WINTER CLIMB OF EGMONT

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1929, Page 7

WINTER CLIMB OF EGMONT

LARGE PARTY GAINS SUMMIT GOOD TIME IN PERFECT WEATHER. MRS. POLSON’S MOUNTAIN PARTY. Of the score of people who reached the summit of Mt. Egmoiit on June 2, 14 were guests of Mrs. W. J. Polson, Stratford. The climb, conducted by one "uide. was accomplished in the very < r ood time of GJ hours, which was commented upon by Mr. J. P. Murphy, manager at Dawson Falls. The party left Stratford in fine weather shortly after 5 a.m. and set out from Dawson Falls at five past seven. Snow was encountered at 35-00 feet (about 400 feet above the hostel). Enthusiasm set a great pace and the Top Seat was reached in ten minutes less than usually taken. When another 1000 feet had been covered, taking the climbers to 5000 feet above the sea, the party had its second rest. The fruit had no rest, however, and the packs consequently became somewhat lighter. Here two of the girls who were finding ’ the climbing too strenuous left the party to return to the hostel. That was the last of defined tracks and the eager climbers set themselves to conquer the snow-covered slope of Fantharn’s Peak, whose broad top promised a break in the ever-increasing grade. The snow was soft and in excellent trim and so the climbers went their own sweet ways unhampered by the rope. The guide shepherded the straggler's on to Fantham’s just over two hours after the party left the hostel, the leaders having maintained the original fast pace. Lunch was had in glorious weather at the top of the Little Glacier on Rangitoto Flat (6200 feet) between Fantham’s and the majestic main peak. PANORAMA GLORIOUS. The view had been excellent all the morning but from Rangitoto Flat it seemed enhanced, if that were possible, by the presence of low clouds. The coast could be followed by the eye for .many miles past Hawera and to the west Opunake was bathed in the golden morning sunshine. Ruapehu—Shimmering perfection —loomed snow-clad on the eastern horizon above the clouds. It was a dav in a thousand.

The party was divided into two and roped. Air. Eric Hunter led eight, making the pace on good snow up a shallow couloir. The second party followed at rather slower pace. The fast progress was maintained until about 7300. feet, .where the snow became harder and stepcutting became necessary. Taking turns at cutting, the climbers left the couloir for Alackay Rocks. For the last 300 feet to the crater the leaders were relieved of the now-difficult step-cutting by a party of three men who had overtaken them at the top of the soft snow. Watchers at Dawson Falls noticed the pace had became much slower in that last 1000 feet, but what they could not see was the perfect panorama —or the cold toes and blue hands of the shivering climbers, toiling under the shadow of the summit. Nor did some of those climbers appreciate the view at this stage; their constant cry was “On to the sunshine quickly” although the ice was telling its tale on the step-cutters and the heart-breaking task of climbing against frost-bite was tiring them. The crater —and sunshine again—was reached at 1.25. The climbers, temporarily unroped, went across to the highest point, but quickly glissaded down the short treacherous slope back to the shelter of the crater.

WIND MAKES ITSELF FELT. As the cold wind was penetrating every corner of the great crater little time was wasted in eating the last of the food and fruit (that blessed orange Miss Dorothy Polson saved for the writer!), and set out for the hostel at 2.20. Mr. Hunter took the short rope for the return. His work with the ice-axe, a tool to which he was unused, called for congratulation. Indeed the whole party showed remarkable commonsense in what —was a ticklish descent to the soft snow. The snow below the icy slope of the Alackay Rocks was too soft for glissading but the lower part of the couloir was good and those who had the last glissades on the course were able to slide at a great pace. Another fine glissade followed. Just when the joyous tobogganers were going their fastest they disappeared from the ken of the watchers at Dawson Falls. So alarmed were some strangers to the mountain that they rushed to the hostel manager fearing a disaster. The joke was appreciated by the party when civilisation was reached soon after 4.30. Some of them were “quite bucked up” to think someone had been alarmed for them. The mountaineers, who had been released from the ropes before glissading, made good time across Rangitoto Flat (the climbers’ dining-room) and down Fantham’s, where one or two tried the thrilling standing, glissade after a demonstration by the guide. Stratford was reached at 5.30 p.m. No one refused the perfect soup Mrs. Polson had ready. Guide B. McAllister had charge of the party.