AMONG THE MOUNTAINS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20282, 15 December 1927, Page 12

AMONG THE MOUNTAINS

MR L S. AMERY’S IMPRESSIONS. AN ALPINE WONDERLAND. SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT. (Special to Dailt Times.) WELLINGTON, December 14. Looking extremely fit after his mountain. climbing exploits in the Southern Alps, Mr L. S. Amery arrived in Wellington to-day. Interviewed _ by the special correspondent of the Daily Times Mr Amery said he had had a wonderful time in the New Zealand Alps, and that he was fortunate enough id the weather to be able to do a good deal more than he could have normally expected. It was true that a sudden break m the weather on the afternoon of December 5, lasting till the. morning of the 7th, made it impossible for him to do Mount Cook, which ne had otherwise hoped to try on the 7th and Bth ; but apart from that he was able to carrv out a programme which not only gave him some first-class climbing, hut also afforded him a good opportunity to see something of the main Alpine chain on both sides. The party consisted of Mr Amery, Mr A. P. Harper (president of the New Zealand Alpine Club), and Miss R. Harper, guided by Peter Graham, with his nephew (Dave) as porter. First of all they wont to Ball hut, from which they did th e Glacier Dome, which afforded a magnificent close-up view of the northern and pastern faces of Cook and Tasman. Sleeping that night at the King Memorial hut the party went via Ball hut to Malte Brun hut, which Mr Amery said was another unique point of vantage for a view over the whole range of peaks round the Tasman Glacier. On the following day, while Peter and Dave Graham were engaged in kicking steps in the snow up the face of the Minarets, which the party had decided to traverse on the Friday, Mr Amery tried the Tasman Glacier as a ski-ing ground in company with Alfred Brustad, a young Norwegian ski-er, attached to the Hermitage, going up as far as the Lindenfeldt Pass. At 2.30 a.m. on Friday, said Mr Amery, they started in glorious moonlight for the Minarets (10,058 ft). Beyond the point to which steps had been kicked the snow was deep and crusted, making the ground slow, ao that they only reached the summit ridge about 10.30, mounting the actual ice cone of the highest minaret about an hour later, after cutting steps all the way. Their intention was to find a route the western side of the mountain to the 1 ranz Josef Glacier, and the route eventually selected was a very steep face of hard frozen snow, leading down from De La Beche. just east of Graham’s Sadc.le, necessitating the cutting of steps tor 700 ft. The next few hours were spent on the upper Franz Josef Glacier, the parvy passing through deep snow to the ruins of the Aimer hut, below which they had to find their way through the icefall to Defiance hut, a task of some difficulty and great expedition if they were to avoid being benighted on the glacier. However, they reached Defiance hut soon after 9 o’clock, after nearly 19 hours continuous climbing on snow and me. “ The whole day was a most interesting one,” said Mr Amery, “ not only as regards the wonderful views of the whole range in every direction, but also in the technical interest of th e climbing which afforded ample opportunity for Peter Graham to exhibit his remarkable skill and judgment in finding his way through difficult and broken snow faces or on crevassed glaciers. I have climbed with many of the very finest guides in the Alps in Switzerland, and I should not hesitate to put him in the first class with anv of them. . „ , ‘‘ Both from the point of view of scenery and as a field for mountain sport the New Zealand Alps can hold their own with those of Switzerland or the Rockies, declared Mr Amery “Unless it be the eastern face of Monte Rosa, I know of no single view in the Alps which can compare for impressiveness with the view ot Cook and Taapaan from Glacier Dome, of any view of snow mountains and glaciers generally finer than that from Malte Brun hut, while there is nothing in the world that I know of to compare with the striking contrast betweep the almost tropical verdure of the West Coast bush and the great Franz Josef Glacier descending right through it from the world of snow above. The Franz Josef Glacier is certainly, taking it all round, the most beautiful glacier I have seen anywhere. As an all-round field for mountain sport, too, I doubt if the New Zealand Alps can be beaten anywhere. It is true there are not quite so many rock climbs of the first magnitude as there are in the Alps, though there are plenty at a somewhat lower altitude, but for snow and icecraft of the first order, for ski-ing, and for ski mountaineering the opportunities seem to me to be quite unequalled. “The wonderful opportunity which the whole of this Alpine country offers to New Zealanders,’’ Mr Ambry remarked, “ seems to me to have been hardly realised. The ordinary tourist information no doubt draws some attention to the Southern Alps, but even then it does not give to them, or to the western side in particular, as much importance as I should be inclined to give them as compared, for instance, ■with a district like Rotorua. But, after all, the attracting of tourists from outside is only a secondary matter to what th e mountains can offer to New Zealanders themselves. Switzerland, for instance, makes large sums from the annual influx of tourists to the mountains, but she gains far more in health, vigour, and efficiency from the fact that the Alps become the playground and training ground for her own people. I see no reason why, like the Swiss, New Zealanders should not find their main recreation and training in mind, limb, and courage in their own beautiful mountains. There is an unlimited scope there for holidays of infinite variety and interest well within the means of evevv class to make that possible. However, there arc two things essen. tial. The first is an adequate supply of reasonably commodious mountaineering huts scattered throughout the range. The kind of sportsmen and holiday makers I am thinking of will be concerned not so much with comfortable hotels as with some place where thev can find blankets, and cook their own meals within range of the peaks and passes which they may wish to ascend, or which they may reach at the end of the day’s climbing. In Switzerland the huts "have all been built and equipped by the climbers themselves through the’Swiss Alpine Club, and the charges for members are extraordinarily moderate —lOd a night for the use of a hut and blankets, and another XOd for firewood. In some of the huts there is a caretaker, who provides meals at a small charge, or cooks the provisions which the climber brings. In the case of others the climber carries and cooks his own meals. In any case, the Swiss climber can enjoy his holiday, climbing or ski-ing from hut to hut, at’a total charce of not much more than four or five shillings a day. I see no reason ■ why something similar should not be possible in New Zealand if the various organisations interested in mountain sport could got together for the purpose, possibly with some initial help from the Government, to give the whole move, ment a start. “ The other essential, ’ said Mr Amery, “ is the creation of a sufficient body of really competent guides with a hieh sense of their professional standing, and a keen esprit de corps. In Switzerland every care is devoted to ibis subject. Th e position of a fullv-qualifiod guide is one, which can only be obtained after passing a severe pvamination in all the subjects winch conic within a guide’s province—topography,

principles of mountain craft, first aid, etc. —as well as a practical examination in snow and ice craft, rock climbing, use of ropes, etc., carried out over a series of davs under the eyes of experienced senior guides. The position is looked up to with envy by younger aspirants, and carries with it not only reputation but also the right to the full tariff charges settled by the Swiss Alpine Club for the various peaks. There is, in fact, in guiding in Switzerland, both an honourable and lucrative career, depending on the guide’s own skill and competence. Here in New Zea. land there are at present, apart from the Graham brothers, practically no first-class qualified guides actually at work, and no recognised machinery for training and selecting them; but I fully realise that the conditions are not exactly the same as they are in Switzerland, and som e intermediate stages will have to be passed through to create a climbing public sufficiently large to enable a considerable body of guides to live independently on the tariff charges or by private arrangement with climbers. But, whatever the most appropriate steps mav be, the end in view should be the creation of a sufficient number of first-class guides imbued with a keen sense of the value of their own profession, and capable of training and inspiring those keen amateurs who wish to climb eventually without guides, as well as to serve those climbers who wish to enjoy the best that the mountains can offer without having the time or possibly the qualifications to climb unguided.” In conclusion, Mr Amery expressed the greatest admiration for the scenery on the drive through Westland from Cook’s River to Nelson. He considers that the road itself is wonderfully good for motor driving. SUPPLEMENTARY REMARKS. THE QUESTION OF EXPENSE. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, December 14. Accord with the views expressed by Mr Amery was voiced by Mr A. P- Harper, president of the New Zealand Alpine Club. “Mr Amery,” said Mr Harper, “has had considerable experience in Alpine matters in Switzerland, Canada, and elsewhere. His discussions with me on our trip to the Alps showed, as would be expected from a man of his great attainments, a shrewd and instantaneous grasp of the position in which Alpine matters stand here, and the tremendous possibili. ties of development of one of our greatest assets. In nsj interview he also admits that the necessary changes and developments must come gradually. He sees at once that we cannot build up in a short time the organised exploitation of our Alps to the same pitch of excellence as the Swiss have done; but 1 absolutely agree with him that there is no reason why it should not bo done in the near -future, provided all those who are attracted by Alpine work will combine in a united effort. “ The main obstacle to the sport at the moment is expense Hundreds of the younger generation would go in for this most invigorating sport could they do so at moderate cost. When we began climbing here nearly 40 years ago a party could put in three weeks or a month in our wonderful Tasman district at a cost of about £l2 a head, but now it would cost three or four times as much. The average climber wants a plain hut shelter, blankets, and simple food cooked by himself. In the present conditions this is not possible'. On the other hand, in the old days a non-climbing traveller seek, ing good accommodation and easy enjoyment of fine views could not satisfy his desire, whereas now he can go to as fine an hotel as is to be found in any largo town with every, comfort and luxury in accommodation and travel. The truth is that the present-day improved conditions have operated by their expense against vigorous climbing, while they have attracted a greatly increased number of non-climbing travellers. We want a combination of both comfort and luxury for the seeker after rest and health, and more primitive facilities for the energetic high climber at a much, lower cost to his pocket. “ Mr Amery has picked the weak spot as to guides. This question was placed prominently before the Prime Minister by myeelf about two years ago, and a proposal was made to place matters on a more satisfactory footing. These suggestions, which are’ under consideration, are based on much the same principles ns those laid down by Mr Amery. It would take too long to go into them now, but Mr Amery’s criticism and remarks are very welcome, and should help towards a solution.” Mr Harper pointed out that the New Zealand Alpine Club had been founded in 1891, subject to a fairly stiff qualification test for membership, and that there were tramping clubs and other such bodies. Mr Amery had seen the advantage of some further co-operation of all these associations, and his views would confirm and assist those who had felt that some such combined effort was necessary. As president of the New Zealand Alpine Club Mr Harper said he could safely say that that body would be only too pleased to head a movement in the direction named. “ In his interview,” he continued, “ Mr Amery has probably for reasons of space left out all mention of the keas, which, though fewer in number, still come round some of the huts in the tamest manner. I do not think he will forget_ the antics of a hardened old kea examining himself in a mirror held close to him by the Secretary of State for the. Dominions. Personally, I feel that the kea, with his uncanny sense of humour, enjoyed the unique experience. He also, for the first time in history, sampled an official bootlace, and made vigorous attempts in the dead of night to lake away as a souvenir a British Cabinet Minister’s boots, but unfortunately for me he selected the wrong pair. “ Taking everything into account, after many years’ experience of our Alps, I may say that Mr Amery had phenomenally fine weather for this time of the year, only one day out of eight being bad. We cou’i' not have done more than we did in Iho ti.iv at our disposal, and I am confide' ■ t’ t no visitor to our Alps ever eni-- ! himself more thoroughly, whether raa'-'i ascents, concocting some entirely new soup, or donning blanket skirts while our clothes were drying. We were away in the huts all th e time after one night at the Hermitage, and I feel that the country has given a very hard-worked British Cabinet Minister the best short holiday he could have had in any part of the world.”