Elie De Beaumont is a classic ski tour at the head of the Tasman Glacier. It offers quality fall line skiing from a 3000m, heavily glaciated peak, right on the main divide of the Southern Alps. Views from the summit extend to the West coast, as well as down the Tasman glacier to the MacKenzie country in the east.
Elie de Beaumont is usually skied as part of a larger tour in the upper Tasman Gl neve, with a base out of either Tasman Saddle hut or Kelman Hut. The Anna Glacier can become impassable some seasons, but usually earlier in the season the better (July through Nov/Dec approx, Sept, October optimal). It has been many years since I did this route, and then we had good conditions and ascended up the centre of the Anna Gl., around 3 -4 hours round trip from the Tasman Hut (route 2 on map). More commonly the route taken nowadays is up the true right of the Anna Glacier to the Walter/Elie col.(route 1 on map) This involves a steepish pitch to access the col
. Note the ice-fall area off Mt Walter that can threaten if the crevasses push the route towards Mt Walter.
And who was Jean-Baptiste Élie de Beaumont?. A French Geologist and miner 1798-1874.
Many thanks for the photos Zucco.
Please feel free anyone to add further photos or beta on this route.
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