DANSEY'S PASS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23442, 5 March 1938, Page 10

DANSEY'S PASS

By Stella L Anderson In these days of high speed motors and racing trade roads there is very little adventure in a motor drive, other than the possibility of colliding with something. When we decided to make the trip over the Dansey's Pass w« had an idea that it would be just the usual kind of run. , But we discovered a road where there was no other traffic, but where the excitement of fording rivers, climbing very steep hills, and turning bends on which a big car' would have to use two locks may still be experienced. To the joys of motoring was thus added Hhe spice of adventure. The trip was unexciting until the actual oass loomed above us. While having a wayside lunch in,-the brilliant sunshine of one of the hottest days this summer, we seemed to be edged • in by the towering Kakanui Mountains. The only way out was the road by the Marewenua River, up which we had come. Continuing the journey we followed the narrow road round the first sharp bend and up the ' valley. The surface was very rough, with loose pieces of slaty rock which had fallen from the cliffs and mountainsides above. In the gully below us the river, clear and blue, nestled along bver a stony bed where an oc- <• .casional toi-toi bent its graceful head In the breeze. On we went, always upwards, but the road did not appear to be very steep. While we Stopped to open a gate we looked back and were amazed to see how far the river was below us. The climbs are often very deceiving. After passing through several gates ahd green vaU* leys which took us from the Marewenua to the Otekaike River valleys, we began the serious climb. The surface was better here, and the ridtfes were numerous, but the corners and the steepness made the road a severe test for the .car; The river seemed lo be miles below us now and we began to draw ourselves level with the tops of the mountain peaks. In the summer this is good' grazing country for sheep which, however, were indistinguishable against the grey shoulders of the hills. In the grassv Valleys were passed many fat 'bullocks for which fhisjoart of the country is wejl suited. By the; time we had ■ reached the top the water In the car engine was boiling, and the sunihining on the slowly moving car had made the outside of it so hot one could not rest one's hand'oh it. Seeing so much rocky country around us we hardly expected to find vegetation oh the summit of the pass. By the side of the road, however, dry feed was growing quite luxuriantly. Oh consulting the map we found our altitude: to be 3067 feet above sea level. " Only 125 feet below Scotland's Ben Lomond," remarked our Scottish passenger. The air was wonderfully clear and dry, and as may be imagined, the view was extensive.

On the right was a wonderful geography lesson, illustrating a watershed and the beginnings of rivers; Coming up the mountains we,had followed rivers, and then little streams which dwindled in volume as we neared the top until they became mere trickles on the mountain side. But above the last damp place were the water courses down which the "ain and melting snow run to svel) 'he streams into rivers. Going down the far side of the pass we watched the Kyeburn river, which has its source on the south side •of the mountains, grow from a thin little creek to a large river. The surface of the road on the Kyeburn side of the pass is rougher and there are more water courses than on the other side which- make the road quite impassable in the wet weather. Even though they were dry; at the time of our trio they were deep enough to drag the rear bumper of the car when it was climbing out of them. The longer streams over the whole route are 1 bridged, some with wooden structures, and another with railwayirohs* arched and filled with the flat pieces of roclc of which the mountain? are composed. The frost and ice action has split the rock into pieces of allsizes and many of the crossings are most attractively made from this mate?' rial built up after the fashion of ia brick wall. Six miles-an hour is the; speed limit, and it. would not be safe to drive much fester, but less than two hours takes one over after allowance is - made for a few ishort stops to view the scenery, which is well > worth while. j After the picturesque old hotel at Kyeburn diggings has been passed (or visited, perhaps!), the river yellow from the sluicing operations, has to be crossed several times, and then the. road joins the main one from Palmerston to Queenstown at the Kyeburn Hotel. Here we are back in civilisation, after having experienced thrills equal to those oi! the pioneering days.