The Conquest of the New Zealand Alps

Abstract

MR. TURNER is a mountaineer of varied experience extending over a quarter of a century. His latest book describes six seasons' climbing in the New Zealand Alps, including ascents of Mounts Cook and Tasman, the two summits of the group. It is mainly a climber's record of difficulties and triumphs, but incidentally it contains much description of the peculiarities of the New Zealand Alps and the ice conditions encountered there. On the whole, the climbs in most cases were not of exceptional difficulty, but there seems to be a tendency for the snow slopes to hang steeper than in most countries. This is due possibly to the nature of the rock, but more likely is the outcome of the snow falling frequently and at relatively high temperatures, which gives it greater binding power. The snowfall at low altitudes even in midsummer is an additional difficulty.