PUBLIC OPINION

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12605, 16 November 1926, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION

DIFFICULTY OF (IT. TASMAN (To the Editor. “N.Z. Times.”) Sir, —I am very much interested in the statement reported in vour issue of November 15th by Mr Porter. This well-known alpinist is reported to say that he considers Mt. Tasman New Zealand’s most difficult mountain. As Mr Porter mentions myself as having made the third ascent of Mt. Tasman, lie may take notice of mv opinion about New Zealand’s most difficult mountain. Mt. Tutoko is fifty times more difficult than Mt. Tasman. Mr Porter would experience more difficulty in reaching the bush level on Mt. Tutoko, 2800 feet, than lie would experience in scaling Mt. Tasman in good snow conditions. If Mr Porter climbs in December as he is planning, and gets the same conditions as Zurbriggen got when he walked up Ml- Tasman in those conditions, this mountain is not the most difficult even in the Mt. Cook district, hut in ice conditions Mt. Tasman is a good second to the traverse of the three peaks of Mt. Oopk in ice conditions. I have made both climbs in ice conditions. In good snow conditions the conquest of both these mountains is a very much more easy matter. If those aspirants to the conquest of Mt. Everest wish to occupy their time with a mountain that will give them good training for Mt. Everest. I can recommend them to try Mt. Tutoko. The conquest of Mt. Tutoko is so much bigger than the climbing of Mt. Tasman that I would suggest Mr Porter getting the Alpine Club behind him before he attempts Mt. Tutoko, because this mountain is a first-class international mountain, as difficult as anything outside the K2 district of the Himalayas. Mt. Tasman has been climbed three times in four attempts. Miss Du Four with Guides Alex, and Peter Graham is the only party requiring a second attempt. For every climb of Mt. Cook there has been a number of attempts: being New Zealand’s highest mountain, 27 climbs from 1895 to 1926 is very few. It has not been climbed bv an amateur party yet. Captain T. E. Donne confirmed to me in London recently that the first conquest of Mt. Cook was done by these guides whom he himself engaged for the hermitage climbing, and were constantly engaged for two years before the first ascent of Mt. Cook. —I am. etc.. B. TURNER.