This article was first published in The Tararua Tramper in March 1997
East Holdsworth - Jumbo - Atiwhakatu
21 September 1996
After a winter of mainly wet tramping, this trip was a gem. We headed up East Holdsworth, along the Atiwhakatu river track under brilliant sunshine and calm, clear skies. This was classic New Zealand bush.
A little nip in the air was just what we needed to start the long grunt uphill from the markers just past the swing bridge. Unfortunately Gordon McKenzie slipped and hurt his shoulder fairly early on. As Diana Munster wanted to get back early because of a dinner engagement, Glenys as leader made the decision that she along with Diana, Gordon and Michael would take the Holdsworth route back.
We gathered for the last time as a group on a rocky outcrop just above the bushline, where Glenys and co. headed off towards Holdsworth while the rest of us followed the ridge up on the track to Jumbo. Lunch was 12.10 at the tarn above Jumbo where we had a clear view across to Broken Axe Pinnacles. Shirts were off as we enjoyed the glorious calm and warmth of the midday sun.
We reached Jumbo, just after 1pm and were down to Atiwhakatu around 3pm via Rain Gauge Spur, no longer slippery with meltwater but just as steep! Our arrival back at the Holdsworth carpark around 4.30 was well timed, only minutes before we heard the gentle chirp of Glenys and her party from Holdsworth.
Those on the trip were: Glenys Evans (leader), Peter Jagger, Michael Hartley, Hugh Fyson, Diana Munster, Helen Beaglehole, Gordon McKenzie, David Barnes, Bernard Molloy, Teri Goh and Margaret Conal (scribe).