first signs of an approaching: front over the Ruahines. An hour later we dance across the Tuke River to .try, and. keep our feet “dry and sweat. up over the farmland alwayss agin EARG the snow: plastered :tops ahead...
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“450 ¢. « © i . , / alt . & i/o. : = ‘
Its an hour or so through the bush until we arrive at Hinerua Hut and get the primus out for a belated breakfast brew which quickly warms us for the climb ahead. At about 10 we leave the hut and soon go through the first patches of snow, still in the bush. By the time we reach the bush edge, at about 4,000 feet, we are into larger patches of snow, As we climb the snow conditions vary from bad to appalling. Occasionally you manage half a dozen steps before breaking through up to the kneé or else every step breaks through as you put your weight on to it. Eventually though, as we get higher, snow conditions improve and we don crampons and climb to 300 feet below the ridge top where we stop for lunch. By now the approaching front is making its presence felt with misty cloud wreathing the tops, portent of things. to geme. After a short ' lunch we’ climb steeply up onto the north énd of the ridge and stop to look at the crap approaching from the Northwest, Following a brief discussion on the merits of calling it quits, enthusiasm takes over. and with a "Let's -f£--- offi", we crampon over hard sastrugi ice into the. first. sqtle: and then in alternating leads up onto Ohuinga. the top. of. this: oak is’ eiiy plastered with snow and quite large cornices hang over the head of the Tuke River on the eastern side. The ridge off Ohuinga is straightforward plodding, keeping a respectable distance back from the crest and the cornices until we reach the first small nurgle on the ridge, Tim who is in front elects ..to. sidle on the! left hand side, until the angle increases and we. have. a- short: 70° seramble back. up: onto the ridge top just as the first few flakes of snow drift by. The dark wall.of clouds -out to the Northwest is close now and we stoepito put on overtrou; visibility drops quickly as the snow ... becomes heavier, until only the immediate ridge top and rocks can .. be seen... Fim queries the practicality of" _Gropping off the ridge if » we have to which brings forth my comment "with difficulty". In truth, once on the-sawtooth you are committed - dropping off is not easy in good summer conditions and much more fraught with problems in winter, particulars ina whiteout. eradinad iy’ we work ‘our way along the ridge top, over each nurg rather than attempt to sidle any of them -- me cursing. my short axe as it is hopeless for. probing ahead to check there is snow slope ahead, not a white’ nothingness. -By about 4.30 we are over the steepest sections of the ridge (not that we can appreciate the exposure in the whiteout) and plugging up the slope onto Tiraha on the southern end of the Sawtooth. A’ quick altimeter stop here to check that we are in fact*on top of Tiraha and then a compass I course off to try and. find the turnoff to Howlett's Hut. (In the prevailing whiteout conditions we don't have a hope so we carry, on down the spur until the map, compass, and altimeter say we are low enough to drop into the creek and climb out the other side onto the Howlett's Ridge. The ¢limb out of the creek isa pain since it is breakable soft snow but eventually we get onto the ridge and quickly head off towards the hut. As we reach the bush edge we fine the snow in the bush thigh deep and soft so the last.400 metres to the hut takes about 35 minutes; crawling over the deep “Grifted: ‘snow is easier than wading through it. ; : : s =“ At.5.45 p. Mei just’ on dark; new: Howlett's Hut is ‘truly a welcome sight and in a very short ‘time tea is on, the fire going, and a brew in our hands. After a good night's sleep, we leave in heavy snow and plough our way down through the moonscape of fresh snow to the bush-edge and, .doffing stormgear, down to the wetness of the Tuke River and Daphne Hut, A short stop and then off down the river in cooler conditions to reach the van ahead of the other two trips. All in all a great trip, one of the most enjoyable this year and certainly the hardest conditions in which I've been along the Sawtooth, Tim Breuer, Kevin Thompson