THE NEW PASS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20028, 9 September 1930, Page 14

THE NEW PASS.

REACHED FROM WEST COAST. DISCOVERED EARLY THIS YEAR. The discovery last month of a new pass over the Southern Alps to the immediate north of Mt. Franklin, by a party from the Christchurch Mountaineering Club, has led to the information being given to a representative of The PnKS- that tho same pass was reached by four men in May last, climbing from the West Coast side of the range. The party, consisting of Messrs T. M. W. A., A. M., and H. Jackßon, well known West Coast residents, proceeded from the mouth of the Otehake river, a tributary of the Tercmakau, up the bottom of a steep gorge for a distance of .about 15 miles. A fast flowing "stream, normally prevents access along this gorge, but owing to the long period of dry weather experienced in the district, there was little water flowing at the time, and narrow ledges were uncovered which gave a certain amount of foothold. At the top of the gorge, open slopes for four miles, led to the top of the saddle, the same point that was reached by the Christchurch party. No descent was made on to the Canterbury slopes. Very fine scenery was met on the trip up the gorge, the bush being inhabited by hundreds of native birds, but the route did not disclose any possibility of an easy access to the; saddle, as the small amount of water then flowing down the gorge was almost unprecedented, and any greater volume would have prevented progress altogether.