ACROSS THE TARARUAS.

Shannon News, 13 November 1923, Page 4

ACROSS THE TARARUAS.

ALPHA IN AN EASY DAY. NEW' TRACK COMPLETED. - Few cities have the unspoiled wilds of nature so readily accessible as Wellington. Chief amongst these are the Tararuas, rich in, the silent mystery of the moss-gilded forest path, the mounting trail with delicate vignettes that widen to magnificent panoramas from the peaks, now brought within easy distance of, the city by the new Kaitoke —Omega track, completed on Saturday by the Tararua Tramping Club. Alpha Hut, the central point of the most interesting portion of the range, situated where parties who may lose their way in th'e mists on the open ridges leading to Mt. Hector need it most, has just been enlarged by the club to double its capacity, and can now take parties of 30 or more. Alpha has already been reached by a party including • ladies in 7J - hours from Kaitoke.

Many people have for years made , the trip across the ranges from Woodside to Otaki over Mt. Hector, but the route had a drawback to Wellington parties in the fact that it toolp two days to reach the Alpha Hut. It also involved the crossing of the Tauherenikau River, subject to sudden floods, which render it. impassable, and there are several severe climbs, including Mt. Reeves (3669 ft), the advantage of which is subsequently lost. Mountain weather is hard to foretell, and by ..the time the party reached Alpha it was frequently wea,therbound there. Recognising these difficulties, and !■ convinced that there must be a better and more direct route nearer Wellington, anv enthusiastic member of the Tararua Tramping Club made several exploratory trips on the main ridge i leading in from Kaitoke, over Mt. Marchant. The first step was the cutting,of a track to Dobson's Mistake from the spurs at Kaitoke, and the I <building of a. log cabin,'known aB the Dobson hut, two hours and a half easy | walking from Kaitoke railway staticm. The cutting and blazing of a welldefined track from the Dobson hut to the Omega summit was finished last week, and a further contract has been let for a graded track from Omega to Hell's. Gate Saddle, connecting Omega"and Alpha, that will save 300ft' ; of climb, joining the WoodsideOtaki horse track at Hell's Gates. The new track is bound to become popular. It has been cover"ea\from Alpha to Kaitoke in five hours, and a good walker used to bush travel should make .the up journey in six hours'. Except: '-for tne narrow blazed trail the forest is as it.was a century ago. ! no severe climbs. Mt. Marchant (3406 ft) is skirted well up, but the track drops only slightly again before reaching Omega. There are numerous small ups and downs in the main ridge, but the height gained is on the main retained. Leaving the main road at the new concrete bridge over the Pukuratahi River, half an hour's walk from Kaitoke, the lowest point in a saddle to tlrp right of bluffs overlooking the Pukuratahi River is crossed,, and the hills on the righthand side are then skirted until reaching the second of two similar clumps of bush in a grassed valley. Passing below a raupo swamp to the right of the second clump, a (track through titreo leads' up a spur to a bare summit where' a turn to the left is made until the blazed trail is struck. After that it is hard to miss, except at Dobson's hut where the, big ridge pole points the way. With the aid of a Government subsidy the- Tararua Tramping Club has completely remodelled. Alpha hut, which now measures 10ft by 24ft, compared with the old 10ft by 12ft hut. The iron had to be packed in from Woodside. All the timber was got on the spot, and it was with the greatest difficulty that straight poles were hewn out. Nothing over six feet long, of suitable thickness, was found straight enought to use. The trees are all so warped by winds and tortured by frosts that it was necessary to utilise a inch tree to secure a straight ridge pole 6by 4 inches. Many of the shorter timbers were carried the better part of a mile from where they were felled. Mr. A. Gibbs, a member of the club, who was in charge of the improvements to the hut and of cutting the track, has made a solid job of the fittings. The bunk platforms and the flooring < of the ,hut consists of threeinch axe-squared planks, likewise the table. There is a sixfoot fireplace, with room for more than one party to cook at a time. , At one end there is a seven-foot bunk, to hold four tall men, below that two bunks, 10ft wide, and benches beside the table that can serve as ' bunks, while a 10ft wide bunk at the other end. leaves room for ! another 10ft bunk above it. The hut can easily accommodate 30 people, and is comfortable enough to make a stay of several days a pleasure. Various excursions may be made, including Mount' Hector (5010 ft), and the high level vegetation is in itself an interesting study, while the views in all directions arc magnificent.

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