Fun accent of Easter climb

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 4

Fun accent of Easter climb

Having a good time will be the main accent qf the Mount Bealey fun climb on Easter Saturday.] The organiser of. the event, Mr Mike Gacjd, of the Arthur’s Pass Association, said it was the fourth time the climb had [ been i held in recent years!. i He hoped that 'some people would want to climb the mountain! just for the enjoyment of it. . ' . ■; ' [■ 'i “The big thing abput it is. that it satisfies everybody. There are tl e fit people who’ like I it and turn out in shorts, and running shoes | ariq the trampers who set off!with their boots. There [is an amazing! number say they have never been on a mountain climb before.” About! 100 people have taken part in the ev ;nt in previous, years. The[ record time for the climb up the' Mount Bealey track and ridge is! Ihr Bmin, but some wilkers will take up to four hours , or more to compleie| the track. < i; J J__

i.;: - h i The walk begins by the ' I south side of Rough Creek and finishes nearby!in the bed of the creek, il [ I Mr Gadd said that one of the few accidents which; had! occurred on the climb ;was when a person slipped while de] cending the shingle slide and cut a leg. ■ “Sometimes j- thte weather is a bit doubtful so we may postpone the climb till Sunday, but un] less the weather is really foul we will try to stage the event — there wiljl be some who will[ do [it rain or shine.” j| The first person finished will receive [a SlOO voucher for sportsjgoods. There are other prizes of sports goods' fob the second and third I placegetters, the first woman, | and the first junior. i { ! , “People get the! plea-1 sure of being; up in the! mountains and the tompany of the [ other i climbers,” said Mr Gadd. [“They enjoy the companionship {and thte achievement."j !' ■