ASCENT OF RUAPEHU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14301, 22 February 1910, Page 7

ASCENT OF RUAPEHU.

roof of the north ISLAND. the ohakune route. 'f-. • VPIONEER PARTY'S TRIP, ;>' f - ■ ' " - L , ONE of the most attractive, but until ix.cfintly one of the least known of the many pleasure and -seeing resorts of New Zealand, is the remarkable volcanic and ow-clad mountain chain comprised within the Tongariro National Park, in the Centre of the North Island. The principal features of the park, which needs only to be known to bo recognised lis one jf "the : Dominion's greatest national possessions. are the three, great mountains— Riianchu, Ngauruhoe, and longnriro. This territory, fo rich in a combination 0 [ volcanic "and alpine phenomena, botanic and scenic wonders of varied kinds, and the romance of -Maori tradition, has been a fascinating field for the researches of scientists and explorers since the .'ound-. ing ■of New Zealand as a colony, but these investigations have been of an intermittent character. The remoteness of the mountains from the ordinary walks of the white man, coupled with the "taboo" established more or less effectually by the r i of the "King" movement amongst (lie Maoris, made them practically inaccessible to the pakeha until within the last few years. Time, however, has brought its changes. The ban placed by the : natives on the kng-sacred territory) was * effectually removed 1 ; by its presentation by ' its native, owners to the Go- 1 ve'rnmeflt for the : purposes of a National Park for all time, and the physical disabilities in the path of the explorer have also been largely minimised by the opening of the Main 'Trunk railway, which skirts ; the edge of the - plateau from whence rice these stately and wonderful mountain kings.

. .The particular subject of the present : ,article ris 'Mount Ruapelm, which is the

;highest of the three peaks in the;. Tonga -; ? r)trir6'ichain. Prior to the opening : of the ," .railway Ruapehu, like the ever-smoking . • Ngaui'uhoe, was approached by means of• ;: ; the Tokaanu coach . route, lying to the • - north-east., of its base; but the compleirotion; of the railway has led to attention V\.>being directed :to the opportunities of as-; cent- from the south-western side. From • -this'quarter a considerable length of bush, - situated .on ■ gently rising ground leading ' to the base of the mountain proper, lias; : to be traversed: .but' good grades are i ; . available for tracks for horsemen as wellas for pedestrians A track has been cut .•from Rangataua, some three miles to"the 'w • scuth of ' Ohakune, .and by means of : this

. the ' ascent has been ; made by ; several • parties. It is from Ohakune, however; : thaißuapehu can be approached' with the : greatest ■ facility ■; by ; visitors, its position as 'a stopping-frlaee for the 'Main Trunk express,' as well as a centre of steadily- . . .growing ..importance, giving ■it a - special . ' advantage as a starting-point for moun taineers. -«•

• • .«• ■. .;'; THE;; NEW '> ROUTE. ■ •. ' ••■''• n-L ' • ' ' 'r ■' •'• '*. • • 4 The importance of opening up a route to Ruapehu from: Ohakune has' been one • &f the matters that have been assiduously • '- kept in view by the Ohakune Chamber :of Commerce.. • This body had a plan pre- • •' pared, •; showing that an excellent track • V couU'ibe.- formed to the. mountain, and it is also' claimed that it- is some two

miles ' shorter {> th an the Rangataua „ route.

The " plan s was submitted to the Govern- • ment with a vi°w to' its co-operation, but

(•so tar nothing has been done in this direc- , - tion. . The Ohakune - people, however, havejnct; been ' idle. During the present. slimmer a number of the members of the; ' Chamber of?' Commerce have ' taken the : matter in ;hand in a practical way. . In > the first place, they set. out one day in i > January o armed with (slashers, and ' cut their: way from the end '.of an existing

- ilength of ? bush track to a further point. ,s■;*, some three miles further on, which,' as a compliment- to one of their number, is now known ias "Cody's Camp." • The 'next. step was the engagement of ; two experienced bushmen (the Messrs. Reid Bros.) to cut a track from the point r i reacHed ■' by the . party to the end of ' the hush. This i contract . was' completed • dur.■•ingi,the -present month, and the first V ascent of what may be termed the roof • ,of the North Island'.' by means .of this • : route was made yesterday week. The , ■ report ;of , those ;. who v took .. part, was . very-favourable to the route, and at a f subsequent , meeting of • the Chamber of Commerce.it.was decided,, the necessary amount being guaranteed, to at' once pro- - . ved '. with the • work of improving the ' (rack, sufficiently .'to make it available for r Jiorse traffic up .to a. point beyond the •' : tamp lately • formed. It is expected that it.•• this work . : will ■. be completed within a, ; fortnight, after which the ascent of the ■ mountain, which at present occupies from , eight/ to eleven hours (according to the talking capacity of the climbers) will be accomplished in a much shorter time and

*ith a much less expenditure of energy. •V l ?' facilities that will then be afforded ;• f a visit to.Ruapehu will be of especial convenience to Auckland residents, who j. are able- to leave the city in the evening : JJ( i) '/reaching. Ohakune before half-past , 'yen the next morning, may at once beigin - the •' ascent of the mountain. As a . *«k-end trip the excursion should soon I tome a very, popular one for city dwel- : ' • : T The journey from Ohakune to the sum...jm of Ruapehfti, it may be mentioned, » 3 t " m ' 3 °' rather more than - '> the altitude of the Ohakune rail- - ay ' station - being slightly over 2000 ft' i : wve 6 ea ,CVe1 ' w - ,ilst that of Ruapehu >; A ' f : 'Die track through the bush' * cs the explorer through typical sylvan whilst as the upper slopes of 6 mountain are approached a number Pas lnint,ll(! .. lakes and waterfalls are ; ' whole route is well-watered, , being met with at frequent in- ' as light up to'tho snow-line. ■ , A NIGHT AT THE CAMP. i ; V Ifm ° j l " s ' asicn t ot 'he mountain from wtfV f " 1C new bush track was an wt ,„ '01 co srn:i " interest to the party ,he preceding night at the e( j. had beer; formed near the This ° ' 6 bush on " Ie previous day. ' ■ exru,j^- aS ' as ;,lreaf '.V stated, the pioneer '• i't, 0 " ° Vei . the new route to I ' lC '•tantiv"' Vn ' l Was ° nK:lllins more 5,. • , •No member of the party hud ' L all y "-»*•' Ruap.hu, and tliarcment L' 61 ' 6 agog with tl,e Illil(1 cxi:itc " -'' of th 10 °* U pleasurable • anticipation : "fount . ascon k' 01 1 ' 1 lii'-e of lie lordly ;: y tixht " rnonai The party numbered I tesid' -j Vas . comprised of Ohakune ' boin P S »nd v 'sitors, among the latter I ' x «* l'"™ bpr . ° f the staff of the 1 makinrr v! erald > ' 10 > on holidayifie m,jj- nt> as • Peking surcease from ' the '*s-JiiK' l - 5 CroWfi ' fi ignoble strife amidst n! ? s , s ? o,indinps ° f the p r °- • Ve lutle timber town.

The experiences of the eight mountaineers during the night in an eight by six tent need riot bo described in detail. Suffice it to say . that the •!'lying" room was fully occupied, and that, as might be expected,' the four "corner men".'had; rather the worst of the disposition of the "sleepers." One's quarter or half-share of a rug had an aggravating knack of taking on elusive habits during the silent watches of the night, whilst the attentions of ■ the übiquitous ■ mosquito, who dwelleth on the hill-top as well as on the much-populated plain, were neither grateful nor comforting. One member of the party, who occupied an " outer" position, rose shortly after midnight, and began ■ to vigorously chop: wood, with the double object of replenishing the campfire and infusing warmth into his numbed limbs. his had an uridesired as. well as the desired effect, for it brought down on the hewer of wood the anathemas of a disturbed companion, who had been fortunate, enough to be , enjoying a little sleep. A smooth answer, however, turned away the rising wrath of he of the broken slumber. A sugestion from the wood cutter to inaugurate a fight between the two dogs attached to the camp for the bonefit of those who were yet sleeping fortunately did not meet with support, and peace, save for the well-sustained incursions of the aggressive mosquito, : soon reigned supreme. And hero endeth the first chapter. ' ( The breaking of the dawn will see the beginning of the second.