It is
interesting the information one gets before going on a tramping
trip. On checking the DoC website and the L & S map I noted that
there was a Tristram Harper Memorial Hut on Little Mount Peel. I
rang DoC Geraldine and requested information as to the status of the
hut. I was told it was an enclosed shelter, but was suitable for
spending a night there and could accommodate "about ten people"
(please note this number). So, with our group being only eight there
would be no problem.
After taking
the "soft" option of spending the Friday night in cabins in the Peel
Forest camping ground, our intrepid group unwittingly took the hard
option of using the upper Allan's Track to gain access to the Deer
Spur Track to Little Mount Peel. Besides Allan's Track being very
rugged, especially when carrying full packs, we also found that we
lost about 100 metres of height gained before it joined Deer Spur.
At the junction we parted company with two of our group, who
returned to the camping ground as they were feeling the effects of
the bad colds they had developed. (There would be heaps of room in
the hut now!)
From here on
the climb to Little Mount Peel and the Tristram Harper Memorial Hut
just below its summit, was unrelenting. (Did the two with the colds
know this previously?) However, our sweaty, grunting efforts were
rewarded by ever increasing vistas across the Canterbury Plains to
the east, Mounts Somers and Hutt to the north, and the Four Peaks
Range to the south. All we could see to the west was scrub and
tussock about 15cm from our faces at an angle of 75 degrees to the
vertical! We now all have an intimate knowledge of the flora on the
eastern slopes of Mount Peel. Where there was some respite and the
terrain was more horizontal, we needed no prompting to stop, drop
our packs and recuperate whilst admiring the views. The only trouble
was that at these stops we could see how much further and higher we
had to go to reach the hut.
When we did
finally reach the hut, we were taken aback as to how small it was.
There were two wide benches either side, just long enough for two
smallish people to sleep on each. As the table could be folded up to
the back wall, two people could sleep, top and tailing, on the
floor. If we'd had eight, the floor would have been a very intimate
place to sleep; and if we'd had ten, then at least two pairs of
consenting adults would have been needed with one of the pair
sleeping on top of the other! Is this what our DoC informant was
thinking of?
After an
extended lunch five of us decided to walk along the ridge towards
Mid-Mount Peel, leaving Linda to guard the hut. Linda (Samuelson) is
from Sweden and this decision of hers to stay at the hut gave her
the unique opportunity to experience an example of Kiwi male culture
first hand - that of the Southern Man, South Canterbury version.
Shortly after the others had left, two men arrived at the hut,
luckily (for them) just on a day trip. Seeing all the sleeping bags,
etc, the older of the two asked Linda if she was staying the night.
Linda replied "Yes." "What!" replied the older man, "You mean that
you won't be watching the All Blacks play the Springboks in the
Rugby World Cup?" (Note: This was the night of the quarter- finals.
Do you remember the Rugby World Cup?) "Is there a rugby match on?"
asked the innocent Linda. To which the apoplectic older man reacted
immediately by covering the younger man's ears. Linda quickly sensed
that she had said the wrong thing and apologised by saying, "I'm
from Sweden. We don't play rugby there, we play soccer." This again
brought on a covering of the ears. Linda, realising she was getting
herself deeper into the mire, tried to extricate herself by saying
plaintively, "I support the Highlanders." A further covering of the
ears, with the older man saying through gritted teeth, "This is
Crusader country!" He then turned the younger man around, saying,"
Come on boy, we'll eat back down the track. She'll be offering us a
Speights next!"
Meanwhile,
the rest of us climbed over the summit of Little Mount Peel to the
ridge and at last got views westward to the main divide and could
even see Aoraki/Mount Cook. We got tantalisingly close to Mid-Mount
Peel but the summit was shrouded in mist, so we decided to return to
the hut. This turned out to be a wise decision, as by the time we
had returned to Little Mount Peel the mist had closed in and the
temperature had dropped, both with that rapidity that happens only
in the mountains. We had been in the hut just a few minutes when it
also began to rain.
However, as
has been mentioned, the hut was small (very!) and cosy, so the six
of us settled down to prepare and eat our respective evening meals
and then play cards. Before finally settling down to sleep it was a
case of "Go out now and relieve thyself, or forever hold thy
bladder." as once Tony was settled on the floor, the door could not
be opened. (And he slept like a log until 7am.)
Next morning,
Tony, necessarily being the first to be able to open the hut door,
was greeted by a beautiful view of the Canterbury Plains, bathed in
shafts of morning sunlight. When he turned to look back into the hut
he was greeted by the equally beautiful view of five awakening
female trampers! (He has photographic illustrations of both types of
beauty.)
The trip down
off Mount Peel was an example of when a steep descent is often
harder than a steep ascent. Maggie gave us frequent demonstrations
of the backside technique for rapid descent and we all had sore
quadriceps by the time we staggered into the Peel Forest campsite,
where we were greeted by Roy and Meg from the comfort of their camp
chairs. After looking at our sweaty bodies, they both agreed that
their colds were now much improved!
Tony
Timperley for Jill Mcaliece, Linda Samuelson, Kathryn Jeyes, Maggie
Pasek, Meg Pollock, Deidre Pirn, and Roy Ward.