IN MOUNTAIN RANGES GADGETS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21416, 7 March 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

IN MOUNTAIN RANGES GADGETS

The hiilman must choose his equipment as carefully as his clothing. Everything must be light, yet reliable. Unconscious humour may crop up in many camps when a swag is unpacked for the first time. The newcomer to the mountains will often insist on carrying unnecessary gear, and it takes some time to correct his sense of proportion. Ice-axe, nailed boots, snowglasses, swag, map, compass, rope, tent, billy, camera, sleeping-bag—-these are some of the obvious needs. Simple articles often add to the ease of camp and trek life. .For instance, a pot scour will work wonders with a billy frosted with burnt rice or obstinate with lumpy porridge. The late M. J. Dixon recommended "a good catapult to get birds for food with when the larder is low." The easiest alpine passes cover country out of the reach of "rangers and acclimatisation societies, and noted bushmen such as Harper and

(By John Pascoe)

Douglas lived on bird stews during their sojourns in the wilderness in the 'nineties. See "Wanderlust," page 27 of vol. 1, No. 4, and the footnote on page 36, by the editor of that publication indicating that Mr Harper "would be the first to protest very strongly against the present-day killing of any native birds —even for food." Nevertheless trampers in 3935, as in 1895, must eat to live. A methylated spirits cooker or a primus will give hot food to parties camping above scrub-level, and a good container for the spirit fuel is an aluminium hot water bottle. A Wellington friend in the Rakaia recorded in the New Zealand Alpine Journal that "rests were spent in melting snow and imbibing through a rubber tube the water collected" and that "this excellent device was invented by Cormack and prevents there being too much interference with zinc ointment or cracked lips."