A Novel Way to Climb Aspiring

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.

A NOVEL WAY TO CLIMB ASPIRING When it seemed likely that I would not get away over Christmas last year I decided to try one_of the courses run by Mountain Recreation in the Aspiring area. This turned out to be a novel experienceiin almost every way imaginable. ii. U: a 11 d I found myself as the only Kiwi in a group of 12, but thes two instructors; were_N.Z.ers as well. 31s. The next big shock was the food we had to carry into Shovel Flat, 3 hrs up the West Matukituki: 25 loaves of bread, vast sacks of cabbage and lettuce, lots of fresh meat. J0 The next day the scene at the first slots on the Quarter Neck had to be seen to be believed, a full hour was néeded to sort out ropes, crampons, etc., and get everyone roped up. French was climbed without trouble in a strong wind, à Digging a snow cave for 14 is no joke; its less of a joké if your sole food for 19 hours has been 1 slice of bread and cheese. Alpine Instruction from snow caves has its advantages, no wasted time travelling and its possible to work in all but thè very worst conditions. Two days of poor weather were thus usefully used. We had carried up only two days food, chops, beef, bread, scroggin, cabbage etc., but with some food left in the cave by previous courses we eeked it out to five days by forgetting breakfasts and lunches here and there. Day five, Thursday, was a great day' and we occupied ourselves with a mass ascent of Popes Nose, this gave magnificent views almost all round, Imagine climbing onto the top to the sound of Waltzing Matilda sung by two kiwis, yuk! We wasted the afternoon traversing the Bonar Neve right under the South face of Aspiring the idea being to find a suitable crevasse to rescue' someone from. N I had not expected to climb Aspiring on the course, the weather had been poor over the previous month and our party was large and relatively inexperienced, however at 2.00 a.m. on Friday morning Bruce Clark re-entered the cave with the news that though there had been no frost it was fine. By 5.00 a.m. we were off across the Bonar towards the N.W. ridge spow ramp, Iclimbed with Hank, the first time we had had the rope e to ourselves. After a tricky first move on 2 rock we shot "off," moving together. : We were om top-by 9.30 a.m. without having had to put snow goggles on (probably. the first and last time); - we didn't even see the sun until the last two rope lengths or so. The others, generally not as confident or fit took several hours longer to do the climb so it was late afternoon before we were on our way across the glacier to Bevan Col. Though this is not a good packing route it gave me a view of the Upper Matukituki valley, a truly idyllic place. Unfortunately I was going like a bat out of hell trying to get back to Shovel Flat in the light. : The top of the valley will certainly receive more attention from me next time. Two of us made it back at dusk, 9.30 p.m. but others were straggling in up to midnight. Everyone claimed to be starving but stomachs had shrunk and most were too. tired to eat much. I was too euphoric to go to bed and though I did not sleep well I felt none the worse for it. Saturday and Sunday were rather anticlimatic. (A Parishism). except for the gathering in an eating house in. Wanaka which' sold out of hokey pokey ice cream in no time flat. The Aussies had never had anything like it! This trip proved a number of things. You can take fresh meat etc. on climbing trips. The only dehy we used was apples and some peas.. Instruction courses - are most efficiently conducted from high level camps, Being fit makes climbing much more enjoyable. DAVE COOKà : -000000000-