Specifics Event Reviews

Like all great ideas it started over a beer, I was at Keith Webb Autos chewing the fat and Keith said "there's a long weekend coming up. Why don't we all go for a walk".

The Southern Cross was what he had in mind. It sounded like a great idea to me. The Southern Crossing is a 40 km tramp over the highest mountain in the Tararua ranges. It would take us three days with good people and great friends.

There was Keith's son Dillon, Jo, Timp's, Simon, Rose, Karen and me. All keen to get away from the city for the long weekend. It was no easy feat. The crossing at the top is known to be very windy with a narrow track and sheer drops only a foot away with the rain, wind and clouds rolling across it was to be a big challenge.

This was Keith's 4th crossing so we were all looking to him to be camp mother. Rose, Simon, Karen and me had tramped the other way to Alpha Hut last year so we know half of the walk. This was to be a first for Dillon an experienced tramper, but for Jo and Timps it was all new ground, first tramp for many a year as Jo put it.

After everyone got their hut pass, food and any extras needed, like 6lts of wine it was two days out and time to wait and watch the weather. It was looking good. The forecast was for two days of light north winds and sunny. Monday was cold Southerly and rain. We could live with this so it was all go.

We meet up at Keith's workshop 6pm, packs ready to go. We where off with the help of Simon's father and brother to drop us off at Otaki Forks. It was about 9.30pm when we got there after stopping for dinner with some of us grabbing subway for lunch the next day. It was a 5 min walk to the hut to all of our surprise. No one else was there. We had the hut just for us. After everyone sorted gear the first 3lts of wine was put on the table. Rose had plans on not carrying an extra 3kg of weight for any longer than needed. After an hour or two we hit the sleeping bags to get an early start.

We woke to find a beautiful day. No wind. The sun was out by 7.30am it was time to make a start. A good strong climb up to Fields Hut stopping every so often to check out the view of Otaki Forks valley below us. It wasn't long until Timps and Rose found their singing voices. There would be no wild life around us for miles with their renditions of TV shows and songs from all the eras. I did keep us in good spirits. When we got to Fields Hut we stopped for a bite to eat. Jo and Dillon got in to their subway, which looked very nice, flatter then when they packed it but very nice.

We then made our way to Kime Hut where we were stopping for the night. After leaving Fields Hut we got out from the bush and started walking the open long grass tracks with board walks to keep us dry from bogy fields. We were getting higher now. In the distance I could make out snow on the tops. Not a good sign. When Karen sees snow she's not happy. Last years tramp turned in to a 10 hour walk to the hut. 7hours of that was in the snow.

The snow didn't come to anything, lucky for me. The views were amazing. We were about 1200 metres above sea level. Behind us the cloud was rolling in. Around 1pm we got to Kime Hut. Wow first days walk done. What an amazing country we live in to have such great walks like these so close to home.

It was then Karen's and my time to pull out our subway for lunch. It looked nothing like what I ordered the day before but it tasted delicious. Three different groups of trampers and runners came in for a bite to eat then made their way back down to Otaki. By 5pm the Hut was full. Twenty odd people made up of 4 parties. All of us taking on the Southern Crossing over the long weekend.

Karen and I took the rifle out for a walk off the track just in case the odd red deer was out and about. No such luck so back to the hut. We headed out again two hours later this time joined by Simon and Timps. We sat in awe of the views across the Tararua ranges looking over 5 to 6 valleys with the cloud covering them.

Day 2 we woke to the wind with a wet cloud cover rolling in. A quick photo at the Hut, jackets on then we were off. It was a short climb to the top of Mount Hector. A quick photo of all of us at the cross which was put there by the Wellington Tramping Clubs for all the trampers and mountaineers who gave their lives in the 1939-1945 war.

As we started crossing the tops the weather started to pack in more. The wind picked up, the clouds were rolling in faster. The track was very narrow in parts with visibility limited. The grass was up to our knees so you couldn't see all the bogs along the track till they were half way up our shins. It all made for an exciting walk. Very different to the day before.

As we started to make our way down from 1545meters above sea level the clouds broke and the view just opened out to an amazing view across the Tararuas looking back to see Mt Hector still hiding away in a blanket of white candy floss.

We got to Alpha Hut in time for lunch. Before everyone had changed gear and sorted the bunks Simon and Timps had got in to the last 3 lts of wine. As people started tuning up form all different tracks it looked like another full hut. The sun was out with no wind in the bush line. Our party found a nice spot to chill out outside the hut with the wine of course. I went out for another look to find any sign of deer. I will be going back to spend a lot more time hunting that area. By the time I got back I found all the wine gone, Timps half cut and Simon fast asleep in his bunk. It was to be another great day in the bush.

The last day was time to walk out. This was to be our longest day. 8hours to the car park in Upper Hutt, all the down Marchant Ridge. It went faster then we all expected with the Southerly and rain forecast that never arrived. No wind and lots of sun.

We made great time down two thirds of the track were we stopped for a bite, a quick shot of the rifles then carried on down.

The last section took forever, knowing we were so close out from the bush. The last bit was a 4x4 track with gorse everywhere. We finally made it to the car park to find Simon's mother and brother waiting for us for two hours (sorry guys).

It was to be an amazing weekend with great views, tracks and great friends to share it with. If you ever get the chance to walk the Southern Crossing, go for it.

Shane Tindall

View all photos from the weekend

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