New Zealand Alpine Trekking

2 participants per guide.
Individual bookings welcome. If you end up being the only person on a trip you will have the option of changing to another date or a full refund, or paying the 1:1 price, NZ$2100.

Bookings received before the 30 April 2012 will qualify for the 2011-12 season prices.

NZ$ exchange rate.

Please note that on public holidays there will be a surcharge of NZ$80 per person per day.
New Zealand public holidays 2011-12: Labour Day 24/10, Christmas Day 25/12, Boxing Day 26/12, New Year 1/1 & 2/1, Waitangi Day 6/2, Good Friday 6/4, Easter Monday 9/4, Anzac Day 25/4.
New Zealand public holidays 2012-13: Labour Day 22/10, Christmas Day 25/12, Boxing Day 26/12, New Year 1/1 & 2/1, Waitangi Day 6/2, Good Friday 29/3, Easter Monday 1/4, Anzac Day 25/4.

Included: guide for 3½ days, food for 3 days, transport from Lake Tekapo to Mount Cook, all climbing equipment including crampons, ice axe, helmet and harness, National Parks concession fees, 15% GST.

Meals and accommodation before/after tour are NOT included.

Hut fees and bus transport at the end of the trip are NOT included.

» Douglas Rock and Welcome Flats Huts, in the Copland Valley, are public huts which can't be booked.

» The huts work on a first come first served basis.

» Hut fees are to be paid to Westland National Park.

» Climbers must carry their own sleeping bags, food, stove, fuel and cooking utensils to the huts.

» Participants need to be very fit in order to accomplish the crossing from Aoraki Mount Cook to Douglas Rock Hut in a single day (approx 11-12 hours).

» Previous mountaineering experience and good cramponing and ice axe skills are essential.

» We strongly recommend that participants do a guided Ball Pass crossing or Introductory Climbing Course with Alpine Recreation first in order to learn the necessary mountaineering skills and to allow guides to assess participants' suitability.

» DAY 1:
4 pm gear check at the Alpine Recreation office, 30 Murray Place, Lake Tekapo.

» DAY 2:
Early morning start, 4am. Drive to Aoraki Mount Cook.

Starting from Aoraki Mount Cook Village, 780m, you walk up the Hooker Valley to the Hooker Lake. Here you leave the formed track and you climb over easy terrain until a rock buttress needs to be negotiated. The guide will belay you up the 150m of exposed but technically easy rock until you reach snow slopes that lead to the north-eastern part of the Stewart Glacier.

You climb steep snow and ice slopes and around crevasses until you reach a shoulder where the view opens up to the south face of Aoraki Mount Cook.

A steep snow traverse leads to the final slope that takes you to FitzGerald Pass, 2109m. 7-8 hours from the road end.

From FitzGerald Pass it is a short and easy descent to the top section of the Copland Valley route. Here the guide will return to Mount Cook Village and you will continue on your own. From the point where the guide leaves you it takes about 4 hours to reach Douglas Rock Hut. This part of the track can be very tiring because old avalanche debris has made it very uneven, with many ups and downs. It always seems to take longer than anticipated. If there have been recent washouts of side streams, then this may also slow progress. This is part of real West Coast wilderness!

Douglas Rock Hut - Welcome Flats Hut takes 3 hours. Welcome Flats Hut to road end is 5 - 6 hours.

» DAYS 3 & 4:
Spare days in case of delayed start due to adverse weather.

» The route involves climbing a rock buttress and a steep and crevassed glacier. There is a 20m wide section of danger from ice avalanches.

FitzGerald Pass is a Main Divide crossing and traverses steep snow slopes. Hence, fine weather, safe snow conditions and good timing play a pivotal role for a successful journey.

FitzGerald Pass Map.

» WARNING TO UNGUIDED PARTIES:
Fitzgerald Pass via the Jubilee route is a high alpine climb. Only experienced mountaineers should attempt this route unguided. Good judgement to assess avalanche hazards and an exact knowledge of the route are essential.

The route is not marked on the ground and should not be attempted in reverse, i.e. descending after coming from the West Coast, unless climbers are absolutely familiar with finding the correct line. Missing the top of the buttress is a very serious proposition. Because of the climbing over steep terrain climbers' packs must not be too heavy.

← Jubilee Route to FitzGerald Pass, red.
Copland Pass route, white.

» Equipment:
Alpine Recreation provides all trekking and mountaineering equipment. A detailed equipment list will be sent at time of booking. Outdoor clothing, packs and boots can also be provided at no extra cost if necessary.

» Accommodation pre-/post- tour:
As the trip involves a pre-dawn start from Mount Cook Village, you need to book accommodation in Tekapo or Mount Cook Village the night before. Accommodation options in Tekapo.

» Insurance:
In case of accident New Zealand's Accident Compensation scheme (ACC) will cover the majority of costs (about 80%) involved with evacuation and injury treatment, even for visitors to New Zealand. However you still need ordinary travel insurance to cover such things as your cancellation if an injury prevents you taking part on the trip, or a close relative suddenly becomes ill; and medical insurance in case you become ill. More information re Accident Compensation. The New Zealand Alpine Club provides a good mountaineering specific travel insurance.