This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper in December 2005
Holdsworth - Mountain House Shelter - Totara Stream and Lodge
16-17 July 2005
Syd Moore was unable to lead this trip so Ingrid Snoek stepped into the role. After a slightly damp start, the party made their way from Holdsworth Lodge up the Puffer Track to Mountain House shelter (for lunch) via the old Mountain House site, of which little remains.
The party came back down the track across Pig Flat to the Totara Stream track turn off and down the ridge to the top of Totara Stream. The ridge track down had suffered from the storms over the last 12 months and was not in the best of repair. However, coming down the once pristine track alongside Totara Stream we encountered much worse damage, with several track washouts and detours.
The party reached the Lodge about 4-15pm, in time to collect a supply of firewood which was cut with a saw provided by Alan Wright. An enjoyable meal was had and the Lodge fire was stoked and stoked. The damp clothes all dried and a band of warm and weary trampers went to bed.
Next morning we visited the old Hut site No.2, and the totara trees by the river. Then it was off back up the stream and out over the Puffer Track in dampish conditions, stopping for lunch before Rocky Knoll.
Party Members: Ingrid Snoek (leader), Diane Head, Alan Wright, Bev Middleton and Lindsay Cameron (scribe)