Map: BJ37 Kuripapango
Wednesday, August 31 2011
The day started with a major hiccup. The van broke down. Fortunately, we were still in town and we managed to get a replacement; along with another vehicle, we were soon on our way, only 30 minutes late.
It was a beautiful spring day, with just a small patch of low cloud covering the Kaweka range. The main group made their way up Trail Spur, stopping every now and then to keep an eye on the three in the rear. Large drifts of snow were not reached until after Dominie Bivvy. In places, the snow was hard enough to walk on top, but in others we sank through – sometimes up to knee level.
The cloud had lifted by the time we made it to the top and it was easy walking over the hard-packed snow to Kaweka J. Lovely views to the East but the West was very cloudy and a cool breeze sent us looking for a sheltered spot for lunch. The plastic bags came out and a few of us had fun sliding down the small hill behind the basin, before lunch. We waited for the other three to arrive, including our latest octogenarian who sat in the sun looking over the Bay – what a lunch spot!
The main group decided to return via Don’s Spur, a more open slope, so more snow to skid over or sink into. One or two took a tumble, and there was even a nose-dive. We picked our way through the contorta and down through the lovely beech trees over the stream and back to the car park.
Not long after, the other three arrived back safely and we left the car park around 3pm after a very successful and enjoyable day.
Trampers: John Marshall, Paul Exeter, Vic Bullock, Ron Morison, Keith Moretta, John Burrell, Dermott McCaughan, Peter Slagter, Les O’Shea, Robyn Smith, Rosemary Jeffery and reporter Alison Greer
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