Another day and another old photo. Another from my collection of 1970s tramping photos – and this one definitely showing its age. I think it was New Year’s Day 1971. Those were the days when the Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club was the Otago Tramping Club. And the Otago Tramping Club organised trips for club members over the Christmas holidays. These were a great way for younger members to gain valuable experience on longer trips.
This trip was to the Greenstone Valley and the Routeburn Track. I don’t remember much of it at all. I do remember leaving Queenstown on the boat, heading up Lake Wakatipu to the Greenstown. I remember it being a wonderful day, sunny clear and calm – and think it must have been after unsettled weather. I think this was the start of my theory that the summer weather never arrived until 1 January. I also remember wading in the lake while waiting for our boat to retrieve glass bottles. Presumably these were from the revelries of the night before so Queenstown was not much different even way back then.
The only person I think I recognise is Mike Doig in the blue/green hat looking back towards Queenstown. Anyone else recognise anyone else.
