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The guiding-work for the season has proved a record one, and shows a decided increase in the returns against any previous season's takings. A considerable number of climbing expeditions and high ascents were made during the spells of fine weather which were experienced. The principal new expeditions were : — On the 11th December Miss Dv Faur, of Sydney, accompanied by P. Graham, made the first ascent and traversed an hitherto unnamed rock-peak on the Mount Cook Range, the secondliighest summit on the range from the third peak of Mount Cook. The ascent by the western arete gave five hours and a half of steep and very interesting rock-climbing. The descent was made by the north face and Mona Glacier. On the 3rd January Miss Dv Faur made the first traverse of the three peaks of Mount Cook, accompanied by P. Graham and D. Thomson. The party ascended the Hooker Glacier and bivouacked at an altitude of 7,000 ft. Leaving the bivouac at 2 a.m., they climbed by the western face and reached the summit of the third peak, and thence followed the main arete to the second and finally to the largest peak. They descended by the eastern arete on to the Linda Glacier and Grand Plateau, reaching the Haast bivouac at 9.30 p.m. On the 9th February Miss Dv Faur, with P. Graham and D. Thomson, made the first traverse of Mount Sefton. Leaving the bivouac at 3.30 a.m., the ascent was made by the east face and final north-east arete to the summit (Fitzgerald and Zurbriggen's route). Descending by the western face the party were met by severe weather, and the descent was made difficult by thick fog and driving sleet. The Douglas Rock bivouac, on the Westland side, was reached, however, in safety at 10.30 p.m. On the 18th February Mr. S. Turner, F.R.G.S., with D. Thomson, made the first ascent of Mount Johnson, a fine rock-peak on the Malte Brun Range. The ascent was made by the western face from the Tasman Glacier, which proved the most interesting rock-climb. Mr. Turner, with Thomson, also made from the Ball Hut a first ascent and traverse of a minor unnamed rockpeak on the Mount Cook Range immediately north of the Ball Pass, descent being made on the western side into the Hooker Valley. On the 6th March Miss Dv Faur, with P. Graham, made the first ascent of an unnamed rockpeak on the Moorhouse Range, north of the Footstool, the ascent being made by the rock arete between the Eugenic and Stewart Glaciers. Miss Dv Faur has named this peak Mount Cadogan. On the 6th March Mr. J. Simpson, with J. Clarke, made the ascent of the second peak of Mount Haidinger by a new route from the De La Beche bivouac, ascending by the rock arete to the north and then across the head neve of the Forest Rock Glacier, gaining the divide by the steep snow slopes and rocks to the south of Douglas Peak, a slight descent to a snow-basin on the western side, and a short traverse then led to the summit. On the 19th March Mr. S. Turner, F.R.G.S., H. E. Hodgkinson, G. Robertson, and J. R. Murrell made an ascent of Mount Aspiring (Lake Wanaka District) (second ascent) by a new route, climbing by the north-north-west ridge from the Bonner Glacier. Other notable high ascents are the ascents of Mount Tasman and Silberhorne by Mr S. Turner, F.R.G.S., with P. Graham and D. Thomson, from the Haast bivpuac; the Minaret Peaks, by Messrs. H. E. Radcliffe, Williams, and J. Radcliffe, with C. Milne, from Malte Brun Hut; Mount Seeley, by Mr. Chambers, Miss Chambers, and Miss Holdsworth, accompanied by C. Milne; Mount Elie de Beaumont, Malte Brun, by Mr. F. Wright, accompanied by J. Clarke, from Malte Brun Hut; Mount " Rotten Tommy," by Messrs. G. E. Mannering and J. R. Dennistoun, with P. Graham (second ascent), from Guarilla Creek Hut; traverse of Mount Seeley, by Mrs. G. E. Mannering, with P. Graham; ascent of Mount Cook, by Lieutenant Gran, of .the Antarctic Expedition, with P. Graham and C. Milne, from the Haast bivouac; Aiguille Range (second ascent), by Miss Dv Faur, with P. Graham, from Malte Brun Hut. Owing to the improved conditions of the Copland route to the west coast a number of visitors to the Hermitage crossed to Westland glaciers, and other parties crossed from Westland to the Hermitage. A party of ladies —Miss Murray-Aynsley, Miss K. Gerard, Miss Radcliff Cook — made the round trip by crossing the Copland Pass, then proceeding north to the Franz Josef Glacier, and returning to the Hermitage by Graham's Saddle. During February, when Mr. and Mrs. Mannering, with Guide Richmond, were making an expedition up the Hooker Glacier, they came across the remains of an alpine tent, fire-can, and some tinned provisions lying on the surface of the ice. On examining the fragments of equipment it was discovered that they were those used on the occasion of the first ascent of Mount Cook in 1894 by Messrs. T. C. Fyfe, G. Graham, and J. Clarke. After the ascent the latter party abandoned their bivouac on the Hooker Glacier just under Harper's Saddle. It would eventually get covered with snow, and during the last eighteen years has been travelling down the glacier, and when found had drifted fully three to three and a half miles down the valley. The chamois and thar liberated in the Mount Cook district some years ago were seen several times during the season, and looked, to be thriving and doing well; footprints of chamois were also observed in the Copland Valley on the Westland side of the range. Considering the broken weather that prevailed it will be seen that a lot of good alpine work has been done. The achievement by Miss Dv Faur of the first traverse of the three peaks of Mount Cook, and also the first traverse of Sefton, caused quite a sensation among those interested in alpine work. Miss Dv Faur has the distinction of having performed the biggest alpine expedition yet accomplished in the history of climbing in the New Zealand Alps. Tβ Anau-Milfokd Track. The results from this trip show a vast improvement on last year. The revenue has increased by £315 and the expenditure decreased by £440, an improvement to the extent of £755, and it is satisfactory to know that this splendid trip gaining in popularity. A. great amount of
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