MOUNTAIN CLUB’S OUTING

Opunake Times, 16 August 1932, Page 2

MOUNTAIN CLUB’S OUTING

VISIT TO SKI-INC TRACK. FUN IN THE SNOW. On Sunday last members of the Opunake Mountain Club had one of the most enjoyable outings since the formation of the club, a few mouths ago. Approximately 40 members assembled in Main Street in the early hours of Sunday morning, fully rigged put for a strenuous day’s sport in the ice and snow. Each and every member had apparently borrowed, begged or stolen every available article of warm clothing to be found in the district, and later in the day it was found that even these conscientious preparations were insufficient to withstand the subtropical conditions experienced half-way up the side of the pride of Taranaki.

From the outset, the crowd were looking for sport, and snow at the entrance to the mountain reserve, was the signal for immediate action, on the part of several exuberant members who had probably never previously been on the receiving end of a well-rolled, well-formed and well-aimed snowball.

However, it w r as certainly a very happy party which arrived at the Mountain House at 9 a.m. After partaking of hqt tea, prepared by members of the Eguiont Alpine Club, all set out on the mile walk through the bush to the ski-ing track. There was snow, snow everywhere and, intermingled with peculiar ice formations where streams of water had made a bold bid for liberty, which presented a truly inspiring scene. The short walk was sufficient to warn, the crowd up, and all were ready for the well-earned breather, while members of the Ruapehu and Egmont Alpine Clubs showed them how. .The track looked like a long white ribbon of snow extending far up the side of the mountain. The ful was soon in full swing, but it took a local ski-ing enthusiast to provide the first thrill and ultimately the first mirth-quake. This member took off excellently and leaning forward in the approved style gradually gathered momentum but the next minute the onlookers were treated to an unusual mid-air spectacle of a tangled mass of snow, skis and humanity. In the Movies. Opunake’s Douglas Fairbanks and Joe E. Browns were next given their opportunities for an initial performance before a real movie-camera and all entered whole-heartedly into a perfect exhibition of unstinted snowball fighting, while some performed creditably on a couple of crude but serviceable toboggans. Eventually the party began to wend their weary way back to the Mountain House where good lunches and hot tea relieved a much-felt want. The remainder of the day was taken up with all kinds of games and 4.30 p.m found the party ready for home. Taken all round it was really a great outing and the organisei’s can rest assured that next time the members will be right there in even greater numbers.