UP MT. RUAPEHU.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1306, 3 May 1911, Page 6

UP MT. RUAPEHU.

AN EASTER HOLIDAY TRIP.

(By "leo."

(Oouliuued.)

With the break of day we woke to find the rain pouring down, and while all waited for some one else to get tip and light the fire, the party we had passed ,the previous night trooped along. Theli night in the open did not seem to have had a very cheering effect on them. However, they lit a fire and we boiled onr billy over it, had some breakfast and started at b* ft.ni, for the summit, T»n of us set out iuolnding three of the new arrivals. We were all soon wet to the skiu [and the wind was fast growing to a hurricane. About a mile from'the damp all vegetation reased and one of the new arrivals decided he had enongh and went baok to oamp. The rest of. us made the best headway we could against the wind and rain to within about 1000 feet of the summit. We were all on the ioe of the glaoier and had been admiring the source of the Waikato river, which flows but of a glaoier and over a cliff of about 2000 feet'in a beautiful oasoade. Here too the storm oleared for a while, aud we got a magnifioent view of the oountry. We oould see Pipiriki, Raetihi, Ohakune, Rangalawa and Waiwu tewnships. MORE WILDS TO CONQUER. Away to the North we saw the Wanganui river and from there Southwards a dense mass of bnsh tight down to the Waiom Plains, a vast e?t3ut of oountry all waiting for the future New Zealander to subdue. Then another biting, sleety shower out our view away, aud five more decided it was pnre gluttony to want jijany more soenic feastß aud left for the camp. The remaining four, feeling quiti heroio, decided to go on etill further, bo with the aid of our ioe axes we climbed over smooth ice, rough ioe, clear ioe, wavy, cravassed, and in fact all sorts of ioe, except the Warm kind, for another hour. Then we came to a very exposed spot when the wind made standing an impossibility aud the rain simply poured down, and we realised we had come to an impasse. None of us liked to own ourselves done, until the writer shamefacedly oonfetised the faot and was delighted at the ohoras of "so am I" from the other three. BEATEN BY THE ELEMENTS. We tried a paoket of raisins and a little well diluted water to raise ourfailing spirits, but it was no use, the wind, rain, and the biting oolcj had got us badly beatan just two or three hundred feet from the summit. We could not help a regret at turuiug baok, but realised that even if we gained the coveted summit onr range of vision would not exceed 100 yardß, the rain being so heavy. In faot we experienced difficulty in finding our way (or the same reason and had to abstain from the pleaacre of glissading on the "glaoiers. We reckoned out our altitude at 8900 feet above sea level, and then set off for the oamp to get thawed. We made qniok time there and arrived at 12 noon, having spent just sis hours on the upper slopes. THE RETURN JOURNEY. A Rood fire, hot oocoa and a substantial meal soon fixed ns up again, and at lp.m. nine of ns had our. swags rolled uu and started for Oliaknqe. Three decided not to faoe the elements that day but to rest in the tent until Sunday, so we left them there. The rain ooutinned to fall, and the traok whioh had been so dry the previous day, was now one long puddle, through whioh we slipped, slid, walked and ran without a single stop all the 12 miles to Ohakune station. We arrived there at 8,50 p.m. or ten minutes under three hours from the oamp, ' ' ioh we consider excellent time. <. _.rth bound train was due at4oV i';eo we went iuto the refreshrneh. nam and regaled ourselves on tea and sand witches. None of the party (now reduoed to 'the original three and the guide) seemed anxious for the remaining two mire walk, so we all bundled into the uoaoh whioh was waiting at the station and drove ■ into the township— wet, cold, stiff , and sore, yet happy--and registered i a solemn vow to make the trip again on the very first opportunity.