Hiking at the Hermitage

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HIKING AT THE HERMITAGE. Rain spattered against the windows of the speeding bus and one was greeted by the sight of mist shrouded hills and a damps uninteresting panorama. "Doesn't look too hopeful", someone muttered mournfully; someone else grunted in the affirmative; neither was it an impressive start to the climbing holidays, least of all for myself, a new chum. However at the Hermitage, where we arrived late on the afternoon of December 21st. one felt better, there is an atmosphere about the place 5 there one stands on the threshhold of the Alps while surrounded by pictures of groat mountains and great men. My first day and the Gods, as though to impress, tore aside the clouds and exposed the jewel, glistening and gloaming in the_morning sun. The great neeks of Sefton (10,354ft.) and Cook (12,349ft.) easily visible from the Hermitage commended ones gaze and demanded the homage of a new chum. Wasting no time my companions, George Lowe (N.Z.A.C., C.M.C. and H.T.C.), my brother Geoff (N.2.h.C.,C.M.c. and T.T.C) and myself were soon on the way by the Hermitage tourist bus to Ball Hut on the Tasman Glacier. Late in the afternoon under heavy packs we headed up the Glacier finally arriving at Malte Brun Hut after 45 hours travelling. This Hut nestles beneath the 10, 421 feet peak of Mt.Malte Brun on the Malte Brun Range which runs parallel with the Main Divide on the sastern side of the great glacier. Making use of the fine weather George and I with Mr and Mrs.

Fred Chapman (N.2...C.) and Jim Forsythe, a Hermitage Guide (late of the H.V.T.C.), successfully ascended lit.Turnbull, a snow peak of over 8,000 feet shadowed by Malte Brun. The view from here was most impressive as it was from this height that one could obtain a true prospective of the district asa wholo. Here, one could look down for over 4,000 feet to the Glacier, lying like a great serpent below, end we were greeted by an unintorzppted view of the Main Divide. I was somewhat staggered by the great heights and vastness of the area and by the great peaks with their snowy peaks or gaunt rock towers; from the round dome of Elie de Beaumont in the North to the icy spires of the Minarettes; the harsh rocky summit of Douglas; Tasmen's great ice needle dwarfing into apparent insignifenco its immediate neighbours and finally in the South the terrific rock buttresses of horangi (Cook) rising up to tho snowy summit at a seemingly incredible height. While still in the Melte Brun area we made an unsuccessful attempt on Mt.Derwin, a magnificent rock mountain of 9,715 feot, standing towards the head of the Tasman Glacier. This mountain is typical of many in the district, consisting almost entirely of loose rotten rock and great boulders weighing half a ton and more have an unnerving hobit of moving as you step on them. George and Gooff were successful on Coronot Peak (8,265 feet) during this period. By this time the weather had become too good. The thermometer in the hut stood at about 100 degrees during the heat of the day and even the nights were werm, no frosts boing experienced. We decided to try for other regions and the Hooker Glacier valley beceme our stamping ground for several days with Gardiner Hut as hon.dquerters. Here also were Rob Jamieson, Phil Gardner and Bert Hines. The weather, unfortunately began to deteriorato, but the others climbed Mt.Hicks (St. Davids Dome - 10,443 feet) in a seventeon hour day. Finally the weather drove us down to the Hooker Hut where we met Hugo McKay and John McIntyre- two Hastings -ites a with whom we joined forces and crossed the 7,038 foot Ball Pass climbing two small rock peaks (Mabel and Rosa) on the we.y. That night we were entertained to a real Southern Alps storm, it's a real experience. The Hut virtually shook to the Thunder claps. Later the weather cleared and the sun streamed down on the freshly fallen snow. Geoff and George headed off for the Haast Hut with the hope of gaining somo climbs in t he Tasman and Cook areas, while the other threo of us with Phil Gardner who had arrived from the Hooker, made for De la Beche Hut with our heads down. Three and a quarter hours saw us to the Hut which is also on the Tasman Glacier situated almost opposite Malte Brun Hut.

The alarm clock called us to P. new day about 2.30 am. and by 3.45 we had started up the snow slopes buhind the Hut. These were interspersod with patches of rock over which WO trod awkwerdly in our crampons. We wore in mist as wO climbed higher but had an incredible view of Malte Brun appearing the other side of the glacier through mist, the great rock mountain being the only thing visible in our mist strewr world.. Lator tho mist dispersed and WO were greeted by the sight of tho Glacior, a ribbon of white far below. Several crevasses and schrunds were negotinted without incident, but one cer* tainly felt a lot more comfortable with the rope around ones waist. So up tothe large plateau ot the head of which stand the two peaks of the Minarettes and nt 9.25 we stood on the highest of these 10,058 foot. At 10.15 we had surmounted the lower Minarette, 10,022 feet, to try De la Beche which we topped at 11.10a.m. Here one realised the immensity and height of the area, the peaks towering like the citadels of the Gods, occasionally allowing the daring mortals to tread t heir highest crests and sometimes exacting a. terrible toll upon the foolhardy or the uninitiated for the privilege. The reward for the humble isa gift which only he who has been to the top of a great mountain may understand and appreciato. Happily, and with food under our belts, we ploughed our way back through the mist which had gathered again, arriving back at the Hut at 3.35 p.m. after 11 hours and 50 minutes trevelling. The next drysw us racing down the Glecier to Brll Hut and so home. But to repeat 2 much used phrase # There will come à nothor day." It may interest.rondors to know that Geoff and Goorge at Haast successfully made a traverse of the three penks of Cook (12,349 ft 12,173 ft. and 11,797 ft.): a traverse of Hanst (10,294ft.) and Lendonfeldt (10,450 ft.); an ascent of Silverhorn (10,757ft.) a traverse of Haidinger (10,059ft.) and an ascent of Ticklemann (10,370ft.). R.Milne.