This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 96, no 7, August 2024
Grandparent trip to Tararua Lodge
July school holidays 2024
Amazingly, this was our fourth – and biggest - grandparent trip to Tararua Lodge, with fourteen adults and fifteen children signing up for up to four days of joy on the mountain.
The children are growing up, getting to know each other and getting to know the trip routines, the wedges and chip stop in Ohakune on the way there with another wedges and chip stop in Bulls on the way home. It’s all about the stomach. Meals were augmented this time by Christine’s Spicy Ginger and Apple Pudding and Harry and Ollie’s snowy ice-cream.
There was little snow on the mountain but we managed to find enough to go sledding on the second day, at first pushing routes through the soft, fluffy stuff. But after repeated use the tracks became quite fast and icy. The children sped down and Warren took up a position at the bottom to stop them going ‘over the edge’, all adding to the fun. Some of our group returned the next day and found that any slush had frozen over and the runs were very icy indeed.
Next day, some of us ventured up to the poled route behind the lodge that leads to the New Zealand Alpine Club Hut. The route was a rocky scramble most of the time, interspersed with patches of icy snow. Jim taught some of the kids how to self-arrest using a walking pole and how to spot frozen snow. In the interests of safety and enjoyment, we decided to turn back before reaching the hut, returning to the lodge for a late lunch. The children were more than happy to entertain themselves indoors for the rest of the day!
With such a big group, not everyone wants to do the same thing at the same time. There is always the option to stay around outside the lodge, building snowmen, having snow-ball fights and exploring the rocky slopes. Indoors, the rope swing was extremely popular and Monopoly Deal filled up a few hours in the evening.
We have previously organised other grandparent trips to Konini and Holdsworth Lodges, Rangiwahia and Sunrise Huts and the Ōrongorongo Valley.
The next one in the October school holidays is likely to be to Waihohonu Hut. Contact Peggy Munn if you are interested peggy.munn1@icloud.com or text 027 533 1564.
- Party members
- Christine Ben Tovim, Lois Buckrell with Ella and Eve, Charlotte Davison, Helen and Derek Foo with Harry and Eddie, Jim and Diana Gibbons with Jack, Eva and Zoen, Diane McAllen and Mike Brown with Harriet, Vince Jennings with Anya, Peggy and Chris Munn with Ollie, Lynne (scribe) and Warren White with Cato, Mila, Molly, Phoebe and Flossie.