SummitPost.org

I'll be on the South Island in February without gear so was looking at a few peaks to do solo but the pages on SP are few and far between (or with scant info).

1-Does anyone know the distance and time from Lake Alta to the summit of Double Cone? And how technical is it? Photos show ropes but threads seem to indicate this to be easy.

also

2-Has anyone done the ridge from Avalanche Peak out to Bealey and Lyell (or am I just dreaming based on a map I saw) and how technical is it?

Thanks!

I just did Double Cone about a week ago. It=s a very easy hike from the Remarkables skifield to Lake Alta and then on up to Double cone. When you reach the lake, head up to the left of a very obvious waterfall to the saddle. It=s then a simple matter of hiking along the ridge to the cones. You=ll only need your hands for the last twenty metres. No technical climbing involved. I was actually quite disappointed by how easy it is, given the spectacular appearance of the Remarkables from the Queenstown side. No gear required. It took me about four hours return to the carpark.

Access is via the Remarkables skifield road about five km south of Queenstown on SH6. It=s a gravel road and has no safety rails in most places.

Other non technical peaks I can recommend are Mt Armstrong and Mt Sebastopol.

Armstrong is directly above Brewster Hut which you can access from Haast Pass on SH6 between Wanaka and Haast. Look out for the Brewster Hut sign on the roadside about 1 km north of the top of the pass. It took me about15 hours with plenty of time for admiring the views of Mt Brewster to the north. I would advise you to stay clear of Mt Brewster if you are solo and without gear. Its a choss pile in summer.

Sebastopol is the rounded peak above Mt Cook village on the south side. Follow the Red Tarn track and then head left up to the saddle above the tarns. From the saddle just head up to the right toward the summit. It=s a bit loose in places but not too bad if you pay attention to your footing. The summit ridge is a series of small rock towers. I have no idea which one is the true summit.
Sebastopol offers great view of Mt Cook and gives an unusual view of both the Tasman and Hooker Glaciers at the same time. Allow 5 to 6 hours return.

DadnDave, post some photos of your trip!

Willdo.

I created a page for Sebastopol. It is a handy find for people in Mt Cook with little time, no gear, no partners etc. You can take the family up it without too much trouble. My daughter Allyson is claiming an FPA of Sebastopol - First Pyjama Ascent

The views of the Sealy Range, Sefton, Mt Cook and the surrounding glaciers would have to be among the very best in the whole of Mt Cook NP.

Got a couple of nice shots of the Rob Roy Glacier in Aspiring NP too - well worth a side trip when you are in the Matukituki.

Hey thanks, dadndave, appreciate the info. We'll have to hit one or more of those. Can't wait for our trip in about a week. I'm going to have to take out all the insurance on the rental car I can because it's going to be an adventure driving on the other side of the road.

Brian Jenkins wrote:Hey thanks, dadndave, appreciate the info. We'll have to hit one or more of those. Can't wait for our trip in about a week. I'm going to have to take out all the insurance on the rental car I can because it's going to be an adventure driving on the other side of the road.

Once you take the plunge, no problem in my experience. But, I tended to relapse to the right when totally unawares and so did the on-coming cars. focus focus focus. Then...after I got back, I had a few issues back home! Not to mention the turn signal position-orientation on the wheel, backing up, intersections and Right turns, exiting a freeway on the left, pulling off the road then zooming back naturally to the wrong side...etc.

I've heard that one has to yield to anyone on your right at an intersection (I think that is how it was described to me.). Anyone have clarification? Even if you are the first to a four-way stop?

Flight leaves in 40 hours. It's 35 and pouring rain in Portland. 75 and partly sunny in Christchurch. Can't wait!

ktnbs wrote:

Brian Jenkins wrote:Hey thanks, dadndave, appreciate the info. We'll have to hit one or more of those. Can't wait for our trip in about a week. I'm going to have to take out all the insurance on the rental car I can because it's going to be an adventure driving on the other side of the road.

Once you take the plunge, no problem in my experience. But, I tended to relapse to the right when totally unawares and so did the on-coming cars. focus focus focus. Then...after I got back, I had a few issues back home! Not to mention the turn signal position-orientation on the wheel, backing up, intersections and Right turns, exiting a freeway on the left, pulling off the road then zooming back naturally to the wrong side...etc.

Hah! I too have been standing at intersections with the windscreen wiper on, on a bright sunny day

Well we are here now and the driving is stressful, hope I can get used to it. Already cleaned the windshield while turning. Beautiful place though, looking forward to our time here.

Most excellent Brian Jenkins. I will be in Wanaka in two weeks and look forward to some late summer-time nz weather which has got to be better than here for sure.

Weather has been off and on here so far. But a lot warmer than Oregon in February. Now in Invercargill after a couple days in Dunedin (great place). Into the mountains tomorrow. My wife is driving more lately and so far, she hasn't gone the wrong way down any streets so we just might stick with this arrangement.

FYI, good wine in NZ!!!!

Queenstown now, beautiful mountains. Too bad I dropped the camera today and it is beyond help. Will spend some $ in town tomorrow because you definitely need a camera here.

Prices are nuts here though. 4 lithium batteries are $40! XD card at 1 Gb is $100. Ouch!

Doubtful Sound is not to be missed if here though. Amazing place.

You gotta watch it in Queenstown. It's a tourist trap.

Lithium batteries should be about $22 for a pack of four. Try one of the supermarkets for that kind of stuff. The Alpine supermarket is at the top of the main street and there's another one out on the road towards Arthurs Point.

Same goes for Wanaka these days. There is a supermarket one block back from the lakefront.

Thanks for the advice, dadndave. We did look up supermarkets in the phone book just last night.