SNOW ON MOUNT EGMONT

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1930, Page 14

SNOW ON MOUNT EGMONT

FURTHER SNOWSTORMS ■ MONDAY’S FALL NOT MELTED. HEAVY FROSTS THIS WEEK. Testimony- to the fact that the past few weeks have been the coldest experienced in Taranaki for a great many years may be found on the slopes of Mount Egmont/ the state •of which is illustrated in the photographs on this gage. The views were obtained on the day that three young men reached the North Egmont house after spending- a night in the swamp under most rigorous weather conditions. Last Friday there-occurred on the mountain the heaviest fall of snow known for a very long time, but rain during the week-end melted it almost immediately. On Sunday nigh, and Monday morning anI other heavy fall occurred which is depicted in these illustrations. The same day- snow | fell lightly in New Plymouth, and the fields in the higher • altitudes were covered to a considerable depth. ; In spite of a fairly constant sun during the past three days, very little of the snow on the mountain has melted, and fresh falls have been periodically coming down, with the result that in the neighbourhood of the North Egmont hostel conditions are no different from those that prevailed on Monday. In fact they are rather more difficult for the motorist, for yesterday the' heavy frosts of the last day or two had turned the underlying layer of snow into hard and slippery ice, and, at the present time it is practically impossible for cars to reach the hostels unless they are shod with chains over the last half mile. One car reached the top of the track yesterday with the help of a towline from a lorry driven by the chief ranger (Mr. Rupert Larsen). The. lessee of the hostelry (Mr. Nodder) had a little difficulty in negotiating the > final bend last night, but was able to get through with the help of a rope twined round one wheel, in lieu of chains. Light falls of'snow occurred at the hostel throughout yesterday. . The Taranaki Alpine Club is . holding a ' dance at the hostel on Saturday night, and . if the present conditions prevail it should be an evening of unusual charm and real winter revelry. No more beautiful sight could be imagined than the mountain in its winter glory yesterday.