CRATER ALTERED

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 140, 9 March 1929, Page 11

CRATER ALTERED

MOUNT NGARUAHOE Dominion Special Service. Obakune, March 8. A party, comprising Messrs. B. A. Robbie, R. Blennerhassett, C. Gowland, and N. Patching (Wellington) recently made the trip over Mount Ngaruahoe. One of the party had visited the mountain in 1926, and he was surprised to find much alteration in the shape and the quantity of deposits in the crater. There was clear evidence of comparatively recent violent iiiternal eruptions. Two huge gullies, about 40 feet to 50 feet deep, and from about 300 to 400 yards in length, had been gorged out on the northern side. On the western side of. the crater there were many signs of activity below, and several recently-formed gullies and big deposits of pumice. The southern and eastern sides were not clearly visible to the climbers, but from what be seen there did not appear to be i.C-li Alteration. Owing to the loose nature of the deposits the ascent was very strenuous, and many halts had to be made. The going in some places was so very rough that the men had to have a spell after climbing about 70 feet. On the north and the west there were no signs of any moisture on the ground, streams which in winter carried a big flow of water were absolutely dry.