STORM IN MOUNTAINS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17437, 8 April 1931, Page 7

STORM IN MOUNTAINS

EXPERIENCE OF TRAMPERS HOWLING GALE AND RAIN A parly of nine members of the Wairarnpa Tramping Club who returned to Masterton on Saturday encountered very heavy weather in the Tararua Ranges during the week-end storm. Tin l party had intended crossing the range to Otaki by way of the Mount Hector track, but progress was impossible in the face of the condit ions. After travelling until late afternoon on Friday, the party found that a small stream below the Tauherenikau Hut, where it was intended to spend the night, had developed into a raging torrent which ii was impossible to cross even by felling a tree. The party was accordingly forced to retrace its steps to the tourist hut near Woodside, which was reached shortly after darkness set in. A howling gale blew in the ranges all day Friday, while heavy rain fell continuously. The party found travelling on the exposed ridges about , Mount Reeves extremely difficult, and they were blown off their feet time I after lime. All the mountain streams were raging torrents, while the track itscli was kncc-deep in water in [daces. The Waioliine River broke its banks even i in the upper reaches. A deer stalker who returned with the > pa it v described tho .conditions as the worst he had experienced in his Jo vears’ c>:''..-nonce ot the T.ururuas. Most of the water responsible for i the heavy flooding of the Wairarapa • rivers came from the ranges, as the ' rainfall in the low country was light in ' places, and nowhere was ext raordin 1 ««»■>’■ _______