H.—2.

The Hermitage. Bookings to this district from the various bureaux point to the fact that a busy season has been experienced there. The hostel has been visited by various departmental officers during the season, and has invariably been found to be well and carefully conducted. The new road to the Ball Hut is being steadily proceeded with, and will be'a great help when completed. Alpinists have made many ascents, of which, as usual, I attach a list for record purposes : —

High Ascents from 1st April, 1927, to 31st March, 1928.

2—H. 2.

9

Date. Party and Guide. Climb. Height. Route. 1927. Feet. April 17 Mr. J. Mill; Guide V. Williams Mt. Sealey .. 8,651 Ascent from Mueller up western face; descent by same route. Aug. 9 Captain Campbell, Captain The Twins .. 8,030 Ascent from Ball Hut across Tasman Villers ; Guide J. Pope Glacier up main ridge to summit; descent same route. Dec. 5 Hon. L. S. Amery, Mr. A. P. Glacier Dome .. 8,000 Ascent from Ball Hut; descent by Haast and Miss Harper; Guides (about) Ridge. P. Graham, D. Graham Dec. 9 Hon. L. S. Amery, Mr. and Minarets .. 10,058 Ascent from Malte Brun Hut up snow Miss Harper; Guides P. slopes to summit; descent to Defiance Graham, D. Graham Hut. Dec. 10 Messrs. Watt and Grinling ; Mt. Annette .. 7,351 Ascent by Sebastapol Ridge; descent by guideless Harper's Glacier. Dec. 19 Guides V. Williams, A Brustad, Mt. Cook .. 12,349 Ascent from Haast Hut by Linda Glacier; J. Pope descent by same route. 1928. Jan. 2 Messrs. Flett (2); guideless .. Mt. Annette .. 7,351 Ascent from Mueller Hut; descent back same route to hut. Jan. 3 Mr. Sim ; Guide K. Grinling.. Lean Peak .. 8,000 Ascent from Hooker Hut; descent by same route. Jan. 4 Mr. Eric Lewis; Guides V. Mt. Cook .. 12,349 Ascent from Haast Hut up Linda Glacier; Williams, J. Pope descent by same route. Jan. 10 Mr. B. Murray ; Guide V. Wil- Low Peak, Mt. 11,787 Ascent from Lower Hooker bivouac by main liams Cook western ridge to summit; descent by same route. Jan. 11 Mr. Twyneham; Guides D. Minaret Peaks .. 10,058 Ascent from Franz Jgsef Glacier; descent Graham, C. Harcourt to Ball Hut. Jan. 11 Mr. D. Maughan; N. Mc- Mt. Annette .. 7,351 Ascent from Mueller Hut; descent by Diarmid (porter) Sebastapol Ridge. Jan. 12 Mr. D. Aubin; Guide J. Pope Mt. Cook .. 12,349 Ascent from Hut by Linda Glacier; descent by same route. Jan. 14 Messrs. Chapman and Dewar Mt. Annette .. 7,351 Ascent from Mueller Hut; descent by Harper's Glacier. Jan. 16 Mr. Roy Twyneham; Guide The Footstool .. 9,073 Ascent from Sefton bivouac, crossing J. Pope eastern ridge to main divide; final ascent by north face ; descent by same route. Jan. 17 Mrs. Algie and Professor Algie ; Bell Peak .. 9,250 Ascent from Camp Adair up northern face ; Guide A. Brustad ; K. Grin- descent by same route. ling (porter) Jan. 18 Dr. Bradshaw; Guide J. Pope Mt. Hamilton .. 9,915 Ascent from Malte Brun Hut to Darwin Glacier to head of Bonny Glacier, thence by main arete to summit; descent by same route. Jan. 22 Mrs. Algie and Professor Algie; Two unnamed 8,950 Ascent from Camp Adair up south-west Guide Alf. Brustad; K. peaks north of 8,900 face; descent traversed High Peak, Grinling (porter) Bell Peak descending by western face. Jan. 25 Mrs. Algie and Professor Algie ; First and second 9,297 Ascent from Adair Camp up western face ; Guide A. Brustad ; K. Grin- peaks of Mt. 9,276 descent by same route. ling (porter) Hutton Jan. 30 Miss L. Familton, Mr. R. L. The Footstool .. 9,073 Ascent from Sefton bivouac to main divide, Wigley, Master Harry Wigley final ascent by north face; descent by (14), Master Sandy Wigley same route. (12); Guide J. Pope ; J. L. Crombie (porter) Jan. 30 Dr. Bradshaw ; Guide L.Mahan Mt. Darby .. 8,287 Ascent from Mueller Hut across Sladden Glacier, thence by main rock ridge to summit; descent by same route. Feb. 3 Miss L. Familton; Guides V. Mt. Malte Brun 10,421 Ascent from Malte Brun Hut up western Williams, J. Pope face ; descent by south face (traverse;. Feb. 19 Messrs. McDiarmid and Chap- Lean Peak .. 8,000 Ascent from Hooker Hut; descent by same man ; guideless route. Mar. 11 Mr. H. Coxhead; Guide A. Mt. Mabel .. 6,858 Ascent from Hooker Hut to Ball Pass, then Brustad ' to Mabel; descent to Ball Hut. Mar. 13 Mr. H. Coxhead, Mr. Swanson ; Unnamed peak 8,000 Ascent from Sefton bivouac to main divide, Guide A. Brustad main divide thence to summit; descent by same route. Mar. 13 Mr. J. Roberts, Miss D. Roberts; Mt. Annette .. 7,351 Ascent Mueller Hut; descent via Sealey Guide V. Williams Range to Hermitage. Mar. 15 Miss D. Roberts; Guide V. Lean Peak .. 8,000 Ascent from Hooker Hut via Copland Pass; Williams Edith Peak .. 7,600 descent by same route. Mar. 27 Mr. Parker ; Guide A. Brustad Mt. Mabel .. 6,858 Ascent from Ball Hut to Ball Pass, traversing Mt. Rosa .. 6,997 Mt. Rosa to Mt. Mabel; descent to Hermitage.