RAKAIA HEADWATERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 75, 9 January 1928, Page 6

RAKAIA HEADWATERS.

VISIT by trampsmu party. (Per Press Association., CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. On Christmas Day a party of the Christchurch Tramping Club left for a ten days’ trip to the head of the Rakaia. At Darfield, a motor-’bus met the party, and after nearly six hours’ travelling, Glen Falloed Station, far up the Rakaia, was reached at 4.45 p.in. A start was made again on foot, with exceedingly heavy packs, and nightfall found the party struggling through the Lake Heron stream. A camp was made in scrub on the Rakaia River bed in ideal weather, and early next morning, in the fact of a north-wester, the party set out for the Washburn Hut, five miles from the Ramsay Glacier, where a base camp was made. From here the glaciers were explored ■ and Mount Hiedhurst was climbed.

On December 28, a heavy northwester with rain turned the usually dry slopes into ’’aging cascades, and falls were seen from the Tamp. There was much evidence of deer at the head waters, and about 30 binds were counted. On December 30 the party divided, four leaving lor tlie W T est Coast via the AVilfoxd Pass. Unfortunately, Cooke sprained his ankle, and it was six hours of heavy going before the injured man and the packs arrived at Duncan’s Hut, on the other side of the Rakaia. A couple of the party went on to Manuka Point Station, where Mr Walker and Air and Airs Fareman, Alessrs Pollock and Stewart and others rendered great assistance in getting the injured man down to the station and . town, where he arrived on Friday, at 9.30 p.m. f On of the party, Fenwick, to whom great credit is due, walked 40 miles to Alethven, obtained what sleep he could on the station seat, and reached town by an early train, to get a car. to meet the patient, Wireless came into its own here, when the broadcasting station sent out instructions to the Alanuki Point Station to send the man by waggon to meet the motor. In the meantime the other party back-tracked, and put the night in at tlie Dawn’s Hut,, on Lake Heron Stream, in the midst Of magnificent and rugged scenery. The following day was used up on the 15-mile hike to Air Urquhart’s homestead on Lake Heron, a five-mile sheet of water set as a cameo in the midst of towering peaks,- and where, by the kind permission of the owner, th© party were comfortably housed in the- shearing.' hut.New Year’s Day broke fin'e,- and some of the party tramped to Alouut Arrowsmith, that beautiful, massive and unclimbable mountain at tlie head of the Cameon. Some hundreds' of photographs were taken, and on Monday the' party left the lake to coaeli to Alount Somers. The earlv train to Ashburton and home was caught next morning', the members being highly satisfied with the outing.