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The First Victoria University Tramping Club Raglan Range Expedition - August 22-30.

- Peter Mansell

It was a good feeling easing back into the boots and into the tramping stride, not really knowing what to expect from the Raglan Range area. Wandering up the Silver-stream sidle track from the Branch River on Sunday took us through some very open beech,over a 3-wire bridge and into kea and bellbird territory. Our original plan of dropping into the adjacent Lost Stream was postponed as time ran out and murk ran in, allowing a lazy afternoon in pit,warmed by many brews,Phil's jokes,and the fire of Mid Silverstream Hut.

Swinging the packs on and stretching our legs again after a cramped double-bunked night we began leaving the Silverstream valley behind as we started up the spur next to the hut. The snow beyond the bushline was fresh,powdery and deep,with generally poor visibility added. Views of Scotts Knob to our left and what would have been amazing sights west toward the Raglan Range were totally obscured by Huey,who seemingly was here to stay.

Thigh-deep step plugging combined with sidling across slippery tussock not only wore us down but made the day a lot longer than expected,taking about 8½ hours getting into Lost Stream. After an eagerly awaited brew and dinner the fire claimed one sock after another as victims. It was a regular and hopelessly unavoidable feature of all the campfires to come - being a great laugh until your own woolies became charred.

Waking to the tinkering of a Kea's interest in our billies and bewels (sorry editor!) bowls,we were more than relieved to see the sky cloudless,the air calm and crisp. We could now see how idyllic the head of the Lost was;our camp surrounded by steep rugged snowy peaks dropping into a tussock and tree-covered glaciated floor.

Resentful of having to leave thearea we cautiously made our way down the icey frozen track following the stream to the Branch River. Through the canopy of trans-luscent greens we could see craggy bluffs and snow packed tops around towering Scotts Knob - plenty to keep climbers busy around this place.

From further up the Branch the tops at the head of Misery Stream looked very difficult,and with the tiring snow conditions in mind the hope of traversing the Raglan Range became impractical. The head of the Branch is one of several places worth revisiting,with its rough encircling tops,frozen waterfalls,picturesque tussock flats, huge screes and a well-equipped 2-man bivvy.

(cont.)