This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
Or Lost Lemmings in the “LEATHERWOOD" Way back in the beginning of November, when I spied this trip on the schedule, I wanted to go. The northern end of the Tararuas is a place seldom visited, the Haukura ridge sees less than its fair share of visitors. (The reasons for this will, as this story unfolds, become more than obvious). I do fear that those who may “visit” are really no more than lost when traversing the peaks of East and West. A hasty email from trip leader Ruth Parnell about being able to pick up rental vehicles should have been a bad omen. Oh, how wrong I was! As the seven of us (Michael, Caroline, John, Russel, Caro, Ruth and Brent) loaded up into a dark purple Toyota Previa, (with seven packs in the back, it was a tight squeeze), visions of the old duchess washed way. We cruised down the highway in nothing less than.....comfort and space. Pure bliss... Next stop the hustle of Carterton. We arrived ahead of the rest and got first dibs at the Fish and Chip Shop ... which was suddenly overrun. Service slowed to a crawl and then to a standstill. Anyway we all got fed then set off. Road end. Unpack? Get set. Then off to Herepai Hut. This was a nice two hour walk in the dark. At this point Caro unpacked a ski pole...no not a walking stick...a ski pole. This pole was likened at times to a lighting rod or a cell antenna. The one time when it was really useful proved to be in the leatherwood when it acted as a locator beacon. (The tip was orange)
did become the butt of several jokes on route. At one point we did stop and let them pass only to overtake them about five minutes later. We all bowled into Herepai about 11:00pm and made quite a noise getting settled. But it was over quite quickly and other than the occasional “where is the toilet?”, an incident with Garekne's someone's leaky bladder, we had a peaceful night. Grant (Newton) was quiet as a mouse (thankfully... he woke at about 04:30). He was off on an SK. Saturday morning was the usual exercise: breakfast, pack, out the door, then up to Ruapae and on to East peak for a ... peek. Our trusty trip leader had a new toy: a Suunto altimeter. Ruth took great delight in regularly informing us of our current height and how much higher we had to go. It was the usual Tararua weather on the tops: windy with clag coming and going just enough to tease you with the view of what was to come. The turn just below East Peak dropped into a neat little gravel scree run down of about 100m.
www.wtmc.org.nz PO Box 5068, Wellington
and on to 1334 saw Russell make a fast break across the hill side rather than following the “track” up. As he clambered through the LEATHERWOOD the folly of his endeavour was soon realised. A quick backtrack then he obediently fell into (lemming) line. (Tararua LEATHERWOOD 100: trampers 0) After the climb up to 1127, “it's all downhill": famous last words! The downhill, however, proved to be just a little bit more challenging than the up. As the density and height of the LEATHERWOOD increased, so the going got tougher, with us all laying claim to the best fall, slip, slide, and tumble. The term "Track" at this point seems a bit... inaccurate, as it is really only a route once you turn off from East Peak, kept open by animals and the occasional lost tramper as mentioned earlier. This “track” consists only of a flattening of the grasses in-between the LEATHERWOOD. BUT... when you're on it you know it... and when your not..... You're in trouble!!! The suggestion was made that I should be placed on my side and rolled down the hill (as a crusher) to effect some sort of a track. This idea was quickly dispensed with as we all struggled through. Eventually we arrived at the bush line (yehaaaaa!), whereupon a bout of chicken crowing took place. (Why I don't know.) Ruth, as trusty leader, took out her new Suunto Altimeter and gave us a quick reading, a compass bearing for direction, and of we set down the hill to the river. The only stops were to check our ever-falling height. (Did I mention Ruth's new Suunto altimeter?). Poor Caro was hit by a rather larger rotten tree snapped off by Michael while trying to arrest his fall. The river and camp arrived all too soon??? (When we came out of the bush it was right in front of us). The most perfect spot. Score a 10 on the navigation front (Ruth). Camp, Dinner, Bed. Well not quite, as you are all aware is usually the case. A “who-can-carrythe-biggest-and-best-rock-to-sit-on" completion ran for a while, then fizzed out when 1: it started to rain 2: they were found to be quite hard. (To sit on.) The only highlight in the evening was a young lady peering around the corner to tell us “Your fly needs adjusting”. The occupants of fly # 2 tried to fall blissfully asleep, while the occupants of fly # 1 spent several hours of those classic WTMC games like: "I Spy" (from my little fly) “Animal Vegetable & Mineral"
And the not-so-classics from John ("I-don't-come-from-this-country") like “Name the animal nobody has heard of" “How many legs on the Pub?” Sunday was uneventful. A straight run up the Ruapae stream, followed by a right turn at the first big side stream on the TL (true left). Then pick up “Bottles Track" on the TL(which is further up than you think). Then the slip. It is clearly marked with PINK ribbons giving way to the old Venetian blinds near the top. We returned to Herepai hut for lunch, then back-tracked to the road end, with everyone arriving about the same time. A most excellent adventure. 10/10
Yours, A new clubby, Brent Hoy. side: a idl daRAM RRA oe dolla a ET St => — 93 aS a ca $: = , 4 SS ilitins z a STRAY
See EE www.wtmc.org.nz PO Box 5068, Wellington