ALPINE GNANDEUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18551, 8 November 1923, Page 10

ALPINE GNANDEUR.

MT. COOK AND THE ALPS.

MOUNTAIN HOLIDAY JOYS.

REMARKABLE WINTER CLIMB

"That's what yon do at the Hermitage. . Smile all the time," said Mr. R. L. Wigley, of Timaru, in his lecture on Mount Cook and the Southern Alps, at St. Andrew's Hall last evening. Mr. Wigley lived up to Che mountaineering spirit during the delivery of a remarkable lecture, for he crammed it with happy reminiscent references, which brought many an appreciative laugh from his audiience. The lecturer made little attempt at description, but relied on a magnificent set of lantern slides to convey some idea of the grandeur and beauty of the mountain and snow country of the South Island. The slides we're extremely clear, and picturesque to a degree. Professor R. M. Algie, who presided, introduced the speaker as the man who, with Guides Murrell and Milne, had recently made the first winter ascent of Mount! Cook. The Mount Cook Hermitage, of which some excellent slides were shown, could, said Mr. Wiglev, be reached from Auckland in 48 hours. "At the Hermitage,' he continued, " there is not only climbing and handwork, but lots of tracks, and you can amble about and enjoy yourself for two or three months""if you want to. This face is an excellent one for glissading. Yet sit down, lift your feet up and go for your life. It's very nice." The difference between the summer and winter appearance of various parts of the mountains was shown by several slides. Skating and ski-ing activities were also represented.. One slide showed a ski-et' negotiating a turn after coming down a slope at the rate of about 45 miles an hour. The peculiar ice formations on the glacier surfaces, caused by glacier movements over un uneven bottom, were shown in some of the best? slides. Interesting views of parties on the Mueller Glacier, whore an Bin. daily movement is recorded, were followed by pictures of avalanchy country. "The snow country in New Zealand is every bit as good as that in Switzerland, and the glaciers are larger and lower," said the speaker. One ridge on an ascent was so narrow, that steps had to be cut on each side, the climbers thus having one foot on each side of the razorlike edge. * Among the most interesting parts of the lecture was that devoted to the first winter ascent ever made of Mount Cook. Previously, it had been considered that the conditions made an ascent impossible. Horses were taken for the ride up the Tasman Glacier. Then the snow got too deep and the skis were put on. Two miles of ski-ing were done in the dark over snow which was full of crevasses covered with winter snow. Going up the last glacier, the climbers were in dangerous avalanche territory, and "every sound gave us a shiver up the back, and we pushed on as fast &z we could." The view from the top of Mount Cook was very disappointing, as the whole landscape seemed flattened out when viewed from the great height. On the return, a snow bridge over a crevasse collapsed under Mr. Wigley's weight, and he was left dangling from the rope "like a trussed chicken." Nevertheless, the difficulty was safely overcome. ' The worst piece on the mountain was a hard shiny ice slope, along which steps had to be cut. If one had slipped, all would have gone down the face, 2000 ft. or 3000 ft. in height. One slope, which took five and o-quarter hours to ascend, was covered in the descent in ten minutes.

"We wen mighty glad to get back to the old He? nitage," concluded Mr. Wigley. "We Jid been out five davs and had not had Our clothes off, nor had a wash."