MOUNTAINEERING

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1932, Page 2

MOUNTAINEERING

A NEW CLIMB, IN FOX GLACIER DISTRICT. Seven peaks in the Fox Glacier region, all of which are over 10,000 feet in height and which have been inaccessible to climbers in the past, will be available for climbing this season. They are being brought within the range of the average climber by the erection of a hut on the Pioneer Ridge, 8000 feet above sea level.

Chief Guide F. D. Alack, at the Fox Glacier, is undertaking the work of building the hut, which will be the highest in the New Zealand alpine chain. The hut will make the route over the Pioneer Pass to the Haast Hut and then to the Hermitage easier. This pass has only been twice previously crossed—once many years ago and last year by Guide Alack and Miss Oorry, an English climber.

The new peaks include Mount Tasman. In the past, those who wished to attempt these climbs had to stay at the Chancellor Hut, at the 4500 feet level, but the journey was too long for all 'but experts. With the erection of the new hut, the climbing time will be cut down by five hours and the peaks will become, it is expected, one of the most popular regions of the climbing territory. Last season, Guide Alack dug out the foundations and cut all the timber, transporting it ;on bis back to the Chancellor Hut, where it has been stored for the winter. He expects to have the new hut built by November.' So far, with the exception of the dogs of the Byrd Expedition, there have been no dog teams used on the Alps, but Guide Alack intends to train a team; this year to haul a sleigh up to the new lint site. He also intends to train the dogs to return 'to the Chancellor Hut unattended, as there is a ski run of four miles on the return journey. The guides expect to come down on skis, leaving the dogs to return by themselves.

The first climber to use the but will be Miss K. Gardiner, a noted Englishwoman, who intends 'to spend five months in the Southern Alps: Guide Alack said to-day that Miss Gardiner was doing wonderful publicity work for New Zealand in England, as she had lectured to the Ladies’ Alpine Club and other organisations on the New Zealand Alps.