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| Ball Pass   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: New Zealand, Oceana Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
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| Page By: Dan Baker Created/Edited: Apr 18, 2006 / Apr 18, 2006 Object ID: 188974 Hits: 692 Loading... Page Score: 86.16% - 2 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
OverviewBall Pass is an alpine crossing in NZ which crosses the Mt Cook range between the Tasman glacier/valley and the Hooker glacier/valley. It is a demanding 2-day crossing which offers fantastic views of Mt Cook's majestic (and active) Caroline face, Mt Tasman's Silberhorn ridge, the upper Tasman glacier and more!
A reasonable level of fitness and tramping experience is necessary for crossing Ball Pass, as well as good route-finding abilities as the crossing is an unmarked route. Crampons and ice axe are necessary. A tent or bivy bag will be needed since Caroline hut is privately owned by Alpine Recreation and is reserved only for their clients. There is an emergency shelter and radio attached to the hut though.
There are a number of smaller peaks which can be climbed from the Ball Pass area if you decide to camp for a couple of days / partake in a course with Alpine Recreation. These peaks include Peak 2222 (2222m), Mt Rosa (2161m), and Turner Peak (2338m). There are also some small but fun ice climbs on the terminal head of the Ball Glacier. Getting ThereBusses travel from most destinations to Mt Cook Village, the nearest major centre is Christchurch. In Mt cook Village, you can stay at the YHA hostel, NZ Alpine Club-owned Unwin hut (which is about 5km's out of town), White-horse hill camp ground, or if you are feeling particularly decident, the Hermatige hotel.
Once setting off on the crossing, there are two possible routes. The first from the Tasman side over the pass and back down the hooker side. The second is the reverse, from the Hooker side to the Tasman side. If you take th Tasman to Hooker route (as I did) you will be walking down the Ball pass loking out into the Hooker valley which is a spectacular view. you can see right out over to the Copland pass on the opposite side of the valley, and down to the Annette plateau and it's peaks.
Please see the routes for a more detailed description of the crossing.
Red TapeAs with most places in NZ, there is minimal red tape. All that is required is that you notify the Department of Conservation (DOC) of your intentions and sign out upon your return. The only other bit of red tape for this route is as mentioned above, Caroline hut is locked and only reserved for Alpine Recreation clients - but the emergency shelter with radio is unlocked but reserved for emergencies only.
CampingCamping is permitted on the crossing and there are some nice spots on the glacier/snow feild just above Ball Pass. the Playin feilds also offers a good area for camping if you wish to break the crossing up into three days. Please check with the local DOC for fees. External LinksAdd External Links text here. Images
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