Mount Brewster

A brief weather window had us heading up the Haast highway from Wanaka, over the divide and into westland for an attempt on Mount Brewster. The first afternoon we walked up through the bush to the new Brewster Hut nestled on a small shoulder in the ridge up to Mount Armstrong. We headed off from there shortly before dawn traversing under Mt Armstrong and along the snowy ridge above the Brewster Glacier to a col on the south ridge. The early rays of sun striking through the swirling mist gave it a distinctly Scottish feel. Further up the snowy ridge we headed across the upper Brewster Glacier towards the SW face. It took a few attempts to find a way over the bergshund and get established on the face. A few pitches of snowy mixed ground took us to the narrow, blocky summit ridge, the cloud now completely enveloping us. We met James from Wellington descending from the east summit after his partner turned back from the SE face. Together we moved cautiously along the exposed ridge to the west summit and continued along, the ridge easing, to a snowy col where we could descend down a steep snow slope and get back across the glacier. From there we retraced our steps back to the hut, exhausted after nearly 13 hours!

Mount Brewster from the hut

Brewster Hut

South ridge on ascent of Mount Brewster

SW face of Mount Brewster


SW face from the upper glacier


Helen on the final pitch to the summit ridge

Descending the glacier

Traversing the glacier worn rocks on the return to the hut