NEW ZEALAND ALPINE CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21977, 12 June 1933, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND ALPINE CLUB

OTAGO SECTION’S REVIEW HIGHLY INTERESTING EVENING. ' ',l An interesting and highly instructive evening was spent by members of the Otago section of the New Zealand Alpine Club in the Allen Hall on Saturday, when the annual review of the year’s activities took place. The chairman of the Otago section (Mr H. W. Roddy) presided, and the programme comprised four descriptive lecturettes by prominent alpinists. All were profusely illustrated with lantern slides, which provided , a graphic and, in many ways, unique pictorial record of the operations of some qf the active members of the club. This is the third review of this kind which the Otago section has held, and it is becoming one of the events of the year for alpinists. The first lecturette was delivered by Mr M. G. MTnnes. who spoke on “ Rambles in the Mountain Valleys of Otago.” The speaker took his audience on a tour of the beautiful mountain valleys of the province, concentrating on those which are of special interest to the tramper and the tourist. Among the spots discussed were the Routeburn, the Upper and Lower Hollyford, the Rees Valley, and the Matukituki and the Dart Valley. The illustrations included many very fine views of the country that will be served by the To Anau-Milford road through the Eglinton Valley. The photographic slides and illustrations which accompanied this talk were an exceptionally fine collection. The next address was by Mr W. Scott Gilkison, who dealt with the first traverse of the Twin Peaks on Mount Earnslaw. The lecturer described the journey from the East Peak to the West Peak, which had only been climbed once before, and he added to his verbal description of many thrilling experiences on the rock faces of the West Peak by showing a great many fine slides. The whole journey from peak to peak and/back to the Dart Valley was minutely and interestingly described. The illustrations included many pictures of Mount Earnslav’ from various angles, and the audience was given a very clear idea of the type of country traversed by the climbers by means of a collection of telephoto views of the summits. Miss M. L. Roberts spoke on the “Adventures of a Woman Climber,” and discussed the reasons why women should be encouraged to take up alpine climbing. She dealt fully with climbing from the purely feminine point of view, and spoke interestingly on many aspects of life in the camps, in rock bivouacs, in the bush, discussing the thrills of crossing flooded rivers, negotiating hazardous country and fighting one’s way through almost impenetrable bush. She described, an ascent of Mount La Perouse on the West Coast, and from that went on to a consideration of feminine attire for alpine climbing. She illustrated her point in this respect by showing comparative slides depicting the evolution of climbing dress since the nineties.

“A Season’s Climbing on Mount Cook” was the subject of a very illuminating lecture by Mr W, 6. M'Clymont, who last January succeeded in reaching the summit of Mount Cook, and also of Mount Malte Brun. The lecturer described in the closest detail the route followed by himself and his companion, and created a profound impression with his highly descriptive account of the climb. He was fortified with a magnificent collection of slides and photographs, and the views were of all parts of this popular region. One collection which attracted a lot of interest dealt with a traverse of the razor back Cheval ridge, and there was a splendid group of panoramas taken from the top of Mount Cook. In between the lecturettes musical items were rendered, and while these were being giveh the audidence wag treated to an exhibition of the remarkable collection of slides dealing with New Zealand alpine flora which Mr J. Scott Thomson has assembled as a result of years of search. The lantern . throughout the evening was operated by Mr R. Ellis.