PERILOUS ASCENT OF NGAURUHOE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12634, 23 October 1905, Page 8

PERILOUS ASCENT OF NGAURUHOE.

_ «+. THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF A MOUNTAINEER. A NIGHT IN A BLIZZARD. (Wellington Correspondent of the Auckland "Weekly News.") A few weeks ago I had a call from Mr. S Turner, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of England, a roted Alpine climber and explorer, whose book- entitled "Siberia," a record of travel, climbing, and explora--tion, has just been published by Fisher Unwin, and favourably reviewed by the London press. Mr. Turner went to Siberia on business, but in the words of the London "Daily Chronicle," like a true-born Englishman he extended the occasion into one of travel and exploration. Mr. Turner has also come to New Zealand on business, but here also he is combining climbing with business. His first experience, however, has been of a somewhat unusual and thrilling nature. Mr. Turner left Wellington the other day for Auckland and Rotorua, intending to return overland to Wellington, and make a winter ascent of the volcano Ngauruhoe en route. I gavo Mr. Turner what advice I could about the ascent of Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu, and heard no more of him till a telephone message this morning j summoned me to a private hospital, where I found the adventurous explorer lying in bed in a darkened room, and suffering from snow blindness. He was reluctant to be interviewed, but eventually I persuaded him to tell me his story. PREPARATIONS FOR THE CLIMB. After witnessing the wonders of the Rotorua district, which greatly impressed him, Mr. Turner crossed Lake Taupo ; and made his preparations for the climb in little village of Tokaanu. Here he failed to obtain a guide, but determined, nevertheless, that he1 would make the first winter ascent of the volcano. Accordingly, he procured provisions, and left in the coach foJ tht» half-way hut. On the journey up a roadman joined the coach, and Mr. Ir.rner interested him in the climb, and eventually persuaded the man to accompany him. He also persuaded a Maori boy to go with him as far as the movntain hut. It snowed all night, and the trio spent rather an uncomfortable night in the hut, which is .minus a chimney. In the morning it cleared, and Mr. Turner obtained his first glimpse of the snow-clad slopes of tho. .volcanic cone. The hut is not in a good position, and there is a consideral le tramp before the actual climb can be commenced. Mr. Turner, with the roadman, skirted the foot of the mountain for some considerable distance, in order to fiad an easy ridge, but riot finding one, decided to ascend by way ;of the show slopes. It is an axiom in mountaineering that an easy climb can bo converted into a difficult, and even a dangerous/ one by severe weather conditions, and this is what happened in this instance. ■, WHIZZING DOWN THE SLOPE. After climbing some little distance* the roadman slipped, and came whizzing down the slope, but was saved by Mr. Turner, after he had fallen 18 feet. This was enough for the roadman, and Mr. Turner asked him to remain where he was while he made the ascent alone. The mountain was in a1 very bad condition, and in one place there was three hours' step-cutting to bo done in hard ice. Climbing in a spiral route, however, Mr. Turner reached the summit of the mountain in safety,... and took a number of photographs. A strong wind had got up, and while he was photographing, his hat, with the indispensable goggles attached, was blown away down the mountain slopes. The fumes from tho crater and the driving powdery snow giyo him a bad time, and the almost blinding glara had the inevitable result of telling on his eyes under these circumstances. A TRYING DESCENT. The descent was a trying one, but iis was accomplished in safety, and the foot of the snow slope was reached at about 4 p.m. By this time the roadman had taken his departure, and Mr. Turner began to battle his way back across the long, dreary waste of snow to the mountain h,ut. The snow, whicli was frozen in the morning, and had made easy walking, was now softened by the sun, and it was a case of sinking up to thrt hipa at almost every step. Lrider these trying circumstances an easier routa was sought, but it was found impossible to get back before nightfall. Tired and hungry, and partially blinded by the snow glare and drift, the intrepid climber continued his journey in search of the littls mountain hut. He tried one way and then another without success. A BLIZZARD. Midnight found a blizard raging, but still he struggled on. Two or three times he fell down exhausted, and about four o'clock his mind began to wander a little under the constant strain and fatigue. He climbed to the top of a& small hill, and, finding there a small cave, about 15 feet in circumference, and 3 feet high, he crawled into it, took off his boots, wringing the water out of his socks, and putting his feet back into them and then into his knapsack, ho lay down to sleep. He dozen foB about an hour, and then woke up shivering, just as day was beginning to dawn beyond the wooded slopes of the Kaimanawa ranges. He witnessed a glorious sunrise, and then knew he was safe. Having taken a compass bearing of the half-way hut, on the main coach road, he now made for that direction, and eventually found himself at tlu> hut at about three o'clock on Sunday afternoon. ON THE "GO" FOR 33 HOURS. With the exception of one or two short spells, and the hour in the cave, ho had been on the "go" for 33 hour* without food, save for half a dozen biscuits that he had taken with him on| leaving the mountain but on Saturdaj morning. There can be no doubt that his indomitable pluck and his endurance pulled him through. For the next few*

days he suffered terribly from snow blindness. The journey from Waiouru to Taihape had to be made on hors.eback, the roads being too bad foi' coaching. He eventually reached Wellington, and on consulting a leading occulist, was ordered into a private hospital. Mr. Turner is already convalescent, and hopes to be up and about by Monday next. One would have thought that he had had enough oJ mountaineering, for the time being, but ho is already planning an expedition to Mount Cook. During his stay in Nevt» Zealand he may givo two or three lecti.rea on his Siberian experiences, and he has also arranged to lecture in Australia under the auspices of the Melbc uprno and Brisbane Geographical Socities.