Pencarrow

Peg Ross led 18 enthusiasts to Pencarrow on Sunday, June 15. Round the lakes, over the painfully scrubby ridge, and down to Gollan's Valley they raced (they say they raced), to work up a thirst which was quenched, we are told, with Centennial Shandy matured for seven years.

Putangarua Pinnacles

Ted Bradstock took a truckful of folk to Palliser, eager to spend the shortest day of 1947 under canvas. It was a chill and wet day, too. The canvas was the club's white elephant, the mighty tent. Though it demands six strong men to carry it, it apparently served its purpose in preventing the party" spirits from being dampened.

The pinnacles are extraordinary and quite terrifying columns. At one stage a sticky avalanche threatened to engulf the party, and called forth some of Peter Mitchell's metaphors and puns.

Ski-ing at Ruapehu

Floods did not deter Jack McDonald from taking his Ski Tournament candidates and sundry others up to Ruapehu. June 27-29. Nearly a score or hods packed into a large lorry and arrived at the Chateau, after many halts for blocked roads, on Saturday afternoon. They stayed in a hut there, as a blizzard made Salt Hut unattainable. Sunday morning they ski-ed, or learnt to, under ideal conditions. With Phil Downie and Malcolm Mace, VUC will have a good men's team, anyway.

Miscellany

The weekend July 4-6 was outstanding for tramping activity. Weather held fine and Sunny stayed at home. The tops of the Tararuas were covered with deep snow.

The official club trip was over the Orongos to Palliser, where Ken Johnstone led about a dozen people. They went In to Tawhai on Friday night, crossed via the Tapokapoka Saddle to pitch tents at the Red Hut, on Saturday night. The return to the Orongos was made down Goat Creek, and so back to the Walnul Valley.

The Biology Society went up from Otaki to Field Hut. We hear that certain of them were seduced from their biological purposes to ski with various Tramping Club types. Others were up at Klme, the ski-ing was good and those who carry skis up there through soft snow deserve better skin than they usually get.

The snows of the Northern Tararuas were also ravished by the large and muddy hoots of VUC trampers. Marshall Laird led a party of five on a trip that aimed at Arete, and actually approached the summit of Pulcema-tawal. Going into Ohau on Friday night, they spent Saturday getting to Te Matawai Hut. That night was surprisingly warm and still; perhaps that was why people left their sacks at 4.30 on Sunday morning with scarcely a groan, and set out for the heights, with torches to assist cloudy moonlight. The slushy track too soon became thigh-deep snow, that hid sharp sticks and tussock, but a brilliant dawn revealed Pukemata-wai, Lancaster and Thompson, looking so tantalising that the party trudged feverishly on till wind-slab made the going dangerous. Arete was obviously impossible in the time available. It was Pukematawai or the train. They missed both.

Future

There are still many weekends-before the August holidays and skiing trips. Rangiwahia Ski Club's Hut in the Ruahines has been booked for ten people; others are going to Queenstown, and the Tararuas are always with us. So don't be like Sunny.