This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
ROARING STAG, February 20-22 Marshall Clark After an unevehtful 3 hour drive, the easy/medium trip -. arrived at the Putara road end. While the FE party set off for the Herepai Hut, our group pitched two fliea on a comfortable spot just over the footbridge. Some members of the party found that leaving the torch at home was a mistake that should not be repeated!:. The evening was fine _and clear, oat a ae rather blustery at times. In the morning, we began the climb up y through some _ particularly attractive mixed forest(predominantly beech ' then rimu/tawa). However, some members of the party found it difficult to be enthusiastic, being unconvinced of the joys of climbing hills with heavy packs. We rested briefly at the tumn-off to Herepai Hut and were grateful for shelter from the gale that we could hear blowing across the tree-tops. The walk along the ridge above the Ruamahanga valley was very pleasant, and we were at one stage surrounded by a noisy group of small: white native birds(sorry - no ornithologists in. the party! ye We: took our lunch break onthe river bank by the Roaring Stag Lodge, and luxuriated in the warm sunshine and gentle breeze. (I wonder if Framcine's idea of a whole smoked chicken for lunch will catch on?). * After’ a’ very retaxing lunch break we set off again and followed the river for two hours or so until we found a delightful spot to camp, just downstream of Cleft Creek, We were joined later by the FE trip, and had a quiet but enjoyable evening by the river with a communal meal and a small bonfire,
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2p Sunday was another fine sunny day,so we decided to attempt to make our way out by following the river through the Ruamahanga gorge. The river level was low and the water erystal clear (although rather cold for most of us). We were obliged to swim through several deep pools, and after one particularly long swim there were signs of mutiny in the ranks i:
While two of the party pressed on, the rest of us scrambled up the side of the gorge until we found #He track. We then -followediithe track out through farmland until we reached the ford where we stopped for dunch. The other two had already arrived ~ we had "chickened-out">just too soon! Some of-us* found ‘that old packs ain't whatcthey used to be ~ for sheer comfert and waterproofing} =:the new packs are hard to beaty27 3%"? a he She At the road-end, the members cf the FE party were waiting for us with the transport, and we set off Back to Wellington stopping for apples and icecréams on. the way. Many thanks to Murray and) the: rest of the group. foz.a:mestr enjoyable weekend. vet i. ‘ Those"on ,the-trip weré: Murray Worsop (leader), Kate Thomas, Jenny Greer, Marshali-Clark, Brian Goodwin, Mark Neeson, Francine Hatch, Christepher Young, Jon Critchley, Rohan Harrigan, MS eee ee Po Pern a) ITs oe