Andrew Anderson Veteran Mountaineer

Press, Volume C, Issue 29433, 8 February 1961, Page 13

Andrew Anderson Veteran Mountaineer

0F ail (ports, mountaineering is one of the most demanding in terms of stamina and determination, and there are relatively few who continue to pit their strength against the highest mountains as they pass into middle age. But Andrew Anderson, a Christchurch climber who made his first ascents in the 1920’5, is an exception; aged 53, he is still attempting and succeeding on peaks which are among the toughest climbing propositions in this country. Andrew Anderson is reverently regarded by fellow members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club as one of the best authorities on climbing in the Southern Alps—certainly there are few major peaks which he had not climbed, and every mountain in the country over 10.000 ft (there are 17 in the original official list) has fallen to him. He was the first climber to achieve this distinction. As a schoolteacher, Andrew Anderson welcomes the holidays which allow him more time in the mountains. Today he is able to look back on his early years when he used to reach the mountains by bicycle—he had several trips to Arthur’s Pass, at least four up the Ashburton river to the Arrowsmiths, and one up the Rangltats. when he was towed some of the way behind a motor-cycle.

Rotten Rock In spite of its notorious reputation for rotten rock and stonefall, with severe pitches and steep faces, the Arrowsmith range became the favourite climbing area for Andrew Anderson. In January, 1931. he made the second ascent of Mount Arrowsmith (9171 ft from the Ashburton river side—much more difficult than the first ascent of the mountain made in 1912 from the Rangitata side. He made first aacents of Tent Peak '79o3ft) in 1931, Jagged Peak (8910 ft in 1932. and Couloir Peak (8875 ft in 1933. It is a source of disappointment for this veteran that he did not also gain the first climb of North Peak ( 8638 ft), although his party had been close to conquering the mountain when two members were badly injured by falling rocks. One of his companions on all these climbs was Mr Evan Wilson, of Timaru, who has been one of his greatest mountaineering friends.

His ' most exciting climbs? There are enough to fill a book. One he remembers most vividly was a traverse to the

B. R. BOON, the Wellington lawn tennis player, who is making a return to his best form this season. Ranked ninth in New Zealand as a junior in 1954, and eighth among the seniors in 1957, Boon had many successes in tournament and Wilding Shield tennis. In this year's national championships, after beating B. J, Aldridge, of Canterbury, in the lirst round. Boon lost an interesting match to the seeded J. B. Souter.

West Peak of Elie de Beaumont, a most formidable climb across a razor-sharp ice ridge made extremely dangerous by cornices. Under favourable conditions, this climb demands extreme skill and care, but in the strong south-west wind encountered by Andrew Anderson's party, it was like a bad nightmare. Thrusting his ice-axe through the cornice to look at blue sky only the thickness of the ice away did little to help the nerves, and scarcely daring to look down at the valley far below, the roped party completed the traverse. At no time could the lead be changed—there was no room to pass even if the climbers had wished to. In considering the long career of this climber, it is important to recognise that most of his ascents were made at a time when there were none of the artificial aids now available to the mountaineer. Ski-equipped aircraft, dehydrated foods, and many highaltitude huts, have changed the whole concept of mountaineering in the Southern Alps, and the conditions experienced by these early climbers can scarcely be appreciated today.

This summer has been a source of great joy for Andrew Anderson, for he repeated his climb of Mount Arrowsmith of 30 years before. This time his party ascended by the third and extremely precipitous side

of the .mountain from the Cameron. Also in the party was S. J. Harris, who climbed the peak on his 49th birthday. On the summit, which the two veterans reached with surprising alacrity for their years, Andrew Anderson found a cigarette tin left there by himself 30 years and one day previously. A note he had left was still there, among others added by subsequent climbers. Two days after this fine climb, Andrew Anderson climbed Couloir Peak again—--28 years after his first ascent of it Prominent Ridge

One prominent ridge in the Arrowsmiths still remains virgin to tempt present generations of climbers—the formidable traverse from Jagged to Couloir Peaks which has already almost claimed one life. “I am sure it will go one day, but it is one of the most difficult climbs still virgin in the Southern Alps,” said Andrew Anderson this week. A footnote to Andrew Anderson’s return to the Arrowsmiths this summer is typical of this man’s spirit. “When I was on the summit of Mount Arrowsmith I considered bringing down the note which I had left in the tin. Then I decided to leave it there for the meantime. If I’m still able, I’ll go back for it in another 30 years’ time."