ARDENT MOUNTAINEERS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1933, Page 5

ARDENT MOUNTAINEERS

HISTORIC WESTLAND PEAK. CLIMBERC AGAIN REPULSED. Two parties from the Canterbury Mountaineering Club returned last Sunday from the Rakaia-Whitcombe watershed, having made further reconnaissances during the holidays of Mount Evans (8612 ft an historic unclimbed Westland peak. Floods and increasing bad weather, however, caused the postponement of the attempts to scale the Messrs. W. F. Heinz, F. A. Kitchingham, D. A. Carr, and Wylde left Greymouth to prospect the route from the County icefield by the Big Wanganui River and Smyth Col. Extreme difficulties were met with in the fording of flooded, rivers, and it was not until the end of the trip that the party was able to reach the Smyth Col, at which stage uncertain weather prevented further advance. In the meantime, the party had made an attend an

although bad weather prevented success on this climb, a comprehensive view of the County slopes of Mount Evans was obtained. Inspection through field glasses has led this party to believe that the County glacier route, if not impossible, will be at least hard. An expedition up the Evans icefall near the Full Moon saddle of the Bracken snowfield has only emphasised previous opinions that the route for Mount Evans via the Red Line Col is impracticable. Last year .Mr. R. R. Chester, of the Mountaineering Club, led Messrs. Wyn Barnett and J. D. Pascoe in the first y> fee The

formidable nature of the southern side of the mountain, however, has made the east ridge unpopular. Splendid work was done, by Mr. Heinz’s party in the formation of tracks along the precipitous bluffs of the Wanganui River. The other party, consisting of Messrs. J. D. Pascoe, Wyn Barnett and A. P. Thompson, crossed the Whitcombe Pass and bivouacked in the Wilkinson Valley, but had much difficulty from floods, and bad weather made the outlook worse. Two attempts were made on Mount Evans during temporary breaks in the storm. The first resulted in the' ascent of .fee McKwzje G& jafiA-fee second

disclosed a. route that is practicable under good conditions. The increasing difficulties from floods led to the necessity for the finding of a new route back to Canterbury. This was done successfully with the discovery of a high level crossing which saved three days’ travel in bush and gorge, and permitted of the first ascent of two easy unnamed divide peaks. It is likely that further determined efforts will be made on unclimbed Mount Evans.. Last April Mr.' G. E. Mabin- and- party journeyed into the Wilkinson country, when the inevitable storm. feraed .few hack at 7900 ft.. It