Daring expedition

Press, 26 February 1980, Page 16

Daring expedition

An expedition from the sununit of Mount Aspiring to the Pacific Ocean will be attempted for the first time next month. Two New Zealanders, Peter Tocker and Robin Judkins, will attempt to dimb to the summit of Mount Aspiring, and from there begin the expedition that will take them down the Matukituki River, across Lake Wanaka, and down the Clutha River to the Pacific Ocean. » Mr Tocker, aged 29, is an accomplished ski racer, gymnast and athlete from Christchurch, and Mr Jud- . kins, aged 30, is an author and former ski racer from Wanaka. Both men are partners in . a canoe-build-i ing business. :! They will be accom- :; panledT-on lhe trlp by a

professional alpine guide, Mr Paul Scaife, aged 28, of Wanaka. . . / Eight members will make up the full party on the seaward journey. A former army chef, Mr Karl Swanson, aged 27 of Wanaka, will act as cook and drive a support vehicle from Lake Wanaka to the coast. The party will also be accompanied by a jet boat, driven by Mr Trevor McKenzie. The expedition, from March 1 to 15, will, take the party through some of. .the most spectacular /■ <„ mountains in the Southern . Alps, and then on the biggest river in New Zealand through the gdrges and flatlands of Otago. •./ During the first week, 'z Mr Tocker; and Mr Judkins

will begin a training programme from the Mount Aspiring hut, with Mr Scaife as guide. The three men will attempt to climb the summit at the end of that week. Canoes will be flown to the Aspiring hut by helicopter and the eight expedition members will set off for the coast on March s. . . The group intend to tie the eight , canoes together to form a raft and sail across Lake Wanaka to the Clutha outlet on March 9. They will then canoe down the river to the Cromwell Gap, where selected members will shoot the rapids. The next four days will be spent in canoes following the Clutha River .to the coast.