Rite tonu te mahi ( Similar Role)

I have always tried to be quite clear in these writings that while the Ruahines are a mountain range that has become MY spiritual place they are not a place for mountaineers. No great snow covered towering peaks will be seen here, no miles wide braided river valleys that meander up into huge basins surrounded by tall sentinels, no glaciers snaking out of cirques and basins deep in the valleys. The Ruahines are long and narrow, the peaks are modest, the country steep, the rivers paths to the surrounding farm land a short one. To be sure it is not country to be over confident in, a fall from many places would certainly be fatal, the rivers still capable of rising and falling very fast, and the winds up on the tops quite commonly gale force. To those whom have climbed, tramped, hiked, or simply just enjoyed views of mountains more lofty than these, the Ruahines might very well escape all attention. For myself, they are a place of magical beauty, a place that from the very first time I set foot in them stirred something in my soul, and still does. I return to them again and again, and am always transfixed, always challenged, even in places I have now been 15 or 20 times. They are my Spiritual Home.

I never expect anyone else to get that, or to experience the feelings that I do there. I suspect John and Gustav have a special relationship to this place for their own reasons, but to most they would simply be a mountain playground, an interesting place to spend a few days perhaps, or someplace different than their own place on Earth that means the same to them, a mountain, a river, a lake, the forest, or sea, it doesn't matter. Maybe I should just feel blessed I have found, or been led to, a particular place where I do feel what I do, and consider myself fortunate. Already I hear them calling to me, just a few days after spending a week there, my body still sore, legs covered in grazes, cuts and scratches, my gear still spread out here in the lounge, the scent of the mountains is always upon me.

It occurred to me on this recent trip that there is a similarity between how I view mountains and how I view friendships. I did this trip with my old friend Jeff from the states, someone I have known for over thirty years, yet over that time our actual contact has been very sporadic. He has lived in Oregon, in Alaska, in Arizona, and now Wisconsin, and by the time he moved back to Wisconsin I was on my way to New Zealand. I had not seen him in over 2 years, since my last trip home to the states. Some friendships would not survive that passing of time, ours has. Like the familiar shape of a far off peak I might not have visited in some time, yet always is there to help guide me, to simply gaze upon and reflect, and even plan a future visit. However, even though that mountain looks the same it is undergoing great changes, the slips constantly eroding the familiar, the creeks and streams always flowing and cutting their way to the rivers. Then there is weather that can change on a daily or hourly basis, the cloud and wind, the snow, rain and sleet, or the perfection of a windless sunny day. The mountains, like friendships are constantly changing and evolving, or they die. New mountains, like new friends, are constantly being uplifted, shaped, and routes discovered, and old mountains being eroded yet capable of developing great beauty in what is known. Either way in the process there are steep hills to climb and descend, many rivers to cross, many gales to face. I was glad and proud to find that spending some extensive time with my friend that our "mountains" though having changed in many ways are still the same mountains.

1 Jan. 2009 Top Maropea hut

7:00 pm

A very cool moment for me to be standing here in one of my favourite Ruahine spots, the gateway to the Maropea valley. I don't expect Jeff will get what I do here, or even understand why, but as someone who loves wild places I hope he appreciates it. He was certainly given a wild crossing of the saddle. Sunrise hut was relatively full of people waiting out the gale like winds, either spending the night there, or cancelling plans beyond Sunrise because of the wind on the exposed tops. After getting a mountain forecast from a keen tramper, John, and taking a short stroll to the exposed tops, I decided we would go for it. I have crossed this saddle 27 times now and while the wind was very strong it wasn't making it impossible for me to stand, so by hunkering through the gusts we would be fine. While it was a very windy crossing they certainly were not the worst conditions I have done it in, and I was pleased with making the call based on true experience. Back at the hut a solo 68 year old tramper, Adrian, was watching our progress, and an hour after we arrived here came rustling through the forest joining us. He said we had given him the courage to give it a go. That is cool and I told him in turn that he is giving me equally as much inspiration by simply being here. He gives me hope.

"Reflections on the Maropea River"

My soul shines and glitters
like the red and yellow beech leaves
that shimmer and dance on the river bottom
as the clear mountain water passes over
In my mind I soar down this river
joining the unerring and exhilarating
flight of the Whio
yet my steps are slow and deliberate
and there is only now
I relish in this freedom
this river
this moment
these mountains
the Beauty before me blurs
My heart sings



Photo above generously supplied by Pohangina Pete and taken on the Pohangina river in the Ruahines. Pete is linked below and has another blog of his fantastic photography at his photography blog the Ruins of the Moment: http://worldsenz.blogspot.com/







2 Jan. 2009 Maropea Forks

A beautiful day on the river, just overcast enough with glorious patches of sun bursting through at times, the water level low and easy. After 15 trips down this river it is still spectacular to me, and offering less technical river walking aspects of huge boulders and log jams and bigger rapids and pools in some of the other Ruahine rivers, on a day like today just a magical experience. I just walked quite deliberately and let me memory guide me, giving myself to the rivers flow. At one point I felt a euphoric joy wash through me, a connection I always await. Jeff and I took our time, stopping often to talk, debate, and discuss, taking an extra long lunch by the river and boiling the billy for a cup of coffee and tea. There was absolutely no need to hurry.

An additional benefit to our slow pace was that I was thinking John Nash might very well catch us up if he got across the saddle as he was planning to meet us at Maropea Forks that day. About 45 minutes from the hut I heard his familiar voice shout "Helloooo" and saw him coming around a bend in the river. It was a fine reunion, and introducing John to Jeff on a Ruahine river I thought very fitting to their places in my life. So my thoughts are of friendship. Of John, whom I have known now for 15 years and developed a huge bond and intimate sharing of these ranges with. Our travels together here have led to one of the most important friendships in my life. And Jeff, whom I have known longer, though spent less time with, so while we are rediscovering our bond, the roots are strong, and we are now nurturing it the best possible way. I am fortunate to have such people in my life. Friendship does take work and effort. It has to be nurtured and cared for. It takes acceptance of differences as well as similarities. I am learning. Today on the river I just relished Jeff's presence in front of me and also the thought of perhaps John's behind me enjoying his own walk. When it proved to be exactly the truth I just smiled.

3 Jan. 2009 Maropea Forks

It has settled into a rainy day, the river which was low yesterday is now singing a louder Tune. We have been joined by a couple fellows who appeared out of the mist like Bedouins from across the river. They had come from Lake Colenso, a good days work to be sure. Bruce and Gwynffryn or Gwynn for short. Gywnn hales originally from Wales, the second Welshman I have been in these ranges with, and both hale from Waipawa, a town not far from the Ruahines. They are on a pretty hearty mission covering some big country but I think are happy to be here in the dry warm hut. On days like this the hut porch is a fine place to be, and so is curled up in warm sleeping bag on a bunk as both Bruce and Gwynnffryn are now. I reckon they are here to stay.

Jeff, John, and I are gearing up for a walk up through the forest to the tops and Point 1450, a route John and I came down a few years ago and opens up into some pretty wide open tops of the main Ruahine range. It will most likely be pretty clagged in up there but the rain has slowed and I think Jeff in particular would like to get out and stretch the legs, and explore some of this country. The rain has slowed to a slight drizzle and the forest should be amazing and alive in the muted light of this grey day.

"Walk to Point 1450"

Oh how the upper forest beech trees
dance and sway
in the gusting music playing overhead
they creak and moan

in the misty grey storm
singing with the wind

Gaze down upon the forest floor
of this steep ridge

and see the lichens and mosses

come alive and illuminate this mountain
Their true colours no longer contained by sunlight
it is their time to shine and glow
against the muted grey sky

In the distance the creamy green flanks

of Orupu and Maroparea emerge

their golden tussock tops hidden

in the clouds
as are we
Cloud Hidden

I walk with my friends

Jeff fishing on the Maropea after the forks.

A nice Ruahine rainbow trout



5 Jan. 2009 Top Maropea


Our final evening on this summer trip. A different experience than in the past but I would not change a moment. As I wrote on an earlier post, accepting the Gifts we are given in Nature is far better than being upset over plans that might have been.

The sky is now completely still and barely a whiff of a breeze ripples the forest here at Top Maropea. In the distance the peaks begin to reflect the play of light from the setting sun moving beyond us. The 27th time I will have watched this canvass being painted. Each one unique in its own way.

I walked up from Maropea Forks on my own just being absorbed in the beauty all around me. The river and forest like old friends,the high peaks above calling me home, which suited this trip quite well really. To my surprise I found myself at the head of the side creek which climbs to Top Maropea after what seemed like no time at all. I climbed up to the track and waited for Jeff and John in the beech forest.They came along within a short time and I waited for them as they did the grueling vertical climb up that nasty 200 metre "track". So my final evening here in the Ruahines on this summer trip with Jeff. I know John and I will return here at some stage, but these could be my final moments in a place I love with an old friend I love. I am trying to absorb it all.

We have what will surely be a lovely and rare beautiful and calm walk back over Armstrong saddle in the morning, but the final evening is always melancholic for me, and now those reasons are twofold. Leaving these ranges, another trip completed, and also saying goodbye soon to my treasured friend, friends.

I console myself in that we have created moments to relish, that windy crossing of the saddle, a day on the river, renewing friendships and creating new ones, climbing in the forest, cups of tea, watching Jeff hook that beautiful rainbow and give Thanks to the Ruahines. Time grows short but we will enjoy this evening and tomorrow will unfold on Her own terms.



Friendships that are old, some that are relatively new. It is all full of Possibility. I thank the Ruahines, Jeff, John, Tara, all the people I have traveled with in these mountains. To Nigel, Taylor, Gustav, Rick, Steve, Adam, Scott, another Steve, Gyro, John, John from Wales, and last but not least ol' Bones, the man I was with when first coming to this for me sacred spot at Top Maropea. I gaze out upon this view and Thank You all. And also the people I have not met, aside from Bob, Pete, and Jamie, who might read here and hopefully enjoy. Some I have connected with in ways I know this place calls strongly and others where it is enough to know places like this just are there. I raise my tin cup to you all!

Aroha
Robb