CLIMBING THE OLD MAN RANGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20922, 11 January 1930, Page 21

CLIMBING THE OLD MAN RANGE.

Written for the Otago Daily Times. By E. V. B. Lone-band tramping enjoys, I believe, very little popularity among townspeople, though the man born in the country has often to set out on a journey of several days with_ only the hills for company. Horace Kepbart, the great American backwoodsman, in his book, “ Camping .aid Woodcraft,” has written one or two in* teresting pages on the benefits accrued by the tramper who “ hits the trail ” alone. Be it so, I, for my part, derive far more enjoyment from a trip when I am accompanied by a human companion. As, however, this was not possible on my trip to the Old Man Range, I had to set out from the crossroads, five miles from Alexandra (on the Main South road to Dunedin), with a camera, a light coat, and a few sandwiches for company. The easiest route leads from the district known as Fruitlands, eight miles out of Alexandra, and follows rather indefinite ridges to the top of the range. As the route from the crossroads suited my purpose best, and seemed to offer a more interesting climb, I started therefrom on a free Saturday afternoon with weather totally foreign to Alexandra threatening from over the Old Man. This rangej by the way, is aOOO feet in height, and is named from a rock 58 feet high which stands prominently against the skyline. With this pillar of rock in view, i wended my may round the huge blocks of schist with which Central Otago is covered, the sound of my footsteps being deadened to a great extent by the extensive growth of scabweed, a curious woody moss which covers the tower hills round Alexandra. A newly-built sheep run next presented itself to my view as I hurried onward, time being precious for so long a climb, and on the other side of the hill on which this was situated I crossed a pretty valley, rich in clover, thus contrasting greatly with the surrounding schistose country. From this point a good view is obtained of Old Man Peak, and I had little trouble, to my own mind, in selecting a series of indeterminate ridges which seemed to lead to the summit, which was now disconcertingly far away. But such a selection was extremely faulty, and my first introduction to the error was in the form of a small river, Conroy’s Stream, pouring swiftly through a deep rocky gorge. The descent to this was hazardous owing to the precipitous nature of the gorge and the_ climb up the other side was as tiring as it was steep. From the distance there appeared to be no gorge here, the ridge seeming to continue on unbroken. More of the barren schist blocks and the eternal scabweed marked my route onwards, while_ the rabbits, for which Otago is notorious, scattered at the sight of the toiling human on what might have seemed a useless journey. Behind mo the view became more extensive as I progressed, Alexandra, Clyde, and the Clutha Valley making pretty pictures of successful settlement in contrast to the barrenness of the surrounding country. My ridge theory continued to receive rude shocks. More gorges had to be crossed, and a very interesting game I had trying to avoid others by circumambulating them. Huge blocks of rock became my impromptu watch towers when there seemed no way of avoiding a steep climb out of a steeper valley. As the climb continued, I noticed that rabbits were no longer to be seen, and that the scabwee'd gave way to thicker tussock grass, while in swampy hollows mountain plants throve abundantly. The succession of schist rocks, however, continued unbroken. From one of these a wild pigeon flew out, startled at my sudden appearance in the scene of desolation, On investigation I found a nest with one egg. Being right under Old Man Rock by this time, I was alarmed' at its height above me, and thought of the extreme inadequacy of the afternoon for the trip there. Jagged schist rocks stood out as small mountain tops, whereas from the starting point of my walk they appeared as mere pebbles on a hillside not unlike Flagstaff, though on a larger scale. These outstanding rocks were an exhausting climb in themselves, and when, on rcaching one of these, I caught a glimpse of Oja Man Rock far above me. 1 was wellmgh in despair. My remedy was to sit down and ponder, admire the view below me, and employ my camera to good effect. After a rest of a few minutes or so I continued on to the next outstanding rock, the intersecting gorges now happily becoming much fewer and a great deal shallower. A much slower pace took me over the rather steep ground to the nest projecting rock, and so on I continued, now becoming a good deal exhausted. The sun was not so far above the ranmj as I would have liked, and it seemed a matter of " touch and go " as to whether i gained the summit or not. The tussock of the lower slopes now gave way to the taller snowgrass, and it was m a thick mass of this that I lay. down to admire the wonderful view, devour some of my sandwiches, and take’ a * c '^, Photographs. Behind Clyde rose the Old Woman Range, with Old Woman Keck, a pinnacle similar to Old Man Rock, at its summit. Behind this, and immensely higher, towered the snowcapped Remarkables, and further on still were more ranges of snow-laden moun- £ ains - ~ Tr a V£ ht 3P® 4 a glimpse of the Cromwell Valley, with white-topped mountains dominating it. Refreshed, I continued my climb with a c i i i bearing an occasional lash oi sleet to speed me up. Patches of snow were now abundant on either side of the leading ridge, one or two forming minianire glaciers with complete examples of Bergshrund action, though on a very small t scale. I was now practically at the top of the range, we 1 to the north of the Old Man Rock itself. All around me stretched undulating plateau country, dotted with the monotonous schist blocks, and spotted bore and there with small snow fields. To reach the Old Man Rock itself meant travelling a fair distance to the south of my position, and to obtain a view over the other side'of the range entailed keeping on over the more or less flat expanse of range top for a good way to the west. While I debated a small shower of sleet fell to spur me to my decision, ihe sun had nearly set. and consequently I began my return home. The Old Man’ Rock itself, so I have Pf e P a formed is shaped like an obelisk, is 58 feet highland is topped by a siirP tF‘ S ? me i bardy 6 P irit s have climbed the rock by means of a rope slung over the top. The last successful aspirants have left a half-crown piece on the summit as a reward for anv of thersuccessors who makes the top. Other Ip SS intrepid climbers have left their turaß . ,n a4m at the foot of the rock.' 4j 4er takmg a few photographs ol the father dismal surroundings, I began a hurried descent, following a valley for of , the way. Down this a little stream began, soon increasing in volume. thi3 aS sur Prised to see the remains of three prospectors’ homes, long since disiised, very near the head of the vallev. AW f a fr a « rdy, t folk had literally left no stone unturned in their search the B4r ? atn in some places was nfiT,5 n tsA 1 . I \ an i ln o4bers its banks were br P :en The remainder of the descent was made by a series of iidges, and, except for a surprise in the term ot an occasional gorge, was rather uninteresting. By dark I was back at the crossroads.