The easy access to the Remarkables Alpine Area means great adventures daily…….
David says check this out, 2km vertical back to the lake and Queenstown
Alpine treks are suited to safe travel and our guests aspirations and fitness on the day, there is a lot to see and do!
David and Andrew check out the east face rock slabs ground smooth by past glaciation
Andrew embracing the stone, bound by ribbons of quartz
Rupert has been busy over the last week with three trips up Remarkables. Firstly he climbed the North ridge of Single with Yann. It was beautiful bluebird day. To finish off the day they both had a swim in Lake Alta, that is frozen for five months a year!
Climbing Double cone
On Sunday he took 65 year old Englishman John over the Grand Traverse which takes in all the highest points on the Remarkables Range. Though the weather was not fantastic, it was windy and little cloudy they still had a awesome day out. John has since been lapping the down hill trails on Skyline!
Finaly Rupert finished off a three day course with Yorkshireman Lee. They got an early start today and climbed the ultra classic 150m Grade 16 on the Alta slabs called ‘ It ain’t over til the fat lady sings’ This rang true for the day as the three abseil descent was done in howling wind and rain. It was a great chance fro Lee to show off his new rope management skills.
Jess was also caught out by the fast moving front up at Waterfall Wall on Gorge Road while doing one of the many half day trips that have been happening.
Hope everyone else has been able to out and about between the fronts!
Climbing Queenstown
Double Cone
Senior guides Chris Prudden and Rupert Gardiner saw the New Year in with some steller trips up Single Cone. Over the last two days of 2010 seven people made it on to the rocky high point of the Remarkable mountains!
Guide Rupert has finished running an alpine rock course high above Queenstown in the Remarkables mountains. He taught Joesee (from Prince George, Canada) natural pro and multi pitch climbing, then helped her put it all into practice by climbing Alpha on the east face of Single Cone and then DBeh on Double Cone. Dbeh was finished off by a Grand Traverse of Double and Single Cone. All up there was much learning, four summits, over twelve pitch’s of rock climbed and much exposed ridge travel!!
Chris Prudden guided client, Rob up Single Cone via the standard south gully route. I (Jess) came along for a great day out. A perfect sunny day the snow proved stable and compact however quite deep leaving the Wye saddle. Plugging thigh deep it greatly slowed our approach however we didn’t let this phase us. Chris leading for most of the way kept on strong. Continuing on led to much easier terrain, a chilly ascent up the gully then up onto the summit. It was the perfect winters day for this trip, with light winds on top and clear skies. We greatly reccomend a Single Cone ascent in summer but on a day like this, its equally good this time of year.
Jess and Rob on summit
Rupert reports nice travel up the north ridge of Single Cone. There was minimal snow/ice cover on the actual ridge to the summit. The standard gully route on the eastern aspect has a reasonable amount of snow packed in the gully and crampons are advised. A word of caution that the fixed ropes on the bolted anchors down the gully are unsafe and should not be used. A real contrast currently between northern and southern aspects!
The days of alpine rock and approach shoes to the top of Single Cone are over for the season. Again new snow over night and the southern aspects are holding reasonable amounts of snow at higher elevations ( above 2000m ).
Rupert and Client David found a little ice on the decent ramp to the south face of Single Cone on Saturday. He also made a comment the standard gully route on Single Cone is filling up. Therefore time to brush of those crampons and ice axe and get into the hills for some early training.
'Wye man', appeared this summer at the Wye saddle and he has been monitoring the traffc
Lori and Kim waiting for their guide to leadout the rope on the north ridge of Single Cone
Last moves before the summit of Double Cone
Summit of Double Cone 2320m, Single Cone and the Nevis mountains behind
Luise and Mathias with hands on rock and making progress to the summit
A local Kea comes to say hello
The lads from Holland get the ultimate traverse picture
Crazy clouds in the Wakatipu make for an interesting summit view from Single Cone 2320m
Team Nederland on track for the West ridge of Single Cone
