By Marie Henderson
It was early May and after the excitement of getting on a M trip to the Ruahines at the last minute I decided to go all the way and sign up for a MF trip in the Tararuas in early June. This would be my next chance to get out on an overnight club trip. However, I did dither a bit before putting my name down. Could I do a MF trip? What would happen if the weather turned nasty? Various other negative contemplations crowded my mind. But the trip leaders exuded an aura of calm that won me over. I signed the sheet. “That's it”, I thought, “now I am committed”. Funnily enough, my family and friends thought I should be committed too, just not in the same sense. The weeks wore away and the shadows got longer. Finally the trip plan arrived, exuding the same sense of calm control on behalf of the leaders. We were a group of five: Leaders: Craig and Victoria. Taggers on: Louise, Marie and Stuart.
Hors d'oeuvres
Friday night, we tramped up to Field hut. Victoria referred to this part of the tramp as being a “stroll”. Wonder what Fred Vosseler and Bill Denton would think of that: in 1924 these guys hauled a water tank up to the huts location. I only hauled up my pack, but stroll didn't quite fit for me. This being a long weekend, the hut was full, but lucky for us not bursting. We were the clubs MF trip but the last group in. The forecast was good, so the leaders decided an early start was in order to make the most of the day. Six am is one of my favourite times to be asleep, but I would cope with that, I was committed.
Main Course
People were beginning to move in the hut at an early hour anyway. Actually it seemed people were moving all night. We got off just before sunrise and only behind one other group who were doing a Renata Ridge loop back to Otaki Forks (with an interesting sounding old-track section down from Kapakapanui). I left a bit ahead of our group to catch the sun rise as high as possible and keep the blood pumping. The mud was frozen. It was a magic early winter wonderland. I got an icy-pole (plain flavoured) on the way up to the turn-off for the main range. The views were expansive, both major volcanoes were out, I was stunned. We grouped up before the turn-off. Now for the main event: interesting and varied ridges running between a number of tops: Bridge Peak, Boyd-Wilson Knob, Vosseler, Yeates, McIntosh, Tararua Peaks and, finally, Maungahuka. Views ran out in all directions. We were passed on the way by a group of four ridge runners who were out to the Tararua Peaks for the day. Faces were recognised both ways. We ambled on (used in the same sense as stroll) with our packs. The day wore on and the excitement built as we approached the Tararua Peaks and the ladder. I was slightly trepidacious, not about the ladder, but rather its general surrounds: someone had told me that the ladder was “no problem” but that there was a “hairy bit” near it. I was on the lookout for the hairy bit. Hairy bits can be challenging, but I would be all right. I was committed.The ridges became more pronounced. Some scrambling became necessary. Then we were there: the ladder. This is the most recent of a series of ladders that have been placed here over the years and the most comfortable by far. More narrow ridgy, scrambly stuff and we were onto Maunguhuka and quickly down to the new hut. No one was bitten by any hairy bits. Lucky for us. For our main feed we had Thai green chicken curry followed by trifle - my guess was that the leaders had planned the trifle as a counterpoint to the days activities, but it turns out they are just mad trifle fans.
Dessert
The weather worsened the next day; some wind had moved in overnight and was joined early in the new day by its good friend rain. The leaders requested another six am wake up so we could make the most of the day. I made an early decision to remain committed, despite the turn of weather and early starts, and push on in a grimly determined way to the next hut. I was off. The others beckoned to me from the hut, but their intentions were lost in the weather. I waved back my “I'm on my grim and determined way now, see you at the next hut” message and disappeared off the hillock. I had a plan: swing round over a rolling hill (Simpson), then over hill two, three and four (Wright, Aokaparangi and Kahiwiroa) and I would be all-but at the hut. 
The weather wasn't so bad, the clouds hadn't descended to obscure all views, and it could have been much worse. After a bit of being blown up hill here, on angle walking there, and scramble over the other, I was off the ridges and into the final forest section - thanks to some handy cairns showing the way down. Or was I? The inevitable wondering about whether I had read the map right or not began after I have been travelling through the forest long enough for self- introspection to kick in. Then Anderson Memorial hut appeared cheerily from the forest. A close up inspection impressed me even further. I decided to change into some dry clothes, light the fire and enjoy some lunch. The rest of the party rolled in to my “I've lit the fire” grin with accounts of similar experiences. Over a brew and snacks the agenda for the rest of the day was discussed. There was only one major hill remaining (hill five - Junction Knob) and the plan was to go onto the next hut tonight, but the weather, the wetness of our tramping gear, and the snug hut all contributed to our decision to stay put. We enjoyed a lazy afternoon (and Stuart a nap) in superb indoor weather. The main feed of kashmiri lamb and homemade white chocolate and cranberry biscuits was appreciated by one and all. The hut had a radio, which had reception. The mountain forecast was for snow down to 600m the next day. Well at least we would be rested, warm and dry when we departed in the morning.
Port and Cigars
The leaders decided that we would need a six am wake up to make the most of the day. I was finally getting the hang of this! There was snow covering the ground by morning, with more snow falling. We agreed to stick together and “smurf” our way up to Junction Knob. No-one wanted to be worried about anyone missing the junction, given that visibility might become limited. In a committed way, I took up the rear position – “these guys know about this white stuff”, I figured, “I'll keep out of their way”. I was not sure I could find the track through the snow, but I was sure I could follow four people with packs.
We started with amazing views as the sun peeped through the morning clouds, but as we got higher a number of snow-fronts came through, more intense at greater heights. But it never got too bad and we negotiated the turn-off and were into the forest in good time. The descent through the forest confirmed the forecast: the snow was falling at very low altitudes. This was even more of a winter wonderland than anything before. We got to the hut for lunch and then continued on - over a hillock, down a creek, along an old log track and finally out into the Otaki Forks clearing. We made excellent time, arriving back at the van just on dusk. I returned home well satisfied with the weekend experience and glad I had remained committed. The leaders requested a six am start to make the most of the next day (back at work now), but I decided I could afford to sleep in this time.
