AN ASCENT OF PIRONGIA MOUNTAIN.

Waipa Post, Volume VI, Issue 247, 16 September 1913, Page 4

AN ASCENT OF PIRONGIA MOUNTAIN.

(Contributed).

The ascent of Mount Pirongia, the bush-clad, many-peaked sentinel of the Western Waikato, is neither a difficult nor a dangerous undertaking, and it is a matter of surprise that, when one thinks of the glorious panorama to be obtained from its summit of the fertile Waikato plains and the wild Raglan and Waitomo counties, that more do not attempt the climb. The easiest point from which to commence the climb is from that ancient and interesting town Pirongia, famous in the old-time war days under the name of Alexandra as a strongly-garrisoned frontier town,.and the scene of many stirring events in the early history of our Dominion. The first step of the journev is to cross the Waipa river by the old traffic bridge, and to some of our party this appeared the most dangerous part of the whole trip. As you approach the ancientmoss-grown bridge you are faced with the reassuring information, per medium of a large sign board: "This bridge is dangerous. Persons crossing do so at their own risk." The risk is apparent, and you warily step upon the rotten planks and note with apprehension that parts of the rail are gone altogether on one side, and incidentally that the brown waters

of the Waipa must be 80 feet at least below you. However, beyond a tremor or two from the old structure, there is no sign of collapsing, and once over, you draw a-breath of relief, and fix your eyes upon the object of the journey—the distant mountain peaks.'' After about a quarter of a mile the track leaves the main road to the right and winds serpent-like over the foothills and lower slopes of the mountain until at last it takes a determined bend towards the mountain itself

and enters new clearings and freshly-burned areas of the bush. On the'left hand is the tumbling mountain torrent which is to supply the growing needs of the flourishing town of Te Awamutu with splendid water and giye a sufficient pressure to ensure the safety of the town against fire. So far we have, covered about three miles, and after one or two sharp climbs through the last of the clearings, the track enters the virgin bush and commences in a bewildering manner dodging round huge ratas and over fallen giants, along mossy avenues, and through tangled undergrowth, but always rising -and becoming less distinct at every step. For over a mile you climb without catching even a glimpse of the outside world, and you have no means of judging the progress upwards except that by the thumping of your heart and by the fact that frequent spells are acceptable, you know that you are climbing hard. Then, just as

you think that surely the summit must be near, through a port hole in the bush you catch a brief glimpse of a towering bushy bulk above your head, and a dizzy panoramic.view of green plains and silver.rivers far below you, and you realise that although you must be at least 2500 feet above the plain, you have still a final effort to make. A few more yardr, and then you are at it in earnest,' clambering up a much steeper slope, seeking the ready assistance of gnarled roots and branches of stunted trees, rounding huge moss-grown boulders, and always anticipating yet never reaching the summit. Pausing for breath, you find that you are still unable to see the view, as the trees, though stunted, are hung thickly with moss, and the ovei-head branches seem to meet in a leafy canopy. There is a chill in the atmosphere and a dampness which suggest the presence of clouds. A few more scrambles, another spell, and the advance man shouts: "Here we are at last," and, scrambling up behind him, you are staggered by the suddenness with which you emerge from the bush out upon a small area of hard rhiolitic rock, grass-grown, and surrounded on all sides by stunted vegetation. A few yards to the right, and you are on the northern point of the middle peak, and without any obstruction you can,

as it were, look out over everything, and here at last is the splendid recompense for the past three hours' exertion. The view is striking, both for its magnificence and for its extent. Away to the north you see the ranges near Mercer and the high country at Pukekohe, towards the east Mount Te Aroha and the Matamata ranges appear as a blue barrier to further vistas. Below our feet and clothed with bush rise the lesser peaks of Pirongia, and away over the square miles of intervening forest lie the upper reaches of Raglan harbour. One is impressed with the great expanse of unsettled country, and it is to be hoped that the throwing open of the big Moerangi and Matakowhia blocks on the north-westrn aspect, representing 45,000 acres of primeval forest, will be shortly accomplished. Towards the west, and effectually obscuring Kawhia and Aotea harbours, rises a yet higher peak apparently inaccessible, so dense a id impenetrable seem the deep bush valleys. On this peak you can easily discern the trig erected by the old survey parties, and you realise that you can overlook six counties. We lunched on the top of the mountain, and smoked and chatted while one of the

partv, seated on a pinnacle of rock with a bush-lineJ valley 500 feet below him, amused himself by discharging a shotgun into space and counting the reverberations of the extraordinary echoes flung from peak to peak. The view to the south is obscured by bush, so we proceeded along the high spur until the southern aspect was thrown open to our gaze, and for rugged grandeur this view surpasses even the panorama to the north. The banked-up ranges of the King Country, to all appearances a terra incognita, roll south as far as the eye can reach, and away inland appears the majestic group of our National Park volcanoes —Ngaruahoe, Tongariro, andßuapehu—now quiescent, snow-clad, and beautiful. We are told that if wj scramble still further along the ridge that we will see Mount Egmont, but trackless bush is not inviting, and

a return, is made to the rocky, platform-looking north, and we plan the future of the rich Waikato, with Hamilton a city of the plains, and Te Awamutu a prosperous centre of the d drying industry. What a counlry ! What opportunities ! Labour wanted ! Money wanted ! Population also! Just to develop the immense natural wealth at that moment spread at our feet. " Come on," says one of the party ; " let's get down; I see a cloud forming." So, suiting action to words, we commence the descent, slipping, sprawling, clutching, laughing,

and happy at having accomplished the object of our climb, and having been rewarded with such magnifue .t and inspiring views. Back to the clearings, just as Brer rabbit comes out for his evening blade of grass, and we while away the return across the foothills by shooting, and vieing with one another as to the size of the bag. Once more to the river, and, we decide to give the rickety oIP bridge a wide berth, and if possible, to cross the Waipa on the incomplete decking of the splendid new ferro-concrete. hundred yards up stream, which is just nearing completion. After a little balancing on stringers, and a few words of encouragement to the nervous ones, we connect with the completed decking half way across, and safely reach the Waikato side and Pirongia again. The unanimous opinion of our party is that if you want an idea of the growth of the Waikato, the disposition of its rising towns, an opportuity of guaging its future, and a good healthy day's outing, climb Pirongia Mountain.