ACROSS THE TARARUAS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8342, 31 January 1913, Page 8

ACROSS THE TARARUAS

A WAIBARAPA PARTY'S TRIP. Special to the “Times.”

OTAKI, January 30

As reported in a recent issue, a party of Wairarapa enthusiasts left last week on. a trip across the Tarama ranges tu Otaki, via the Tararua-Mount Hector track. The men arrived at Otaki yesterday. The trip was made mainly with, the object of discovering any improved, deviation from the present track, and to secure a report on the prospects of making the track a really good one for tour-' Ist traffic. The party comprised Mr Mark Maxtoa. (secretary of the Wairarapa Tourists Association), Mr W. I. Shanly (an on» thnsiastio mountaineer), hofh of Greytown, and Mr K. R. Watson, of the Public Works Department, Wellington, who was sent by .the Government to report on the condition of the track, and the probability of improving it. They left Grey, town at 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday last, and proceeded to the Tauherenikau Valley camp, which was reached at 7.34 that evening. They put up that night at the comfortable permanent quarters established by the associationjQXPXjOEATXON AND ADVENTDRK, The nest morning Mr Shanty returned to Grey-town with the pack-horse, and walked back to the Tauherenikau camp. In the meantime, Messrs Watson and Maxton spent the day exploring the Intis in the hope of discovering an easier and better route from Mount Beeves to the Tauherenikau Valley camp. They did not meet with much success, however, though they tramped many miles of rough country, and met with some rather unpleasant experiences. Once Mr Maxton had a harrow escape from falling over a precipice, white Mr Watson had a fall of about twelve feet at one time, but escaped with .only a shaking. On Friday, 21th, Mr Watson eet off alone to try a new ridge. Ho did the round trip to the summit of Mount Beeves and. back to the Tauherenikau successfully, discovering a route about which, he will have an interesting report to make. That night darkness sot in before he reached the camp, and not being quite sure of his whereabouts, ho passed the night on the riverbed, having nothing but his wet clothes for covering and the riverbed stones for a mattress. Despite this, he managed to get some sleep, though it was anything but a comfortable night. At daylight next morning he found that ho was only about a quarter of a mile from the camp, which, he quickly reached and joined the others of the party, who, had become very anxious for his safifcy. Mr Watson v had been away for twenty-four hours on hia lonely trip. On Saturday morning the three mountaineers left the comfortable camp and proceeded to Mount Alpha, and thenoo to the earn® site near Mount Alpha, where, owing to the heavy mist, they stayed for the night. ON WIND-SWEPT HECTOR. On Sunday morning a start was mad# for Mount Hector. A terrific wind was blowing, making progress slow. At times, on crossing the razorbacks near Hector, the party had to crawl on theii bands and knees, and Mr Watson says he has never experienced wind like it. The summit of Mount Hector was reached at 11 a-m. Hero the records loft by the party (which included several ladies) that hjd visited Hector during the' Christmas holidays were found and read with interest. It wag expected that Mr Field and a party would meet the Greytown party at Hector, but as they were pot to be found, the travellers decided to push on for Otaki. They left Hector at 12.30 p.m., and immediately after they started a dense fog rolled up and enveloped the mountains. Rain followed, and continuued all day, making matters decidedly uncomfortable for all. To add to the discomfort, the supply of food was getting low, and it was decided to go on short rations. It was extremely difficult to find the track along the mountain tops in the mist, and several false moveo were made- However, slow progress was made in. the right direction, -• about 4.30 p.m., when the party reached a spot where there was ample water and firewood, they decided to camp for the night. This was evidently at Table Top, or between there and Mount Dennon. The little tent (lent by Mr W. H. Field) was pitched, and the weary mountaineers made the best of a bad night. They were wet to the skin, their pockets were bulging with water, and much of their food was soaked. A fire was lighted, and the men sat cut m the rain, naked while their clothes got dry by the fire.’ At about 11 a.m. on Monday the fog cleared away, and the party discovered the track, went down Judd's spur, and soon came to the friendly shelter of Judd’s whare. Here they made themselves comfortable and spent the night A message sent to Otaki for a vehicle warn isunderstood, but next morning the party walked on to Waihoanga, where they were met by Mr Archie Smith, who drove them to Otaki.

Despite their unpleasant experiences and arduous climb, the party were all in excellent health and spiritswhen they arrived at Otaki, and expressed themselves delighted with the trip. They all thought that, provided good weather was experienced, the trip would he an exceedingly enjoyable and interesting one. The party erected a number of fingerposts, etc., for the guidance of parties who might be nonplussed by mountain, mists, and took note of various possible improvements to the track, etc., which they will suggest to the Wairarapa mountain track committee on their return to Greytown.

Hr Maxton proceeded to tVaikanao last evening, while Messrs Shanly and Watson left this morning for theirjiomes.