ASCENT OF PARITUTU FROM THE SEAWARD SIDE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9651, 18 March 1893, Page 2

ASCENT OF PARITUTU FROM THE SEAWARD SIDE.

Mr Malcolm Ross, of the New Zealand Alpine C üb, while passing through New Plymouth the other day on his way to Sydney, made a rather plucky ascent of Paritutu, tho highest of the sugarloaf rocks by way of tho precipices on the Beavt ard eide. Mr Ross, who has recently been climbing in the Mount Cook District, pur posely chose the most difficult route, and it was not without considerable exertion that he succeeded after a splendid rock climb in reaching the actual summit. The precipices were carefully scanned from tho top of the quarry rocks before starting, and a line of route selected , Tho rocks at first gave excellent foothold and good hand grips, so that good progress was mado. About half way up, however, the climber found himself in difficulties, and had rather a bad time ofin a " eh mney " that afforded very few grips. After descending some 30 feet better foothold Was obtained by making a slight traverse to tho westward, but- still facing the sea. The cliff, howover,- • was bore very steep, the rocks in some places being perpendicular, and in othor places over hanging. Good hand grips, however, were secured, and, though it was trying work hanging on to the sharp tocks with tho breakers roaring almost straight below some hundreds of feet down, Mr Rob? eventually succeeded in ov< rooming all difficulties and landed in safety on the top. In two places tho climber got into difficulties and had to retreat, climbing down wards very carefully face to the rocks, os if descending a ladder. A i-lip on cither of these occasions would have proved diaastr6us, as for hundreds of feel there was nothing to break a fall. Tho wind, which swept round the higher portions of the rock in strong gusts, was a little disconcerting, but not strong enough to bo dangerous. Mr Ross speaks of tho ascent as tho most difficult rock climb ho has accom plish d alone, with the exception of one near the summit of tho Uomarkablos soiuo years ago, and wor6O than anything encountered on his recent ascont of Mount Do la Bocho (10 050 feet), in the Mount Cook district. It is, however, ho s.iys, quite practicable to good cragsmen singly, while three good climbers on the rope could do it easily. The time occupied from the foot to tho summit was nearly two hours, but with a hotter knowledge of the upper rocks it could now be done in verymuch less time. Paritutu is 503 feet high, and has never, wo believe, been scaled from the soaward side before.