GIRL MOUNTAINEERS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 41, 18 February 1931, Page 13

GIRL MOUNTAINEERS

AX JXTRh'IvSTLNfi TlMl'

A very delightful and successful trip In the Southern Alps has just been accomplished by 'Misses Rosamond Harper iind lij|rli;ir;i Crawford, who crossed to I'icluii, taking it "baby car" with i them for llwi lour. Leaving Pieton, they drove lo Murchison via 'J.'ophouse by Ihe rireiilly opened road, piist Lake, li'otoiti. Next day they eiime to Wostpoi't, iiiuisiiiy there, ;uid going on to Crcynioutli and HokiUka, where they spoilt- the night.. The little' c:ir sitifl its ocenpants triumphiititly rcnclicrl Wuiho Gorge, tin; lionie of the J''r;inz Josef Gli'icior, in four il.'ivs, in spile of some biid rosifls, ii slip "in the Buller," mid vuriiiblo weather. A 1 Waiho Gorge they spunt :i day go ing up to (lie Datiaiuto .lliil, a sixhours' training walk, of course with a guide. 'J'hey took the little car to the Fox Glacier, find later roturning to Waiho set out wilh tliP guicln for (In 1 Aimer Hut, eight; hours' •limb up tho Franz Josef Glacier, 0000 ft. above scalevid. They next, climbed Mt. Itudolf ("over ilOOOf't). the route, lying over Graham's .Saddle, the "day" starting at Hi roe in the morning, with perfecl weather. Howes er this was followed by three days' rain, which ivere passed n't. the Aimer Hut. The only occasional outings were occupied in hunting for

crystals, which abound there, or playing games with friendly kcas. When the weather abated they started out by the high-level route for the new hut on tho I'ox Glacier, again at \i a.m., across huge icefields and over Newton Pass (7500 ft). A storm was threatening as they crossed, the highest peaks above the party, Cook and Tasinan, being the centre of a terrilie thunderstorm accompanied by a roaring wind. It was a wonderful experienco to weather such a storm in such surroundings. However, before tho storm struck the Fox snowfield tho party had reached tho new hut on Chancellor Ridge —but they only had ten minutes to spare! This hut had not yet been provisioned, so the food brought from the Aimer had to suffice and be most carefully conserved, as tho weather made a retreat down the Fox Glacier by any route quite impracticable. The guide managed to get away during a lull, and went to the Glacier Hotel at Weheka for food, being gone altogether ten hours. The party had hoped to complete the traverse via Mt. Moltkc, but the weather was against this, and tho return trip was made to the Glacier Hotel at Weheka, this being done in terrific rain and wind. They then went back to AVaiho Gorge, where tho little ear was picked up for the run to Hokitika and then on to Otira. Hero again, incidents enlivened the travel, for tho road was washed out near Aikr-ns. A passing freight train came to the rescue of car and travellers, and through the "obligingness of authority" they were enabled to reach Springfield lato in tho evening. The adventurous travellers state that they enjoyed every moment of the trip, and the' bad weather did not spoil anything, but. was regarded as an experience. Had it been better, however, they would havo done some more climbing of heights with great enjoyment. Tho remark made about the car was that there was not, even a puncture, and it "took the creeks like a duck."