MOUNT COOK CLIMB

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 17, 21 January 1938, Page 7

MOUNT COOK CLIMB

THE EASTERN ARETE

NIGHT OUT ON GLACIER

Probably the best climb in the Mount Cook regions for years has just been accomplished by two well-known Dominion climbers, Messrs. L. V. Bryant, of the staff of Waitaki Boys' High School, and C. L. Mahan, of the staff of the Timaru Boys' High School (states the "Timaru Herald"). Two of the finest amateur mountaineers in New Zealand, with ascents of most of the high peaks of the Southern Alps to their credit, Messrs. Bryant and Mahan may now add to an already formidable list of successes the previously unclimbed eastern arete leading from the Anzacs to just below the second peak of Mt. Cook, a height of about 12,000 feet.

Mr. Bryant, who was a member of the Everest Reconnaissance Expedition in 1935, is a member of the Alpine Club, London, the Himalayan Club, and the New Zealand Alpine Club, while Mr. Mahan is a member of the Alpine Club, London, and the New Zealand Alpine Club. They attempted the eastern arete of Mt. Cook five years ago and reached a height of about IOftOO feet when bad weather forced a retreat. This time, however, under favourable conditions, they succeeded in pioneering the new route in 28 hours, and this in spite of a wait of eight hours on the Linda Glacier during the descent. Leaving the Hermitage on January 12 the pair made a bivouac on January 14 at a height of 8400 feet on the rocks at the foot of the unclimbed eastern arete of Mt. Cook. They left on the morning of January 15 at 3.50 and | reached the crest at 3 p.m. Continuing towards the high peak they reached their objective at 5.20 p.m. WATT ON LINDA GLACIER. The climbers descended by the Linda Glacier route as far as the Silberhorn corner where the light and the badly crevassed state of the glacier made it inadvisable to continue. They remained out all night, from 9.30 pjn. to 5,30 the next morning, on the glacier and continued to the Haast Hut, which they reached at 8.30 ajn. "The condition of the first half of the eastern arete was excellent for crampons, but the rock work required care," the climbers stated. Thereafter, they said, the hot sun made the snow rather treacherous necessitating great care. At times they were almost thigh deep in soft snow. The last 800 feefc gave a great deal of trouble as steps Had to be cut in blue ice beneath a foot of avalanching snow. The summit ridge and ice cap gave them no concern, but the icy condition of the ■summit rocks during the descent made double roping advisable.

PREPARED FOR EVENTUAMMBS.

. yAsked about their night out on the .glacier, Messrs. Bryant and Mahan explained that such a contingency was •not unexpected and tfiey were fully prepared for eventualities. T&iey dug .a hole in the snow, effected a com-plete-change of footgear, and donning ■windbreakers, awaited the coming of the dawn. The moon gave the climbers every, assistance but the stop on •the glacier for the night was enforced •because of.'a shadow cast, by a ridge •at the Silberhorn corner. Had the light been better they would ha-jse arrived at the Haast Hut by midnight as they had only about 50 yards of badly cre,yassed glacier to negotiate befpjte. the route would have been plain sailing. Preferring not to take, any. rigfcs they made themselves comfortable iSrt their long wait on the glacier. MODEST SUMMING UP. "It was the longest continuous aceteeither of us has struck in the alps," said Mr. Bryant. "Halfway up the ridge we had to negotiate a very narrow portion for about 200 yards which fell away sheer for thousands of feet. This was so narrow that it was literally knife-edged. It afforded no anchorage, and had to be climbed by placing one foot on either side. It w4s a^ long, arduous climb, requiring great, care but we felt fairly confident of suc,t cess." This was the climbers' modest* summing up of an achievement TOhicfc| ivill occupy a very important page ins the colourful history of a region whicirf lias seen many notable conquests.