10 – 11 January.

We left Pukahu at the usual time, but was then diverted in to Bunnings in Hastings because John had left a phone there the previous day.    There was then a pick up at Omahu and we were on our way up the Taihape Road to the Cameron carpark.  

Around 9.30 saw our first crossing of the Ngaruroro River.  It was pretty low flow but the water was reasonably swift and the algal covered rocks were greasy, this meant that 2 of our members had an unscheduled swim.   Susan and Glenda had planned only to go part way up the river and then return to the van to camp and when they turned round before the third crossing  Anne decided she would also accompany them.

After leaving the others at the third crossing we continued on up the river using the reasonably well marked tracks that keep you out of the riverbed for most of the time apart from multitudinous crossings. Then we crossed to the true right  to a place where the river bank had been washed away and climbed up the  three metre bank of crumbly dirt and shingle to look for the expected track on the big river flat.  It was tight, it was scratchy, it was hot and sticky, it was not where the track was. How many times does Glenda have to tell people not to follow Peter. An hour later the track was finally found on the true left.

From here we mostly stayed on course, none of the crossings were too hairy and we eventually arrived at the hut where a couple of families were already set up.  Across from the hut, the almost cliff like steep riversides  that rise for hundreds of meters is an amazing sight with the bands of rock twisted and swirled into astonishing patterns, another feature of the hut is the leafless lawyer that grows right in front of the hut.

Next morning dawned fine and warm and soon became fine and hot.  Soon the wind began to pick up and started to cause problems, particularly when doing river crossings.  A great gust would roar down the valley, blowing sheets of water off the river and onto the riverside. Then a huge gust hit me as I stepped onto a rock and sent me running full tit across a boulder field, unable to stop and just trying not to get munted. Fortunately it only lasted a few seconds and I was able to keep my feet, but the others reckoned it looked bloody hairy. Then I discovered that my glassess had been blown clean off my face, fortunately we found them undamaged. The wind certainly added interest to the tramp and we were down the bottom of a big sheltered river valley. Still if you’re going to tramp up the Ngaruroro you might as well pick the day that it’s going to be twenty seven in town.

Van party:  After returning to the van we put up our tents and had lunch.  We then did a return walk down the road to the river by Robsons Lodge.  After a bit of a lazy time we had our dinner and then  walked  back up the road the the old fire pond site where there is a reasonable view down to our camp site.   On the Sunday we walked down to the Oxbow campsite. We checked out all the tracks down to the river there  before returning to the van and heading down the Smith Russell  track  to the Ngaruroro River and had our  lunch as we waited for the others to return.

Peter B, Murry A, Susan L,  Glenda H, Donna W, Lou C, Nic W, Anne D and John M

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