CLARK PASS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1932, Page 3

CLARK PASS

FIRST RECORDED TRIP

MOUNTAINEERS’ NOVEL EXPERIENCE.

CHRISTCHURCH, .March 31

Clark Pass (52/0 feet) is ■ tiie next pass in the main divide ot the Alps south of Browning’s Puss,*.) arid lies at the headwaters of the Grlmtns Stream, a tributary of the uWi Inert,wee River on the Canterbury <#, side, and the headwaters of the Kokatahi River, on the Westland side. With the view of making a, crossing oyer tins pass—no previous .Grossing of which has been j etorded—r-ioiuvmem-bers pif the Canterbury.. Mountainhering andT ramping Club lqft) the Harper diversion, L.ake Chipi;i{;lge, early on Grid ay morning. Contrary to expectation, the Wilhertoroe was crossed practically dry-footed, and the party made camp two miles up the Griffiths Stream that night. Saturday dawned misty, but cleared to a wonderfully hue day during the forenoon. Quick time .was made up to the .Griffiths Glacier, where an extensive view was obtained. vnThe glacier ,is over three miles in length, and Clark Pass goes over to thei-lett at right angles. The exact locality : of the pass was not realised until the party had traversed the major portion of the glacier opposite Mount ■.Gi-les, • as steep cliffs on, the Canterbury'side : tend to conceal its presence. By bearing .back on their right, the,party' .made the...divide at 3 a.m., and- the occasion was. suitably, celebrated; -1 '- The ~pnss has the unique distinction,' of af..(fprding a view of Hokitika, but unfortunately rolling clouds concealed the town. The decent'into the lvokatahi River was steep but easy . travelling over screes, and camp was pitched at dusk.

DOWN THE KOKATAHI. The following day. Sunday, dawned cloudless, and was spent working down the boulder, beaches of the Kokatahi as far as Alex Creek. There are no camping places here, so the party just placed sleeping bags between the boulders and were s°on sound asleep. From. Alex -Creek an old disused track climbs to some 2000 ft over the ridge to avoid the impassable portion of the gorge. So rough was the country that ell traces of the track had disappeared, and the party were compelled to force, their way through real West Coast bush. After ten hours’ arduous struggle, the party camped on the ridge after •,making' only one and a quarter, miles for the day. From there, however, could be seen the junction of. the Stvx and Kokatahi rivers out, on. , the fiats. - •This, the .fast night away from civilisation, was interesting, ■ in -that ■it iwagi necossauyete.surround-rthb'HbiiiiaT ture abode; with-, stakes, to prevent any possibility of rolling off into space. ;AN. ANCIENT FOOTBRIDGE. All.-beiug present for tire, > morning rolh-calU. a,., quick dpscenfe.-.waso" made, and at -lnst/ffudiug- the- imreh-asearched-for typek, no. time was lost ;a: .gaining the. footbridge- over the; river. - This bridge, probably over forty years old, spanning the rock walls- of,; the - river sixty feet below, presented-rthe appearance of an elongated rusty lowlhouse, and provided a -risky hut necessary transport to the" right hank.

This is-the .first. i'ecordeft"'trip across Clark Pass: The members were: L. Boot, H. Andrews,. -I -Tucker, and T. N. Beckett.