MOUNTAINEERING FEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18341, 6 March 1923, Page 8

MOUNTAINEERING FEAT.

TRAVERSE OF MINARETS. CLIMBERS' ACHIEVEMENT. [BY TELEGBAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHTJRCH. Monday. Advice has been received that MrJulian Grande, accompanied by Guide Peter Graham and Mr. R. L. Wigley, of the Hermitage, made the first traverse from west to east from tho Glacier Hotel, Waiho Gorge, to Malte Brun hut, ascending on the way the two Minaret peaks and Mount De La Beche. Tho party left the Glacier Hotel on February 28 at 9.30 a.m., spending two ! hours at the Defiance hut and reaching ' Aimer bivouac at 6.30 p.m. On Thursday : morning the climbers left the bivouac at j 6.15 o'clock, traversed the corridor, and I reached the foot of Graham Saddle a"c 9 | a.m. Then the party ascended to the ■ left toward the Couloir leading to the ' saddle of the Minarets. The snow in J the Couloir was glazed and it took Guide Graham two hours to cut steps from the saddle. .... Mr. Grande and party ascended the two Minarets and De La Beche. Conditions here were perfect, and the climb took thorn only one hour and a-half. The weather throughout was perfect, and the view from the summit magnificent. The sea to the west and east, was clearly visible. The descent, however, to Malte 1 Brun was slow owing to the snow slopes being literally hard ice, and much stepcutting was necessary. It is now 20 years since th© late Mrs. Julian Grandeshe was then Miss Constance Barnicoatwas the first woman lo cross the Copland Pass. Mr. Grande said he w'shed his wife had been alive to conj gratulate him on being the first to ! traverse the Minarets from west to east-