SNOW STILL FALLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22193, 21 August 1935, Page 12

SNOW STILL FALLS

CHATEAU CONDITIONS SPLENDID SKI RUNS LOST CLIMBER'S ADVENTURE AIDED BY A POLE LINE [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] TIIF. CHATEAU. Tuesday After a fine morning, a light, but steady fall of snow commenced this afternoon, and continued throughout the evening. Owing to the heavy snow only two people went to Scoria Flat to-day, but splendid ski-ing is available evon on the lower levels. The snow is still 2ft. deep in places on the Bruce Road, but heavy lorries have been running over it to-dav, and cars are able to reach the Chateau only with difficulty. An Automobile Association patrol stationed at the Chateau has greatly assisted travellers in negotiating the difficult portions of the route. Mr. E, W. Yates, who was lost for some hours on Ruapehu in a snowstorm yesterday, was to-day feeling few ill-effects from his ordeal. But for the safety measures taken in recent years on the mountain, the adventure might have ended much more seriously. Mr. Yates got off tho track to the Chateau while returning from Salt Hut, and owing to the very poor visibility, bore off to the left in the direction of the dangerous Whakapapaiti Valley, down which a party travelled in 1931 after boing lost on the Whakapapa Glacier. He encountered the pole line erected round the mountain to Ohakune, however, and after travelling along it for some time, came to an Automobile Association sign, indicating that the Chateau was in the opposite direction from that in which he was travelling. Retracing his steps, he was able to return to the junction with the pole line leading down the mountain. He realised that the Salt Hut. was much nearer from this point than tho Chateau, and as he was exhausted by his battle with the snow and cold, ho set out for the hut, which ho reached safely. Splendid conditions are indicated for the annual winter sports meeting to be conducted by the Ruapehu Ski Club next week.

BEAUTIFUL SPECTACLE SNOW ALONG RAILWAY LINE FALLS IN HIGH COUNTRY Glistening snow covering the entire countryside for a distance of about 120 miles provided an unusual and beautiful spectacle .for passengers on tho Main Trunk expresses on Monday night. The snow extended approximately from Huntervillo to Taumarunui and, under a brilliant moon, clearly outlined the configuration of the land. "It was a wonderful sight," said a passenger from Wellington yesterday. "There was simply a mass of white everywhere, and generally there was not a cloud in tho sky." Tho drifts came right down the railway embankments on to. tho line, he added, and >n places the snow was as much as 3ft. deeD.

Re ports from country districts indicate that there was a very general fall of snow on ranges and high country on Monday night, but it had ceased yesterday. Between 7 and 8 p.m. on Monday there was a fall of Bin. at Taihape, and it was heavier in outlying districts, varying from sin. to a foot. Passengers on the north-bound express engaged in snowballing at the Taihape station. Bright sunshine yesterday morning was followed by rain in the afternoon, and much of the snow melted.

A particularly cold snap was experienced al» Whcikatane on Monday night, and a heavy mantle of snow was soon on Mount Tarawera for the first time this year. From Te Awamutu yesterday Pirongia Mountain was observed to be coated in snow, and there was also a mantle on the Rangitotos, to the east. Slight falls occurred during the night at Ngaroma and Pukeatua. Yesterday the weather was bright and cloar.