Canterbury Haute Route Great trip, needs a bit more exploring to find the easiest line. The last day was the biggest with 3200+ metres climbing (4000 metres down), on top of that I ran the 15km from Bealey Spur back to Arthurs Pass … hmm, no wonder no one wants to ski with me….
Tag: Hard ski tour
McKerrow range – Makarora – Mt Shrimpton missing link (cental part)
I feel like I have to add this tour as missing link between another two in the McKerrow range. It fits in between Boundary Creek traverse and the Camerons Creek traverse. As per the other tours grab an helos lift from Harvey Hutton of Backcountry Helicopters 443 8351. We got dropped off on point 1977m…
Mt Clarke and Mt Clarke extended trip, Forbes Mountains
Mt Clarke is a beautiful peak in the Forbes Mtns just north of Mt Earnslaw and can be skied as an overnight mission from the Rees Valley. If one has a good 4WD and river crossing experience then it is possible to drive to where the valley narrows – about 45mins walk from the bottom…
Middle Peak 1840m via hi-traverse or heli, Harris Mountains
Middle Peak is the good looking basin just north of Cardrona ski resort. With a good south-east exposure holds snow in good condition never the less the relatively low altitude. Two way to get there: The first is an awesome traverse from the top of Cardrona ski resort: first up to Mt Cardrona, descent to…
A back country ski traverse of Mt Barth and Mt Heim, Huxley Range.
This was a lovely 3 day ski telemark trip in the Ahuriri Valley. Mt Barth makes for a good adventure ski tour with long fall line skiing and varied terrain. It really stands out from the rest of the range as a large massif that holds a its heavy coating of snow well. We skied…
Mt Stafford from Snowy Gorge Creek, Barrier Range
We skied this as part of a 3 day trip in which we also skied Mt St Mary. After a good exercise induced coma we skinned up Snowy Gorge Creek sidling higher and higher on the true left, until we were able to cross a col into the Mt Stafford face (the col is just…
Mt St Mary from Snowy Gorge Creek, Barrier Range
Here’s a long ski mountaineering adventure, quite remote, and a lovely small ski hut to stay in. We skied this in early July when there was a good amount of snow down low as the Hut is at 1125m. Access is easy from Ohau ski field. Descend towards Dumbell lake, continue all the way down…
McKerrow Range traverse, Mt Shrimpton to Boundary Creek – Awesome!
Four of us in Harvey’s chopper flew up onto the McKerrow range up behind Makarora for a long exhilarating ski tour. A bit of organisation was required; firstly I drove the Jeep up the farm track at Boundary Creek to close to the snow line, then mtn biked back down, locked the bike at the…