UKC

I am due to move to New Zealand (possibly forever) in December. I am trying to get some info on the alpine scene out there. I am comfortable on AD routes, and have done a fair amount at that grade in the Alps.

I will be based in Auckland and appreciate that most will be on the South Island. Is there anything on the North Island?

In reply to Patrick Clissold:

Hi Patrick.

Not so sure about the North Island, but I expect there's some stuff around Ruapehu/Tongariro?

If you make it to the South Island then both the North West Ridge of Aspiring (disclaimer: I didn't top out) and the North Face of Earnslaw are both good routes with fun, adventurous approaches and both sub AD.

Cheers, hope you have a blast.

Tom

In reply to Tom Last:

There is a variety of entertaining routes around the Tongariro area and also Taranaki. Most times I climbed in winter and never saw another person apart from piste skiers. I remember some ice climbing near the summit of Ruapehu but it may be gone since the eruptions. Beautiful area, good way to stay fit / warm up before heading to S. Island.

In reply to Patrick Clissold:

I moved out there for 2 years but didn't like it. Too hot. I actually found the north island better in some ways though, the Ruapehu massif has good access, some nice crags, ice climbing for about 5 minutes and some alpine routes. We did the true summit of Ruapehu in winter at about pd+. U get the frisson of climbing on a volcano and NZ gets the awesome patagonia style rime formation we don't get in Europe. Pinnacle ridge on Ruapehu also looks good (Scottish III maybe?) but wasn't in when I was there. Taranaki in the west of the north island was also good in winter, and has a bit of an alpine route I believe.
The south island was poor for alpinism in my opinion. Not a patch on the Alps. poor rock almost everywhere, poor access, and huge winds which stop play for days on end. The biggest problem is getting in, Kiwi's don't do paths, cairns, much of the land is private, and involves chossy access nightmares with big packs. Their huts don't have any resources ('cept water) so u hump everything in. The only answer is to use helicopters for access everywhere which are expensive, or be a 6' 5" kiwi bloke with a pack the size of a small car.
If u are British forget winter as u know it, NZ is semi-tropical. I hear Queenstown is probably the best for the winter climber as it is a (bit) colder and has better access. Don't go to Christchurch due to it being surprisingly crappy.

In reply to glaramara: I'm not sure I'd say the SI was poor for alpinism (!) but it is very different to continental Europe and more akin to the greater ranges. The rock is undoubtedly poorer on the whole and the weather and conditions considerably more serious, and especially as you correctly identify the approaches (and river crossings which can aunt you for years). 100l packs for days on end is pretty standard. It's all a bit more expedition than glamorous alpine chic.

However, they are fantastic, remote and unique environments almost devoid of visible human traces in the most part. The flora and fauna are superb and it's a very rewarding area to explore.

Wye Creek (QT) ca be like a damp Rjukan the Double Cone / Single Cone routes are accessible mixed and relatively low objective danger, so reasonable places to start - plus relative popularity (for NZ i.e. you might not always be the only team there)

b

In reply to ben b:

Not much new to add that Ben B hasn't said. I wouldn't be as pessimistic as the poster above, but alpinism is definitely harder and more comiting here. The West face of the Remarks is the exception: easy access (for NZ), good rock and good routes at a variety of grades.
Wye creek was great this year.
The Darrans get raved about, Scotland on steroids as one climber put it!

In reply to damowilk:

Very true about the Remarks. I'm in the lounge at Auckland Domestic currently: I reckon with a bit of planning and a call to the brother-in-law we could be up at Lake Alta within three and a half hours from here...

Haven't been in to Wye Creek from the lake yet, must get round to it... We even have friends who live down by the road so we have parking and a beer at the end of the day!

Cheers

b

In reply to ben b:
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. It totally depends on what you like. For me, I loved the adventurous, committing and serious nature of climbing in the Southern Alps, more so than the Euro equivalent of getting the Midi cable car up and walking a matter of minutes to a route. It's funny you mention their likeness to the Greater Ranges, as there's a Kiwi joke along the lines of climbers going to the Himalaya to train for the NZ Alps!

The majority of routes above 3000m are on snow and ice, rather than the incredibly poor Greywacke rock, so don't be ashamed of taking a snow stake. They love'em over there...

In reply to Patrick Clissold:

Agree with the above about NZ Alpinism. It's remote, hard work and nothing like The Alps - but that's all to its advantage I thought. The rock climbing on the other hand is not that great compared to the UK- I didn't go to The Darrens though, hmm.

In reply to ben b:

It is of course, what you are wanting. NZ isn't the place for weekend alpinism. Might be 5 days to get a 3000er. I found the approaches painful rather than life enhancing, with huts too low and shorter alpine days as got too warm by 10am. I'm a biologist and expected to be blown away by the fauna but it turned out the weasels and stoats have eaten everything. Nice people though, and I heard the weed is pukka.

In reply to Patrick Clissold:

Surely blagging Mt.Cook would be a feather in the cap?

In reply to Patrick Clissold:

I spent a year and a bit out in Nz climbing. It is a very special place. The standard set up was a day and a half walk in, a route and a full day to get out. There are places, such as Mt Rolleston that are weekend doable, but 3 days really was the minimum.
I was specifically doing new routes when i was there, thus i failed on the first 6 objectives that i tried, then i got the 7th. By the end of my year of living interestingly i was failing on one then getting the next. If you are repeating things, you should have better luck. I failed due to avalanches, weather, poor snow/ice, bad rock, weather, river crossings, and weather.

The hills are very quiet, outside the honey pots (which in euro terms are still extremly quiet). I did note that most of the people i met off in interesting areas were europeans rather than kiwis. When i was there i felt that the current generation of climbers (2006) were getting into bouldering and sport climbing rather than alpinism. I think that this changed after i left with the start up of a linked up alpine climbing group of people in their 20s and 30s, but a death in the group of one of its protagonists may have but a dampener on things. I hope not. Guy McKinnon is still holding the torch and is still doing some special things.
Even if you don't get to the top of many things, the tramping and hut to hutting there is mind blowing.
I often wish i was there and would go back in a heart beat if i could (most of my unclimbed lines still haven't been done i don't think), but here i am sat at a desk wearing a tie and dreaming.
Good luck.
James