This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
27 - 28 AUGUST 1993
"Will there be any snow up there?" "No, too bloody warm, you need a good cold southerly before you get any snow up there now’. I was to remember those words with irony over the next couple of days, especially when I heard the weather forecast predicting snow down to 800 metres. It was going to be an interesting weekend!
We set off a bit later than anticipated on Saturday moming after waiting for a punter for the Easy trip.who never tumed up. We were taking private vehicles so fairly good time was made to Otaki Forks. As we got closer, we could see the covering of snow over the Tararuas which looked very white and very cold! We hit the track soon after arriving with Matthew and "that bloody wok" leading the way over the swing bridge and Jez's group hot on our heels. We parted company after navigating a path across a field full of sheep and their droppings, then puffed our way up the first hill, overtaking and being overtaken by three hunters who were also heading for Kime. After a quick water stop we carried on to Fields with Wayne doing a promotional stop for Pepsi by pulling out a can and guzzling the contents - where is your camera when it's needed? Shortly before we got to Field Hut we saw the first splattering of snow on the ground. Soon after, soft white things started fluttering through the air - was.it a‘bad case of dandruff, or snow? The snow stopped almost as soon as it started and in next to no time we had arrived at Field Hut where the hunters were already ensconced. Lunch was relatively leisurely but we didn't want to muck around, The cloud seemed to be lowering and we wanted to get to Kime. Before leaving we put on some more layers of clothing, making us look like cuddly teddy bears and then we started on what was going to.be the coldest part of the trip. The climb to Table Top gave us a hint of things to come with a lot of snow on the ground. By the time we got there I was roasting but was soon glad of the layers as the wind started to buffet us around. The various swampy parts were fun to cross as a lot of the ground was frozen, but just when you thought you'd made it without getting shin deep in mud there would be a crack as your boot went through a thin layer of ice. Charming!
We carried on up after another quick stop, Matthew and Graham in front with Wayne and myself bringing up the rear. We met the hunters, who had left Field Hut before we had, coming back down; one of their group had had enough and they were heading back. And us? Onwards and upwards as the sky began to throw sleet and strong winds in our faces. Going across one or two of the more exposed areas proved exciting for me. I'd wait for the wind to die down a smidgen then dash across trying not to think of the drop and hoping the wind wouldn't come howling across - oh, to have nerves of steel! The last climb up towards Bridge Peak was a struggle against the wind and cold. All we wanted was to get out of the wind and into Kime and relative warmth. The wind was very strong by the time we got to the top; ice on the track made walking very slippery at times so we would detour into the tussock sinking almost knee deep in the soft snow in places. The sight of Kime Hut was very welcome and it was a relief to get in and away from the howling wind and sleet.
We soon had a brew on, thanks to Graham braving the forces yet again and attacking one of the tans with an ice axe, and then dived into our pits and thawed out. It was certainly an experience to be in my pit with all my spare dothing on - was AIC til snowcaving going to be this cold? Dinner was a late affair but well worth waiting for - Matthew's famous Chicken Stir Fry which would have been even nicer if I'd remembered to take the mung bean sprouts out of my food bag!
If you've been to Kime youll know all about the central heating system. It was in perfect working condition. In the moming we found the water in the drink bottles frozen, solution for contact lenses frozen, gaiters frozen and boots so hard they might as well have been frozen too. When we ventured outside the wind had died down which was a welcome relief and we were surrounded by a bright halo of thick mist. There was a mad dash into the hut for cameras and photos were taken madly.
Sunday morning was relaxed with a leisurely breakfast with lots of hot brews, then we kitted up for the downward scramble, with a couple of parting photos to prove that we'd been there. We had one diversion for a quick bout of ice skating before going over the edge and roaring down to Table Top, (well, sort of) stepping, slipping and sliding in and out of snow and hidden little icy patches. Lunch was had again at Field Hut before we got back into normal tramping gear and shot off down the track. Just before the last downhill, we found a sunny patch of grass where we plonked ourselves down for a bit of R & R. It was lovely sitting in the sun, listening to the buzzing of the flies and the silence. All too soon though, we had to set off and return to normality.
The Punters Were: I Matthew Craig (Leader) Graham Morley Wayne Stevens Sue Walsh (Scribe)