Ruahine And South Tararuas Visited By Trampers

Chronicle (Levin), 8 May 1948, Page 4

Ruahine And South Tararuas Visited By Trampers

^ — A mix.ed. party of Le-vin-Waiopehu Tramping; Cluh m.embers. las.t weekend vMted the sonthern Tararuas via the Hector- Track. Leaving "the Otaki Forks at 9-.45 a.m., a leisurely climb. was rnade to- Field 'Hut, which was reached at- 1 p.m. The remainder of the day was spent in expJLoring the locality overlooking the' northern Otaki vafiey, which was picturesque. Next morning the journey was continued in glorioug sunshine to ;Kime 'Hut ahd hJfount Hector, ! which was reached after three hours. . On. this, the highest peak of the sonthern Tararuas,. aimost an hour was spent. in admiring the magnificent view. After taking many photographs, the party returned to the Otaki Forks. During the weekend a party of three club members joined- forces with the Tararua and Mlanawatu Ghiha in ihe pioneering of a ro.ute across the southern Ruahines. The Levin party met the Tararua party on Friday evening and Iravelled by rail to Palmerston North, where camp was made at the Esplanade. ' Early on S.aturday morning the party from the Mana^ watn. Club arrived and the journey to the Ruahines, near Dannevirke began. The truck travelled via the Saddle Road, a route which pre--sented many beautiful autumn views of poplars and wiiiows beside the Pohangina River. At the end of the road the t.ruck was- abandoned and the party proceeded up a mountainc stream until at 3 p.m. camp was made on ihe best- patches of a stony fiat. Early- Sunday morning saw the party making their way up ihe headquarters of the stream to a low saddle on the main Ruahine R-ange. From there track cutting heeame necessary owing to the profuse growth of leathe.rwoo.d,. a very tough grained sub-alpine shcub, and c.onsoquently very- sipw 'time was made untfi- the party sto.od and resied for a whfie on the summit _ of Miaharahara Peak. From!. tlfia vantage point, Ruapehu's snow c-fad siopes- showed pure white- against the blue sky, and to der- right, seeming very smSlI, 'was Ngaucuhoe's smo.uldering cone belehing' torf-h tremendous clouds ■Qf smoke at regular ' intervals.' As eaeh plume of- smoke was sfiot ;high. tato the air, ife was carried away towardsi Taupo, by- the westejrtyr wind. Fbr a long, time the party watched and then descen'ded idfiiQkl^,/ the road b.eing, reached early m-the afternoon.