Mitre Peak and the Darrans (Christmas, 1964)

Machine-read text (unproofread)

Read from the scans by software, so it contains mistakes. Typing it up properly would help blind readers: use Suggest an edit.

MITRE PEAK AND THE DARRANS (Christmas, 1964) The following article will be of great above the drop at 7a a.m. It was misty interest to many as it gives not only a but we told her that she would be able detailed description of a "Cole" type to see our progress all the way to the attack on Mitre Peak, but some climb- summit as soon as it rose. ing in the little-known Darrans. Down the dip and across the col is a Roger's use of English grades may small camp site with a couple of large be confusing to some but he will, I'm puddles as a water supply. After this the sure convert to New Zealand standards cilmb goes first through bush merging on request. Thanks to him for some into leatherwood, then at about 3000 humorous and valuable information. feet into snowgrass. This was wet and about this "not so much visited" area. when you are brought up on good rock Those taking part were: Max Smart, it takes some adapting to climb on ver- Derek Skingle, Buzz Rayment, June and tical snowgrass. At 4500 feet there is a Roger Cole. rock ridge, scrappy but nicely exposed, and at last we had climbed out of the Two requisites for a trip to this area cloud into glorious sunshine. Then folare a snorkel and waterproof gear! Un- lowed a series of broken buttresses all wittingly, five of us hired a car from about moderate standard until at about Christchurch this Christmas and headed 10.30 a.m. we reached the elusive peak. into Hughie's Paradise because of some hearsay about fine firm rock to be found The view was stupendous and all the there. discomfort had been worthwhile. We Before climbing in the Darrans we took the cairn apart and found all the wanted to climb Mitre Peak. This is the previous conquerors, even the moudly very spectacular and much photographed old handkerchief left by the first charpeak that faces Milford Sound Hotel. acter who climbed it back before the Although only just over five and half First World War. It was difficult to thousand feet, it rises straight from the leave such a spot but we could see that sea and seems much higher. the cloud was still covering the knoll where we had left June, and knowing It is necessary to get some form of she would be worried, we galloped down. water transport over to Sinbad's Gully When it stopped raining our water below the footstool. We were unable supply ceased, but we had caught enough to borrow a rowing boat, but for 8s. water in polythene bags to have several each a character at the garage took us brews before descending to the sandover in his launch and later picked us flies. We were pestered by them for a up. couple of hours until the launch arrived, We headed up the footstool in pour- the chap calmly saying he had seen our ing rain, reaching the summit in an hour. smoke a long time before but hadn't Following blazes and the semblance of bothered to come over. At the cost we a trail, the going was fairly easy. After had hardly paid for his time, sO we the footstool the ridge undulates for a couldn't really complain. fair distance before dropping about 500 From there we drove around to the feet. This is the place where in the Hollyford. Although it was getting tophotographs the clouds tend to lie. wards evening when we reached the By this time we were thoroughly track to Moraine Creek Hut, because soaked and had been going for about of the hordes of sandflies we had no three hours, when we came upon some hesitation in setting off upwards. We rock overhangs with "dryness" - under- camped just below Tent Flat opposite neath; they were too good to pass. Two the west peak of Gifford and watched days later the drips had become impos- the setting sun colour the snow on its sible to avoid and we began to think of upper slopes. That night the rain began descending, then it began to clear slightly again and Max found that he didn't and for the first time we saw the beauti- have to get out of his bivvy for water, ful surroundings. All thought of doing as the stream came in. Somehow he down evaporated. didn't seem to appreciate the convenience of this arrangement. Next morning we left June at the knoll A couple of days later it cleared and we headed up past Moraine Creek Hut shade and the cracks were in the sun, for Gill's Rock Bivvy. The scenery is there was no dissention about our choice. fantastic although the peaks are only The first couple of rock pitches were about 7000 feet high. The snow comes very steep, one at a severe standard down to below 4000 feet, the only vege- which Pat Conaghan led and then brought tation being snowgrass and occasional us all up on one rope to save time. scrub which clings where they can to Afterwards the angle relented and the vertical bluffs. standard remained about diff. with an The secret of getting round Lake occasional V. diff. move. As we were Adelaide to Gill's Rock Bivvy is to go a rope of three, Bruce and Pat soon left direct up to below the face of Apirana us well behind. and follow a trough around below Sen- It was 3.30 p.m. before we reached tinel, following the line across snow- the summit. We stayed only a short while grass bluffs a couple of hundred feet as we didn't know what the west ridge above the lake. Nobody told us and we had in store. There was a gendarme bespent all afternoon clambering across low the summit which, in a report writa moraine that would make the Ramsay ten about the first ascent of the west look like a billiard table. ridge, Mike Gill thought might be im- Bruce Naylor and his wife accom- possible from our direction. panied by an Australian, Pat Conaghan, By climbing down some fifty feet bewere already in residence at Gill's Rock low the ridge we were able to traverse Bivvy, but there are several rock over- it easily. Bruce and Pat had abseiled hangs about which are like palaces, it twice down on to a lower terrace which being possible to walk about underneath they were able to follow round and join them quite easily, so we had no difficulty the ridge lower down, thus overcoming in finding room for our pits. it that way. We all had our eyes on Sabre (7300 The rest of the ridge, except for the feet), but were unable to decide by which last 150 feet to the west col., was easy route to attempt it. A new route on the and it was here we caught up with Bruce north-east buttress looked inviting but and Pat, arranging an abseil. We joined we eventually agreed to leave at 7 a.m. forces and used our rope as a safety to attempt the first east-west traverse of rope. By the time we got on the snow the peak. Derek didn't feel up. to it, so it was getting dusk and despite a fast offered to take June and Joss Naylor ascent across the broken snow slope be Sentinel. This left Bruce Naylor and low the north face of Sabre, we were Pat Conaghan climbing on one rope, soon in complete darkness. When a whilst Max, Buzz and I climbed on the several hundred square feet section of other. snow that Max was standing on peeled A gully to the right of where the off and thundered over the bluffs below, snowgrass bluffs come nearest to the we decided to call it a day and pegged head of the cwm is the key to the lower ourselves on to a rock ledge, sitting cliffs. The snow slope above is at an with our feet in our daysacks. easy angle and there is no difficulty in Hughie was kind to us and at first reaching the east col. We had a bite light we descended to the bivvy before and exchanged our ice axes and he sent it hammering down. crampons for peg hammer and pitons, starting on the rock about 1.30 a.m. The weather having set in bad again, Uncertain of where the route went, sent us scurrying northwards in search we chose the cracks up the face on the of sunnier climes, but I've no doubt wet right. Apparently these had been tried or not it won't be long before we are and rejected on the first ascent in favour back in the Darrans which have such an of an easier route round to the left of abundance of new routes to offer the the col. However, as that was in the climber. *