The Mountain Gods have filled our heads with adventurous notions, and we are heading to New Zealand in January 2010 to live those notions out, aided now by the fantastic generosity of the ANUMC Exec in awarding this trip the 2010 Expedition Fund. Glacier travel, pass crossings, summits, crevasses, razor ridges, huts in wild storms and bivys under the stars are all on the agenda in what we think will be a classic mountaineering expedition. We've planned a trip we believe will be challenging and adventurous in its scope, yet relatively safe. We've also elected to attempt a series of easy peaks rather than a single difficult route, in order to maximize opportunities to practice our skills.

We currently have a group of five confirmed, but we have SPACE FOR ONE MORE. You would need some mountaineering experience, and definitely proficiently and confidence using crampons/ice axes etc. to move on steep alpine terrain. This is not a beginners trip and not a trip on which to learn these skills from scratch. You will also need to be fit enough for twelve isolated days in the mountains, at times carrying heavy packs on steep uneven ground. If you think you fit the bill and want to join us, sign up and Janosch or I will contact you to provide details and ask about your experience. NOTE: This trip is completely independent of the Mountaineering Skills Course.

In outline, the plan is as follows:

We propose to climb three three-thousander peaks in three valleys in the Aoraki/ Mount Cook Region. We will meet on the 23rd Jan in Fox Glacier village, to fly by helicopter early on 24th to Pioneer Hut in the Fox Glacier Neve. Throughout the trip, we shall mostly try to bivi, using the huts in the case of bad weather. In the Fox Neve we shall attempt Lendenfeld Peak (3194m) via Marcel Col (grade 2); here we shall be amongst some of the finest peaks in the southern Alps, with Mount Tasman only a stonesthrow away, and Mount Cook revealing it's little photographer posterior. We shall then cross the Newton Pass to the Franz Joseph Glacier Neve and Centennial Hut. Here we shall try to climb the Minarets (3040m) via Graham Saddle and Mount de La Beche (grade 2+). Descending to De la Beche Hut, our attention will turn north to the jewel of the Tasman Glacier Valley, Mount Elie de Beaumont (3109m). The approach over the upper Tasman Glacier will be contingent on crevasse conditions, which may be dire this time of year. More so, the ascent route via Anna Glacier (2+) may be heavily cravassed, in which case we shall try the via Mount Walter and South Ridge (2-). We shall hike out along the Tasman Valley, a rocky experience, breathing a sigh of relief for our ankles when we reach the old 4WD track. We'll finish at Mount Cook Village and head to the pub to say our farewells and plan our next adventure!

Thanks to the Expedition Fund grant, the costs for the expedition will be only about $100, excluding getting to Fox and from Cook.

Expressions of interest will be closing soon! Please email both Janosch Hoffman and me to ensure that you get a prompt response, as we shall both be traveling until late November.