BIVOUAC ERECTED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 146, 2 April 1948, Page 2

BIVOUAC ERECTED

Mountaineering Club’s Successful Trip

ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS As a sequel to a packing trip made by six members of the Erewhon branch of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club, early in March, to the Eric Bivouac, at . tiie foot of the divide, an Easter trip was arranged to reniove the bivouac, built in 1937,, to a safer position, and also to enlarge it to accommodate five or six persons.

At dusk on Easter Thursday evening a party of 13 persons, comprising Erewhon members and friends, left Ashburton for Erewhon Station, on the Clyde River. Arriving there at 10.30 p.m. the party crossed the river and in perfect conditions set out in the moonlight for the C.M.C. hut, three hours’ travel up the Havelock River. However, due to heavy packs and fatigue, a bivouac was made under the stars at 2.30 a.m. on Friday.

Daylight saw the party under way again, and after an hour’s walk the Havelock Hut was reached, where breakfast was cooked and heartily enjoyed. Each member of the party was given a few lengths of match-lining, unused from the building of this hut, and by 10 a.m. everyone was away on the last but roughest lap of the trip, Heavily laden -as each person was, there were numerous spells, and time was taken to photograph the various peaks as they came into view.

The day was a perfect one until Totara Point was reached, and the peaks of the divide came into view. At this stage, about half-way on the last lap of the journey, nor’-west clouds began to appear, and the wind to blow. This made travelling difficult at times, the wind catching the timber lengths and retarding forward movement. After crossing the Havelock for the first and last time going up-stream, some of the party discarded the timber, to be picked up next day. From here on the wind increased in force.

New Site Reached

However, the first party reached the new bivouac site at 2.30 p.m., others arriving between this time and 4 p.m. After' a brew of tea everyone was allotted a task, and then began the work of moving the pack-horse loads from the old bivouac and dismantling and packing the bivouac to the new site, some 500 yards distant. This was done, and by dusk only a few small items remained to be. shifted. In the meantime the cook for the party had taken advantage of the deer cullers’ offer to use their tent, they being in a different locality, to arrange the provisions and prepare a wall-deserved dinner. This over, everyone was pleased to retire after a big day. When the moon rose it looked down on three white tents in the scrub on the banks of a murmuring river, and 13 sleeping persons, some of them under the stars.

Day broke on Saturday to find one party equipped with axe and saw in search for dry totara logs to be cut for piles, whilst another was busy clearing a site in the scrub for digging holes for poles and tie-downs. The day was a perfect one, and Nimrod, with rifle, added venison to the larder, while others disposed of a number of keas.

Sou’-west Storm

Work proceeded to plan, and by late afternoon the piles were sunk and the plates laid. Then, with a rush over the divide, came the sou’wester, bringing with it lightning, thunder and torrents of rain. With a squeeze, everyone was able to spend the night under shelter. At dawn on Sunday the river was inspected and found to be so swollen that any crossing was out of the question. The rain continued all day with just enough let-up to allow the carpenters to proceed with the erection of the bivouac framework. The cook was kept busy supplying hot cocoa and pikelets to the workers, working between times on a drainage system which would be a credit to any catchment board—this to prevent the tent and fireplace becoming flooded. After dinner ‘ the position was discussed and it was agreed that the rivers were too high to attempt a crossing, so, in the interests of safety, members of the party due to leave on Monday morning for Ashburton decided to stop until such time as it became possible to get out. Heavy rain fell during the night, but by morning it had eased off and hopes were expressed that by Tuesday morning the rivers would' have subsided sufficiently to make a crossing possible. In the course of the morning the builders made great progress, and by evening, had it not rained again, would have had the roof on. A temporary roof was rigged to relieve pressure in the tents and a comfortable night was spent by all hands.

Bivouac Completed

Rain fell continuously from dusk on Monday night until midnight on Tuesday, but in spite of this the interior work was proceeded with, and the roof was finally finished. During Tuesday afternoon the river began to threaten the tent and fireplace again, and everyone turned out to erect a groin which eventually saved the day.

On awakening on Wednesday morning a beautiful day was greeted and the river, which had been so close to the tent on the previous night, had changed its course and was now roaring on its way to the sea, 500 yards away in another direction. The final touches were made to the bivouac. It was then painted, the roof an orange colour, making it easily seen for many miles. Photos, were taken and the first entry made in the visitors’ book.

With the weather becoming overcast, all haste was made to pack up and, if possible, reach the Havelock Hut by dusk. A spot just below the bivouac had been under observation all. day as a possible crossing, and as the river had fallen considerably it was decided to attempt a crossing.

Safety Main Object With safety the main object, the tallest member with experience was roped up, and after carefully picking his way, made a successful crossing. The remainder of the party then went across, the less experienced ones being double-roped so that if they should lose their footing the worst that would happen would he a thorough ducking. An hour and a-half was occupied in the crossing, and under experienced guidance there were no slips or duckings. Rain was falling by the time the last man was

over and it : was in these conditions that the journey to the Havelock" Hut was made, at times on the river-bed, in the bush and along the bluffs. Two and a-half hours were taken to do this part of the trip, which normally takes an hour and a-half, the usual route being downhill, and in come places tussock. A cramped night was spent in the hut, and on Wednesday morning all set out for the last and possibly most difficult crossing, that of the Clyde River, on the other side of which were the cars and home. On arrival at the river a little time was spent in searching for a suitable spot to cross, and at 1 p.m. this was found and by 1.30 everyone was at the cars. As though by arrangement, a party from Ashburton arrived at the same time, their object being to assist the mountaineers m crossing the river had this been necessary. Work of this nature is being carried out all the year round by various bodies throughout New Zealand. Alpine huts, ski huts, tracks and bridges are being constructed to open up the alpine areas in the back country, making it easier and safer for those who wish to follow this sport. The Eric Bivouac is situated right under the divide, at an altitude of 2800 feet. From here it is possible to undertake climbs of Mt. D’Archaic, 9279 ft, Mt. McClure, 8192 ft, Mt. Edison, 7903 ft, Mts. Sword, Septa, “Betta” and some unnamed and unclimbed peaks are also accessible from this bivouac. From here also it is possible to climb over the Dennistoun Pass into the Godley and Classen areas, where further fine climbs are to be had, making the Classen .Bivouac a base camp.