Family Ladder in the wilderness
Using up some school holiday teenage energy on the Tararua Peaks
Using up some school holiday teenage energy on the Tararua Peaks
Snow plugging on the Grand Plateau, then a descent via Cinerama Col
Exploring tops in Lewis Pass National Reserve
What an absolute perfect winter's day in August, just after a fresh snowfall, spending time exploring the Hakatere Conservation Park.
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.
An attempt of the south ridge of Mount Travers, Nelson Lakes, fueled by cold medicine.
An April traverse of Mount Titiroa from Hope Arm to Borland in Fiordland National Park.
It was one of those trips where everything was on the edge of going so wrong yet ended up being so right.
I had always wanted to pursue an artistic career and I soon realised the strong connection my painting had with the landscape.
As Simon pondered the viability of down climbing another steep section soaring above, it occurred to me that we were going to run out of time.
It may be one of the most popular walks in the world but what happens when winter reclaims the landscape?
An early September climb of Mount Rolleston via Rome Ridge
With some relief we unlinked from our last four man river fording formation. Now safely on the true left of Ellis River, we knew there was only the gravel of Baton Valley Road between us and a warm shower, dry clothes and a good feed in Nelson.
Most have heard of the Seven Summits challenge, where the highest point on each of the world’s seven continents is climbed. But there’s also a seven summits challenge much closer to home.
Camping in the mountains in mid winter is cold. I have a down Macpac bag that’s meant to be cosy at minus seven. It wasn’t.
Just as I thought what lay above wasn’t the prettiest icescape I’d seen, Simon paraphrased for me. “This ice is sh#t.” He was busily hacking away at brittle rime ice on steep volcanic rock. Ice fragments flew everywhere.
The moonless crystal clear sky offered the most vivid view of the Milky Way I’d ever seen.
Climbing Australia's highest peak in winter
Going with the flow, or in this case, snow at Arthurs Pass on Mount Temple and Mount Rolleston
Since Guy Mannering and A. P. Harper first crossed it in January 1890, Ball Pass has become one of those better known spots than most in our Southern Alps.
An attempt on the southwest ridge of Cloudy Peak, a little beyond Erewhon Station in the Canterbury mountains