UKC

Hi, I'm heading down to the Southern Alps in November for some climbing on and around Mt Aspiring. I need to invest in some new boots after my Mantas finally died a death. I'm considering either the La Sportiva Nepal Evo GTX or the Nepal Extremes (does anyone know the difference?).

Would either be suitable for NZ i.e. not too warm for November? If not, any alternative recommendations?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

In reply to mantlej: I climb summer and winter in NZ in EVO's and I have no complaints. Did Aspiring in them in November. The EVO's are probably a bit on the warm side in summer. The Extremes are the old (heavier) version of the EVOs.

In reply to mantlej:

I've also climbed summer and winter in the Southern Alps, i have Nepal Extremes, my NZ climbing partner uses La Sportiva Trango's.

I've been out there in Oct and frozen toes, and also been out there in Jan (summer) when it was clear skies and very warm, and a nice southerly rolled in that eve and then it was hoar frost walking out over the bonar in a white-out.
NZ mountaineering is predictably unpredictable !

In reply to chris fox:
Everybody and their dog uses Nepal Extremes or Nepal Evo Extremes (the EVO is *slightly* different, has a goretex lining. Not much different. I've used trango extreme evos for several years in NZ in both summer and winter. You'll be fine with either.

Your best bet is to say f*ck mountaineering in NZ and invest in a good rain coat and some rock shoes/quickdraws. Go rock climbing in wanaka while it rains up on Aspiring. You may think that's a joke, but the weather for alpine climbing sucks in NZ. be sure to have a backup plan that involves sunny rock, preferably in Wanaka or Castle Hill. Payne's Ford is good too. Better yet, have rock climbing as your primary goal and if the weather is amazing, go climb some mountains.

Be SURE to eat at Red Star Burgers in Wanaka.

In reply to Graham:

Erm Graham, reply to the OP not me !!!

And as to recap on Grahams comments of the weather sucking, I twice drove from Chch to Wanaka and didn't even leave Raspberry flats carpark only to go cragging. The 3rd time I flew in from Sydney (where i was living) at Midnight on a mon, we drove down 6am tues, walked in from raspberry flats at 2:30pm, arrived at French Ridge hut at 9:30pm and set off at 2:15am to do the South Face of Aspiring, bivvied out and walked back to the hut in a whiteout the following morning, slept all afternoon and evening then walked back out to Wanaka and got pleasantly drunk !!!!

I've tried Cook 3 times and the weather has told me it's not my turn 3 times ! Sitting at Empress Hut for 4 days once again in dire conditions, too bad to leave the hut and the aerial got zapped off by lightning !

Be prepared for some disappointment !

In reply to mantlej:

I also second grahams suggestion about red star......incredible.

In reply to mantlej: Whatever you choose, make sure they are clean! Biosecurity ...

In reply to mantlej: Ummmm - I wouldn't want you to be too put-off by the weather grumbles above. Sure the weather can be bad - you get that with mountains. But if you're flexible with your plans and you go when the forecast is good then there's no reason you can't get things done.

But they're right about Red Star burgers.

One other thing - the Aspiring region isn't too bad for river crossings but you might want to think about how to keep your boots dry through river crossings so that you're not on the snow in wet boots. I sometimes walk in to the bushline in trainers then change into boots.

In reply to mantlej: Great help, thanks all. I am particularly pleased to have the burger recommendations

In reply to AdrianC:
I dunno, I've been climbing around the world - Alps, Southern Alps, American Rockies, Canadian Rockies, Cascades, Bugaboos, Cordillera Blanca, etc... and have never encountered such consistently terrible weather as NZ's southern alps! Sure you can get good stretches and get something done. But don't count on it!

The river crossing into french ridge shouldn't be too bad in November - I usually just take my boots off and walk across barefoot. Rocks are smooth, just pick your line well. If you're going to be walking out from Aspiring - I don't recommend coming down the Bevin Col route unless you're planning to go up it. For sure don't go down it in the rain - it can get a little sketchy. French Ridge is by far the safer descent route from the Bonair glacier.

You may hear good things about Fergburger (in queenstown) - don't believe it! Red Star blows fergburgers out of the water. The Blue cheese one is the best, if you ask me (which you didn't)

Also good in Wanaka - a coffee shop, I can never remember the name, it's right on the main corner, has a sort of maori name, black awning, lots of seating outside. The upper level (inside) is great for watching the rain from.

Oh - don't plan on buying any gear in NZ, it's absurdly expensive.

In reply to Graham:

i had 2 months of sunny weather when i did a season there......only rain was on the walk out from Tasman Saddle Hut.....must have been lucky :p

In reply to Graham: Kai Whakapai.

Personally, I prefer the food at Sasanoki and Yohei.

Be flexible with your options and you'll have a great trip. There's multi-pitch climbing in the Remarkables, as well as all the cragging in Wanaka and Q'town. The mountain biking is really good here too, with a diverse range of terrain to ride.

In reply to Graham: So is Red Star like Ferg's in the days when it was down Cow Lane, and it took less than 30 minutes to get through the hipsters to get served?

Must check it out....

b

In reply to m dunn:

Nah, just declare them at the airport, and have a friendly Biosecurity agent clean your boots for you!

In reply to parkovski: Then wash them thoroughly afterwards to remove the chemicals! The chemicals will destroy the soles if you don't.