ASCENT OF MOUNT OATES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21264, 19 February 1931, Page 3

ASCENT OF MOUNT OATES.

WOMAN CLIMBER IN PARTY. The first ascent of Mount Oates, the last major virgin peak of the Arthur’s Pass region, was made on Sunday last by Miss Betsy Blunden, of Bennetts, and two members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club—Messrs J. D. Pascoe and B. A. Barrer (says the Christchurch ■'Sun), The climb was exceptionally long, taking in its entirety over 23 hours. Detailed times are as follow:—Bealey quarry siding, left at 9.45 p.m. Saturday; mouth of Mingha Gorge, 12.10 a.m. Sunday; Oates-Williams ridge, 6 a.m.; Mingha-Edwards Saddle, 7.30 a.m.; low peak of Mount Oates, 11.30 a.m.; summit rocks, 12.10 p.m.; Kennedy Falls, 4 p.m.; mouth of Mingha Gorge, 7.30 p.m.; Bealey Quarry siding, 9.30 p.m. The ascent of the Oates-Williams Ridge was made through steep bush bluffs in the dark, but it was not until the Oates arete proper was reached that technical difficulty was experienced with crumbling rock, several slabs having been recently shattered by lightning. Good atmospheric conditions prevailed, the morning mists clearing early. To the west lay Mount Arrowsmith and Mount Whitcombe (Rakaia district), and Mount Gizeh, Mount Greenshaw, and Mount Murchison (Waimakariri district). The valleys of the Mingha and Deception Rivers linking the Goat Pass and of the Edwards and Otehake Rivers linking the Taruahuna (Forlorn Pass) were set out very clearly, with Falling Mountain and the Captain Scott Range (Mountains Scott, Wilson, and Bowen) dominating the Hawdon-Edwards watershed. To the east lay Mount Franklin, with its massif of steep rock. The descent was made to the basin of Kennedy Creek by way of a narrow snow couloir. The trip down the Mingha River was made through part of the narrow gorge until deer tracks were followed past Agility Creek. ! Mount Oates was named by members of the Mountaineering Club party who followed the Mingha River to its source in 1929. Previous attempts to climb it have been abortive owing to bad weather conditions. Mount Oates is a familiar sight to railway passengers travelling to Arthur’s Pass, being exceptionally prominent from the Bealey railway bridge looking up the valley of tHe Mingha River.