Climbers from Kime

The Wanderers Return

If the weariness of the trampers is any indication of the success of a trip, the Tramping Club's visit to Kime skiing ground last week-end was quite up to expectations, in spite of the unexpected turn of events.

The party that tumbled out of the bus in Grey Street just before ten o'clock on Sunday night was bleary-eyed and yawny, but everyone was happy.

To begin with, the chartered bus (a popular innovation instead of the usual lorry) was suffering from an acute attack of water in the petrol system, and arrived at Museum Street a couple of hours late. However, we got under way at last but saw darkness fall before we reached Paekak. (memorable for pies, tea and buns). The bus proved too cumbersome to take right up the Otaki Gorge, so we had to disembark five miles below the Forks, and plod along the hard road. That took an hour and a quarter, so we finally reached the Forks about eight-thirty-only half an hour or so before the advance party, which had gone ahead by "express" van, reached Kime Hut.

Chas. Stewart, the leader, had long before decided that pushing on immediately for Field's Hut was out of the question, and the great generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Corrigan solved our housing problem. These hospitable people accommodated the twenty-three of us in their house (the Post Office), the women using the School Room, and the men the living room. Hot water was provided in abundance and we were made more than welcome. After allaying the pangs, we turned in at ten p.m. in preparation for an early start.

The early start was heralded by a melodious alarm at two a.m. After a buffet breakfast consisting of cereal (potage de riz au miel et fromage) and saveloys, we struck the trail with light packs at three o'clock. The long file of torches looked very spectacular zig-zagging up the spur above the Forks. When the bush was reached, we formed a tight crocodile, and no one was allowed to push ahead or lag behind. We reached Field's just before dawn and after a bit of a snack, hit the trail again about a quarter of an hour later in broad daylight. We were not long in reaching the snow-line, and soon we were treated to a glorious spectacle. Away to the south was Wellington, with its blue harbour and Somes Island clearly seen. Westward, Kapiti appeared very close, and just below us we saw the Otaki river winding easily out towards the sea. The coastline was clearly visible for a great distance, curving round in a vast bay. To the north, Ruapehu stood out clearly, red and golden, partly shaded, and partly bathed in the early morning sunshine. We could follow the low hills curving round westward beyond the water, and there at the very end, the smooth peak of Egmont stood high above them. It was a gorgeous sight in the soft colourings of dawn—a picture few of us may have the good fortune to see again. The Tararuas and the Ruahines were enveloped in billows of dense fog. Kime was reached about eight-thirty, and we had three and a half hours' sport in ideal snow conditions. Tobogganing and ski-ing are good fun even for beginners, and sometimes funnier to watch. We came down in fair time for a large party, but those last five miles along the highway were the ones that took the skin off!