Arthur's Pass - Mountaineering

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Weather Outlook

Friday 18 May 1 / 9ºC	Saturday 19 May 2 / 9ºC	Sunday 20 May 1 / 9ºC	Monday 21 May 0 / 10ºC	Tuesday 22 May 3 / 10ºC	Wednesday 23 May 3 / 10ºC	Thursday 24 May 8 / 9ºC	Friday 25 May 4 / 10ºC	Saturday 26 May 4 / 10ºC	Sunday 27 May 4 / 10ºC
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Forecast Links Arthur's Pass Forecast (2 day)
Arthur's Pass Forecast (10 day)
Canterbury High Country (5 day)
SEVERE WEATHER ALERTS
Severe Weather Outlook
Weather Underground (APNP)
NZ METVUW SI CHARTS

Moonrise 5:49hrs
Moonset 16:02hrs
Sunrise 7:42hrs
Sunset 17:16hrs
(All times NZST)

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News

Lower Otehake swing-bridge has been removed permanently by DOC!
Barker Hut radio is working again (repaired by CMC work party).
DOC has removed Locke Stream hut (Taramakau River) radio permanently.
Carrington & Edwards hut radios have failed.
CMC have installed new toilet at Waimak Falls hut.
The "bad boys" are back - Vehicle breakins are common place at car parks / Park entry points outside of Arthur's Pass Village , leave no valuables in vehicle or park vehicle securely elsewhere; notify Police of any suspicious activity (take registrations)!
NIWA have installed an automatic weather / avalanche station in the Mt Philistine area.
The Otehake Valley has severe damage (very slow going).
POO POTS are great but they cannot be disposed of in the Arthur's Pass sewerage systems; also DO NOT put them in our waste bins; YOU CAN put them in long drop toilets at one of the campsites.

General Conditions & Avalanche Risk

Thursday 17/05/2012: Very frosty start; rain (snow 1300m) developing tonight. Snow (15-40cm) about the tops with potentially much greater depths in the Craigieburn and backbone of the Main Range, with an apparent base developing early this season. Some small point release activity could be expected to develop today as temperatures rise with surface stability poor. Some rockfall activity is still current about the crumbling ridgelines, or the consequences thereof (earthquake damage). Have just updated 30 mountain condition images (see bottom of this page).

Climbing conditions are marginal with unbonded new snow on most routes. Poor snow-bridging now exists on glacial routes - rope up!

The paper based intention system at Arthur's Pass Visitor Centre has been removed. Warning: The AdventureSmart intentions terminal at DOC does not allow completion of the intention process and is not available 24/7! (on Stewart Island you'll need to go to the pub to do intentions - I'm not so sure there's a heap of good local safety advice available there - great seafood chowder however :)

The petition, although officially closed, remains active so your opinions & support can continue to be expressed ( 557 signatures so far ) - Click Here. For the latest information & commentary Click Here.

Travel Advice: Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow & terrain carefully; identify features of concern.
Avalanche Activity: Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

More avalanche assessment detail - Click Here or visit www.avalanche.net.nz

Park Shot

6/05/2012: Bill's Basin tarns (Temple Basin) - APNP
(photo provided by Graeme Kates with thanks)
Click Image to open larger original in a Javascript window.
Click Here if it won't open!

If you'd like to submit a (non-commercial) recent outdoor activity image for the "Park Shot" (Arthur's Pass, Craigieburn or Torlesse accepted - 800 pixels wide minimum) please email
Click Here for a summary of Copyright Issues.

Getting High

06/05/2012: Caden Buskist on the summit of Mt Oates High Peak (2054m) - APNP
(photo provided by Paul Corwin with thanks)
Click Image to open larger original in a Javascript window.
Click Here if it won't open!

If you'd like to submit a (non-commercial) recent mountaineering image for the "Getting High" photograph (images must contain climbers/huts etc, and can be mountaineering/climbing from anywhere in the world - 800 pixels wide minimum) please email Click Here for a summary of Copyright Issues.

Local Weather Station Data

LATEST DAILY READINGS
Update: 18/5/12 2:00hrs NZST
Sunrise: 7:42hrs
Sunset: 17:16hrs
Temperature: 7.3ºC
Wind Chill: 5.0ºC
Humidity: 46%
Barometer: 1000.1mb (Falling)
Wind Speed: 12.9km/h
Wind Direction: NW
Wind Gust: 74.0km/h (0:43hrs)
Cloud Base: 2080m ASL
Freezing Level: 2153m
Rainfall: 0mm

THIS STORM CYCLE (1hr)
Rainfall: 0.76mm
High Rain Rate: 0.3mm/hr @ 0:00hrs 18/05/2012
Temp Low: 7.8ºC
Temp High: 7.8ºC
Wind Gust: 74.0kmph @ 0:43hrs 18/05/2012
Dom.Wind Dir: North
Barometer Low: 999.8mb
SNOW MODEL
Mt Rolleston (Goldney Ridge) 1800m
Alt. Temp: 0.8ºC
Alt. Windspeed: 0.0kmph
Alt. Wind Chill: N/A
Last Snowfall: 1 days ago
Snowpack Depth: 19.1cm
7 Day Snowfall: 18.4cm
Windslab S: 1.8cm
Windslab E: 2.1cm
Surface Stability: Very Poor
Avalanche Chance: 26%
Click Here for further snowfall data.

Click Here to view full weather station details.

Most Recent Condition Photos (x32)

Click on the following thumbnails to open the bigger picture in a viewing window (this requires JavaScript to be activited in your browser). If the image does not open, click on the image number to open it in a new window. Click Here to open the "Most Recent Photo Update" page where the last 42 updated images can be found.

1. Avalanche Peak (1833m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	2. Blimit (1921m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	3. Mt Aicken (1858m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	4. Mt Armstrong (2110m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012
5. Mt Bealey (1836m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	6. Mt Cassidy (1850m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	7. Mt Davie (2280m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	8. Mt Franklin (2145m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012
9. Mt Oates (2041m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	10. Mt Pfeifer (1704m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	11. Mt Philistine (1967m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	12. Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Goldney Ridge © SoftRock 06/05/2012
13. Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Rome Ridge © SoftRock 06/05/2012	14. Mt Russell (1868m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	15. Mt Scott (2009m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	16. Mt Tarapuhi (1605m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012
17. Mt Temple (1913m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	18. Mt Wilson (2035m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	19. Phipps Peak (1965m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012	20. The Dome (1938m) © SoftRock 06/05/2012
21. Carrington Peak (2010m) © Gerald Bruce-Smith 04/05/2012	22. Mt Alexander (1958m) © SoftRock 04/05/2012	23. Mt Barron (1730m) © SoftRock 04/05/2012	24. Mt Howe (1660m) © SoftRock 04/05/2012
25. Mt Murchison (2408m) © Gerald Bruce-Smith 04/05/2012	26. Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Bealey Face © SoftRock 04/05/2012	27. Mt Guinevere (2042m) © Graeme Kates 01/05/2012	28. Mt Harper (2222m) © Graeme Kates 01/05/2012
29. Mt Speight (2116m) © Graeme Kates 01/05/2012	30. Mt Stewart (1934m) © Graeme Kates 01/05/2012	31. Mt Rolleston (2275m) - High Peak Access © Julia Valigore 31/03/2012	32. Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Otira Face © Matt Sheat 11/02/2012

General Information

Waimak Flood Route: DoC has reinstated (and rerouted) the Waimakariri flood route from Anti-Crow River to Greenlaw Creek which was severely damaged in the 1994 earthquake. It still has some issues that may cause the waimak to cut it off!
Huts:The New Hawdon Hut is located upstream of Discovery Creek confluence below Walker Pass incline. Sudden Valley, Pfeifer, Poulter & East Hawdon Bivouacs have also been replaced. Hallejulah, Thompson, Waterfall and Top Cox Bivouacs have been permanently removed. Upper Cox Hut has been removed. Mingha Biv is to remain, it will be maintained by the Coast to Coast Race.
AP Club Huts: Please note that NO ONE in Arthur's Pass Village has the door codes or keys to the NZAC, CMC or WCAC club huts, please get them before your arrival!

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