MOUNTAINEERING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 14, 29 October 1935, Page 6

MOUNTAINEERING

THREE TRIPS DURING WEEK-END

EXCURSIONS INTO BACK

COUNTRY

Three parties of members of the Erewhon Mountaineering Club made excursions info the back country during the Labour week-end and all trips were thoroughly enjoyed. Three members motored to Erewhon ou Saturday afternoon and proceeded to Mcßae’s old homestead at the junction of the Clyde and Lawrence Rivers, camping there both nights. On Sunday an attempt at Mt. Jolie (7232 ft.) was made from the Lawrence, but the climbers were forced back when about 1000 ft. from the summit, by a severe storm. They returned along a ridge and made a traverse of Mt. Mcßae (5678 ft.) This was an interesting rock climb, followed by a good descent by means of a series of steep snow couloirs. Yesterday the party went up the Clyde as far as Sinclair Stream, and returned to Ashburton in the afternoon. The mornings were fine, but bad weather from the north-west came up on both afternoons. These conditions affected all parties. Two mountaineers made an attempt on Mt. Alma (8204 ft. j : They motored to the Potts River on Saturday afternoon and left immediately for the cottage hut at the mouth of the Alma Creek. On Sunday they broke camp at 4.30 a.m. and journeyed up the Alma Creek. The weather was not good, a north-west wind having sprung up. Arriving at the junction of the North and South Alma Creeks, they struck up to the main ridge of Alma, but .at 9.30 a.m. had to .give up the attempts as.rain and sleet had set in and visibility was very poor. The members returned to Ashburton yesterday.

Another two members set»» out from the Potts River on Saturday and encountered fog in the gorge in the dark, deciding to spend the night in the open. The hut above the gorge was reached on Sunday, and with light packs the mountaineers continued up the river for about five miles and then ascended a snow col fo a. rock and snow ridge which led fo an unnamed peak of about 6500 ft. Soft snow made hard going. The party continued up to the head of the Potts River. The valley is dominated by a splendid unclimbed peak of about 8000 ft., while from a plateau to the north a col leads into the Law'rence River. Visibility was not good. This is the first trip made to this area by a mountaineering party.