Remarks conditions
10 June 2011 - 11:37am
for the first time in ages I can see snow out the window..Only a small Icing sugar dusting up high but may it trickle slowly down the cracks making ICE!
Despite the warmth Some new routes have been done on the SW of single cone
A few pics are up at http://www.queenstownclimbing.com/ if you ewant to check it out
Every one start doing the artic blast dance..I want ice climbing and ski touring.
Biking again this weekend for me
4 July 2011 - 11:31am
#2
Photo's of Wye creek ice now up at queenstownclimbing.com....looking too thin. The long easy stuff that usually gets covered in snow looks fun though.
Big mountain ice rumoured to be good.
Anyone been to Aspiring?
12 July 2011 - 2:56pm
#3
So much snow...in my garden!
Av danger will be high so be careful, and prepared!
14 July 2011 - 12:30pm
#4
Hey, we're considering going for a climb at Wye Creek this weekend. The avalanche danger is high - having never climbed at WC before, we don't know much about the conditions/topography there. What are the chances of getting bombed by the slopes above?
Cheers, Luke
14 July 2011 - 1:54pm
#5
Just had a look at some photos of the area, looks like it'd be a bad place to be with a metre of fresh above. Might call it off...
14 July 2011 - 6:01pm
#6
15 July 2011 - 8:03am
#7
You can see the top of the ice on the way in and most of the travel is on a safe angle one you pass Wye dome untill The steep slope near the end where you'd need to dig a pit and choose for your self. I May look on sunday but might let it settle for a couple of days
15 July 2011 - 8:56am
#8
Thanks Sally, that's what I was after. We've decided to leave it for another week.
24 July 2011 - 10:34am
#9
Wye ice is On although a little thin still in places
The 2 slabs weren't on but There was several 2+ and up.
25 July 2011 - 4:51pm
#10
hey i was thinking to go for a climb up the east face of single cone, has anyone been up there recently? whats conditions/avo danger like?
Andy
26 July 2011 - 11:05am
#11
It was quite soft snow, it has been dumping the last couple of days, but I think it might bond OK once it settles. ( I am definately no avo expert however)
There is alot of snow. The step in the grand couloir( sp?) is filled in for example. I was wondering if I could get up with my snowboard boots and crampons.
26 July 2011 - 8:33pm
#12
Thanks Sally, please keep the updates coming.
Hopefully the Canterbury Munters will chip in also with an update at some stage.
27 July 2011 - 6:24pm
#13
thanks for the info sally. might give it a go when im there next month
5 August 2011 - 1:42pm
#14
was up on the remarks yesterday and day before.
did Friday's fool with one mate and it was bloody great. Conditions are good. Ice is well formed and solid.
next day took a novice friend out on Minge Kunt which is mainly mixed with no ice but conditions are defo winter! (digging for nut placements etc)
If the snow hits as forecast/rumored will prob make mixed routes harder for gear placements and approaches unless ski or snow shoe long winded. See what happens seeing as though it's always wrong!
5 August 2011 - 6:51pm
#15
Guy Cotter and Suze did an easy new route on the L of the South Face too
21 August 2011 - 10:07pm
#16
loving the snow! :D
5 September 2011 - 7:56pm
#17
Does anyone have any update please I heard Jamie did a mega route?.
5 September 2011 - 8:25pm
#18
So much action this winter Ghost!!! Daniel Joll has taken the mixed climbing on the west face to the next level. One route was about 300m with sustained pitch's of M6, Dan lead the whole route, a comment from one of the seconders is he has gained a better understanding of mixed grades.. his words to me is he now knows what the technical grade of God Zone would be - M4 WI4.
Yeah Dan claimed the first acsent of a single pitch M8 on gear just before Jamie, solid effort!!! I believe he was very close to onsighting this route!!!
Wye Creek ice did lock up again and was in good condition on Friday, however alot had fallen down during that warm spell. Iron curtain was in solid easy condition, however very warm in qt today and i would consider the ice season over now for Wye.
Lot of snow on the east shoulder of single cone, was good skiing on the weekend. The standard gully route looked in ok condition and the avo hazard was generally low.
Lots to report really i imagine there will be a good write up in the next climber!
Cheers
Dave.
5 September 2011 - 8:49pm
#19
Cheers Dave. If that Seconder now understands M grading then he is a long way ahead of me in climbing. It looks like I'll be retrograding my M4's to m1.5's Surely though having to carry to pack and have a night out must make a difference?
Anyway your words have got me staying up late and fretting now.
regards, Peter
5 September 2011 - 9:27pm
#20
haha Peter, im sure your M4's are solid M4 maybe harder.
Craig was only describing the technical difficulty remember, basically the route was fiking hard and steep. Overall grade... well it's Remarks.
Dave.
5 September 2011 - 10:51pm
#21
No really, I have never seen a M route and they did not exist when i was doing my alpine climbing. They are entirely outside of my comprehension and understanding.
I have put M grades retrospectively onto the routes that Bill McLeod and I did in the 90's just to indicate that some mixed climbing should be expected.
Modernizing older routes into modern grading systems would be easier if those routes had been repeated, so don't blame me if I get the M gradings wrong, but it is just to demonstrate that they might require some hooking. Back then we hated doing this because it was the same as aid climbing.
Sorry I have never climbed at the Remarks either, but I would love to given the opportunity.
6 September 2011 - 2:50am
#22
Out of interest what Mt Cook grade has been assigned to the easiest route of Double Cone? Anyone know?
15 September 2011 - 12:08pm
#23
We took advantage of the cold snap yesterday and climbed Friday's Fool on the west face. It was in decent condition - the ice was pretty thin and prone to shattering (don't bother bringing more than one or two ice screws), but still climbable. Lots of snow in the middle section. Awesome route!
Some new mixed routes have been done on Ruapehu too - mixed I think just means dry tooling at this stage
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