Aura Software Security 's Fundraising Pa

Prow Family

Betty Nicholson and Helen Palmer

On top of the World!

River Crossing!

In February 2010 Aura's Managing Director Andy Prow and wife Diane and two kids pitted their legs and stamina against the Tararua Mountains in order to raise well needed funds for the Neurological foundation.

This walk is in memory of both of Diane Prow's grand-mothers Betty Nicholson and Helen Palmer who in recent years, like so many, were lost to Alzheimers.
We're doing our bit to support the Neurological Foundation here in New Zealand to help raise funds for the research into Alzheimers and other neurological disorders such as Parkinsons, Multiple sclerosis and brain tumours to name but a few.
Obviuosly we feel that this is a worthy cause especially as 1 in 5 of us will either suffer from or know a relation that will be effected by one of these debilitating conditions.

So go on help us support the Neurological Foundation by sponsoring us on our walk now!
Just select the "Make a donation" button below. It's that simple...
If you live in New Zealand your donation is tax deductible and a receipt will be issued.

SO HOW DID WE GO?.......
We set off from Greytown on the other side of the Island over the Waiohine gorge bridge at (8.50am) bright and not at all breezy on Saturday the 27th Feb. All in all we made it in good time (3hrs) up hill to our 1st main reference Cone hut. Then it was shoes off to ford the freezing river and sharp stones then picnic on the otherside to dry off and refill our bottles with fresh stream water. Bull mound track next and a hideous 4hr non stop vertical climb. Like climbing 2 stair steps at a time with a full backpack on in 25oc heat using branches to pull yourself up. We felt like it would never end and our muscles ached/screamed with every hoist upwards!
At the top of Bull Mound the track opened up to a Swiss meadow look alike, with even Eidelweiss flowers growing. The views were truly amazing, we could see Waiarapa, lake Ferry and Cape Palisser below and the mountains we see from our own Otaki gorge with the double peaks clearly on the horizon. We followed the cairns across the mountain top, through low scrub and peat marshes then back into the bush all covered in bobbly moss and Litchen and on wards to Hells gate and Alpha Hutt.
It was here that we meet our first person who was on his was up to Alpha from the Kaitoke entrance. At 6.30pm after walking for over 9 hours we were overjoyed to arrived to Alpha hut and water! We were so worried that there might not be enough water there that we had rationed our selves. The first thing Andy & I did was drink, Josh found a mattress and slept & Autumn found the chocolate! The hut was full and we were lucky to get the last 4 matresses on the bunks as 4-5 others slept on the floor that night.
We didn't sleep much as the wind got up in the night and the whole hut shook.
We got up at 5.50am prior to sunrise, but saw its' red glow through the trees when it finally did join us. The clouds were racing by swirling like red boiling cauldrons in the enormous gusts of wind. We were very unsure of whether to continue with the Crossing or not. There was only us and another group of 4 who were going in that direction everyone else had crossed the other way the day before and it was dead still. Infact they had said that for the whole 6 hours out on the ridge that there was no protection from the sun but the views were mega! One of the 4 crossing had several years ago been blown with her 5 mates off the ridge and had to walk the rest of the way with a broken arm. Obviously she was nervous of the wind.
Our decision was made rapidly for us by the wind when it blew the closed door of the hutt right off its hinges and a hunter who had just returned from the edge of the ridge said no way was he crossing in that wind! So with the little telephone reception we got we sadly text Josh & Autumns granma to say come get us from Kaitoke as we were walking out today. Very miserable to have got this far and not crossed we did consider waiting a day but the weather forcast had showed to have been showers the following day and we didn't fancy crossing in low cloud or spending 9 hours plus walking out then in the rain with no pick up either being a Monday!
So our 6 hour shorter walk for day 2 turned into another 9 hour hike back down and out of the Tararuas to Kaitoke in the Hutt Valley.
At least after Hells gate(aptly named) it was mainly all downhill on the long Marchant Ridge which followed the ridgeline through the stunted green moss clad beach forest. The wind continued to roar at us all the way down and blew me over at one point when I stopped for a break to admire the view.
We walked out at just gone 6pm with my mum having arrived 20 mins prior.
We walked out to still clear blue skies and a marginal breeze to all intense purposes it looked like the perfect walking day! We knew that although very disappointed that we had made the right call and found out later that the other party of 4 after having gone to the ridge had turned around to walk out after us.

We did our best and were only stopped yet again by mother nature and her weather so we are very proud of both Josh(14) and Autumn(12) and maybe next summer we will try again, this time going from our side of the Southern crossing!



Everyone so far has been most supportive in the fact that we still didn't make it but seem more than happy to donate for such a good effort to such a great cause.