OTAIHAPE ALPINE CLUB

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 9

OTAIHAPE ALPINE CLUB

TRIP TO KAWEKA RANGES MEETING WITH HERETAUNGA CLUB (Own Correspondent.) TAIHAPE, Feb. 7. A successful trip was made into the Southern Kaweka Ranges last weekend by four members of the Otaihape Alpine Club, Messrs. D. M. Mackay, W. King, M. Ward and B. Seccombe. The local party was met by a party of 19 members of the Heretaunga Tramping Club under the leadership of the club captain, Mr. Norman Elder, of Hastings. The combinde party bivouacked on Saturday night at Boyd’s homestead, at the back of Te Mahanga station, some 43 miles from Taihape on the Napier road. Leaving Boyd’s at 8.30 on Sunday the party covered about ten miles to a log cabin, climbing 4000 feet to the Haggitt Trig and thence by way of the top of the range.

After lunch at the cabin the return to Boyd’s was commenced, via the Haggitt Trig, to Cameron’s Camp, 3200 feet, and through Boyd’s bush. Owing to adverse weather conditions, heavy rain and mist, some difficulty was experienced in locating the bush track from Cameron’s Camp to Boyd’s, and after struggling through the dense undergrowth for some four hours, the party finally regained the track just before nightfall and arrived at Boyd’s at 8.30 p.m., thoroughly soaked after being 12 hours out. Three members of the Heretaunga club, who had returned by a shorter route, had thoughtfully prepared a hot meal for the later ai rivals. Both clubs left Te Mahanga turnoff at 10 p.m. for their respective towns, the Taihape party running into heavy rain and mist on the ieturn trip. The Otaihape Club's thanks are due to the Heretaunga Club for their excellent hospitality and to Mr. Norman Elder and Mr. Geoff Presse, of Hastings, for so capably leading the party.