Date: 12th – 13th of November 2014
Location: Ruapehu
Trampers: Carmen Chan, Apoorv Narang, Nicola Tuckey, Stefan Schultheiss, Christian Barkholt Muller
With examinations complete, the mountains called and we had answered. Early on Wednesday morning we drove from sun-basked Auckland and headed south. Rolling beyond the urban jungle and skirting past churning industrial factories, the noise of the city soon faded towards open fields and the distant rumbling of storm clouds. Despite the forecast of gale, hail, and snow down to 900m, it was difficult to believe that there might soon be snow to lace the mountains of Ruapehu.
Somehow Metservice is rarely wrong and as we approached the mountains, it proved its veracity one more as moving igloos – snowed in cars honked at us as they headed downwards.
Whakapapa Village – unlike November last year – was encased in snow. A frosty nip filled the air, and as new flakes settled amongst the budding lawn, ski attire felt more appropriate that the tramping shorts and shirt. It was bizarre to think that spring was in full bloom four hours up north.
On that first afternoon, we tramped towards Whakapapaiti Hut. New to tramping through bush in snow, the journey was unlike anything that any of us had ever experienced. Nobody had ever mentioned how beautiful forest tracks looked during a snowstorm. Imagine sweeping your fingers along the banks of the path, and scooping up fresh handfuls of powder. Stalk through the trees, and watch as flakes line every intricate branch with their delicate frost. As we turned every corner, a new forest glade would reveal streams of sunlight refracting into the mists. All surfaces were glazed with snow and very step tread upon a floor that was yet untouched by man. Nothing defines beauty better than nature.
That afternoon was filled with wonder for all of us. However, as the sun set, the meandering was soon replaced with the growing urge to pick up the pace and reach destination Whakapapaiti before darkness fell. The track was estimated to take two and a half hours – but with the snow, the time taken to journey had almost doubled. The next two hours was spent picking through a glorious valley of snow peppered rocks, and wild grasslands. We stumbled into the hut at 8:15pm - a quarter of an hour before the sunset over the frozen valley. Both blown away and frozen by our journey, a flurry of activity to get the fire going, heat up hot water and dinner then ensued. Stefan Schultheiss makes an incredible chicken curry.
Some of the happiest moments of my life come from tramping. What more could one want than the warmth of a fire, the heart of kai in the belly, and the comfort of companionship? We had hiked kilometres into the wilderness. We were in the in the depths of a snowed in valley at the base of New Zealand’s largest mountains. As we settled in for the night’s kip, we slept in the comfort of knowing that Ruapehu had us nestled within her embrace.
The next morning is best described through photographs: If the first day was beautiful, then the second was glorious. After a clouded first day, we opened the hut entrance to find Ruapehu sitting outside the front door. She sat like a snow queen with clouds as her entourage. The storm had lifted to reveal blue skies, and timeless transport into a different land. A nippy frost filled the air, and snow blanketed every surface on the soft grasslands. During our return trip, we could do nothing but to frequently turn and gaze at her splendor.
Author: Carmen Chan
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