ALPINE CLIMBING IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 89

ALPINE CLIMBING IN NEW ZEALAND.

(From Our Own- Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, January 21. The present season is notable for the amount of climbing that is being done in the Southern Alps, and, but for the fact that the accommodation at the Hermitage and the number of guides are altogether inadequate, still more would have been done. Several tourists arriving here have stated that they could not make the Mount Cook trip because they could not secure accommodation at the Hermitage, while others who have been there state that there is only one first-class Government guide available. One of the most interesting expeditions this season was that organised by Captain Head, which resulted in the conquest of Mount Aspiring, undoubtedly the finest peak in the lake region. Captain Head, who has left for England, is enthusiastic about the magnificent scenery in that region. There are several fine mountains still to be climbed, and a large tract of mountainous country yet to be explored. Afterwards Captain Head went to Mount Cook, and in company with Mr Earle. a member of the English Alpine Club, and guides Graham and Clark, made the ascent of Mount Sefton by a new and interesting route from the western side. I have just received word from the Hermitage that Mise Du Faur, of Sydney, has been doing some fine work in the Southern Alps, including the ascent of two; first-class peaks. Miss Du Faur was at the Hermitage last year and once before, but this year she has taken to climbing in earnest. Starting with Mounts Kinsey, the Nun's Veil, and Sealy, and then going on to Mount Malte Brun and the Minarets. Brun, the first ascent of Which was made by Mr T. C- Fyfe alone, is 10,431 ft high, and affords a fine rock climb. Miss Du Faur made the ascent in company with Mr Earle and Guide Peter Graham. Subsequently the same thr»e and Professor Baldwin Spencer made the ascent of the Minarets, a beautiful snow peak, 10,058 ft high. This mountain has not been ascended since its first conquest some 14 years ago by Messrs Malcolm Ross and Mr T. C. Fyfe. Miss Du Faur and party, however, made the ascent by a new route direct from the Tasman Glacier. They left the Malte Brun hut at 5.30 a.m. The climb was pretty steep in parts, with huge eeracs and big crevasses. Graham had reconnoited the lower slopes on the Sunday, and the climb was commenced up the left hand of the two rock faces that stand out a few hundred feel. Near the foot of the movMatain the party crossed some nasty ice bridges and zig-zagged upwards toward the ridge running between De la Beche and the Minarets. Just before they got on to this ridge the mists came over from the west. They turned up a ridge leading to the higher peak that seemed to be towering up hundreds of feeet above, as they could only see its outline dimly in the mist. ' However, it was not -so high as it looked, and as they were fortunate in finding a snow bridge across the Bergschrund immediately below the summit, there was no further difficulty in the way, and the summit was reached at noon, after six and a-half hours' steady climbing. Then the mists cleared off. and they saw the snow-fields at the head of the Franz Josef Glacier lying far below. The party then made its way clown from the summit, and after having had something to eat on the ridge, began the descent, which was a little more difficult than the ascent, as some of the snow "faces were very steep. About half way down they were just about to cross a bridge when it fell in. A minute earlier and they would have been on it. This meant that;-, they had to retrace {heir steps, and they came down a snow ridge leading to the top of the lower rocks. They, climbed down these, then down a very steep snow face, and so gained the lower slopes, and were back in the hut at 5.30 p.m. During the climb Guide Graham appeared to advantage as a first-class-exponent of. craftand Professor Baldwin Spencer were at the Hermitage waiting for fine weather before crossing over Gra,.ham's Saddle (8739 ft) to the West Coast, where they hoped; to join Mr and Mrs Lindon, of Geelong, who are also enthusiastic mountaineers.