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LIABILITY WAIVER
This mountain conditions advisory is provided as a public service by Aspiring Guides Ltd. It is intended as an advisory only. Those endeavouring to travel into any of the areas mentioned do so at their own risk. Backcountry travellers should be well informed about current weather, snowpack and avalanche hazards and should not travel alone. All members of your party should wear a transceiver (457khz) and know how to use it. In addition everyone should carry a shovel, and a probe. Travellers should advise someone where they are travelling, and when they will next make contact. |
Topic: Aspiring 26 Jan 2012
Comment: Good access up Iso to gain full NW Ridge. Access via the Kangaroo requires negotiating a rock step. Upper NW Ridge is largely dry and firm conditions on ice cap.
Entered by: Tim
Aspiring Region 5 Jan 2012
Comment: Good access up Iso to gain full NW Ridge. Access via the Kangaroorequires negotiating a rock step. Upper NW Ridge is largely dry and firmconditions on ice cap.
Entered by: Simon Howells
Aspiring Conditions 14/1/12
Comment: Ramp cut off at bottom. SW ridge looks to have little or no ice in coulour. Quarterdeck crevasse bridges starting to deteriorate and true left line necessary. Cher
Entered by: PJ
Aspiring Region 5 Jan 2012
Comment: Access to Colin Todd Hut easy on snow slope to East of hut. Access onto Rolling Pin and NW ridge Aspiring (Kangaroo) remain straightforward. Lower NW ridge now clear of snow. Upper NW ridge mixture of rock and good snow/ice. Travel to French Ridge hut straightforward with the upper Q/deck in very good condition for this time of year - line possible down the middle on the FRH side. Note. the twin bolt anchor on the main buttress (near rappel slings) has been hammered in, in the past week and is now useless !!
Entered by: Simon Howells
NW Ridge Aspiring- Quarterdeck - 21 Dec 2011
Comment: NW in great nick- snow free- to summit cap. Kangaroo still in- just. Summit has steps which have refrozen- good short roping.
Bonar glacier to Mt French good. Mt French still easy to access. Quarterdeck also still easy travel.
Entered by: Felix
Aspiring Area 11-18 Dec 2011
Comment: After rain period and cold again, very good conditions!
Shipowner + NW Aspiring ridge all good, dry (no crampons till ramp summit, than short roping to the summit in good snow).
Kangaroo still OK.
Ramp OK but first pitch mix climbing.
SW Aspiring ridge OK.
Mt French + Quaterdeck OK.
Mt Bevan OK.
Rolling pin (Skyline T.) OK
Walk out Bevan: snow all the way down till middle of the galley (1st waterfall), than 1-2 tricky spots on slabs, than snow again to the waterfall.
Entered by: Xavier Fournier
Topic: Aspiring Conditions 9/12/11
Comment: NW ridge from Kangaroo Patch almost snow free to Flat part before Ramp. Bottom of Ramp thinning out but still good for climbing. Glaciers and Quarterdeck well filled in still, Breakaway looking good. Snow to French Ridge Hut but none below.
Entered by: Thomas Schattovits
Topic: Aspiring Conditions 9/12/11
Comment: The ramp is in good shape with only a small schrund at the bottom. The summit cap is covered in sastrugi making for good cramponing and short-roping.
Bevan Col gut still mostly filled with snow making for fast egress although a rappel is necessary near the bottom at the usual anchors.
SW coulour looks sweet.
Entered by: PJ
Topic: 2 Dec 2011 Bevan Col - Descent from Bonar Glacier
Comment: Bevan Col Route very fat with snow all the way down to valley waterfall. You can stay on snow all the way down the lower gut with one abseil where shrund opening up at usual abseil spot. Bolt anchor still buried under the snow but easy to use bollard. Beware as the snow melts out there will be dangerous holes and thin bridges developing. Be especially careful in warm weather or bad visibility.
Entered by: Whitney Thurlow
Topic: Aspiring- The Ramp 29 Nov 2011
Ramp in good order after a solid freeze. Good conditions on summit. As is Rolling Pin. Another party attempting to ascend the Therma to the NW was stopped by last pitch of rock.
Entered by: Felix Landman
Topic: Aspiring 18 Nov 2011
Comment: SW Ridge is scoured and icy most of the way. The couloir still has great water ice. Access to the bottom of the Ramp and SW Ridge from Colin Todd hut is straightforward. Quarterdeck and Breakaway are well filled in with snow to French Ridge Hut.
Entered by: Tim
Topic: Aspiring- Ramp : 9 Nov 2011
Comment: Bevan col to Colin Todd in good nick, although best avoided in arvo as very sloppy.
Access onto Ramp fine at the moment, getting thin though.
Ramp in good condition.
Upper slopes firm and featured.
Entered by: Felix Landman
Topic: French Ridge Hut/Quarterdeck : 7 Nov 2011
Comment: Lots of residual snow from the previous 3 days' snowfall. Melting fast, but on the Bonar Glacier deep, wet conditions will remain until it freezes. Snow shoes will make the trip to Colin Todd Hut a lot easier!
Quarterdeck in great condition, all filled in, no threatening ice cliffs and nowhere too steep.
Lots of snow on the mountains, take care on ascents.
Entered by: Thomas S
Topic: Liverpool Bivvy : 24 Oct 2011
Comment: Presently there is a large snowpatch on the nastiest section of trail above bushline (just up from where you first see the hut). Ice-axes (minimum) and experience required to get to Liverpool hut at present.
Entered by : Jo Haines
Topic: NW Ridge Aspiring : 10 Oct 2011
Comment: Bonar well filled in - access to hut easy. Access onto the ramp ok, schrund well filled in, although rock step at bottom of ramp exposed. Firm rimed surface, 100% snow from top of ramp to Summit. Access down from Bevan Col snow to waterfall at the head of the Matukituki. Significant glide cracks, and old debris from last warm cycle present in gully underneath Hector Col.
Entered by: Matt Chessor
Topic: Aspiring May 18 - 22
Comment: New snow down to 1500m. Shin deep on the Bonar.
Full winter conditions up there. All the bergshrunds are full and normal access to Colin Todd hut is usable again.
Buttress route has too much snow to be practical, but the ramp is now on again as for early season conditions.
Snow shoes would be helpful at present, or you could just stay in the cafe.
Entered by: Phil
Topic: Aspiring April 7-11
Comment: Colin Todd hut finished but Bivied at "Japanese" ledges. Snow covered rock to summit but pleasant enough climbing. Snow probably there to stay now.
Bevan Col is FUBAR (look it up). The right hand route down from toe of snow arret (1700m) is now cut off since snow has melted out leaving behind short impassable waterfall. Need to descend left hand route to get down to the traverse right to Hector Col. Never seen gully below Hector col without any snow so now there is steep nasty gut even before you get to the steep nasty stuff. Steep nasty stuff even steeper and nastier than ever, getting to rap anchor may become impossible in future? Definitely stay away from if raining.
Entered by: Whitney Buhl
Topic: Aspiring NW ridge 20th March
Comment: Some patches of snow to 2200m. Crampons from top of the ramp to the summit on firm snow. Bomber ice screws on ice cap.
Access to Therma via very top of Shipowner rap sling. Other parties unsuccessful in negotiating Iso glacier.
Good work being carried out on the hut. It looks a little happier with a lick of paint and a new weather proof outer. 2 litres of fuel in storage.
Messrs. Penney & Lang
Topic: Aspiring 11/3/2011
Comment: Very dry conditions throughout Bonar area. Quarterdeck is passable hard true left but is very sporting, expect abseils and pitches. Bevan Col route is on rock all the way from the col.
Entered by: Tim
Topic: Aspiring 11/3/2011
Comment: Recent snow melting rapidly off lower ridge but crampons required above top of ramp to summit. Tricky access on and off Shipowner with large crevasses open all over the Iso glacier. Access down Bevan Col straightforward as it is possible to remain on rock the entire way down.
Entered by: Simon Howells
Topic : Aspiring 8 Mar 2011
aspiring hutless, full nw
Comment: Dry glacier
New snow on ridge.
Route went ok depite new snow, although sacrificial crampons are recommended.
Toilet at the hut useable + water tank.
Arigato gozai maz
Entered by: stefan
Topic: Aspiring 6/2/2011
Comment: Recent heavy rain has created hard conditions on the Iso glacier and on the summit ice cap of Aspiring (take a few ice screws). Otherwise, the full NW ridge is free of snow and travel is straight forward. Access to Colin Todd hut is by way of the low route (West of the hut) which is currently in good condition.
Entered by: Simon Howells
Topic: Quarterdeck - 2 Feb 2011
Comment: The Quarterdeck is still passable. Lower schrund can be passed by a snowbridge near middle, upper schrund close to the rock on the Gloomy gorge side.
Entered by: Felix Landman
Topic: Aspiring 31 Jan 2011
Comment: This is by far the dryest I have seen Aspiring for this time of year. Access to Colin Todd from BC is completely hard ice. Don't approach the hut via the standard slope, gain ship owner ridge just down glacier from the the big rock butresses below the hut (hint for bad visibility). The ice is flatter and smoother if you walk across the bonar towards the toe of ship owner ridge rather than straight at the hut.
If you stay on rock as long as you can, you can get within 20m of summit with one pitch on ice cap. One T stake should be all you need.
Entered by: das Bergfurer Thurlow
Topic: NW Ridge Aspiring - 25 Jan 2011
Comment: Ice cap in great condition for short roping. Rock slabs were quite dry below ice cap.
Entered by: Lydia Bradey
Aspiring - 23 Jan 2011
Comment: Access through the Breakaway is still possible, and poses a fun/frustrating routefinding puzzle/challenge. The ice cliffs above seem to have offloaded much of their weight and the avo debris makes for good travel.
Beware the rock slabs when the freezing level is low as the seepage and streamways will freeze and coat the rock in verglas.
There is a 40m steep snow climb out of the schrund to gain the Bonar proper.
If you are new to the area, try the Quarterdeck first. It is breaking up, but a party descended successfully on 23 Jan.
Entered by: Gavin Lang
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