MOUNT TUTOKO

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 160, 2 April 1921, Page 3

MOUNT TUTOKO

MR. TURNER’S EXPEDITION

DIFFICULTIES OF EXPLORATION IN

SOUTHERN ALPS

Mr. Samuel Turner, F-R.G.S., returned on. Sunday from the Mount Tutoko district, where he carried out considerable exploration work covering a period of several weeks. He states that ho and his party found that on three sides of Mount Tutoko three are ice falls and precipices. In order to get a chance to climb this mountain a uniqud method had to be adopted. From a base camp in the Tutoko Valley they ascended to a high camp, and from there they ascended to a bivouac at 5200 feet, where cooking had to be. done with a methylated spirits cooking stove. From this bivouac the party had to climb with all camping equipment (which limited them to three days’ provisions) for twelve hours over icefields over the shoulder of a mountain at a height of 8000 feet, across steep rocks and snow slopes, then descend a couloir (a deep gully of snow and smooth ice-worn rocks) 201)0 feet down, to a newly-discovered glacier, which nobody had ever visited or seen before on the north-east side of Mount Tutoko. Their next bivouac was on the side of this glacier, at a height of about -1700 feet. The following it was raining, and, making a late start about 8 o’clock, they reached within 250 feet c,f the summit of Mount Tutoko (which was found to be about 600 feet higher than expected) by 5 p.m. One of the party was a very slow climber, and this was a serious handicap, making the passage over the last piece of steep rock a longer mat ter than usual in the very cold threatening weather. If the party had not turned when they did they would have risked being be-nighted on the mountain, wi th the prospect of being frozen. As it was, they unanimously agreed to return, and got' -to the bivouac at 11 p.m., travelling in the night mist. 'Snow commenced at midnight, and early next morning ’there was about six inches of snow a'round the camp, and on the steep couloir up which they should return. A. wind-storm during the night nearly blew the tent away, and was very fierce and cold. , The only chance of safety lay in reaching Martin’s Bay for food; so, with only one day’s food left, they made what is considered by men who know some 'part of the country an impossible trip to Martin’s Bay, having to negotiate unexplored ioe and snowfields, precipices, and new passes. Marfin's Bay wasvreached after three days of strenuous effort, and by • the aid of providential luck in crossing the treacherous Hollyford River and other obstructions. Continued bad weather .drove the party round f about 250 to 300 miles of country, and Mr.. Turner himself had 350 miles to travel to get back to the high bivouac again via the Glenorchy Post Office, where he dispatched telegrams, and just slopped the relief . expedition which was about to be sent out by the Government. On Mr. Turner and two of his party returning to the high bivouac, the weather was too bad to make another attempt at Mount Tutoko, but he and Mr. Frank Milne climbed five hitherto unclimbed peaks. 7500 to 8000 feet, afid he took -100 to 500 feet of kinema films. Mr. Turner says that he has spent some hundreds of pounds during the last three seasons on exploration of the Tutoko district, and the discoveries and climbs he has inaclo have amply repaid the effort. . This year’s pnrtv comprised One kinema man. two Lands Department men, two climbers, three porters. This is-said to be the most important expedition even - carried out in New Zealand. A little of the district just explored includes the Tutoko Valley, which is unmapped, and prior to this had only been paid two' short visits of four days by two separate parties. Most of the district Mr. Turner's expedition has explored was never visited by anyone previous to Mr. Turner taking the exploration up seriously. His equipment was perfect and elaborate. Climbing is very • difficult in that, part of the country, and a parly in unexplored territory has to take many risks that climbers in °^ ier places are not called on to take. Mr. Turner says that Mount Tutokd is about 600 feet higher than stated on the New Zealand survey map, and that there are two big peaks. 9042 and 9G91 feet, while the New Zealand Survey Department only shows one, 9042 feet, on its map. Mount Tutoko affords the most trying exploration work in New Zealand, the principal difficulties being in the first 5000 to 6000 feet of precipices.- The Tufoko district has the next largest icefield to the Mount Cook district. Mr. Turner has spent eleven years in succession, about two months in each season in climbing and exploration of the most difficult mountaineering propositions in New Zealand. He is the only man who has ever attempted to climb Mhunt Cook alone, and he. succeeded in March, 1919. in reaching the summit and planting the British flag there. This feat was witnessed by a guide and climbei, who saw him plant his flag. The flag was seen on the following day by several climbers and guides. The New Zealand High Commissioner s Office. London, and tho Australian Geographical Society have placed Mr. Turner’s qualifications before the Alpine Club and the Hoyal Geographical Society, but Mr. Turner understands that the president of the Alpine Club wants members of tho Alpine Club’ lo be the first to climb Mount Everest. Therefore, if the club take on the responsibility for the first attempt, and the attempt fails, Mr. Turner is willing to organise an allBritish expedition to , Mount Everest, when the nest climbers in tlie British Empire will bo selected. He says Britain should take warning. The Arctic and’ Antarctic honours were lost to the British Empire and won by Peary and Amundsen through their taking a broader field for selection than one particular exclusive dub. Although the club Ims the right of selecting the climbers. Mr. Turner thinks the Empire’s beet climbers should be selected, and that no Swiss guides or foreigners should be used in any capacity.