NEW ZEALAND ALPS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1932, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND ALPS

DIFFICULT MOUNTAINS. VIEWS OF VISITING CLIMBER WELLINGTON, March 14. Climbing in New Zealand is a greater test of endurance than, in Switzerland, said Sir William Ellis, an old member of the Alpine Club, London, with experience of climbing in Switzerland, when interviewed today. This is because the climbing stalls so much lower in this country. Sir William has just returned from a short visit to the Hermitage, and also to the Fr'afik Josef Glacier and the Fox Glacier, and though lie was loath, in view of the hurried nature of ths trip, to draw comparisons between the Alps here and the Swiss Alps, of which he has had a long experience he felt that the writings which he had encountered about the New Zealand Alps had not done them justice. Although the highest peak, Mt. Cook, was under 12,500 feet, whereas in Switzerland there were many peaks approaching 15,000 feet, that was not the true gauge of the difficulty of climbing, because in Switzerland the start was made from a much greater height than was possible in New Zea-, the extra amount of effort and endurance here being represented by the height between the at which the, night was spent and the summit to he reached. He said definitely that he knew no peak in Switzerland which required the same length of time as was necessary, even with a strong climbing party, for the ascent of Mt. Cook. As lie was accompanied by Lady Ellis, and had only a limited time in the mountain country, serious climbing was out of the question, but he greatly appreciated the beauty and magnitude of the mountains, after his experience in Switzerland and in the Rocky Mountains of Canada; through which he had recently passed. He spoke very highly of the facilities for climbing men and women afforded at the hotels at both places lie lifid Visited, even for the most modest of mountaineers who had arrived without equipment. He was surprised, indeed to find how amply such people were’ catered for. The equipment rooms looked rather like curiosity shops, because one' found everything there, and every want of any party in the way of • equipment was available, whereas in Switzerland no such facilities existed. Sir William felt that a great deal of the climbing in New Zea.land, especially south .of the Hermitage was still in the nature of pioneering work, involving hardships, great endurance, and. not inconsiderable risks, and he was anxious that the younger generation taking to climbing should realise that although it was a of the noblest description it cannot be car- , ried out without experience and prudence. The photographs he had seen on the screen, during the celebratior of the fiftieth anniversary of the first ascent of Mt. Cook, in Christchurch, gave a very good idea of the risks. He was anxious that the opportunities afforded the South Island for this great sport should not be abused nor prejudiced by the taking of undue risks by budding climbers. The margin between comparative safety and real danger was represented very often bv only a thin line, which could only he broadened safely by caution find experience. “Young climbers have many years of enjoyment a.nd splendid sport in front of them,” said Sir William, “and it would be unfortunate if their energy and power of endurance outran the wise spirit of caution so necessary in such a sport as climbing.”