This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
CROW HUT - RUAHTINES (Medium) - September 23-25 - Ian Hadfield
Saturday morning we awoke at Kaurhatau Base which wasn't surprising as we'd driven there the night before. We ambled off down the track to the cage and wound ourselves across. J had intended to send the herd through the river but the overhanging bluff was a little off putting. The steep climb up onto the Hikurangi Range took its toll: om Ross's knees go he and Sarah decided to take the direct route to Crow whilst the rest of us went via McKinnon. The tops were fairly clear. and we could see across to the Mokai Patea Range and Rongotea from the top of the Crow Hut track. We continued elimbing up past the tarn and into the mist until we came to a sign pointing down to McKinnon Hut. Following the steep spur dorm we found the hut at the bush-edge and stopped for lunch. There is a good disked track from the hut dom to the river (not shorm on NZMS N140), Being steep we soon dropped into the Keurhatau. Glynne dropped a bit faster than ithe rest of us and dislocated her shoulder. Marion our trip nurse soon had it strapped up securely whilst Graeme staggered off ahead to Crow with 2 couple of packs to put 2 brew on. It started raining about. then making the riverside boulders treacherous but we managed to get our patient to Crow in good time withrut incident. Graeme had the fire roaring so we had a brev, put Glynne to bed and did the usual evening organisation. . Ross and Serah hadn't arrived but Ross had said they might turn back and they were well equipped so I wasn't unduly concerned. Glyntie's . condition did contern me, She was in I pain and appeared to be in shock so I didn't think she would be waiking out, I got up at 5am incase I had to make a dash to the phone but Glynne had improved markedly overnight and felt capable of walking out. We shared her gear around and an advance party of Glymme, Marion, Meg and IT took off for Kauwhatau Base. J had decided to go over the tops as the weather was fine and the travel easier than the river, The rest struck camp tidied up and followed. We arrived at the Base at ipm and mest up with Ross and Sarah who had got waylaid in the mist on Saturday spending the night comfortably camped at the bush-edge not far from the track. After a quick lunch ve took off for Wellington in one of the vans. Glynne spent the night at Wellington Hospital but has Boen seen at Club since with two arms and wants to come tramping again. . On the trip were: Glynne Critecnley, Megen Rodden, Barbara Johnsen, Prue Coakley, Marion Griffiths, Saara Bsallantyne-Scott, Sue and Malcolm Charles, Ross Wood, Sarah McDonald, Graeme Hawthorne, Jan Wightwick and me.