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Crag & Route Beta

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Mt Aspiring difficulty question 9-May-2012 At 5:20:09 PM epic steve

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Hey Llewg

Have climbed Mt Aspiring 11 times by 4 different routes and Mt Cook 4 times as well.

My two cents worth is this:

Local weather/snow conditions are what will pretty much decide the route you will take on Mt Aspiring...speed is the key as speed = safety as lighter packs and less time spent in the alpine environment.

The full NW Ridge when free of snow (usually Jan/Feb) is a bush walk...I could do it in my Teva sandals...just need to cut a few steps near the top!!! A return trip from Colin Todd Hut is about 10 - 12 hours...only actual snow and ice is usually the last 100m summit cap and a small snow slope at the top of the Shipowner Ridge nearing the Rolling Pin saddle. If the weather is funky and the ridge is clear I would blast up this first...you can always go up the Therma Glacier Route or The Ramp a day or two later if the weather holds...plus it is always good to know the descent route.

The Ramp is good for going up but can be icy pre-dawn...if in doubt pitch it or go solo...can be slow if pitching as about 8 - 10 pitches of 50 degree snow on a traverse to the right. On descent it can be the opposite...slush or balling up snow so more dangerous for tired or inexperienced climbers...better to run down the NW Ridge (that you did a few days earlier so you know the way down!!!). You will want to allow 12 - 15 hours for this. And it pays to do a recce to the base of The Ramp the day before to have your footsteps in the snow to follow. Route finding at 3:00am by headlamp is not much fun and will waste valuable time and energy!!!

The SW Ridge will make you pass lumps of poopy in your pants...STAY OFF IT UNTILL YOU HAVE A FEW YEARS MORE EXPERIENCE!!! (Scary exposure!!!)

A few pointers for NZ alpine climbing:

1. All NZ alpine rock (other than in the Darrans) is pure choss...test everything and trust nothing...unless the size of a VW Combi-van!!!
2. Plan for a week in the hills...if your lucky you will get 1 or 2 good weather days...so don't waste them having a rest day...go for it!!!
3. Walking in is the the only option for Mt Aspiring...choppers are for pussys!!!
4. Plenty of places to practice crevasse rescue techniques either around Bevan Col or on the Quarterdeck above French Ridge Hut.
5. Take a GPS...a life saver in whiteout conditions for finding the hut, pass, saddle, etc
6. NZ snow is rarely firm...or frozen...so it balls up in your crampons and tries to trip you up...have anti-balling plates or good old gaffer tape on your crampons to stop this.
7. NEVER rope up unless worried about crevasse fall risk or danger...
8. NEVER climb slopes greater than 45 degrees whilst roped together unless using either fixed belay or running belays...THIS IS WHAT KILLS PEOPLE ON THE RAMP AND THE LINDA SHELF ON MT COOK...the rope is not there to make you feel safe...if it ain't attached to the mountain all it will do is drag you off your feet and gravity does the rest.
9. Don't let a trip turn into a slip or a slip turn into a slide...self arrest looks and sounds great but if this is what you are doing as you hurtle on your back at 50km/h towards a 100m ice cliff...then it had better work or your $#&@ out of luck...mountaineering is pretty much just walking around on icy/slushy/snowy/sometimes rocky stuff...so as in rock climbing, footwork is the key...plan not to ever need to self arrest if you can by having good footwork and balance.
10. Softshells rule in alpine as the don't slide anywhere near as much as Goretex!!!
11. Flooded rivers kill more climbers than the mountains...!
12. Skinny ridges and summits aren't a good place to be in 70km/h winds!!!
13. Wear a helmet...falling or tripping with 24 steak knives attached to your feet a a samuri sword in each hand can get messy so protect your noggin!
14. Most guides are total knobbers...but there are exceptions...if you need advice then just ask...but speak in a language other than Australian or Japanese...NZ is good!!!
15. Above all have fun in this awesome alpine environment!!

Steve 0411502117

P.S...I have plenty of photos if you want a photo CD of the Aspiring area...just ask!