PEAKS CONQUERED

Evening Post, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 13

PEAKS CONQUERED

N.Z. WOMAN'S FEAT WAIHO GORGE, March 5. The first ascent of Mount Tasman (11,579 ft) by a New Zealand woman climber was made on March 3 by Miss Marjory Edgar Jones, N.Z.A.C., of Timaru, with Guides Jack Cox and Mark Lysons, of the Franz' Josef Glacier. The party left the Glacier Hotel on February 2*3 for Aimer Hut, and on February 24 crossed Newton Pass, climbed Grey's Peak and the Rock Needle on Grey's Peak and then proceeded via Governor's Col, and the Haast Ridge, to the Haast Hut. As the weather was unsuitable for climbing on the Divide, the party moved over to the Malte Brun Hut on February 27, and on February 28 thoy traversed Mount Malte Brun (10,400 ft). Climbing by the north-west arete, they reached the summit from the hut in i> hours 10 minutes. Enveloped in clouds, they made the descent by the northeast ridge and face. On March 1 the party was back at the Haast Hut, and. they went , oyer Pioneer Pass to the bivouac, on Pioneer, Ridge on March 2. At 1 a.m. on March 3 the country was blanketed iv a cold south-west fog. After another hour's sleep and an unhurried breakfast, a start was made at 3.50 a.m. The fog had cleared away, but from the time the party reached the Marcel Col at daybreak, they were somewhat troubled by a gusty southerly. Nevertheless they traversed from the Lindenfeldt Glacier to the Engineer Col by 7.20 a.m. They pushed on up Mount Tasman and had to cut out on to the. east face to circumvent the sehrund on the ridge leading to the north shoulder. Cutting steps up the final ridge, they reached the summit at 10.45 a.m. As the wind was increasing and a fog was coming over, they retjracec' their steps as fast as safety wouM permit, and traversing Lindenfeldt Glacier again, they reached Marcel .Co' at 12.45 p.m. With the afternflor still before them, they climbed tfc;< high peak of Mount Haast, and rt' turned to the bivouac by 4.40 p.m. Tb* next day the party returned to Fran: . Josef.