“ A CLIMB TO ROY’S PEAK.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20964, 1 March 1930, Page 26

“ A CLIMB TO ROY’S PEAK.”

By D. S. D. For tourists who contemplate a little serious hill-climbing in the neighbourhood of Lake Wanaka the ascent of Roy’s Peak forms a desirable objective both from the point of view of the exercise derived therefrom and the excellent panorama of the Lakes Wanaka and Hawea as well as the more distant and loftier peaks which they may later hope to conquer. The sight of Roy’s Peak towering above Wanaka Station, where I was staying spurred some hidden desire within me one day to carry out a singularly energetic afternoon’s programme. Accordingly, at about 1 o’clock, I set out from the homestead over undulating grassy meadows, which very soon gave way to torn-covered Hats, to tiie foot of Mount Roy. about two miles from Pembroke township itself. When the ascent began in real earnest up steeply sloping ground, I discovered that I was not in the best of condition for mountain climbing, so that, when scarcely a hundred feat up I made a halt. Before mo was a mixture of all the possible shades of green intermingled with the distant blue of the lake, while a veritable forest of trees lay belowflanked on the upper edge by hilltops. As the arduous climb was continued I repented somewhat of my sudden resolution, yet determined to persevere, and it was not until at about 2000' feet above sea level that I again made a stop. This time the halt was well worth while, for the view had extended considerably. The erstwhile forest, which was to. be seen at the beginning of the climb was no longer the dense mass of trees, but consisted of scattered groves separated bv numerous grassy meadows, these latter showing the results of successful irrigation so that their dark, rich green was a pleasure to the eye. Here and there housetops could he distinguished from the sea of green like pieces of coloured confetti on grass. When one travels in a launch over Lake Wanaka the water appears to be of a uniform blue and of great depth, but from an altitude it became apparent that any such impression wns decidedly erroneous, for the different shades of blue proved at once that the contour of the bottom was by no means uniform. The unbroken blue of the sky began to give way to a background of mountains, sonic of which made an attractive picture glistening in their mantles of pure white snow. The route now lay across snow-tussock in place of the dry moss and lichen of the lower levels which abounded in a small variety of rock lizard, and it was over this barren tussock country that I climbed the last few hundred feet to Mount Alpha (4871 feet), somewhat to the south-east of Roy Peak itself. Between these two peaks is a narrow, precipitous ridge showing by its appearance that frost action has been very active at this height. Although the distance between Mount Alpha and Roy’s Peak, following the ridge, appears to the casual observer to be no more than a mile, yet the distance isi close on four miles, and it is decidedly the most difficult part of “the whole route. It took a good houfpand a-half to make Roy’s Peak, whereas the climb to Mount -Alpha had occupied two and a-half hours, both distances being about the same, but in one case uphill, while in the other, it was flat walking. When seen from below, these hills appear to have no snow on them, but on the razorback ridge there were several small snowpockets.

Exactly at 5 p.m. I dropped down for a rest alongside the survey peg on Roy’s Peak (5203 feet above sea level). The reward for the climb seemed at first to beggar description, for, as I gazed at the vastly superior panorama offered by the far-stretching horizon on all sides, I mentally contrasted - the view .with those obtained from some much smaller hills with the result that these latter had to be regarded as comparatively paltry. Unfortunately heavy clouds prevented mo from seeing Mount Cook and the Southern Alps away in the remote distance, as well as some scarcely less celebrated mountains, which are in plain view on a clear day.

To the west lay hills separated by very steep ridges with great outcrops of schist, the whole reminding me of the scenery in the Silver Peaks district, near Duncompletely snow covered, with the evening sun playing on them so as to make a beautiful show of colour. The Dunstan Range formed a glorious background in the south to the lesser heights of the Pisa Range and the intervening Cardrona Valley. Away to the cast was another range, with Mount Burke, Mount Gold, and Mount Maude, while in between these two ranges the lower end of Lake Hawea, with Hawea River flowing across Hawea Flat t 0 join the highbanked Clutha could easily be discerned. Of. Lake Wanaka, a view, particularly uninterrupted, was to be enjoyed of every inlet as well as of the three islands, while Makarora at the head of the lake was easily visible. The snow-covered summits of Mount Albert, the Minaret Peaks, and the Triple Peaks, with Mount Alta dominating them, claimed attention to the west as well as the -.alley of the Matukituki River, at the head of which towered Mount Aspiring over the lesser heights of Fog Peak, Mount Niger, id Mount Black. This sight of the Matukituki Valley and Mount Aspiring brought tp mind the exploits of those first, hardy pioneer explorers like Sir James Hector and Dr Von Haast, who penetrated those mountain fastnesses in the face of inconceivable difficulties.

Such a magnificent view is apt to be retained in the eye of memory for a long time after it is first obtained, but the camera, which I brought into good use, makes it all the more lasting, and it was with reluctance that I turned my back on such a scone. The descent was somewhat precipitous, down a very direct route to the homestead, the valley that is followed by Gear Creek serving as a guide, and so it was not long before I reached the pretty waterfall at a ispot where this creek debouches out of {the gully on to fern-covered flats. A short walk brought me home, very tired, but by no means regretting the sudden resolution which had made mo undertake so enjoyable a climb.