Inspiration for Winter
The Fingers trip report On Monday 3 July Jamie Paterson and I set off for an explore, with the intention of getting to Manuka Hut. Due to a number of factors, namely work and not having a 4 wheel drive we ended having to walk about 45 mins further and arriving at 2:00am. The walk…
This tour was recently described as the ‘King of ski tours from Mt Cook’ . A classic day ski trip in Mount Cook National Park. The views are spectacular and the skiing superb. Its a long tour with route finding needed and also some tramping, so superior fitness is required. View Larger Topographic Map An…
A superior ski tour from Black Peak back to Treble Cone Ski Field is via the Poolnoon Burn. This makes a good long day ski tour using Heli access from Cattle Flat, flying to the summit of Black Peak (Aspiring Helicopters -(03) 443- 7152. The cost should be around $100 mark for the one way…
Mt Ferguson is a day trip ski tour out from Queenstown. Its a valley/basin ski, with some really good views out to Mt Earnslaw, as well as Centaur Peaks, (which incidentally look like they would be a stellar ski). The route up Mt. Ferguson is not difficult and suitable for intermediate skiers with some tramping/hiking…
Situated at the corner of the Tasman and Hooker valleys, Mt. Wakefield is visible from almost anywhere in the valley. After a good southerly dump, it can provide some pretty nice skiing, given the snow line is low – around the 700m mark or below. View Larger Topographic Map Just before reaching Mt. Cook Village,…
From Wanaka drive out past Treble Cone Ski Area up to Raspberry Creek. Walk into Aspiring hut and hang a left up the Cascade Saddle track. Give yourself a chance by getting an early start as it’s likely to be very slow going on the upper North facing snow slopes. Enjoy the fun ski down…
Here is a five star ski tour in the Garvie Mountains, SE of Queenstown. The Blue Lake Huts makes a wonderful base from which to explore from. The terrain has something for everyone; steeps, rolling ridges, bluffs, lakes, chute, ice climbing. Note – this is on private land and permission is required before proceeding. View…
Early in the winter season there is often a wintry blast that comes in from the south west, drops a good layer of snow down low in the Mackenzie Basin, and into the Ahuriri Valley. In early July 2015 we managed to sneak a ski tour in, skinning up from the Birchwood road , via…
Fox Peak Ski Field to Roundhill Ski Field is a fun ski traverse of moderate difficulty, and makes an excellent outing with friends. Since the traverse goes from one ski field to another a car shuttle is necessary. Recommendations are to either a) have a driver standing by, or b)2 parties start from opposite ends,…
A solid day trip from Mt Cook, this route ascends the 2379m Mt Edgar Thomson. The lower section of the route ascends up the Hoophorn Valley. There are incipient animal tracks to follow interspersed with some river bashing and tussock slopes. Take a watershed on the true right of the Hoophorn to point 1488. Hopefully…