A Hell Trip. (After finals, 1962)

Party: Ning (Leader) and Nong.

(Names have been changed to protect the guilty)

On 7th November, 1962, a fateful Wednesday, two idiots undertook to reach the bash by a suitably unconventional route. An Oriwa-Pakihore-Southerm was selected, and Ning and Nong caught the Limited. Being convinced of the greed of taxi-drivers, and driver-bashing not yet recognised, they footed it to some pine trees by the pipe bridge and camped. This is where Ning broke his new slasher demonstrsting it to Nong.

At 5-30 next morming they set off, realizing time was not going to be plentiful. In the half light some good angel put them on to the correct ridge, and off they went. Breakfast was at the Palmer camp site, and lunch at Waiopehu. Here it rained, and our heroic duo began to have doubts. At 3 p.m. they left Waiopehu after a two-hour spell and gained the peak. Oriwa ideas were rejected, and a Dora-Northern-Mitre-Holdsworth-Totara Flats-A.D. substituted by our heroes. Undaunted by leatherwood they pushed on to Twin Peak and, following the map in the mist, disappeared down a spur.

Again at the trig, but this time using a compass, they followed discs to a saddle and lost them at dusk. Torches were brought into play and, as Nong was keen an Te-matawai, the discs were relocated and followed upwards through even worse bush. In fact Nong at one stage vanished completely, screaming an unintelligable warning. Ning's carbide lamp gave up the ghost and all oblivious he walked over a bluff. Gazing dazedly upward he saw the moon, which wavered feebly and bleated, "How do I get out of this tree?"

"How did you get in?"

"I fell in"

"Well, fall out again."

After some difference of opinion after Nong had climbed and fallen out, Nong prevailed and off went our heroes for Te Matawai. They gave up after reaching snow- page break grass, and dining on hot pineapple and whisky managed to sleep through light rain. Thursday - 18 1/2 hours.

On Friday morning they awoke to the sight of a trig twenty yards away, and a dirty great saddle with pukematawai at the other end of it. They were back at Twin Peak. Some urgency was indicated, so they got a pair of fast camels and bushwacked to Richard's Knob, thence to Te Matawai for breakfast. Lunch was had on Pukematawai, and as a consequence of Nong's dislike for moonlight rock-climbing, an early stop was made at Tarn Ridge. Friday - 11 hours.

Saturday, the day of the bash, was ushered in by Ning's alarm clock at 1-30 a.m.. They were in business! At 3 a.m. they headed by torchlight, moonless, in a heavy frost, for A.D., On Girdlestone at 5 a.m., while admiring sunrise, King discovered the total loss of his broken slasher. At 10 a.m. Some shooters were inclined to disbelieve they had come from Tarn Ridge. Lunch at McGregor, then Powell at 1 P.M. Our heroes were starting to flake, but had a two-hour sleep, then headed for Totara Flats. Here, at 5-30, they acknowledged defeat, by falling asleep on arrival. Ning felt hungry, but fell into the rire (through sleep) trying to get stew. Saturday -16 hours.

On Sunday they headed for A.D., meeting the bash remnants at 2-30, and gaining the Shelter at 5-30 - 9 hours.

This marathon averaged 13 1/2 hours per day.

W.R.S.

Since our Chief Guides recent decision to major in Tramping there has been much discussion among Club members on the part Tramping should play in the life of the average University, Student. We are all looking forward eagerly to the near future when it is hoped that Victoria will follow the lead of Washington University in providing a course in mountaineering and bush-craft¹.