ASCENT OF MOUNT COOK

Kumara Times, Issue 2953, 17 April 1886, Page 3

ASCENT OF MOUNT COOK

Messrs C. D. Fox and G. E. Mannorms;, who have been on a visit from the North Cantoibnry district to Mount Cook, re'urncd to Rangiora on the 6th inst. The Press reports : “ They started, fnily equipped, to make the complete ascent of this mighty mountain, and succeeded in making the ascent to G3ooft. when they deemed it prudent not to go on, owing to the difficulty of roping their way forward, which could have been only safely performed with a parly of three or four persons. They camped for two or three days at an altitude of 3750 ft. on the Tasman glacier, hetw. en the lateral moraine and Mount Cook, from whence they brought away a small Gilpin’s axe, a lamp wick, storm lamp top, a goggle hox, a tin hox, which had contained 11. Bell and Co.’s wax vestas, and two or three legging buckles, left by the .Rev. Mr Green’s party in February, 1883; also, a cork supposed to have belonged to a champagne bottle opened by Dr. von Lendenfeld, in March, ISS3. Those relics were displayed on view in the window of Mr J. Shells, seedsman, Uangiora, and attracted much attention. The climbers met with one mishap in the Tasman on their return, when their horse and buggy were upset, and they had to cut all the harness away to get out. They speak in the highest terms of the beauties of the scenery and the bracing effects of the trip. They also remaikecl the largo number of keas, which were quite tame, on the mountain.”