MOUNT EGMONT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12461, 26 March 1906, Page 4

MOUNT EGMONT.

(special to "thb pkbss.") WELLINGTON, March 25. Messrs Malcolm Roes, T. O. Fyfe, and Georgo Smith, who returned the other day from a yisit to Parihaka and Mount Bgmorrt, *xplorod come interesting country on the south-west side of the mountain, and made an asoent by a new route, on which the conditions for the last thousand feet or so were quite Alpine. Messrs Ross and Fyfe stwte that some of the ordinary routes up the mountain are positively dangerous. They point out that in all the climbing in the Southern Alps, when much greater difficulties have Ijeen. eumounted, not a single life has been lost in twenty years, whereas on the easiest slopes of Mount Egmont, in a few years, five or six men have been killed or frozen, to death. They think it extremely probable that unless something is done to provide guides or instruct a. number of local reaidents in the elementajy principles of mountaineering, several lives will be lost on the mountain within the next few yean. Already, in addition to the fatal accidents, there have been a number of very narrow escapes. Mr Fyfe will report upon the mountain from a tourist and sportsman point of view to the Tourist Department. Mr Roes eeenred a number of interesting photographs in and around Parihaka, and also succeeded in obtaining an interview with. Tβ Whiti. From the summit of Mount Egmont the party, which, included Mr T. Smith, or Rahotu, saw the active volcano of Ngauruhoe sending forth a column of eteam and smoke. Ruapehu was quiescent. The mountain WfX covered with snow for more than a thousand feet, and looked very fine, towering above a low-lyinjj eea of cloud. Apparently the recent activity of the crater.lake was only a spasmodic outburst.