TRAVERSE OF TASMAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1937, Page 4

TRAVERSE OF TASMAN

A traverse of Mount Tasman was made by Mr. H. K. Douglas, of Wellington, with Guide M. Bowie, of the Hermitage, Mount Cook, on December 27 (states the Christchurch "Press"). The traverse of Tasman, recognised as New Zealand's finest ice mountain, has been accomplished only once previously, by Mr. H. E. L. Porter and Mr. Marcel Kurz, in 1926. 1

The route followed on the present occasion was from the King Memorial Hut on the Haast Ridge, which the party left at 1.30 a.m., to the summit of Mount Silberhorn, reached at 6.15 a.m., and then by the southern arete to the top of Tasman at 8.55 a.m. The descent was made by the northern arete to Engineer Col and over the top of Mount Lendenfeld, which was reached at 1.20 p.m., to Marcel Col. The party then descended to the Fox glacier and returned via Pioneer Pass to the Haast Hut at 7.10 p.m. Snow conditions were excellent, and a clear though cold day enabled the climbers to enjoy magnificent panoramas of the Alps at all stages of the climb. The. party had previously climbed the Silberhorn and Mount Teichelmann on December 19, but on that occasion had to abandon the traverse of Tasman because of threatening weather. | By a curious coincidence the last previous cliirfb of Mount Tasman was made by Mr. Douglas with Mr. Alan C. BroWne, F.R.G.S., and Guide Frank Alack on the very same day the previous year, December 27, 1935.