Adrian Barr (comment) got me thinking about tramping in the Tararua ranges (among other things).
I've only spent one weekend in the Tararuas, so my opinion's worth no more than that. But I suspect if I lived in Wellington I would probably be one of the more committed of the Tararua trampers.
Before my one tramp in the range the only prior knowledge I had was from Chris MacLean's book Tararua: The Story of a Mountain Range (reviewed by Wellington tramper Tracy Wilkinson). However I was also aware of the cursory rubbishing John Pascoe delivered on the Tararua trampers in his book Land Uplifted High.
In May 2003 Honora and I flew to Wellington to join a trip organised by Eric Duggan of the VUWTC. The trip was a memorial tramp to Carkeek Hut in honour of Simon Hassall.
My notes from the weekend:
Friday - Honora & I waited at platform 9 Wellington railway station for our transport. We were picked up by Peter Rowe with Lisa Lee-Johnson and Catherine Moger. It was dark before we were out of the city. We stopped for a meal at Carterton - fish n' chips in the main street - then carried on to Holdsworth Lodge. We walked up the Atiwhatua valley track, stopping to chat briefly to people bunked down in Atiwhakatu Hut. The track turned uphill and we climbed to the bushline and Jumbo Hut. It was midnight when we arrived and the hut was in darkness. Eric Duggan, James Kaiser, Ben Clundan & Kathryn Gow were already there asleep. The hut was fairly full but we managed to find bunk space in the dark.
Saturday - Rain and wind from the nor'west. The nine of us continued up the ridge and over Jumbo, Angle Knob and down McGregor Spur to the junction of Waiohine River at Dorset Creek. The river was too high to cross so we stopped there for three hours waiting for it to drop. Eventually Eric and Lisa managed to force their way across. Everyone followed and we travelled up river through the gorge to Park Forks. This entailed five pack-floats across the flooded river.
A bush track led up Carkeek Ridge to Carkeek Hut at the bushline. Richard Davies, Graham Russell, Joe Prebble & Tony Gates were already there. They had the fire going and as each of us arrived at the door we were handed a cup of hot soup.
Later, hours after dark, Anna Kaiser and Hannah McGregor arrived, having travelled across the tops in very rough conditions.
Sunday - The weather hadn't improved. After discussion, the hut party split into two groups for the walk out. Tony Gates gathered his group of four plus Hannah, Ben & Kathryn for a long trip out via Dracophyllum Biv and Te Matawai Hut to the Ohau River. Our original group of nine lost two and gained Anna. Eric's plan was to head to Dorset Ridge then decide on our course from there. We headed down directly from the door of the hut to the Waiohine River and up to Dorset Ridge. From there we travelled along the ridge over Girdlestone, Brockett, Mitre and Peggys Peak. The wind was quite strong and we sometimes had to hang onto the ground. One person's over-trous were shredded by the wind. On one of the peaks Eric phoned his parents and arranged for them to shuttle the cars for us. After Peggys Peak we dropped off the tops and followed the track down to Mitre Flats Hut in the Waingawa River. We walked out in the dark along Barra Track to the Pines. The cars were waiting and we drove to Masterton looking for food. We found a pizzeria which agreed to delay closing till we'd eaten. It was after midnight when we arrived back in Wellington.
Phew!
A number of things impacted on me about this tramp to make it one of my all time favourites.
The Tararuas - The rich texture of the Tararua environment, and the dramatic interaction of its terrain and weather conditions. The varied challenges presented in such a compact area.
The VUWTC - There was a very wide range of experience levels in the group (it was the first tramp for at least one). But it was impossible to detect who was experienced and who was a newby by the way people spoke to each other. i.e no hierarchical or competitive behaviour. And the keen-ness for adventure seemed to be shared by all.
Overall the tramp had challenges on it that I don't think would have been faced as confidently by Hard trampers in my regular club, the CTC.
Was this a Tararua tramper thing or was it more about the young trampers of the VUWTC, or was it something else?
Whatever. I could see what Simon got out of it.
Frank - good to hear. I was close friends with Simon and carried the heavy bugger at his service. Still miss him a lot. Was on the memorial trip, but turned back sat morning at Jumbo with an ankle still sore from a wrench in the Havelock a few weeks before. Briefly said 'hello' to you and Honora in the rain and mist. Now that Winter's closing in here in America, I find myself vicariously looking at NZ tramping sites. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Adrian Barr | 23 November 2005 at 03:21 PM
Hi Frank, have just discovered your site and I hope you don't mind me adding a contribution. I came in from the western side of the range that weekend and had the fire going when you guys arrived in. It was a memorable trip (rare for the most-weekends tararua tramper!) It was probably a fair reflection of Simons contribution to our club in his relatively short time up here that we got about two years worth of carkeek visitors into the hut on one weekend, and in some foul tararua weather at that. You may be interested to know that in December last year Eric, Adrian, Peter Rowe and Malcolm McGechie (who wasn't on the original trip) went into Carkeek and installed the plaque that we had intended to install with you. It was nearly a year ago now and we tramped in "early summer conditions" with 1/2 a foot of snow on top of the Eastern Range! The snow was gone on sunday, but we were reduced to scrabbling in the tussock in blustery winds that drained our energy, a great day to stay in the hut and burn wood and drink brews but the office life doesn't allow these chances easily.
The simple, lovely plaque was still there in febuary when Eric, Peter and I passed through in glorious sunshine on our way to bivvy under the last beech tree before the tussock and scrub takes over in the head of the Waiohine river. We had a fire, ate a kilo of mince between the three of us and finished with cheesecake and youghurt as the last light lit up Lancaster. I think Simon would have appreciated it.
Posted by: Richard Davies | 28 November 2005 at 07:08 PM