OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

Shannon News, 15 March 1927, Page 4

OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

LEVIN TO EKETAHUNA. LEVIN PARTY MAKES FIRST SUCCESSFUL CROSSING. (From the Levin Chronicle). On several occasions attempts have been made by various parties to cross Tar'arua Ranges from Levin to Eketahuna and one or two efforts havi even been made by trampers from Elcetaliuna and -Masterton to overcome tho difficulties of scrub, bush, and,mountain tussock and cress from the other side. Up till this week, however, a complete traverse of the higher peaks of the Dun das ridge had not been completed, nor did the area covered by the aspirants from each side, connect. However, from information supplied by Mr and Mrs Broekett, of Masterton. and from his own personal kknowledge of the Tararuas, Mr G. L. Adkin- prepared a comprehensive map and with this information, he and Messrs E. S. Lancaster, J. Logan and W. HL Walker, of Levin, set out at 5 a.m. on Friday week last with a firm determination to • effect the crossing if the weather would only prove favourable. THE UPPER OHATJ, The pipe bridge at the settling tank 3 was left behind at 5.40 a.m. and shortly afterwards the party were making their way up the bed of the Ohau river above the intake. The river was fairly low but there has been considerable scour in some of the gorges and the quartette vflere at times,, wading through water up to their waists and scrambling round rocky faces with only a precarious foothold. It was in one of these places thdt cue of the party received his initiation by immersion through slipping on a bpulder and taking an awkward header into the stream. Good time was made along .this stretch which for scenic effects is surely not surpassed anywhere in New Zealand, and Mr Adkin, who carried his half-plate photographic outfit, was busy at different points making a pictorial record of the (rip. DECEPTION RIDGE. , After some six and a-half miles ir. the river bed a halt was made at the confluence of the Ohau’s northern and southern branches and after a hot cup of tea the climb up the spur of Deception Ridge was ccmmenced. This has been wel 1 . named for on looking to wards the mountains from Levin on. would never dream that it was necessary to ascend and descend a rang 2 of bush-clad hills over 2000 feet high before attacking the main divide. The top of Deception Ridge was reached at 2.46 p.m., and after a short spell the climbers were off again. On a previous trip Mr Adkin had indicated that :t was necessary to travel along the top of the ridge to the northward by cutting a well-defined arrow on a tree Another of these blazes about a quarter of a mile further on indicates the point of descent along a ridge that is extremely steep. THE FIRST CAMP.

The -Mangahao liver was reached at 5.4 p.m. and the first camp was pitched and tea prepared on Avalanche Clearing. This is a flat of about three acres and is appropriately named for some years ago two slips converging near, the top of a gorge brought away the whole hillside and spread the debr:? across the valley completely blocking the river. When Messrs Lancaster and Adkin crossed here on their first trip to the Wairarapa the slip was--a fairly new one and the liver had cut a new. channel round right under the foot of Mt. Dundas. Time, however, has effected a change and after cutting a series of channels and leaving three distinct terraces the river is now back, to the old course at the foot of Deception Ridge. Nature here reveals her. healing hand in a wonderful way, for the walls of the chasm left by this avalanche are again clothed in native bush ana the flat itself is becoming covered with red birch scrub which will in time become heavy timber. ASCENT OF DUNDAS. ■ A comfortable night was spent at this camp -md on Saturday morning after an early breakfast, the ascent of Mt. Dundas was commenced at 6.53 a.m. A well-defined trail has , been blazed through the bush right up to the timber line and it is evident that the track has been used by several parties, the last record made appearing*to be that of E. Tickers and G. Harris at Christmas time in 1925. The timber line was left behind at 10.30 a.nj., and the travellers emerged on to the Alpine meadow, which is in reality ftissock about 4ft high, at 10.38 a.m. Dundas pre.ients few difficulties, worst being Triangle Knob, where it is necessary to scramble .'round the face of the rock and in seme places creep.aip on hands and knees. However,"'fras obstacle was surmounted by 1.20 p.m. and, a descent made from the connecting 1 Saddle to obtain water. ; r - THE SECOND CAMP. 1 The top of Dundas, 4935 feet, was reached by 3.28 p.m., but the wind was so strong that it was found necessary to descend into the Ruamahunga watershed for some 900 feet to obtain a little shelter for the night. This was a most uncomfortable camp as the space was very limited and it was necessary to spend the night in. a sitting position, while the cold was intense. Traces of deer were prevalent on the western slopes of the ranges, but none were actually encountered until reaching the summit of Dundas, when a stag and a hind were seen going over a spur on the next ridge, and a herd of five were grazing a little further down. ' PANORAMA FROM DUNDAS. 1 A magnificent panorama presents it-1 self from Dundas and enables anyone I interested in geology to see how the ’ country in the valley has been built up by the continual action of mountain streams. The vast expanse of the North Island is laid before the eye from coast to coast and from Mt. Egmont and Ruapehu in the north to the Kaikopras in the South Island. (

On Sunday morning the party was on the move at 6.7 a.m. They were now on interesting ground for the next peak is the one that has so often been discussed in connection with the trig station that was eventually shifted to Mt. Dundas. Invesigation revealed no sign of a trig ever having existed here, but on the second peak there is the remains of the rocky cairn and a couple of pieces of timber. This bears out the

late Mr Ben Stickle’s recollection that the second peak . to the northward of Mt. Dundas is the one on which the trig station was originally erected and which is known as Pukemoremore. The middle peak not being named, the party decided to know it in future as Mt. Logan. SIGNAL FIRES. Pukemoremore was left behind at 8.30 a.m. and at 10 o ’clock a signal fire was lit as nearly as possible in what was considered to be a direct line with Queen Street. This was on the slopes of another peak that was unnamed, so it was immediately decided that it be given the title of Mt. Walker. Speaking from the summit with solemn dignity, the member of * the party thus honoured, formally acknowledged the compliment and declared the peak open to anyone in Levin who cared to . make the climb. On West peak a halt was made for lunch which on this occasion was rather a dry affair as the only available water was a pint and this had to be conserved as the deer had stirred all the small mountain tarns into regular quagmires. However, the hour’s rest proved refreshing and the descent of a deep saddle connecting West peak and East peak was commenced at 11.53 a.m. Mr Adkin left the other three members at the . top of the saddle and made a descent into the gully in an effort to obtain water, but owing to the exceptionally dry season and the porous nature of the rock the search was futile and a long strenuous climb to the top of East peak was commenced. DEER PLENTIFUL. Deer were plentiful all along the ridges here and although hard things were said of them for the way in which they had polluted the water, they proved a blessing in another direction for they had left a well-defined track through the tussock along the top of the ridges and this enabled the party to make much beter progress than would otherwise have been possible. THE THIRD CAMP. Mt. Ruapai was soon left behind and passing over another small pointed peak 1 the party reached the point of divergence in the ranges at 4 p.m. Taking the North East ridge they pushed on till 4.20 p.m., when they came to another muddy tarn, but in a little mossy depression there was enough clear water to enable them to camp for the night. Although it was bitterly cold this camp was fairly comfortable and after their ten and a-quarter hour trek . along the top of the mountains a good j night was spent. j The lights of Foxton were right beI low and those of Eketahuna were vis- ; ible on the other side of the range. On the Foxton side the head-lights of motor cars on two roads showed up very clear, and while having breakfast on Monday morning the mill whistles were heard quite clearly.

MONDAY’S MARCH

The journey was resumed at 7.40 a.m. on Monday along a broad ridge covered with tussock and leather leaf, Ngamaia trig station (3221 ft) was reached at 9.5 a.m. and a quick descent was made along a ridge that was comparatively clear of scrub to the bush line. A well-defined track through the bush landed the party on a knoll at the; edge of a well-grassed clearing and by 11.10

a.m. they had reached a creek at the foot of the spur and were soon enjoying a bathe in a spacious pool waist deep. After boiling the billy and having lunch they . set. out along a bush tram line which landed them at the home of Mr A. H. Estcott, of Putara, where they were hospitably received. EKETAHUNA REACHED. A phone message to Eketahuna announced that the first crossing of the Tararuas from Levin to Eketahuna had been successfully accomplished in three and a'-half days, and Mr G. T. Allen, of the Eketahuna “Express,” went out and motored the pioneers into town, where they were met by members of the Chamber of Commerce, who entertained them in a most cordial manner. All fo,ur members of the party sav they., enjoyed every portion of the journey and feel thoroughly invigorated with the mountain air. They returned to Levin by the Napier Express