THE MOUNTAIN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 44, 6 October 1911, Page 7

THE MOUNTAIN.

OPENING OF THE SEASON. Mr and Mrs H. Graham returned to Dawson Falls on Saturday, and the houses arc now open for the reception of visitors, says the Hawcra “Star.” There is a considerable amount of rivalry between the North and South as to who shall accomplish the opening climb of the season. Last year a party from the North was successful, reaching the summit three days before the Southerners.

Last Saturday Miss A. W. Beamish and Messrs R. A. Browne and B. Joyce left Hawera for Dawson Falls to make the initial attempt of the season. The weather had been exceptionally severe at the mountain during the weak especially for this lime of the year, and on Thursday last there was a snowstorm lasting for seven hours. The result was that snow was encountered on the track on Saturday two miles below the Mountain House. A start was made from Dawson Falls at 4 a.m., the track through the bush, which had several inches of snow on it, being negotiated by the aid of acetylene lanterns. The snowline at the edge of the bush was reached at daylight, and it was then ascertained that the fall of snow at the base of the mountain had been very heavy, and the frosts of the two succeeding nights had given the snow a surface like glass. Stepcutting had to be commenced immediately on leaving the scrub, and was continued right to the summit— a distance of some 5000 feet . The neve for the last thousand feet on to Fan* tham’s Peak was in a very dangerous condition, owing to the recent, fall of snow not' 'having consolidated. On the occasion of the rnid-wintetr climb in July last this part of the moun-. tain proved,The most difficult,; but the ice was then in much better condition than it is now.

The summit was reached at 12.J0 p.m., the time occupied being thus dl hous, as against five hours in July. The fact of step-cutting having to be commenced at the bush-line was partly responsible for this. The return journey was “commenced at 2.30 p.m., after spending two hours in the crater, and some very fine glissading was indulged in, over 3000 feet being negotiated in this manner. The action of the sun had improved the going considerably, and the Mountain House was readied at ■1.30 p.m.

The ascent took hours and the descent two hours.

The day was beautifully lino, bright sunshine being a feature, although the surrounding country was almost totally obscured by clouds. It should be mentioned that the mountain is in a very dangerous state at present, except for those who are properly equipped and have some knowledge of mountain-craft.