TO THE SUMMIT OF WAIOPEHU

Levin Daily Chronicle, 25 February 1928, Page 6

TO THE SUMMIT OF WAIOPEHU

LADIES' WEEK-END TRIP. A REVELATION OF SCENIC BEAUTIES,. Among those wfiw recently spent a night at the Hut on. Mount -Waiopehu was the Mayoress of Levin, Mrs Hobson, who has written for the Chronicle an entertaining account of the outing, and. has demonstrated that the pleasures of mountaineering are not for the-, younger generation ' alone. The: Mayoress has now become an active member of the Levitt-Waio-pehu Club, which has been responsible for opening up Levin's particular mountain to climbers-. My trip to Waiopehtf was to lie quite ; "sub rosn,"; for one reason-1 did not know whether I, should be lucky enough to get as far as the top, and another that I might require numerous, rests on the way up, which might, not he agreeable to other members, of a, tramping party. However, [ got thei>? imd back without any serious happeuingg. and. MrLancaster has asked me to give my impressions of the trip; he was much polite to say, "That. if I could got asfar as the summit, he was sure anyone else could," but you will judge from, results that the outing is not by any moiiiiß exclusive to the younger'generation. It was not the best of weather when we, started—the mountains were very misty—but '6iir plans had beer, made, and we hoped for better things, so Mrs Mackenzie drove us oat to the Pipe Bridge about 1.0 o'clock on theSaturday morning. Her two girls and my two, who had already been up and were to act as guides, and. myself constituted the "party." We carried our belongings in proper swag fashion, leaving the blankets at the bridge for Clive to bring up in the afternoon. There was no turning back after we went into the Bush- The "Great Adventure" had begun!. I think the track. is splendid; well-defined with blazed trees until near the top, where there are sticks to point out the way. Of course one must not stray from it, or disaster will result. Only those who have been through the bush, have any idea of the beauties thereof —wonder,ful tall trees of all kinds, glorious-tree-ferns, banks of kidney ferns, some of those immense trees being covered, with them the whole length of thetrunk; clumps of fern everywhere, including huge Prince of Wales or Crepe ferns —and there is not much undergrowth to impede the trumpeiv The first part of the journey is easily the most trying; very steep climbing until past Palmer's Camp. I fervently hoped it was not going to be like it all the way I -'We lunched at Palmer's Camp. 1 donot know exactly what visions I had., conjured up of this much-talked-of place—but I will not make any remarks about it! After lunch, much, refreshed and having got my second wind, and feeling; more in trumping form, we kept stendily on, with very few stops, and the remainder of the journey was not nearly so trying. In. one part of the bush, the trees are covered with, long trailing, mosses, which are rather weird, remind ing me of the pictures in " Grimm'< .Fairy Tales." One could, easily imagine that the stories could, be true in such surroundings. Shouts from those ahead, to-ld.us that the hut was in sight, and. it was not long before we were safe under its welcome roof —time, about 4 o'clock. Wesoon had a fire going, thanks, to thedry wood left in the hut, but were nearly* smoked out until Clive arrived and removed the lid. off the chimney and we could breathe again! We hud, tea and then, amused ourselves playing cards, as it had come on to rain and we could not go out exploring. We made a "field,bed" with, the dry'moss out of the tent,.had. a board covered with moss for. a pillow., and all went to bed fully, clothed, and slept until daylightAfter breakfast we set off. for the "Top." The rain had ceased!.and we had a wonderful view all round, but unfortunately the nt'St closed' up —in was quite a sight to see it chasing vouii'i the mountains. When wo readied the top there was no view at all, but we had the satisfaction of getting there and leaving our record oir the summit of Mt. Waiopehu. The Invest part of the mountain is covered" Avith lea-ther-loaf and snow pine, and'a lovely - little white flower like'nemesia "bedded the ground. Some, places were like terraces with masses of white flowers and there wen; lots of celmisias and other native flowers everywhere. We returned to the Hut, had lunch, tidied up and .started for home about 1 o'clock. Soon afterwards-it began' to rain and never ceased for three hours. We were all soaked to the skin, ::nd the track was very slushy, hvl no* one complained. At one of the lookouts, we saw Levin and the surrounding country bathed in sunshine, wc were being bathed in rain. We were sorry that the farmers were not getting instead of us. We came out of thebu.sh before five. \. felt as if I had been away in another woild: it was good to see the familiar landmarks. All the garments that could be cou--venientlv removed were taken ofT and' the water wrung out of them and they were then hung up on the bushes, and we sat around to dry too. The heat was intense, so it was not long before we were ready to move on again. Mr and Mrs Mackenzie were waiting for us. I think they were quite relieved t„ see their girls safe and sound. I know what it is to be waiting at home while the family is swallowed up in. the hills. After hot baths' and a good night's rest we were ready to atari; the week again, none the worse for our adventures. ' The hut was not finished when we were there, but is now completed, having two rooms with bunks iifboth, and'. above all, a tank. The excursion for water was quite the worst experience on the trip. It remains now for thosewho use the hut to treat it well, and keep the surroundings tidy, for I can judge, for myself what a contract it hasbeen to get all the material - ■-- sucln a height.