Mt Brewster, NZ

by **RoyJamieson** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 7:13 am

Hi there
Anyone been up to Brewster Hut, Mt Armstrong and Mt Brewster on late May/early June?
I've been wanting to do this area with snow and ice underfoot for years, finally I get my shot in 2013.
I have a 7 day window, so plenty of time.
I'll be going solo with a PLB (yes, experienced in alpine conditions)but always keen to hear other experiences.

by **Damien Gildea** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 9:45 am

I was up there in October 2009. There was only patchy snow around the hut, but Mt Armstrong was all snow and ice. The slopes up to Armstrong were firm cramponing, not steep, but don't slip. There were avalanches across the track leading to Brewster, along the bluffs, which is why we turned back and went up Armstrong.

Early June is always a gamble, sometimes it snows early, sometimes it's bare. Not sure what those bluffs would be like with fresh snow, ditto the summit ridge.

I drove past Brewster about two weeks ago and there was still quite a bit of snow up there, it's been a snowy spring.

The following user would like to thank Damien Gildea for this post
RoyJamieson

by **RoyJamieson** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 9:52 am

Thanks Damien.
I've had this on my agenda for so long, but have been occupied with other stuff in South America.
Flights are booked, bus booked, just have to get off at Fantail, cross the Haast and get on with it.

by **Damien Gildea** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:05 am

At least May-June should be better for crossing the river. I waded across with my legs in heavy duty plastic garbage bags, which were only just high enough. My girlfriend got wet boots.

It's a really nice walk up to the hut actually, rainforest down low and an alpine ridge walk up high. Good track, easy to follow. Brewster Hut is still pretty new (very new in 09) and is one of the nicest mountain huts around.

The following user would like to thank Damien Gildea for this post
radson

by **dadndave** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 8:12 pm

Brewster is a choss pile in warmer conditions but should be a better bet in winter. LIkewise Armstrong. I climbed it in drought conditions and I found Brewster much too risky solo. Did Armstrong instead. It was like trying to walk up a pile of broken dinner plates.

Echoing Damien's comments: Be careful when sidling left to ascend Armstrong or traversing to Brewster. If that's a snow slope it would be quite a long downhill ride if you slip. However, Armstrong can be ascended further right which was the way I came down. If the conditions are right you could crampon more or less straight up the series of steep slopes behind the hut and then make your way up through a series of little rock outcrops.

by **Damien Gildea** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:37 pm

I think for Armstrong we went pretty much straight up behind the hut, maybe a little to the climber's right, on the southern side, with an easy ridge traverse back north to the summit. It was very easy, just steep walking, but the surface was very firm and you had to be careful cramponing.

Mt Brewster, NZ

Mt Brewster, NZ

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