Track Talk – September 2012

Amanda Wells, Chief Guide

 We’ve completed the trip schedule for Spring, which runs from September till Anniversary weekend in January. Thanks to all those who have signed up to lead trips; you play the most important role in the club. It’s inspiring to see so many people who completed the leadership course earlier this year volunteering to lead trips on this new schedule. I hope you enjoy the experience!

Last month Richard and I were leading a club trip in the Tararuas and encountered a dilemma of the type much discussed at leadership courses. We’d had a generally good day of navigation from Kiriwhakapapa past Te Mara and along the ridge to .865, with only a few false starts. Then we followed an unofficial marked track down towards the Waingawa, losing it near the bottom but coming out at roughly the right place. But in reality, it was the wrong place. I knew (from an Internet account) that that track led down to the river – rather than to the bridge about 500m south. But following the markers seemed attractive after an afternoon of mild bush bashing, and we over optimistically figured that the Waingawa would be crossable. It was a classic case of taking an easy option that gets you into a difficult situation.

It was about 5.15pm and we were across the river from Mitre Flats hut; we could see smoke curling from its roof. But the river did not look particularly crossable; the previous day’s heavy rain had left it brownish and there were rapids. It would not have passed the stick test (throw a stick in – if its speed downstream is faster than you can walk, the river says “no”). It looked thigh deep in places. Assessing our group of seven, river crossing experience was scarce. I often feel that my judgement needs to be reined back where rivers are concerned, so looked to Richard for advice. The concern was whether, if it proved too difficult, the group had enough experience to hang together and back out safely. And we had to remember we had another option: the aforementioned bridge 500m downstream. The only problem was a 100m high slip in the way, which realistically we would have to climb up and around. But it was a safer alternative, if we could manage it before true dark fell, which seemed likely.

So, in the end, there was really no decision to be made. I remembered the rule of river crossing, drummed into me through both courses and experience; “do you need to cross?” We didn’t.

An anaerobic scramble up and down saw us hitting the Barra track in exactly the right spot, and we were across the bridge and at the hut by 5.45pm, without torches. Sometimes it’s hard to make the safe decision, and this was one of those that seemed even better in retrospect. I read recently that 40 percent of tramping deaths are in rivers; and if seems fair to assume those trampers had decided that crossing was both 1) necessary and 2) safe. Having been swept (slowly) away (on a relatively benign crossing), I know that what you focus on from the riverbank isn’t necessarily the greatest point of danger – and that you need to be confident that no one in the party is being pushed beyond their individual risk tolerance.

As the weather warms, take the chance to get out into the hills and dust off your decision making. There’s a great array of trips to recharge your sense of adventure.

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