This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
(Ed's note: Trips with large numbers- seem to miss out on being written up. This trip had two members on it - the other write-up was in last month's newsletter! ), Woke to a promising Hawkes Bay day and-views of the snow-covered tops just touched by the rising sun. We had camped the night under the pines at the road end.
sae At 7.30 we set off down the. farm track to the Puki Puki river, crossed barely getting wet feet, and were soon making up the open grassy slope to the bush edge of Hinerua ridge. Just the thing to get the heart started and for Kev to shake off the after effects of the flu.. The panorama of Hawkes .Bay spread out behind us still blanketed in parts with mist. Stopped off at Hinerua hut for a Boke of hot Réfresh, and a bit of a breather. The air felt chilly and very high cloud was moving in. Off again to clear the bush edge 500 ft. above into the snow, and up toa high point to ae in spectacular frosted peaks to the N.W. around 5,500 ft. Ahead lay an éndless looking ridge leading to the tops. Trudging up in soft snow covering -hebes and: snowgrass with hare tracks being a useful guide in places,I wonder if they get cold feet. Gradually the pitches became steeper and more icy, until it was necessary to use crampons for more confident going. At this point the tops ahead and the peaks north were softly wreathed in light cloud, signs of a front moving from the north. © Lunched just 4 before the ridge top and decided to assess the situation at the top. We arrived up there to clear views of Hikurangis and dark valleys beyond, snow covered ranges north and south. The cloud was moving in from the nosh but the weather was not changing rapidly. Having come this far we were not inclined to turn back so, about 1 p.m., headed off onto Chuinga, the highest point of our route, at a determined pace. We still had the option of a route down along Black Ridge but chose Sawtooth Ridge without too much further consideration. Breezing down the erusty southerly slopes but plodding up the northerly ones breaking trail, with the wind slowly, strengthening asa the cloud darkening with menace to the north. Around 3 the first -snow gently swirled up from the N. E. side of the ridge which was about time to put. on Windproof gear and bump up the calorie level. a
No problem navigating up and down the 'teeth‘' of the ridge, hurried along by the weather, only forward or back and straight down both sides, The cloud finally descended as we started to gradually climb up the ridge. We were beginning to tire and the number of stops increased. Was rather unreal traversing a razor~back section with the line of the ridge barely discernible cocooned in cloud, oblivious to the 500 ft. drop either side. Off down @ spur ona 30° bearing, following our noses, barely able to make out the crown of the spur, until we found a side spur which we slid down, out of the cloud and wind to the creek. Right on the.dot, such brilliant navigating. As we stop to drink, along hops a hare and warily fixes a beady eye on us, aliens in his inhospitable world, bet they.get cold ears ‘It was a é&truggle up the other side to the sidle track along the ridgé dropping into Howlett Hut. Not half as frustrating as on teaching the stunted mountain beeches above the hut ‘to find thigh deep arifts to bé negotiated. Reached the ‘hut at 5.45, unceremoniously crawling the final yards. Can recommend this hut, .in excellent repair, with a beaut 'Little Dorritt' potbelly, sleeps a dozen, —" ie Sn The. next day was a leisurely trip out, dropping off the ridge through Xmas card scenery, down a spur to Daphne hut. ‘Then some cold river hopping in drizzle, down the Tuki Tuki-back to the road end. “- — aa -Trip members’ -— Kev Thompson, Tim'Breuer_ .:., *