ASCENDING MT. RUA= PEHU.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1088, 29 March 1911, Page 15

ASCENDING MT. RUA= PEHU.

• ~ v — THE RECORD SINCE CHRISTMAS. ! I The ascent of Mount Ruapehu appears to bo gaining in favour with tourists and New Zeaianders. Siiico Christmas between ninety and one hundred travellers have made the ascent from Ilangataua under the supervision of Guide Snow. There have been liftecn two-day trips, two only of which were unsuccessful owing to bad weather. One man, Mr. C. A. Floyd, made a onedav trip, on January 4, in thiiteen hours. An Arduous Trip. The four days' through trip is interesting. Starting from Rangataua, one climbs to the summit of Ruapehu, 9175 feet, thence skirts the lake in the crater, two miles on the snow and ice, to Te Heu Heu (Northern Peak), thence down the northern slope to Waihohonu Government hut (this is a hard day, and most of the ladies require a day's rest before proceeding), thence to Ngauruhoe, 7515 ft., with its awful, active cratcr, and over and along Tongariro, 615Sft., with its interesting, extinct, and active craters, its ancient and recent lava beds, its blue and green lakes, the Ketitahi blow-hole, hot springs and baths, near where there is another Government hut. Tho fourth day, a walk of nine miles brings yon back to Waihohonu, where you meet tho special coach at noon, and the party are conveyed to Waiouru in time to catch'tho night express north or the morning express going south. The first attempt at a through trip at Christmas failed, on account of bad weather. Tho lirst party to succeed was Mrs. Thomson's (of Wellington), on January 10. They had a trying time. In climbing the summit of Ruapehu .with two guides, one had to cut steps in the ice on tho highest and steepest part of the mountain, for the only means of climbing. Upon entering tho crater, Miss lliggie met with a slight mishap in a crevasse, but soon recovered. The relief guide left the party half-way through the crater, and returned to Rangataua with his dumb companion, "York." The party were subsequently three and a half hours under Ihe clouds, travelling only by compass. Then they had a long walk of seven miles, hut fCgnuruhoe and Tongariro were climbed, anil Ketitahi, hot springs, and hutreached the next day by Messrs. Grant jml Snow, while the ladies (2), and Mr. Allsopp explored the 'ihe fourth day all returned to \\ aiouru. Tho second through trip was made by Mr. Falkner's party (3), of Auckland. They had been oil the northern slopes

last year, so they joined another party going In the .summit, of Ruapchu, and were aeeninpaiijed .safely into the crater; elter which they blushed the t<mr alone. An attempt was made ou January 21 by fix Wanganui gentlemen, but. as they I'ttcinpUd too much, and bail not the .time to spare, they satislied themselves with reaching tin- summit of Ituapehu, and spending a night among the reek;;. Ou March 7, Mr. .1. Ivcrsh'.ke's pari;; made the through trip. siKcessi'ully, On ■March |.>, Dr. Truby King's parly (;.!), ol Dunedin, ami .\lr. .1. A. Soininerville's party (-1), of Malaroa, joined forces, and travelled together over ltuapoliu lo Waihohonu. Mr. Konimerville's parly next day climbed Xgauruhoc, and returned to Waihohonu in seven hours, thence on to Waiomn the same day, meeting the coach at the nineteen-mile peg. Dr. King's party then went on lo Ngaurnhoe. Tongariro, and Ketitahi i;;'/juding a whole week on the three mountains. liy this year's success with the "through trip," there is a general opinion that in the future it will be the. most popular route. The later parties had much easier climbing, as the lava bod and steepest parts near the summit at Riiapelm became quite free from snow and ice, and tho crevasses in tho crater became more defined and easily avoided. The season is now drawing to its close, although good trips have been made, in April, and after a heavy fall of snow the crevasses will become fdled, and not discernible to the eve, so that any parties making the "through trip" will have to tako precautions against dropping into

one occasionally. Tlio alpine climbers are mostly Now Zoalanrlors, one German, and one South African lining the only others. Englishmen and Americans seem to prefer the. railways and tramcars of this Dominion.