Swiss man’s solo ascent of Caroline face

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32810, 10 January 1972, Page 1

Swiss man’s solo ascent of Caroline face

(From Our Own Reporter)

TIMARU, January 9. The first solo ascent of the virtually sheer 8000 ft Caroline face of Mount Cook by Max Dorfligger, a Swiss employed by Mount Cook National Park headquarters as a mountaineer, was hailed by the chief ranger (Mr B. W. Thomas) this evening as “really fantastic.”

He said that the feat—almost an incredible effort considering the magnitude of the climb—could be regarded as the most super-

lor climb in the Southern Alps.

Mr Dorfligger, who has already climbed the north face of the Eiger, has made the fifth ascent of the Caroline face. The previous climbs having been accomplished by two-man parties.

Mr Thomas said that Mr Dorfligger left from the Ball Hut at 11.30 p.m. on Saturday and reached the middle peak of Mount Cook at 3.45 p.m. today—a total of 15 hours continuous climbing on the face.

“I watched him,” said Mr Thomas. “At 8.20 a.m., he had arrived at the big ice cliff on the face, and moved away on' to the snow.” Mr Thomas watched Mr Dorfligger from the air, and recorded his accomplishment on film.

This afternoon Mr Thomas returned to the Ball Hut ridge and watched Mr Dorfligger complete the last stages of the ascent. Mr Dorfligger was obscured by cloud on the

summit ridge but Mr Thomas picked him up on the skyline on the middle peak of Mount Cook. Mr Dorfligger had hoped to meet other climbers on the summit ridge, said Mr Thomas, and it was a distinct possibility that he would descend by way of the west ridge of Mount Cook to the Hooker Valley.

The ascent of the Caroline face was made in good weather, with the face in reasonable condition. It was a climb that would go down in the annals of mountaineering not only in New Zealand but also in the Southern Hempishere, Mr Thomas said. The Caroline face was was first climbed in November, 1970, by Messrs P. Gough and J. Glasgow in a brilliant two-day ascent. They were followed by Messrs G. Harris and G. Dingle, Messrs K. Carroll and W. Denz, and, only last Friday, by Messrs B. Pooiey and J. Stanton.