This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
Holdsworth Kaitoke 1930's Style (September 28-30) ; - Karen O'Byrne The year was 1934 and a party of fearless trailblazers assembled opposite Queen's Wharf for the journey that would take them:to the start of their weekend's adventure, Not only would these individuals risk life & limb in their pursuits but as well they were taking the chance of becoming the target of the society gossipers who would criticise them for venturing out in mixed company unchaperoned. After a tedious trip across the Rimutaka mountains they arrived at their destination. With the fires of adventure burning strong in their hearts these rugged individualists spawned the idea of spending the night in Holdsworth Hut and instead chose to set up camp in Donnelly's Flats. Although it was late September the winter chill could still be felt in the air and they had to make the best they could during the cold night donning extra layers of clothes and pulling their blankets tightly around them. On Saturday the great trek began. The navigator, and leader of the trip, found a route up Mt Holdsworth and successfully located the spur that led down to Totara Creek. The rest of the party were awed by the dexterity he displayed using his portable sundial. Lunch was had in the tin shed at I Totara Flats and just as the party was about to leave the heavens opened. Undaunted by the heavy rain the party demonstrated the fortitude and inner strength that characterised each of them and put on their japara parkas and marched off in the precipitation. They arrived a few hours later at Cone Flats and established camp. The Trip Leader worked some magic and soon had a fire going despite the rain. The party slept well that night revelling in the sweet satisfaction of the day's triumphs and knowing that the morrow held minimal challenges. On the Sunday the party had a pleasant, uneventful stroll down the Tauherenikau River to Smith Creek and then over the hill to Kaitoke, The 1930's Holdsworth-Kaitoke trip was not exactly like this. Some of the trip members had a’little difficulty reconciling themselves to the fact that tramping in the '30's was different to tramping in the 1980's, especially in relation to the gear used. Consequently frameless climbing packs, PVC's, pile jackets, etc.,, abounded. Full marks to those who entered into the spirit of the weekend and left their 1980's equipment at home, particularly Anita who somehow fitted a dacron pit inte:a small A-frame pack, and Anne who covered the distance wearing hob-nail boots. For those who didn't participate to quite the same extent it was still a great trip. Those on the trip: Jack McConchie, Anne Greenwood, Anita Catchpole, Gabrielle Hoskins, John Booth, Stu Lusty, Sharon Fraser, Karen O'Byrne, Paul Critchley,and Robert Longshaw.