| Leader | Mentor | Understudy | Tail Ender | |
| Standards | Warren | Dave R | Ailsa | Bev |
| Alternates | Leonie | Norma | Maureen | Bruce |
Distance: 10.2km Duration: 4hrs 20min Elevation Gain: 440m
On Tuesday I was delighted to hear “we are going” from one of the weather team anticipating a clear frosty day, with plenty of snow around. We were not disappointed!
Gathered at our pick-up spots, the frosty start to the day had the hats and gloves out and those at Bishopdale did not linger in the carpark before alighting the bus. With a number of cancellations, we had 37 trampers who headed off with driver, Viktor.
We arrived at Castle Hill Village to a crisp day, clear blue sky, no wind, and the recent snow sparkling on the surrounding hills. Setting off as one group, taking care to avoid the very slippery ice on the road, we stopped for morning tea at Enys Cottage, the original site of the Enys brothers’ Trelissick home and what was Jenny’s family bach. Thank you, Jenny.
Our leaders kept us on track as we headed up through the bush and across the snowy slopes to Leith Hill Slump for lunch. The Alternates were enjoying the views as the Standards arrived. Before long we were cheering Selwyn as he chased his lunchbox and Bev, her glasses, as they flew down the snow and threatened to disappear into the bush.
After a relaxing lunch, some of the standards decided to have fun in the snow, so plastic bag in hand, they climbed a short distance up the steep slippery slope enjoying a fast slide down. I think if they’d thought of the activity earlier the competitive nature of the group would have had many trying to get higher up the hill for a faster run!
From there, it didn’t take long for the Standards to catch the Alternates who were happy when the Standards passed by and left footsteps for them to follow in. Sounds easy, well not so much as we regularly fell through the crust and a foot dropped 20cm or more to the ground below.
Before the Standards headed down through Kura Tawhiti, they waited to re-group, realising there was an incident involving one of the Alternates. When they did catch-up, it was obvious that one of the group had face-planted into the snow. With all limbs still functioning we moved on down through the climbing rocks to the bus.
What a very special day in the snow! Txt by Jan Bbr
