30 April - 1 May 2022

Leader: Tony Quayle

There was an overwhelming response to this trip, with 14 of us setting off Saturday to invade and occupy Makaretu Hut.

As well as a good turn of regulars, we welcomed new member Yeun An (Inny) from Palmerston North, and Kylie’s friends Jacqui Marshall and Katrina Overton from the Pukeokahu area.

First up was the short(ish) and steep(ish) climb to Longview Hut. Differing levels of youthfulness were quickly evident as we spread out on the hill, before regrouping at the hut. To help take our minds off the climb, a helicopter swept the ridges and valleys around us, apparently looking for wildling pines; it’d be interesting to know whether they found any.

Our own bustling crowd at the hut was augmented by the comings and goings of a hunting group and the arrival of some trampers, one of whom had met Parawais on the Old Ghost Road a couple of months earlier.

The well-maintained track along the undulating ridge south of Longview Hut is pleasant tramping, especially in the rare calm conditions we encountered. Leatherwood is actually quite an attractive plant if you’re not trying to force a path through it.

We duly arrived at Makaretu Hut in dribs and drabs late in the afternoon, with the the early arrivals very kindly opting to camp, leaving the hut for the Gold Card holders - i.e., I got a bunk. The stone fireplace outside the hut was not neglected, with Yingjun taking the lead in firing it up for after-dinner socialising, complete with a Parawai Spotify playlist, a Bluetooth speaker and mulled wine to share.

The river travel downstream on Sunday morning was easier than I remembered, thanks to recent storms depositing gravel and sweeping logjams away. We took the obligatory side trip from the forks to Happy Daze Hut, our Chief Guide (Gold Card) briefly losing the track along the way, allowing Assistant Chief Guide (non Gold Card) - who made no such errors - to get to the hut well ahead of the rest of us.

Travel up the north branch was equally pleasant, with the only whoopsie being the time wasted by a former Chief Guide (Gold Card) looking for the shell of Black Stag Hut in the wrong place. After inspecting Awatere Hut in its shady grove we ate our lunch on the sunny river bed, fortuitously meeting a group of Hawkes Bay ladies who were able to give us the coordinates for Black Stag - several of us backtracked after lunch to confirm their information was correct.

At the top of the short, sharp climb out of Awatere, and with the carpark not far away, I pointed out the barren hill east of the track and invited our youngest and fittest to take the Parawai Challenge by detouring to its summit. Inny, Matt and Yingjun jumped at the opportunity and, although we had our doubts when they took forever to emerge from the initial scrub belt, they energetically climbed to the top for exuberant high-fives and selfies. Their return through the scrub was several times faster than their departure.

A lovely trip, with lovely people, in lovely weather.

Those on the trip were:

Julie James, Kate Livingston, Kylie Gilbert, Matt Freeland, Nisa Promchot, Owen Cox, Rob Dey, Sue Sparkes, Tony Quayle, Yeun An, Yingjun Shelton, John Peterson, Katrina Overton, Jacqui Marshall