TRAMP IN ALPS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 90, 10 January 1935, Page 10

TRAMP IN ALPS

Duke of Gloucester’s Outing TRAVERSE OF GLACIER Day Amid Rugged Mountain Scenery By Telegraph. —Press Association. Ross. January 9. Enjoying thoroughly every minute of liis experience, the Duke of Gloucester tills afternoon spent over two hours on the broken slopes of the Franz Josef Glacier, completing a two-inile circular hike among the spires and steeples and proving himself an excellent climber. Although horses had been saddled for the road portion of the journey they were not used by the Duke and his party. / winch consisted of Major-General and Mrs. R. G. H. Howard Vyse, Hon. J. A. Young, and Messrs. P.' and A. Graham, mountain guides. Thus the Prince, who did not return to the Glacier Hotel until about 4.30, tramped about ten miles in the course . of the outing. The party had a picnic lunch and billy tea at the Glacier Hut, where, much to their chagrin, the Australian terriers, Digger and Sally, were • left behind as the Duke and his companions commenced an ascent of the Pinnacles. Incidentally, Sally showed no signs of the indisposition which overcame her scenic walk to the hut. Apparently the heat proved too much for her, and a fit of temporary duration was the result. However, an hour later, in the clearing before the hut, she was barking in defiance at and endeavouring to tackle a collie four times her size. The-weather conditions for the traverse of the glacier were ideal. Brilliant sunshine in the morning prevailed throughout the afternoon, lighting up to a degree the superlative glory and amazing grandeur of the foothill sentinels, by way of contrast between an oil painting and a cameo. The party liad an exhilarating spectacle presented from the glacier’s terminal'face, and an exquisite view of the rata-mantled slopes provided through the window of the Anglican Church hidden in the bush near the main track. Silhouette of the Cross. Standing before the altar of the chapel, the visitors, through the scenic window, saw the silhouette of the cross on the glacier's ice, so clear was the visibility. Ice axes assisted the progress of the party up the broken face of the glacier, but the interlocking ropes were not required. The Duke went as far up as the Pinnacles, roughly a mile from the njoraine, and passing under the famous arch, saw as through a window of ice unsurpassed views oi bush-covered coves. He cinematographed various subjects, including the Pinnacles, and a long-distafiee sight of Lake Mapourika. Crossing the glacier at the Pinnacles, the party returned via the left side down to the outlet of the river. The circular tramp involved the negotiation of several ice ridges, but nothing of the razorback variety was encountered. Newly-formed Ice Arch. Some time was spent before the return to the road in admiring and photographing the huge newly-formed ice arch under the terminal face of the glacier, where, two days ago, for the first time, water started to gush into the glacier river. The route back from the moraine led the party down the north bank of the river, which was crossed at Peter's Pool, past the hot springs,, and along Calary Gorge. Gu&sts at the Glacier Hotel gave the Duke a hearty farewell as the cars started on the 90-mile run along the scenic drive to Ross, where the party rejoined the Royal Train at 8 o’clock. The train left an hour later on its all night trip through the Southern Alps to Timaru. With the hood of his car down, to enable his view of the scenery to be uninterrupted, the Duke of Gloucester drove himself from Waiho Gorge to Ross station.. He again had to. acknowledge innumerable wayside greetings and cheering from hundreds of people. There was a large muster at Greymouth station, where a brief stop was made for the receipt'and dispatch of telegrams. The Duke also visited the Franz Josef Glacier in the morning, and so impressed was he that he decided on a second ascent in the afternoon, abandoning his original intention of visiting the Fox Glacier. He covered the road part of the journey of three miles on horseback.