DIFFICULT ASCENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 31, 6 February 1935, Page 10

DIFFICULT ASCENT

CLIMBING D’ARCHIAC NEW ROUTE CHOSEN SUCCESS ON THIRD ATTEMPT. Successful, after three efforts, in climbing Mount D’Archiac by a new route, members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club who desired to learn more about the main divide lying between the head of the Classen and Godley glaciers have just completed an interesting trip iu the Southern Alps region. Meessrs. V. McFarland, D. V. Apperley, A. Anderson, J. Hayes and Evan Wilson left Christchurch on January 12 and from the Macauley River went on’ to the Godley River, a distance of IS miles, spending the first night at the Separation Stream. They reached the Godley Hut on Monday, but con tinuous bad weather stopped climbing until Wednesday. Unceasing rain spoiled ■the first attempt to climb Mt. D’Archiac, and it was not until Saturday t January 19, that conditions improved sufficiently to permit another attempt being made. Then vhe party

went up the Fitzgerald River and glacier, the. climb being stopped when the party was confronted with a vertical mountain face of 200 feet. The weather broke again, also, and in consequence an attempt lo climb Mount Victoire, a virgin peak at the head of the Neish. plateau, was spoiled. On January 24 four members of the party were successful m climbing Moumt D’Archiac, moving up the Denniston n glacier to the neve between* the Onlooker and the rock riiNe of Mount D’Archiac. After following the glacier (rest for 300 feet the party climbed a steep ehimnev 'to the rock ridge, and encountering a sharp ice knife edge, arrived at the summit rocks nt 2.50 p.m. The weather was too misty to permit of a view, and after half an hour the descent was made by the same route, the weather being especially trying on the return journev. The camp was reached via the Godley, at 9.30 p.m. On the following day the climbers divided into two parties, and after spending one night, at, the Weica Hut arrived home on Saturday las',. Mount D’Archiac has been climbed before by way of the Forbes River and the Dennistoun glacier, hut this time the Canterbury Moun'uneering Club wanted a. new route. The party would obviously have found the ascent much easier if the weather had ini proved; but in any case future climbers are advised not, to attempt Mount, D’Archiac by way of the Fitzgerald glacier.