Kime

The main party gambled on the prospect of finding sufficient snow. There was almost too much. It took hair a day of trail-breaking, with the assistance of the Tararua Club, before the skiing ground was reached.

Spewed from the train on to Otaki station at 8.0 p.m. on Friday, sixteen hearty students were not a whit dismayed at having to wait two hours for transport, but sang and folkdanced on the railway track until the truck arrived.

The night was spent in the Tararua Club cottage at Otaki Forks till the early light of dawn (10 a.m.!) saw them trundling skis up the Hector Track. At Field Hut, Bill Bridge, chief guide of TTC, made it known that it would be very difficult going to Kime in the soft snow. It was decided to make Field's the base and continue the next day without full packs. So over 40 sardines were housed in Field's before night, not without some discomfort, and some parboiled food.

Sunday proved ideal for skiing with a hard fast surface on the snow. This was some disadvantage to beginners, but far more exciting than the cloying slush usually found at this time of the year.