Return to the Garden of Eden

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RETURN TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN After a few tantalising glimpses of the ished by the wind and scattered about "Garden" through the cloud at Christ- in the creek below. So we carried on, mas, and our plans of camping there for past the ice-cliffs and lake at the snout a couple of days being thwarted by the of the Colin Campbell glacier, and on weather, I was anxious for a chance to up the Francis glacier. A bit of excavatget back to the area. ing and levelling produced a rough The chance came in the form of a campsite for our four tents at the Varsity trip there in the first week of limit of the moraine. Again the the We CUPERE May holidays. set off on the was starting to spill over the Divide, Friday night in the Rangatira with back- but the radio "sched" that night proground mutterings in our ears about mised continued fine weather. slots being wide open, covered in deep Up at 5.30 a.m. and away at 7.00 a.m. fresh snow, and tales of unsettled weath- with day-packs, heading for Malcolm Col er. and a possible climb of Malcolm. Fan- Saturday was fine in Christchurch as tastic crampon conditions all the way, we squeezed fifteen people into a rental but when we got to the Col we saw van and gathered speed for Erewhon. Malcolm was not suitable for the whole Our breathing was increased after party to do, sO we just climbed a small we dropped oPacrees people en route, bump between Malcolm Col and Rangibut it was a great relief to pile out and tata Col to look at the view. Bad wind stretch cramped legs in the sun at the slab conditions prevented us from desroad end. Then we added our share of cending to Rangitata Col, which would party food to our already heavy packs have taken us back to our campsite and staggered towards the Clyde River. a different route. So we returned be It is an easy days tramping to McCoy way we went up, taking time to give Hut, but when you don't leave Erewhon snowcraft instruction to those that needtil one o'clock, it's a long way. Canter- ed it, and some of us cutting steps to bury valleys are not very interesting, so Lambert Col, ready for packing # up it was a case of switch the mind off and next day. plod, plod, plod, reaching the hut This was a long day, getting up at as darkness fell. The weather Hooked about half-past four. With crampons we normal with heavy "crud" pouring in were away as soon as it was light. With over the Main Divide. heavy packs this time, the glacier seemed However next mornina was crystal much steeper, and we were thankful clear, and after a delay to cut some for the steps cut up the final few huntent poles (the only things we forgot dred feet to the Col. There was a to bring), we crossed the Francis and tremendous view from the Col of the headed up stream to Agnes Bivvy. We very broken Lambert icefield as far as found that the bivvy had been demol- Satan's Saddle, which is the usual route PHOTOGRAPH OPPOSITE:-CREVASSE ON RUAPHEHU W. ATTEWELL from here to the Garden of Allah ice- late start it nearly cost him his tea and field. This was separated by a small a night out. peak from another saddle to the Garden The weather report for the next few of Allah. This was the route we took, days wasn't very good, so we decided because it was much less slotted than to head back down to the valley. Anthe other way, It was much further other late start, and the cloud was gradaway than it looked, and although it ually blotting out the view. Perth Çol climbed gently, it went on and on and was covered before we there, and it on. We had many suitable names for it was getting quite cold. Fhe "wee Mac" the time we reached the top, but glacier was icier and more slotted than te geographic Board probably wouldn't at Christmas so we moved down on accept them. fixed belays and were half frozen by the At the top was a large flat plateau time we got off the snow. This was where we had lunch. The weather was followed by an hour or so of moraineso perfect we decided to try the candle bashing as far as the Agnes bivyy site, test, placing a lighted candle in the most where we salvaged some bits of four-byexposed place and seeing if it could stay two for tent poles, having left our other alight for one minute. Our candle passed ones on the Garden of Éden. We think without even trying. we might be the first party to carry Still with crampons on we set off after wooden poles over the three ice-fieldslunch down the Garden of Allah to noone else could be that stupid. Adam's Col and the Garden of Eden; That night it rained so next day we on the way one ice axe through raced out to Arewhon before the rivers unknown causes. breakipkoe day ended with a came up. A strong nor-wester and a steep climb up to Adam's Col, where dust storm chased us down the river and there were no rock campsites, SO we we were glad when we finally reached trudged on and had a snow camp in a the shelter and comfort of the homestead. sallow basin near the Col. We'd thought As it was too windy for tents, we had we had a cold camp on the Francis the use of a spare house for the night. glacier, but that was nothing compared Our last day was spent reading, tellto this one. At least now we didn't have ing jokes, playing cards, eating and a fine spray of condensation on us when sleeping, and all the time it rained and the tent flapped-it froze, so we had the rivers came up and We had just minor hailstorms instead. It was quite timed it right, not like the four parties funny really, waking up in the morning going up the valley as we were coming to see everyone sheathed in ice. down. We got up late next day, and it was At 9.00 p.m. on the dot our rental van midday before we bothered to arrived, we piled in and took off into the where. Some people made a half Reatred cold wet night. attempt on Tyndall, but turned back Five Tongue and Meats were on the because of poor conditions or laziness trip-Tony Bowen, Alan Reid, Nick Jenor something. Some of us went along nings, Warrick Attewell and me. The the Garden to have a go at Mt Farrar, others were John (Wharry) Keys, (leadbut got no further than the base of er), Margi Keys, John Bamford, Graeme it, preferring to sit in the sun on a Shepherd, John (Colonel) Atkinson, and rocky knob overlooking the Perth valley. Dave Cook. "Colonel" was the only one who actually climbed anything but because of the LAURIE GALLAGHER