ALPINE ASCENTS & ROCK AND ICE
AORAKI (Mt Cook) 3754m
Aoraki "the cloud piercer" is the highest of New Zealand's high peaks and one of the greatest peaks with "mana" and technical challenge. Any ascent of Aoraki is a serious undertaking and you need to have a high level of fitness and determination as well as having had some previous mountaineering experience (ask us if you'd like to tailor a training programme, or go to climbing courses).
All climbs of Aoraki are guided only with ratio's of 1:1, unless of technical or committing nature (e.g. Hooker face, or the Grand Traverse), which may entail 2 guides for greater safety.
Linda Glacier Route:
This route from the Eastern side, basing from Plateau Hut area winds up the heavily crevassed Linda glacier, and joins with the NE ridge and the famous 'summit rocks' before the final summit icecap. The summit day can be 15-20 hrs in duration. Routes from this side have the distinct advantage of being able to optimise weather potential by flight access to Plateau Hut at 2010m (flight not included, see notes on flight access).
Climbs from the Hooker Glacier:
Doing in the 'old style' ground up, through the picturesque Hooker valley and on to base from either Gardiner (for NW couloir, South Peak and the Grand Traverse) or Empress hut ( Porters Pass , North Ridge, Hooker Face). Climbs from this side are very demanding physically as all supplies for the seven days' duration must be carried in, but the sense of achievement and historic parallels are worth every drop of sweat. The Hooker, although tough, has a reputation as being nominally safer in terms of time exposed to objective risks (icecliff activity chiefly) that no guide can control, than the standard Linda Glacier route.
TASMAN (Kotuku) 3500m
The second highest peak in NZ. The mighty Mt Tasman: technically interesting and long (12-18 hr summit day). The climb begins from Pioneer Hut or a tent camp near Marcel Col. A bonus of the North Shoulder route is that on your way to the peak you also claim a second 3000m+ summit, Mt Lendenfield. Up and over, and onto the long and exposed North Shoulder of Tasman. This peak rightly ranks as the 'mountaineers mountain', coupled with the greatly reduced objective hazards from those normally found on Aoraki/Mt Cook this one is a 'must do'.
ASPIRING (Tititea) 3027m
This majestic summit, the only 3000m peak outside of the Mt Cook/Westland National Parks, is the highest peak in the Aspiring National Park . Often refered to as the 'Matterhorn of the South' it is a truly wonderful summit, standing spectacularly alone above a sea of ice. Climbs are generally accessed by a flight in to Bevan Col *, camping there or proceeding across the Bonar Glacier to Colin Todd Hut. The standard route up the NW ridge has many variations possible, making this a peak that it is possible to access at most times of the year. The elegant lines of the ultra-classic Southwest ridge make for an extremely satisfying climb for the more experienced alpinists (SW ridge 1:1 ratio only).
PEAKS TO DREAM OF...
Get away from the maddening crowds. Come climbing on some of the worlds most beautiful mountains, AND GET AWAY FROM CONCRETE CHAOS! Some of our beckoning peaks include:
Mt Earnslaw, from Queenstown/Glenorchy, Tutoko, mighty sovereign of the South, Mts Huxley, Strauchon, Barth or the Dassler Pinnacles close at hand in the Mackenzie Basin. How about Malte Brun and Auguilles Rouge in the Mt Cook National Park, Haidinger and the Minarets from the West?
New Zealand is filled with worthy objectives for any experience level and desires, just pick a plan, contact us and we will take you off the beaten track and into our Alpine Wonderland.
CLIMBING COURSES AND PRIVATE GUIDING
The big thing that we at Mountains New Zealand are into is to make you, the client, happy. We also want each and every guest to go away feeling that they have accomplished something towards their own personal objectives. We have the very best guides (all trained and qualified by the NZMGA/IFMGA), and with our expertise and local knowledge we are here to offer you a realtime, real world learning environment. We want to empower you with the right skills and knowledge to accelerate the learning curve from alpine novice to however far you are keen to go.
PRIVATE GUIDING
The ultimate way to get the most out of your time in the hills. Link up with the guide and go climbing, get the most out of local knowledge. What routes are on, what areas are best in particular weather systems and of course having the assurance that you have a real pro for a climbing partner, make this one of the best ways to maximise your holiday.
ROCK CLIMBING
Who says you have to go to Wanaka for quality rockclimbing? The Mackenzie basin has many great climbing areas: multipitch wonders for the beginner and the expert alike at Twin streams; great instructional settings at the foot of Aoraki/Mt Cook on the Sebastapol Bluffs, adventurous routes in a picture postcard setting at Hemi's basin by Ohau skifield, Island cliff valley and so on and so on...
And did I mention the Bouldering? Wow! First class!
At Mountains New Zealand we offer the complete deal. From an introduction to the basics on a rainy day at the top quality Twizel indoor climbing wall, to long guided multipitch climbs on little known peaks. Or perhaps you just require a cragfest with a reliable climbing partner who knows the area.
Whatever your climbing requirements we are here to help you meet them.
ICE CLIMBING
From Late May through to September (dependent on season) we offer specialized courses on steep water ice climbing technique. Covering movement, ice axe, crampon use, creating anchors and runners, safe assessment on conditions, avalanche hazards etc., these courses take you into the vertical world of steep ice and rock, giving you a sound base to start from when entering this strange and beautiful world.
Also on offer is an Alpine Steep ice course for those with a more big mountain outlook.
Because of the vagaries season by season on the good formation of ice the Water ice course venues will not be decided until close to the start of the course. Some likely venues would be Bush stream, Black Peak , Wye creek, or Cirque creek. Alpine Steep ice likely venue would be West Coast Glaciers' Neves.
