Ball Pass

Tim was between jobs in Wanaka so we met up in Mount Cook for a one day traverse of the classic Ball Pass. We drove up Ball Road in Caddy, leaving her to be picked up the next day.

Tasman Lake from the eastern slopes of Ball Pass.

Looking up the Tasman Glacier towards De La Beche.

We had to contend with a bit of rain and cloud descending into the Hooker Valley before the long trudge back to White Horse campground.

Mount Earnslaw

Helen was working for a few days at the Mossburn windfarm near Te Anau so she managed to wangle an early flight paid for by work to have the weekend near Queenstown.

Tim met her at the airport and we drove up the Wakitipu, past Glenorchy and as far up the Rees Valley as caddy could make it!

Climbing above Kea Basin with the Rees Valley below.


Approaching Wright Col with Mount Aspiring beyond.

Esquilant Bivi at sunset.


Climbing the north face of the East Peak of Mount Earnslaw via scree, snow patches, ice gullies and rock ribs. The notorious rotten rock, thankfully well glued in by the cold temps.
East Summit summit ridge.

Looking towards the West Peak and the mountains of the Darrans beyond.
View south over Lake Wakitipu.

Descending the ice gullies.

Charleston

The biggest anitcyclone in the world at the moment is sitting just off the east coast so to escape the Noreaster and the east coast clag, we drove over to Charleston on the West Coast for some proper trad climbing.

The drive is beautiful, through Castle Hill Basin, Arthurs Pass and up the stunning West Coast road north of Greymouth, past the limestone formations at Punakaki, dense rainforest and endless beaches.

Charleston impressed us even more than the last time we were here almost a year and a half ago whilst we were still travelling. The best and biggest climbing is concentrated in a small area but every route has fantastic climbing, great rock and with a proper trad feel that is rare for NZ, it was almost like being back in Cornwall!

Some of the south facing crags weren't quite dry enough, so we'll have to head back later in the summer. Definately lots of skope for DWS, coasteering and crag hunting.

Visit from a Haggis

We've had a visit from Haggis, another past BUMCer for the past few days. So off course (while Helen was working) we got a trip up to Castle Hill and a few crags in the Port Hills and had a great day on the Banks Peninsular on Saturday. Now he's off to explore the north of the South Island for a few days. We'll have some more past BUMCers visiting in February so anyone else keen to head down here better get their booking in soon :) the more visitors the better!

Spittle Hill

Akaroa Habour on the Banks Penninsular

Helen climbing at Otepatatou.

Topping out high above the bush.

Ski Touring on the Frans Josef and Fox Glaciers

Arriving at Almer Hut


Looking out over the Franz Josef Glacier


Helen skiing down between Newton Rocks


Skinning up the Geike Snowfield with the Minarets behind


Approaching Centennial Hut



View from the summit of the Minarets of Mount Cook, Tasman and the lower Tasman valley


Helen and Claire descending the west face of the Minarets

Mount Haast, Lendenfeld, Tasman and Torres from Pioneer Hut

Skiing down the Fox Glacier

More photos of: www.picasaweb.google.com/timmysteward

Fox

There's not much to do in Fox whilst waiting to fly into the hills, but two visits to Lake Matherson isn't bad

More photos on: www.picasaweb.google.com/timmysteward


Post card view of Lake Matherson with Mount Cook and Tasman early in the morning we flew in

Pisa Range

Hoping to escape the westerly weather that was battering the main divide, we headed into the Pisa range just south of Wanaka for a few days ski touring.




View over the Clutha Valley and Tarras towards the Dunstan Mountains from the summit of Mount Pisa.

Fox Peak

Looking over the Two Thumbs range.

Approaching the summit.

More photos on: http://picasaweb.google.com/114863281237798635270/100826FoxPeak?feat=directlink

Remarkables Backcountry

Skiing into the upper Wye Creek basin

Overlooking the skifield and the ants that inhabit it.

Touring in the Doolans Basin.

Hanmer Springs

View of Canterbury Plains, Christchurch and the distant Port Hills from the top of the field.

Helen on the busiest run of the day.

The car park - note the 4 vehicles not owned by employees of the ski field. And we're 2 hours drive from the biggest city on the South Island.

Tim enjoying the empty slopes

The route up from Hanmer, the steep switch backs and bumpy road dirt was fun, if a little nerve racking in Caddy the Toyota Hilux. Poor old Ferris (the corolla) wouldn't have got very far at all.

The lodge.