Mountaineering epic

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32450, 10 November 1970, Page 18

Mountaineering epic

The ascent of Mount Cook’s Caroline Face during the week-end is one of the great feats of New Zealand mountaineering. Since the first ascent of Mount Cook in 1894, successive climbers have attempted to find new and ever more difficult routes to the summit; Peter Gough’s and John Glasgow’s ascent was at least the sixth attempt on this face. Only in recent years, since the development of highly sophisticated ice techniques, has it been possible to contemplate seriously an assault on the Caroline Face. Much of the equipment used by Messrs Gough and Glasgow has been developed in the last 10 years. By this remarkable feat New Zealand mountaineering has reached a milestone which it .was bound to pass sooner or later, and some will find in the event cause for regret as well as for pride. Once all the great peaks had been conquered and all the more accessible and “ practicable ” routes to their summits traversed, climbers were bound to look for new challenges in routes once thought to be unreasonably difficult or dangerous. In short, the pioneering days of’exploring and climbing the New Zealand mountains are now virtually over. The future probably belongs to the “ climbing engineers ”; and no doubt New Zealand mountaineers will prove as skilful, tough, and resourceful in this specialised branch of the sport as they have proved in others. But no-one should underrate the dangers inherent in the search for increasingly difficult climbs of vertical faces and routes obstructed by overhangs. Not even a helicopter could pluck an injured man off the Caroline Face.