THE SOUTHERN ALPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2860, 6 January 1909, Page 16

THE SOUTHERN ALPS.

NEW PASS DISCOVERED. (From Ouh Special Correspondent.) LAKE PUKAKI, December 30. A new pass to the Mount Cook district from Lake Tekapo over the Liebig Range to Murchison Valley, and thence to Ball Hut, a distance, roughly, of 42 miles, j has been discovered. j Mr G. E. Mannering, the well-known ' alpine climber and author of " With Axe ' and Rope in the New Zealand Alps," who ' for a good many years has believed that an easy pass could be found in the Liebig Range in addition to that at present used for icaching the Mount Cook district, I decided to put his belief to the test, and ' with T. C. Fyfe as companion, lelt I Tekapo on Boxing Day. on the following day leaching the head of the Cass River. He was largely aided through the assistance of Mr John Rutherford, ot Mistake Station, who supplied horses tor the journey. The party left their camp- J ing-point at 4 a.m. next day, and reached ' the; head of the Cass River. j Leawng Mount Hutton and its glaciers on the noith, they found a comparative!}" j easy =addle at an estimated height of, about 7200 ft. From the saddle the \ iews of the Maite Brun Range were o. piHJallv giaml. n . AT „ hi- -: (i"K>., v.h ih is the - .-, .I !■,_ I m the Dominion, was

reached in about three hours. The descent was comparatively easy, excepting the final stage of 1000 ft, but for this portion doubtless a better route can be found from the terminal face of the Murchison Glacier. Ball Hut was reached in four hours, thus making connections with the usual tourist route. Mr Mannering describes the view from the saddle of the Liebig Range, which he has named the Rutherford Pass, as being second only to that from Mount Tasman in point of magnificence and grandeur. By the discovery of this pass a round route is made practicable for the tourist, either by first taking the ordinary route by way of Lake Pukaki and returning by the Rutherford Pass and Tekapo, or taking the Rutherford Pass first and returning by Lake Pukaki. Mr Mannering says a coach road could be easily and inexpensively made, ths distance to the part of Cass from Mr Rutherford's station being about 20 miles, at which poin£ the Saraday Glacier would be reached. The journey from Saraday Glacier to a hut in the Murchison would be from eight to 10 hours' walking, according to the state of the snow. In autumn the pass would probably be altogether clear of snow. From Murchison to the Ball Hut is only four hours' easy walking.