MUMC Alpine Camp - Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park

After a 10 year hiatus, we're bringing it back: The MUMC Alpine Camp!

Requirements: To be eligible to attend members must have completed a professionally provided alpine climbing course in glaciated, high mountain terrain or have similar mountaineering experience. Ideally participants should have an intended climbing partner.

To promote climbing and encourage MUMC members to climb together, forging partnerships for future endeavours, and most importantly to support members with some experience to develop their climbing by undertaking a second (or third) season in the mountains, MUMC is supporting an alpine camp at Kelman Hut on the Tasman Glacier.

Interested participants should register by getting in touch with the Mountaineering Officer, Daire, who will be acting as trip coordinator ()

 Ideally participants should have an intended climbing partner. Where this is not already established, the trip leader will liaise with participants in advance to try to facilitate this. Where no suitable arrangement can be established, members will not be able to participate on the club trip.

This is an advanced trip for independent mountaineers. It is not a guided climbing trip or an instruction course. To be eligible to attend members must have completed a professionally provided alpine climbing course in glaciated, high mountain terrain or have similar mountaineering experience.

The exact area and dates of the trip depends on how many sign-ups we get. The front-runners right now are Kelman Hut, Tasman Saddle Hut, Centennial Hut, Pioneer Hut.

Registered participants will meet at NZAC Unwin Lodge in Aoraki Mt Cook Village on the agreed start date to arrange helicopter flights up to the agreed hut in the next available weather window. Ideally we can spend two weeks up in the alpine to ensure that there is suitable weather for a good long trip in the hills. In the event of bad weather at the beginning or end of the trip the camp will organise themselves to hang out around MCV or head elsewhere to climb or tramp. Accommodation in Unwin Lodge NZ$25/NZAC member/night and all alpine huts are NZ$20/NZAC member/night. Participants will need to provide their own food, stoves, fuel and climbing equipment, although the trip coordinator will attempt to liaise with all participants to make this as efficient as possible. All equipment except boots is available for hire from MUMC. Participants on the club trip will have priority access to club equipment.

Kelman Hut is a 24(+) bunk DoC Hut located at 2460m on the ridge overlooking Tasman Saddle and the Murchison Headwall. Kelman is a particularly good venue for climbers making their second or third trip in the high mountains. The many nearby peaks include a number of short grade 1 and 2 routes, including the classic South Face of Aylmer - Hochstetter Dome traverse, and some alpine rock cragging. The bigger classics of the area are ascents of Mt Annan(2934m), Mt Green(2837m), Mt Walter(2905m) and Elie de Beaumont(3109m). It is also easy to access routes on The Minarets(3040m) and Malte Brun(3198m).

The hut is usually reached by helicopter or ski plane. The cost of the flight varies depending on aircraft and loadings but is usually NZ$400-500pp. Multiple options exist for exit by air from the upper or lower landing sites or by walking out down the Tasman Glacier to the village (1-2 days) via the old Ball Shelter.

Due to the specific requirements, online sign up are closed. If interested please get in touch with Daire: