MOUNT ANGLEM

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1932, Page 6

MOUNT ANGLEM

SUCCESSFUL ASCENT.

PEAK OF STEWART ISLAND

INVERCARGILL, January 9

For twenty yeans .Mount Anglein (Haiianui), the highest peak of Slewart Island, has not been climbed, owing to its inaccessibility, but over the New Year holidays a party of .twentythree, organised by Mr A. W. Jones, of Invercargill, made the attempt, and were successful. Two yeans ago a track was cut to the summit, 3200 feet above sea level, hut Air Jones’s party, which left Half-moon Bay on December 3i, was the first party of tourists to make a successful ascent.

In planning the trip from Oban several factors had to be considered. Tides and wind make landing on tfie north-west side of the island difficult and often dangerous. Frequently tu.e weather ,is bad or misty and the trip must he abandoned. On this occasion the party was particularly fortunate in having all factors in its favour.

With a dull sky and a favourable tide, the yacht Lena left Half-moon Bay at 6 a.m., making a smooth trip down the coast to the base of the mountain.' A' 'chilly wind swept the boat from prow to stern, but tarpjauliim made excellent shelter from the wind and wave.

Two hours’ pleasant sail brought the Lena some, 14- miles to a little cove, where the party disembarked close to the remains of a whale washed up several months? before. Here a hasty meal was prepared. Shortly after nine tiie party set out by climbing the slope which rose precipitately from the cove. At the top, a wide track followed an easy gradient through a magnicent forest of towering trees. Precautions were taken to keep the party together with experienced climbers in the van and rearguard. The successful ascent of the peak by all the party was largely due to the excellent organisation of Mr Jones. The track was in good order, being wide enough for two people to walk. Except for a friendly caw-caw, an occasional bell bird and the inevitable weka, very little bird lire was in evidence on the trip. A gradual ascent was made over mossy tree trunks, and a mountain torrent was crossed by steppingstones. Treacherous roots and a slippery track made a foothold precarious. One particular steep climb was made over wet tree trunks by clinging on to overhanging branches.

Gradually the forest was becoming perceptibly smaller, and in less than an hour's climb it was supplanted hv manuka scrub and stunted trees. The postcard pi a nit or .•mutton-bird, scrub now made its appearance in stunted from, and persisted in a dwarf size right- to”tlrcT'very summit. Once out into the open the going was comparatively easy for a. while. Sticks marked the best route, which led over marshy ground interspersed with stunted mutton-bird scrub.

Climbing was now . arduous, the way leading up a rocky ridge with a steep drop down to a large crater lake hundreds of feet below. Heavy muttonbird .scrub blocked the way, being too large to trample successfully under loot and very slippery to scramble over. The honour of being the first to the top fell to Mr AY. Richard, of Bluff, who was closely followed by Mr A. Davies, of Dunedin. The leading man’s time was three hours, while half an hour later the whole party was reassembled for a group photograph. The summit is a boggy tableland about an acre in extent, with two rocky peaks and a sheer drop on three sides. On the land side there is a steep drop into a large crater lake. To the tight of this lake, which is credited wjtli a rise and fall according to the ebb and flow of the tide, a smaller lake was observed. It is stated thalt an even bigger lake is to he seen by descending to the level of the smaller lake. Opposite the mountain on the land side of the lake is the twin peak of “Little” Anglein, which seems to he almost as high. Magnificent white mountain lilies, which grow in prolusion on the sheltered side of the peak, make the ascent well worth while, as tliis is the only peak in the island where they grow.

Although the sky was dull, the sun peered fitfully through the clouds, and n magnificent panorama spread out for miles around. Visibility was good, and an excellent view was gained of the greater part of Stewart Island, as well as a considerable part of the mainland.