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: Aoraki/Mt Cook 29/12

Comment: Suzanne climbed today (Saturday) - we rang her for conditions ...

Very good conditions - the Linda's bridges are good and straight forward, a detour behind a serac is obvious. Teikelmans corner had 70cm. The Shelf was firm 20cm down with 5cm higher up on the climb. The gully is good and summit rocks very good... better than before! Ice cap has sastruggi - also a bit icy.

Entered by: Suzanne H

Comment: The Linda Glacier is currently straightforward with only a few
crevasses. There is an inital deviation towards Silberhorn-Graham, but
otherwise very central.

The route at the head of the Linda Gl requires going up avo debris to cross
a large crevasse that gives access to the Linda Shelf. This may give
problems unless new debris continues to fill the crevasse.

The Summit Rocks are very dry.

The Ice-cap is partially-settled snow on top of ice. Ice-screws are useful!

Zurbriggens looks almost cut off except for a sneaky RH start. Beware the seracs further left.

Summit ridge is reportedly very icy.

Entered by: Marty Beare

Click here for photos

Topic: Linda Gl 15 Feb 07

Comment: Linda Glacier route as viewed from the summit of Mt Tasman is cut off just above Teichelmanns Cnr by a crevasse that appears only to be crossable by the foolhardy willing to traverse up through the active rock fall zone beneath Vancouver/Malaspina.

Entered by: Marty B

Topic: Plateau

Comment: Wet, settled snow pack giving firm snow surface conditions after a freeze.

The Graham icecliffs in the Linda Gl were in an active phase during our visit, firing debris across the normal route of travel. We turned back because of this before determining if the route through the crevasses to Teichelmann's Cnr was negotiable. From a distance the Vancouver icecliffs also looked to be big and mean.

The bergschrund under Dixon (voie normale) looked large and uncrossable.

Entered by: Marty B

Comment: western morraine wall has knotted rope in place for the steep bit onto terrace, cairns on route to shelter, no snow below shelter

snow conditions 9/01/07 were boot top penetation to older snow which formed good steps, i when over fitzgerald pass to use easy descent on western side.

Entered by: milo

Topic: Plateau, Mt Dixon 5/1/07

Comment: The snow from the 21/12 storm has produced mixed climbing conditions, breakable crust now overlies dry winter type snow in many areas. Hard ice is present where windstripped at higher elevations overwise it is buried under the storm snow.

Access onto Mt Dixons', East Ridge is either under the active icecliff or along the ful East Ridge. Access onto the SE ridge looks difficult.

Entered by: T Robertson

Topic: Plateau, Mt Cook

23 Dec 06
Access up Linda still great. Cold snow and stability issues on Dec 23 should have settled by now and conditions on upper mountain should be a lot more consolidated. Try not to leave rubbish in hut.

Entered by: Pete James

Comment: 1. 18 / 12 / 06

Sliding hazard due to firm conditions. Firm conditions until midday, soft snow conditions in afternoon coming down Linda Very Good. Easy access up Linda Glacier, several routes through icefall (out true left, and up centre). Rock ridges snowed up Cessnas only for pick up. Porters for drop offs. 8 people in Plateau Hut as of 19 / 12 

Entered by: Johnny Davison & Murray Ball

Comment: 6 Dec 06

- Overall climbing conditions are great. Access looked straightforward to most climbs, and all routes looked to be largely snow-ice to summit. Major hazard = sliding hazard due to firm conditions.

- Wet snow surface conditions, excellent freeze a.m. 6th Dec. Boot-top penetration in p.m. Following step-lines is ok, but snow-shoes were useful on flat slopes.

- At time of writing snow stability was good on all aspects and elevations, with loose snow avalanches possible on steeper sun-exposed slopes. Crown walls evident on Dixon En slopes from avalanche cycle following last storm late Nov.

- Tracks are established up Linda, to Dixon E Face, and to Cinerama Col (although currently not to Boyes Gl).

- Linda route-finding is straightforward; minimal crevasses. Linda Shelf is reportedly firm. Summit Rocks are firm and mostly snow/ice. Fixed anchors are exposed.

- E F Dixon is firm. Nick Cradock pitched the majority of the upper Face, similar to Simon on previous ascent. Rock fall present in approach couloir on descent.

- Fixed wing access is restricted to Pilatus Porter (i.e., max 6 pax). No Cessnas (but why??). Helicopters ok as usual. Walk-out via Cinerama Col looked straightforward. Note that significant avalanche debris (slab/point release) is evident on lower Boyes Glacier.

- Plateau Hut all good. Gas stoves working. Aspiring Guides hut locker is very full -  all basic supplies present.

Entered by: Marty Beare

Mt Cook - Plateau 23.11.06

Comment: New snow in the Plateau area has settled out rapidly and climbing conditions are now very good. Access onto the E.ridge of Dixon is straight forward and the route was in excellent condition. Lower Linda appeared to be well filled in and an another group reported good conditions on the upper part of Cook (ice screws across the Shelf and above).Cinerama Col route also in good condition.

Entered by: Simon Howells

Overall conditions within the Mt Cook region are excellent. Numerous well formed alpine ice lines exist on shaded aspects above 2000m. The South faces of Mt Hicks, Douglas Peak and the Balfour face of Mt Tasman are in great shape for the more technically minded and promise to remain so or get even better over the next month or two.

Aoraki/Mt Cook -access is also excellent up the Hooker valley to Empress hut. Access onto the mountain via Earls Gap is good and the Upper Empress Shelf is still almost totally joined up with little need to negotiate cravasses and bergschrunds. For the next couple of days and until after the next warm event there exists some pockets of windslab on the upper mountain below Porter Col. The Hooker face is in excellent condition.

The Linda Glacier route is reported to be in good condition, -especially since a top-up of snow last weekend (2m). Windslab on the upper parts of the route should settle out faster than the slopes below Porter Col due to greater warming from the sun.

Overall -weather permitting, conditions are about as good as they get at the moment and promise to stay so for the next 4-8 weeks.

Backcountry avalanche hazard for Mt Cook region:

Thu 02 Nov 06 1050:

Fine weather prevails but temperatures have been cool at night. While the first fine day saw numerous new loose snow and surface slabs on solar aspects, there has not been as much activity as anticipated. This could be because the new snow is settling out, or because it has stayed cool. The forecast is fine weather to continue and so gradually the new snow should stabilise – faster on E aspects than in the shade and in sheltered areas. Taking the conservative view, there could be further loose snow and shallow surface slab avalanches on steep solar aspects. These and any other heavy triggers could also cause slab avalanches at deeper levels on slopes lee to the W Travellers should avoid steep terrain, slopes lee to the W and use caution. Even small loose snow avalanches can carry the unwary into terrain traps or over cliffs. The danger is Moderate.