ASCENT OF MOUNT EGMONT BY MOONLIGHT,

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9670, 12 April 1893, Page 2

ASCENT OF MOUNT EGMONT BY MOONLIGHT,

We are not responsible for tbe opln'on expressed ■- by correspondents. The writer's name, as a (manmtee of gooa foith, must ba enclosed in the ' letter.] {

TO THE EDITOR.

Eir,— I have read with mush interest an account in your issue of Thk Budget of \ the Bth instant of a trip up Mount Eginont' by moonlight. It is therein statod thut " according to guide Peters, this is tha first party that to his knowledge has accomplished the night journov, or arrived at the summit to witness tlio sunrise," This 13 no doubt correct in bo far as guide' Peters'knowledge is concerno •, but that it is tho first party to ascend tho mountain by moonlight :s: s a statement subjoot tocorrection. Allow mo to add to guide Peters' knowledge on the subject by a perusal on his part of tho following :—: — On the afternoon of Easter Sunday 1890 Mr Fred P. Aiken, of Wanganui, and myself left New Plymouth intending to a-cend Mt. Egmont by moonlight The camping ground waa reached before, dark, and we endeavoured to obtain some sleep before making the ascent But that it ia not an easy matter to sleep on the slop s of tho mountain I have several times experienced. We loft the camp at 1 a.m. starting thus early, owing to the mountain and tho whole country being veiled in a thick mist, and not knowing but that there might probably be some difficulty in keeping the track owing to the darkness, although it was familiar to uio, in daylight. However, by tin timo we had reached the gorge the mist waa loft behind, and by tho light of the full moon the sum 111 it was reached without tho least fatigue nt 4 a.m. tlio accent having thus occupied exactly throe hours. A splendid, view was had of Mts, Ruapehu and Tongariro, and from the crater of the latter at column of smoke was rising. The first signs of sunrisu wore visible at 5 a m., and from that timo until tho sun appeared above the horizon at 6.15 the evcrchanging view was auch that no language could convey any adequate idoi of its granduer and magnificence. The only thing that in any way detracted from the enjoyment of the scene was the intense cold, rendered all the more so by our hay - ing left part of our clothing at the camp. We loft the top soon after sunrise, and reached the camp nt 8 o'clock, and after ■ some delay in finding the horses, ono of which wns found below the radius line, we arrived in town by midday on Easter Monday in time to attend tho Sports in the Recreation Grounds. I hive on several occasions advised others to make iho ascent by moonlight, us being less fatiguing aud, 1 think, more enjoyable.

Apologising for trespassing so largely on your valuable spase. — 1 am, &c, Annum Moiiton. Waiongona, 10th April.