Monday 31 October 2011

South Canterbury Rock

View of Two Thumbs Range and the Ophi River from Hanging Rock


Bolted limestone at Hanging Rock


20 minutes drive away: Trad cracks in solid basalt at Spur Road
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Monday 24 October 2011

South West Ridge of Aspiring


Crossing Shovel Flat on the approach to French Ridge with Mount Bevan, Mount Joffe, Mount French and in the distance Mount Aspiring behind.
Crossing the Matukituki
Climbing French Ridge.

Arriving at French Ridge Hut
Tim at the bottom of the South West Ridge at dawn.

Neil climbing up to the snow arete.
Helen climbing the lower snow face.
Tim approaching the couloir.



Helen

Lara, Helen and Neil under the couloir.

Matt climbing the couloir.


Neil and Helen climbing above the couloir
Lara on the summit.
Tim and Helen on the summit.
Lara and Matt on the summit.
Descending from the summit.

South West Ridge from the Bonar Glacier.


Helen on the Quater Deck with Mount Aspiring behind, the South West Ridge is on the edge of the shadow of the South Face.

Descending from the Quarter Deck. Mount Barth behind.
Back in Wanaka

Thursday 29 September 2011

Cass River (part 2)

Fresh tracks down.


Down Ailsa Stream...


.. until we could ski any further :(


View from Little Criffel in the Cardrona Valley near Wanaka.


View of Lake Wanaka from Little Criffel.
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Cass River

Helen had a week of work for some ski touring. The forecast wasn't looking too great for a flight up high so we went into the Liebig Range near Lake Tekapo for an explore.
Driving up the river from Glenmore station, the runholders had done a good job of grading the track through the river bed.

Arrival at Monument Hut, owned by Glenmore Station.

On the first day we went into the vallies west of the hut to do 'The Scorpion', a two pass traverse. Hiking up to the snowline.

South Face of Mount Hutton, a 600m face that looks like it has good winter lines at the moment.

Skinning up the valley.





Malte Brun in the background from the top of the Scorpion Run.

Unclimbed (?) North East Face of Mount William Smith.

Attempting to ski down the creek as far as we could.

Walking back down to the river bed, the hut is on the grass in the middle.

The next day, we headed up Ailsa Stream. Ice crags at the head of the stream, about 2-3 hours form the hut (with the current snow level).

Mount Jukes and Jollie Pass.

Mount Ailsa and Keuhna Pass that leads to Rutherford Pass.

Leibig Dome and Mount Jukes with its attractive west ridge.



Looking down to the junction of the Murchison and Tasman vallies. Mount Sefton and Aoraki/Mount Cook behind.

Just before the proposal...

..and after.

East face of Malte Brun.

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