TRAMP TO FIELD'S HUT.

Otaki Mail, 27 August 1930, Page 3

TRAMP TO FIELD'S HUT.

RAIN PREVENTS ASCENT OF MT. HECTOR.

The brilliant weather on Saturday tempted a party of nine, of whom three were ladies, to leave Levin at 1.30 p.m., by, motor to the Otaki Gorge, with the intention of ascending Mt. Hector. It was an outing under the auspices of the Lovin-Waiopchu Tramping Club and under the leadership of Mr N. M. -Thomson; but unfortunately the weather changed so completely during the night that the most important part of the trip had to be abandoned. Climbing under good conditions on Saturday afternoon, Field's Hut was reached at ten minutes to six. Shortly before that time the trampers were on an open ridge, from which they had a magnificent view of the back ranges of the Tararuas. For five members of the party, including the three ladies, this was their first trip up the Hector track, and they proved that the route is not a difficult one for beginners. Shortly after the party reached the hut", some twenty members of the ! Tararua and Hutt Valley Tramping Clubs arrived, so that in all about 30 people spent the night in the building. When the alarm-clock, sounded at 4 a.m., the hut was shrouded in mist, .and teeming rain followed. The trampers waited for some time to see if theie were any prospects of the weather clearing, but -when ir became obvious that the rain had set in for the day j they left the hut, at 10 a.m., and the j Levin group reached home at two; o 'clock. ; Notwithstanding the disappointment, occasioned by the weather, the excursion had had enjoyable features. . During the bright weather of Saturday, tuo climbers were charmed with the bush scenery and particularly the sub-alpine growth. Deer and ; opossums have not been so plentiful this season as to lo any damage in the vicinity of the track, with= the result that undergrowth has come on unhindered and seedling trees are plentiful. About the lower reaches of the trade the small totajras, miros and t rinius inado a* »*• 'tractive showing and. were much admired. • .