Thanks for the info bro.
Guess I cannot get out of having to buy a pair of boots aye.

I'm not sure about boots. Never occurred to me to hire'em. They hire ski boots, so I don't see why not. Presumably they sanitise them between customers!!

Hehe dosn't really matter. I'm getting some good coin back from my tax return so I'm going to go out and get a pair.

Booking flights tonight, hopefully.

I PM'd you, SOE.

So guys...when should I arrive in Queens Town and when should I leave?
As in, what dates are we roughly looking at to do this?

Looks like the window is between 15th and 30th january. We will need 4 days of good weather for Earnslaw. Perosnally I was thinking of spending a day or two at Kea Basin on the way down just to take in the view, listen to the waterfall and veg out.

Sweet. Well I plan to arrive in Queenstown on the 15th. Anyone got a place in Queenstown or nearby?
I was thinking of spending a night in Queenstown (depends on what time I land) and then head to glanorchy and stay there untill we start climbing. Sound good? I'd hate to get there way to early or way to late. Anyone wanna just setup camp somewhere and chill out for a few days?

Also...I really don't want to bring tooooo much gear with me (weight issues with flying etc). Am I going to need to bring a rope?

If you have camping gear, there's a DOC campsite right on the Lake about 6km from Queenstown along the Glenorchy Road (ie head west from town - follow the lake front). No showers though, you gotta dunk in the lake or wash in the stream and it's effin cold. There's also a campground on the right as you come into Glenorchy with hot showers and stuff. Not too far from the pub either.

I have a rope. I think Dan might have a lighter one though. I'll see what he reckons.

Note that Mt Rolleston is a choss pile. I soloed the route Central Direct on the Otira Face with Nick Herrald, which was entertaining and something to do when the weather was unsettled. We descended Rome Ridge, which was one of the scariest things I've ever done. It is unbelievably loose. I think Mt Rolleston is better left for times when it's covered in snow. In those conditions, Rome Ridge would be spectacular.

Son of a gun. I got denied leave from work for more than a week at a time until early February. May get to Wanaka in February and do day hikes out of Aspiring Hut...Liverpool Hut, French Ridge and maybe finally go up the Rob Roy side trail....major veg time too. And maybe guided peak of Mt. Barth....consider that a scout trip for future un-guided ascent.

Bugger, looks like ktnbs is out.

SOE digital, supermarmot?

Last I heard from Dan Baker, he and Rod are definite starters. I´ll be flying in to Christchurch on 13th, and plan to be in Glenorchy by 15th. Dave got a research grant for some work during the summer so he can´t make it, which is a bummer since Earnslaw is unfinished business for he and I.

Hi all,

Well nz trip is looming, only a couple of weeks out. Just thought I'd post an update of our plans (My Dad, My Uncle and Myself). Unfortaunelty we are not going to have enough time to get down to Queenstown / Glenorchy and back up to Christurch afterwards to make our return flights to Aus. Our plan is to meet in Mt Cook on the 13th after I get back from the TMC, then hit the sealy range until the 16th to get some alpine experience for Dad and my Uncle (they only have rock climbing exp). After writing up a couple of trip itineries, we will be mega pushed to make it down to the Earnslaw and Aspiring region and back to CCH again for our flights (without factoring in much for bad weather days).

So our plan is to hang around Mt Cook after hitting the Sealy range and fly up to Tasman Saddle Hut / Kelman hut area for some more climbing (lots of peaks of all grades up there). This way we get much more climbing time in (instead of travel) and it allows us to factor in bad weather. I am just concerend that if we run such a pushed itenery to get down south and get bad weather, we have no climbing time...... and since Dad and My Uncle are only there for 2 weeks, I'd like for them to get as much time in the alps as possible.

That said, I'm not sure how everyone else's plans are coming along, so anyone is more than welcome to join us in that area.

Cheers,
Dan

Ah, Dan, there you are.

How about we meet up at the White Horse Hill campround at Mt Cook NP? I should be able to get there on the evening of 13th or during the day on 14th if we get held up getting out of CHCH for some reason. You would know where it is I suppose but if you don´t already just ask at the Village. I usually try to get a spot at the western end ´cos the grass is nice and soft over there. No idea what colour car it will be. It´s a Mitsubishi according to the hire car mob. Tent will be a dome 5 man with a silver fly. A bit of fun on the Sealy range sounds good to me. Dunno where SOE Digital has got to, so I´ll try emailing him. If I can´t find him, it looks like I´l have to postpone Earnslaw til next year when Dave is free. Doesn´t worry me too much actually because I´d like to finish it off with him.

Hi DadnDave,
Yep, I know where the camp ground is I'll be staying at the YHA on the night of the 12th rather than camping (want to have a shower after 2 weeks in the mountains lol). I am meeting with my Dad and Uncle on the 12th then on the 13th we are making our way to muller hut, weather permitting. So we will pop by the camp ground before we go up to see if you are there. If you aren't, perhaps we can meet up at the hut? - it's a pretty straight forward walk up there and there are normally a few people on the trail.

Our rough plan is to walk up ollivier and kitchener on the 13th, mt Annette on the 14th and Sealy on the 15th and then back to cook village on the 15th (all subject to weather of course).

Looks like I will be a day behind you. I wont get there until the evening of 13th so I will head up the hill to Mueller Hut to see if I can find you on 14th. I will give you a buzz. I think I have your mobile number somewhere.