MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 3, 5 January 1939, Page 7

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

THE KAIKOURAS

PARTY MUCH IMPRESSED

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the 'Evening Post.")'

BLENHEIM/This Day.

A climb of Mount Tapuaenuku, 9469 feet, the highest peak in the northern portion of the 'South Island, was accomplished during the holidays by a party of three, the well-known New Zealand mountaineer, Mr. F. A. Alack, of Tasman, Nelson, formerly- a guide at Mount Cook, his wife, and Mr. R. W. Parkhurst, of Sydney. Mr. Alack stated after his return that Tapuaenuku and the surrounding peaks, Mount Alarm and Mitre Peak, corresponded with anything of the same height in the Southern Alps. He was particularly impressed with Mount Alarm. Parties had come from the Marlborough district to Mount Cook, he said, to try themselves out for mountaineering. If they undertook the traverse over Mount Alarm they would find as good a training ground as existed anywhere else at the same altitude. . A

The trip up Mount Tapuaenuku commenced from the .Hodder River, in Awatere, along the tortuous bed of which the climbers had to find their way for eight miles before, reaching the foot of the peak. Although ordinarily it would be carrying a mere trickle of watery the Hodder was quite deep in places andjthe climbers were at times forced to wade against a strong current through gorges in which ice-cold water:reached as high as their chests. Two days were spent at a bivouac camp established at 4500 feet waiting for the weather to clear, arid the actual assault ,on the mountain commenced at 2 o'clock in the morning. By 9.30 the climbers were at the top, having been delayed through having to cut steps over tricky ice and snow. The party was back in camp at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

The next day was again 5 unfavourable, but the following day at 3 a.m. the party left for a climb of Mount Alarm. After reaching the main; ridge a halt had to be called owing to an icy gale, and' three and a half* hours were spent in a rock shelter. The summit was reached soon before noon.' Next day the. party attempted a climb of Mitre Peakj but they were disappointed, for what was taken for the summit proved to be a shoulder, and although it was only ( a few; 'feet lower than the summit several1 hours'would have been necessary in retracing their steps to make an ascent. The weather was threatening '.so they decided --t© return. ' All three are enthusiastic about the expedition and are most impressed with the variety of conditions encountered, including as they did forest, rock, snow, and ice. The views on clear days were magnificent and it was even possible to see Mount Egmont, Mrs. Alack, who before her marriage was a professional violinist at the Christchurch broadcasting station, came through the arduous climbing with no more effect,than a. becoming sun tan. She has done a fair amount; of climbing since her marriage aiid hap thoroughly enjoyed it... "■, V '