This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
- Julie Catchpole
A long weekend (Waitangi) and it's off to Tongariro National Park, -With a few defectors to the.Fit Trip, we're down to 14 for the Medium trip to Ohakune - Tama Lakes - Chateau.
"Whoa, what's this?" The dus isn't aliowed up the road on the mountain! -H? rammm, I. smell a ‘trip leader decision’ in the air. After some serious soul searching and consultation, a new and ever so scenic trip was planned. But would the troops accept it? - Not a whimper. In the morning we assemdled at a’ “ respectable’: hour behind the Chateau. It.was then to our first tourist spot -— the spectacular Taranaki Falis,~ next stop Tama Lakes. These two lakes formed in old explosion craters between Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe, are a beautiful turquoise blue and well worth the diversion to view them. The weather was: fine and the summits. of both volcanoes were clear of cloud as we headed on:to the Waihohonu Hyts area. (Who was it that reminded the troops t6 bring sunscreen and had turned a delicate.shade cf red herself!) We set up camp near the historic Waihohonu hut ~ rather ordinary to eyes used to Tararua huts. While tea was being organised several trip members investigated the nearby cold water Ghinepango Springs. A sleep as befits a Saturday morning meant a rather late start to Oturere hut. The landscape changed from scrub and bush to sand and .scoria I slopes, with a view of the Kaimanawas to the right and Ngauruhoe to the “left. After Lunch at Oturere hut we headed to red crater and encountered the only rain of. ‘the weekend. And: as” “I feared, ‘sooher ex later on a mountain ‘ther re has to be some “up-hill., However, our efforts were rewarded.with more geological ‘wonders’ - Emerald Lakes and the steaming area of Red Crater.
From the lakes the track crosses one edge of the lunar landscrapelike Central Crate of Tongariro. © Once out of, the. crater Blue Lake came into view. At this poet the thought of the! hot springs became very appealling, but not before the trip leader. demonstrated to all how to cartwheel along crampiag tracks. She retired bruised and embarrassed to the pack of the Field, as the troops keenly raced down to Keteatahi, An imoressive: oanorama which included Lake Rotoaira and Lake Tausc came into view as we headed downwards. After dinner it was over to the springs for a hot soak, What.a view to wake u> to, 2nd to. Leyjin one's.pit tol Lunch and .an incredibly Late start anc we were off down the hill, past lots of incredibiy hot and puffing tourists struggling up the hill. A very pleasant walk through the Dush.compieted the trip. This is an araa well worth visiting, again and again - not forgetting. the good company and. verfect weather. a eet