Climb in snowstorm

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32801, 29 December 1971, Page 1

Climb in snowstorm

(N.Z. Pre«» Aesoctation) INVERCARGILL, December 28. Two Southland climbers spent Christmas Day in snowstorms and icy conditions to become the first men to scale the south face of 9957 ft Mount Aspiring. The climbers returned to the National Park hut at French Ridge on Monday morning. They are Ben Bennett, a 26-year-old carpenter from Queenstown, and Peter Moore, a 20-year-old trainee

surveyor from Invercargill. They began the ascent on Christmas Eve, but were caught in a heavy snowfall when only half-way towards the summit. The two climbers pressed on in worsening conditions, and could not take a rest for fear of succumbing to the cold or becoming trapped in a blizzard. Their climb to the summit took 29 hours. They had a slow, tortuous climb down again, blinded by snow and testing every step on the slippery, ice-covered mountainside. They were unable to stop even for a meal, and they sustained .their energy by

munching a high-protei malt extract. This is the fourth mour tain these two climbers hav conquered. Their next ascen will be of Mount Rob Roy, ii the Mount Aspiring Nations Park, early in the New Yeai Shantytown visitors The ambition of Shanty town to have 100,009 visitor by January 23, the first anni versary of its opening, i gathering momentum. Thi village had 1335 visitors oi Monday, which figure, i maintained, would mean tha the total of visitors for thi first year would exceet 115,000. The total at presen stands about 81,000. (F.0.0.R.) >