Technical difficulty
Snow and ice to 60 degrees, glacier travel and easy rock climbing
Physical difficulty
Moderate
Length
10 days, 9 nights
2008 Dates
January 16-February 6
Since this is a small trip we have the ability to vary the start and finish times if that fits with your schedule better. When you call we can fine tune the dates
Price
Since ratios are low pricing will depend upon the number of participants and accompanying programs. Call us.
Ratio
Some of these climbs are straightforward and can be undertaken at a 1:2 ratio. However Mt. Cook (Aoraki) is a difficult and long climb. So for this we will contract with a New Zealand guide to reduce the ratio to 1:1.
Prerequisites
Basic mountaineering skills for Aspiring and Tutuko. Aoraki is a bigger and more serious mountain. For this you need very competent crampon skills and have prior glacier travel experience. We will talk with you comprehensively when you call to ensure that your skills are appropriate for the climbing portions of the trip..
Inclusions
Price includes guiding, permits, all necessary group climbing gear, tents, kitchen gear, meals in the mountains, van rental and vehicle expenses, camping site fees, plane and helicopter flights Not included are restaurant meals, hotel stays and travel to Christchurch.
It is true, a lot of New Zealand scenery is just as beautiful as in Lord of the Rings and it seems as if everyone wants to visit this wonderful country. So we are offering the opportunity for you to do so and to climb some of the Country's finest peaks.
This trip will be led by New Zealand born and SMC owner SP Parker. SP lived in New Zealand for decades before moving to the USA and he has climbed and hiked though most of the country and at various times has worked for the Park Service there and done geology work in the mountains of the North Island. So with him as your guide you will be visiting not only the well know tourist places but the ones known to locals and off the beaten path.
This trip will include sightseeing, hiking and climbing as we try to climb the some of the most famous peaks in the country. Mt. Cook (Known to the local Maori people as Aoraki) is the high point of the nation at 12,316 feet. This may not seem high but it rises directly from sea level and is a massive snow covered mountain with no easy way to the summit and in many ways is similar to the peaks of Canada. For this ascent we hope to fly into Plateau Hut and climb from there via the Linda Glacier Route or Zurbriggens Ridge.
Further south Mount Aspiring is a beautiful symmetrical pyramid of ice and rock in both a National Park and a World Heritage site. Weather willing we will helicopter into the Colin Todd hut and from there attempt the northwest ridge of the mountain which involves snow, ice and rock climbing.
To complete our journey through the mountains of New Zealand we will travel to the southwest corner of the South Island to the Darran Mountains. While these peaks claim the best rock in the country (granite) they also claim the record as one of the wettest places on earth. We would like to attempt Tutoko, the highest point in the region, but this involves a very lengthy approach. If we are blessed with a fine weather spell we will try this, but in the event of poor weather we will climb one of the closer peaks such as Talbot or Sabre.
All in all this is an ambitious schedule and the New Zealand weather can readily dash the best of plans. But it does not hurt to dream and to plan for the best possible outcome.
But along with the climbing we will also travel through the country and sightsee, visiting places such Arthurs Pass, Westland, Fiordland and Aoraki/Mt. Cook.
We will be using a van for transportation around the country and so there is the opportunity for non-climbers to join us and sightsee or hike in the parks while we are climbing. This can make for an ideal couples vacation where one person can climb and the other can relax in the huts and enjoy the sightseeing part of the trip.
Itinerary
This is a tentative schedule at best. Since our goal is to climb some of the peaks we will most likely change this outline to work with the weather we encounter. This trip is slated for the best mountain weather but it does rain a lot in New Zealand; all of those glaciers and lush forest comes from somewhere! We are also dealing with variable mountain conditions and if there are bad conditions we will go to where we can possibly find better.
But in a perfect world this is what we would aim for.
Day 0 You arrive in Christchurch.
Day 1 Drive south towards Mt. Cook.
Day 3 Arrive at Mt. Cook Day
Day 4 Fly into Plateau Hut for an ascent of Mt. Cook.
Day 5-9 Climb Aoraki or wait to climb it
Day 10 Fly out and drive south to Aspiring
Day 11 Fly into Colin Todd Hut
Day 12-15 Stay at Colin Todd Hut for an ascent of Mt. Aspiring.
Day 16 Drive south to Homer Hut on the Milford Road
Day 17-20 Climb in the Darrans
Day 21 Return to Christchurch
Notes
You need to arrive in Christchurch the day before the trip starts. Many of the major airlines fly on a regular schedule into Christchurch.
For the traveling and sightseeing portion we can have several additional persons.
Conditions on this route vary from year to year and the Linda Glacier can become very broken up and in some cases impassable. We will be keeping track of things as the time draws closer.
Aoraki is sacred to the Maori people and in accordance with their wishes most climbing parties stop some 30 feet below the actual summit.
US citizens do not need a Visa for travel to New Zealand and there are no required immunizations or shots to get.
New Zealand is a very safe country and perfect for travel. Most of the time we will travel via van and sleep in the ubiquitous campgrounds, using hotels infrequently.
