This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
The numbers grew. A popular trip with no pushing from the leader. Twenty three on the list, what a mob: Then the pull offs began. Down to eighteen by Friday night. The keen ones made it to the start of a great weekend - great in spirit if not in weather. Saturday began fine but windy. Up the ridge and through the bush - a pleasant stroll. Lunch at Parks Peak Hut. Then on to Aranga with a side trip to the trig on Pohatuhaha. Views of Mahia Peninsula (just), Napier and Hastings. Not much in the other direction as cloud covered the Ruahines. On to Aranga hut occupied by Tararuas. Flies pitched outside. Dinner cooked in the hut. To bed.° During the night the snow fell. The gusts blew snow into the flies. We awoke next morning -— 8 cm new snow outside 2 cm in flies. But sleeping bag covers kept most of us dry and warm. Stuart did the honours in the morning and served tea - Earl Grey of course. We took off and found the ridge after a couple of false goes. Michael took over the lead to get the right ridge. Did his 360 trick again. 360's should be confined to the ski field. After a few snow showers and 4 hours easy tramping we reached Upper Makaroro Hut. Empty. Bunks were claimed. The Tararuas arrived. Our leader suggested we go pitch the flies, To his surprise everyone walked out of the hut leaving it to Tararuas!!!!! How is that for club spirit (or charity)!!! Stuart lit a fixe. Dinner. Then a pit drying session. Actually none were very wet. The night was cold, not much rain, but gusts of cold wind. Monday was down river. Centre Makaroro Hut for lunch, except for Paul who went past in a dream.” , One lesson from the trip is that a morals officer is needed again. What with dead boring jokes about necrophillia, two females negotiating swapping their Daves, and knickers falling out of pits! Those on the trip: Leader Michael Hollis, . Sue Charles, Rob (Barry). Whitla, Pam Whitla, Stuart (Barry) Lusty, Greg Ord, Peter Jackson, Ross Wood, Richard Thum, Megan Rodden, Annette Johnson, Barbara Johnsen, Roz Greenfield and intending members Michael Moran, Eric Evans, Graeme Hawthorne, Garry Wood and Paul Bolger.