OVER THE TARARUAS IN WINTER.

Shannon News, 4 September 1923, Page 4

OVER THE TARARUAS IN WINTER.

ARDUOUS STRUGGLE IN INTENSE COLD. THREE PARTIES OUT—ONE GETS > THROUGH. Three parties, mostly members of the Tararua Tramping Club, braved the rigours of winter on the Tararuas last week-end, the phenomenally cold and snowy conditions evidently tempting them to essay a crossing which had been found impossible the week before. One of the parties went' to Kaitoke on Friday, and spent that night at the club's hut at Dobson's Mistake. The next morning an early start was made, and after a hard tramp the Alpha hut was reached. Considerable difficulties were met with further on, where the main range joins the Woodside spur. Such was the time taken to climb over one little knob only from 200 to 300 ft. high, that it was resolved to turn back, particularly as some of the party were beginning to show signs of frostbite. Eyery step meant a plunge into two feet or more of soft snow, apd a scramble out; an arduous struggle for men laden with packs. So steps were turned homewards, the Tauherenikau hut being reached by dark. On Saturday and Sunday they walked through to Upper Hutt, none the worse for their outing.

A second party of trampers left Woodside on Saturday night, and arrived at the Tauherenikau hut at 2 a.m. on Sunday. They went on to the Alpha hut, finding fairly good going on account of the frost of Saturday evening, which had given the snow just sufficient surface: to make walking possible. Well frosted snow makes the best walking in the world, but on Sunday it was only just frosted enough to walk on. as the surface generally broke at the final push of each step. This party abandoned the trip forward of Alpha owing to the icy conditions of the range and the vicious head wind. As showing the intensity of the cold on the range last week-end, the streams usually found running even in winter were frozen solid. This, it is said, has not been known 1 before in the North Island, except in the heights of National Park, and then but rardly. The tjjird party started to conquer the range from the Otaki side. They left Te Moemoe hut (15 miles from Otaki) early on Saturday morning, and with a fair wind and good going they, made the Alpha hut in good time, but from there on they met with considerable difficulties, and did not reach the hut at Dobson's Mistake until after midnight on Saturday. On Sunday, after only two hours' rest,, these energetic young men set out to 'walk to Upper Hutt, reaching there in time to catch a train for town. — Dominion.