MOUNTAIN AIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 256, 29 October 1929, Page 8

MOUNTAIN AIR.

HOLIDAY AT NATIONAL PARK,

return or excursionists.

CLIMBERS FROM AUCKLAND.

Spiked boots and rucksacks were in sr s,ve r," Tms " ! " Park over Uhmr Bay « k . eni dreds of visitors poured into the chateau aud in a manner .till to the heart of Nature tramping parties revelled m the delights o( a ■ the more primitive huts.

Evidence of the impetus which is beintr given to holiday making i n the invi<r or . :' U IZ ° T f , the central mountains 0 of the isorth Island was provided in Auckland early this morning when five car" ciage loads of passengers returned bv express from National Park. Tanned faces were consicpous, and, even if sundry heels were sore from over-much tramping in unaccustomed footwear the hearty bearing of the excursionists Dro claimed that all were happy warrE" The Tongariro National Park is at last coming into its own as one of the best Zealand™ rUg ° ed Pkygrounds of New

Several good climbs were done bv «. party from the Auckland Tramping Club, which left the city on Friday night in charge of Mr. W. Mays and return i this morning. Travelling by bus from National Park station to Gunson's cottage, a distance of about ten miles, thev then earned their packs' four miles to the Mangetepopo hut, which lies an * gully between Tongariro and Ngauruhoe where they camped. On the way in the party saw a great sunrise, in' which Mount Egmont, cone-shaped and glisten'rog white, was colourfully illuminate^."';.' Crest of Tongariro. After an invigorating camp-fire breakfast the party of sixteen tampers climbed to the south crater of Tongariro crossed to the Otarere crater and went on to the red crater. The latter, they report, is showing distinct signs of liven-, ing up. From the heights above the snow line they had an excellent view of the Blue Lake, which was frozen over. The climbers visited the central crater and ascended by a long ridge to the summit of Tongariro, 6458 ft above sea level. Seven lady members of the party climbed splendidly. All were rewarded by grand views of Mount Egmont, Lak« Roto Aira and Lake Taupo. From the top of Tongariro they cut their way through ice for about 200 ft and then, glissaded 800 ft, reaching the hut at about six o'clock. The extra half hour of daylight is appreciated by climbers at the tail-end of a heavy day.

Sunday had been set apart for an ascent of Ngauruhoe, but owing to fog a trip to the Ketetahi blowhole was substituted. The geysers and the boiling mud pools were most interesting. From, there the -party tried to get' over the saddle to the blue lake, but they were driven down the mountain by fog and had to go a long way round, reaching the hut only at ten o'clock. Steep Rock Climb. On Monday half a dozen men in the party climbed Pukekaikiore, a 6teep rock climb of about 5000 ft. On the way up they had good views of the plains and of the- snowclad slopes of Ngauruhoe, also of the new chateau, six or eight miles away. The crater at the top of the peak is extinct. Returning in time for luncheon, the men joined their fellow members in greeting a party of 30 or 40 tourists from the chateau, who had lunch at'the hut and then set out to climb Torigariro. On the way out to the bus to' National Park station on Monday evening'one' of the tireless members of the group climbed Pukeonake, an ascent of about 5000 ft.

The Auckland trampers enthuse greatly over tlie attractions of the National Park and state that the possibilities of development are practically limitless. They express the hope that while the general run of tourists will prefer the more comfortable accommodation of the chateau and of the adjoining lodge, parties of climbers like themselves will for a reasonable fee still be able to hire accommodation in the huts and so participate in the supreme delights of primitive camping in the mountains.