For North Island townies like me, one of the biggest challenges in any climb in the Southern Alps is just getting there in time for a weather window. So a climb of Mount Armstrong (2,174m), a little over 700 metres above the highly accessible Brewster Hut (12 bunks), is a good option when time is the limiting factor.
On the ridge below Brewster Hut. Mount Brewster is left on the furthest skyline and Mount Armstrong (2,174m) is the point second right from the climber
And the more challenging option to climb nearby Mount Brewster is there for those who have the climbing experience to take it on
From your home, you can fly to Queenstown, pick up a rental car, pop in to the supermarket for supplies, drive to Fantail Falls car park and ascend to the Hut, or even on to the top of Mount Armstrong, in a day. This image - Brewster Hut, with Top heavy (left) and Mt Brewster (right) behind
Whatever objectives you chose, you’ll be rewarded with magnificent alpine vistas. From the comfort of Brewster Hut you can admire a glowing Mount Brewster at sunset, looming overhead less than 4 km as the kea flies, to the north east
To the west, across the Haast Valley, is a mountain wall extending from the valley floor nearly 1.5 vertical kms in some places. And the higher you get above the hut, the better the views become
In good conditions a trip to Brewster Hut in any season is a rewarding option for the kids too. The last section of the trail approaching the hut is on a pronounced ridge well clear of the tree line, giving a real alpine feeling
Brewster Hut and Haast River, viewed at about 1,600m on the ascent of Mount Armstrong
From left - Haast River, Top Heavy, Brewster Glacier, Mount Brewster, with Mount Wray and Tole in the distance
Mount Brewster (right) and Top Heavy (left), with Brewster Glacier between. Viewed from the summit of Mount Armstrong
Peter Laurenson is a member of the Wellington section of the New Zealand Alpine Club and editor of FMC’s Backcountry
For more images and info about Peter, visit www.occasionalclimber.co.nz
On the ridge below Brewster Hut. Mount Brewster is left on the furthest skyline and Mount Armstrong (2,174m) is the point second right from the climber 
