Next day the party, replete with burnt porridge and half-cooked sausages, made an early start in the heavy mist. An hour along an old road and then began a heavy slog to three thousand feet up to the source of the Waipawa River. The country was similar to the Orongorongas but on a larger scale with heavier bush. By about 2 p.m. the party reunited at the Waipawa Saddle and commenced the short steep drop down the Waikamaka River to the hut of the same name. The first day passed without a hitch except that Dick Jackson was unfortunate enough to sprain his ankle. A small party of Heretaunga Hampers arrived later and over twenty people spent the night in a hut about the size of Tawhai.

Sunday morning, some rose at 5 a.m. enabling the party to make an early start. At this stage it was considered expedient to split the party into three. Bruce Milburn was to lead the main body of twelve over the originally planned traverse along the tops following an S-shaped ridge, Alec McLeod to take a smaller group on a more direct crossing, while the Heretaunga people were kind enough to see that our casualty was assisted back to more hospitable regions.

The hardy dozen, so-called, scrambled up a bush-clad spur and then over rock and tussock to the five thousand feet peak Rangi O Te Atua. The air was crisp and clear and both the Hawkes Bay and Manawatu plains were visible almost to the sea. Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaruahoe presented a rare spectacle and only the clouds and curvation of the earth on the south side obstructed the view of Tapuaenuku and Cook.