This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
by Steve Patience Not being able to sling two syllables together, and without my degree in literature. I submit a trip report in the absence and reluctance of a more suitable scribe. Please excuse me if it appears to be the report of a Private Investigator......... Luckily on this trip there are no last minute pull-outs as all logistical planning had been precisely structured. Friday had been a grey and dismal day and was somewhat offputting for the weekend ahead. However. we arrived at the road-end where some who considered themselves senior trampers, claimed the best site to sleep - inside the Duchess. For some, not much sleep was had, due to the roar of a Danish chainsaw. Tanya abruptly spoke in the quiet of the nightto ask Dorthe to quieten Rolfl - Saturday saw punters climb to a saddle through a scrubby area of bush of which the track seemed more suited to stock and I became geographically disoriented. We descended to Iron Bark Hut where lunch was had. After a cold and swift river crossing, Tanya slipped and hurt her shoulder, yet battled on regardless. We arrived at Colenso Hut tired and hungry only to find it full with Struan's Fit party and others. An excellent 3 course gourmet meal was had and most went to bed early, tired and contented,.having reached the same destination as the Fits. . Sunday we awoke to find blue skies and sun, though we were not warmed by its reach and the flies remained frozen. Due to an arduous day on Saturday had by some, well most we then decided to return to lron Bark Hut. Enroute. some excellent views were to be had of Mt Ruapehu capped in snow and the sides of the mountain high-lighted with _, the winter sun. We. arrived at our destination and basked in the remaining afternoon sun. Kumara chips were on the menu as an appetiser to our main. An excellent fire burned whilst the would-be writers maintained the continuing storyline to pass the time. I Monday morning found those with wet boots, frozen solid. Jez managed to re-kindle the * fire and thawed his boots almost to a liquid state. A cold river crossing was to start our _ day followed bya hill climb to reach the sunny spots. Some of the uphill climbing proved difficult on a slippery track and mast did not escape dirty bottoms from their clamberings and scramblings. We climbed a different route on our return to the roadend and managed to pass some snow gathered on the tops. We then ascended to meet up with the poled route and had lunch in an excellent spot near a stream and in the warmth of the sun. This gave those carrying flies an opportunity to dry them out. All were grateful of the easy day's walk and arrived back at the Duchess in time to wash and soak up some further sun.
Trip Members: Steve Patience (Leader), Brian Johnston, Sue &Hugh MacEwan, Rolf Siggard. Dorthe Aesen. Robert Mathieson. Jez Prior. Tanya Loveard, Wayne Dodson. John Hoffeins, Byron Anderson, Karen Burgess.