WINTER SPORT

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 48, 25 August 1921, Page 2

WINTER SPORT

SKI-ING IN NATIONAL PARK

A Wan.gam.ii lady who accompanied a ski-ing party to Mount Ruapehu, and who returned •on Saturday last, supplied the following interesting details of the trip to a Herald reporter. By way of introduction it is .interesting to mention that the fame of Mount Ruapeliu as a most desirable place to spend a holiday and enjoy the exhil?.rating sporE of sld-ing is becoming -widely known, and no doubt many people in years to come will join the club, more especially when it becomes known that the whole expenses for a fortnight's trip from Wanganui do not amount to more than about £10.

The party in the present 'instance originally consisted of 17, but one member had to return after a, few days, leaving 12 men and 4 ladies. Three of the men were from Auckland, and the remainder, of the party from Wangauul. These included Mr. F. Newham, of Wanganui, and an Auckland photographer, who 'took 1500 feet' of film which will be of great value in advertising the sport on the mountain slopes. The party disembarked at Waimai'ino, where trap, transport was arranged to convey them as far as it was possible to ride, a distance of 5-£ miles. Questioned regarding the road, the lady said it was very . satisfactory and is metalled a good deal of the way. On the journey in the party received the first taste of snow, which raised their hopes high for the sport that was to follow later. Mr. Salt, of W»nganui, was the leader of the party, and it was the hut he had erected that the party were making for. The remaining 5£ miles were covered on foot, the party' lunching en route at Haunted Whare. The men had gone in on the previous day and had everything in readiness to welcome the ladies, snow-balling also being in the bill-of-fare. Whakapapa Hut, which contains three rooms and twenty-two bunks, was erected last, year and provided every comfort for the visitors. However, -the nights were very cold, but a good fire was kept going all night. Most of the cooking' was done per medium of a camp oven. " And I can assure you," added the lady, "we had splendid appetites - each evening, when we returned from our excursions." The majority of the culinary arrangements were in the hands of Miss, Salt, and in this direction she acquitted herself with great credit. For two days the slopes of the mountains were covered with clouds. Liter rain also fell for two days, but during "the remainder of the fortnight the weather was beautifully fine, and some excellent views of the mountain and surrounding country were obtained. During the wet interval, the party were confined to the hut, but made 'i merry with games, etc., and the time 'passed most agreeably. "It is not necessary," added the lady, "to follow our movements daily, but sufficient to refer to a few of our excursions." She then went on to relate that is it wonderful how quickly one acquires the art of ski-ing, one becoming fairly proficient in two or three days. "Of course, falls were numerous at the outset, as you will see later on when the 'movies' are screened." On 11th August, the party went to Tama Lake,,also Wairere Falls, but no skating was indulged * in. The snow on this journey was knee-deep in places. On 15th August, the party were up at 4.30 a.m., and set out foi' the top of the mountain, wliich wa3 reached at 12.&). It may be interesting j to mention that this is the first timo ladies have reached the top from thii side. Tile day was fine and they had an excellent.view of the crater Jake. They set out again for home at 2.30 andreached the hut at 5.30. ■

From .the.., top of .the mountain a. good view of Taupo can be obtained, also Tama Lakes- " The ice on the Cathedral Rocks," added the- lady, " was strikingly beautiful." On the. journey up tha mountain good going was met with all the way, and it was not necessary to cut steps in the glacier, as there had been a fall of snow the night before. Coming back they indulged in some enjoyable glissading. They also encountered a slight blizzard. The lady added that she was surprised to see hares, well up in the snow region, approximately 6000 ft above sea leval. There was nothing eventful on the trip out, and it, was with general regrets that the party had to turn their back on Whakapapa Hut when their all too brief holiday had come to an end.