MT. COOK CLIMBED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 28, 30 December 1932, Page 8

MT. COOK CLIMBED.

SEASON’S FIRST ASCENT. WOMAN’S ACHIEVEMENT. Tho honour of making the first ascent of Mount Cook this season fell to Miss C. Irving, of “Brownhill,” Albury, who was accompanied on the climb by Guide M. Bowie. Miss Irving lias just completed a successful climbing trip at the Hermitage, and the ascent of Mount Cook was the last of a series of successful climbs of lesser peaks. Miss Irving and her guide started from the Malte Brun hut on December 5 and ascended Mount Hamilton in the Malte Brun range, following this up next day by climbing the Hochstetter Dome at the head of the Tasman Glacier, and returning to the Ball hut. Under perfect weather conditions the climbers reached the summit of Mount Johnson on December 7, where they spent several hours enjoying the wonderful pa.noi*Bma of peaks on the main divide. Broken weather prevented further climbing on December 12, when Mount Rosa, in the Cook range, was ascended under heavy snow conditions.

A return was made to Malte Brun hut, and Mount Green, a difficult peak on the main divide, was conquered in perfect weather on December 15. From here a wonderful view was obtained of the Mount Elie de Beaumont and back down the great Tasman Glacier. DONE IN 16* HOURS. A shift was made to the King Memorial hut on the Haast ridge, from where the Anzacs were climbed on December 17. The following morning. December 18, a start was made at 1 a.m. for Mount Cook., via the Linda Glacier. Good, straight going was encountered on the Linda and the summit rocks were reached at 7 a.m. By this time a strong westerly was making climbing difficult, but the rocks proved to he in good condition and were topped at 8.30 a.m. Tire wind was rolling m great banks of clouds from the Tasman Sea, and there was no time to be lost! The summit wss reached at 10 a.m., and only a brief stay could be made to secure photographs, as the clouds were already topping the divide in places. The descent was accomplished without incident, the hut being reached at 5.30 p.m., making 164 hours’ total time for the climb.