Arthur's Pass Mountaineering
 Sorry no menu .. JavaScript must be enabled to see normal menu - go to base of page to view link options
 
 
 
Haiti - Please HELP us!
Home
ASCENTS LOGBOOK (Click Here)
Webcams
North Webcam

West Webcam

ALL Webcams - Click Here
A.P. Webcam Archive - Click Here
News
  • The "bad boys" are back - Vehicle breakins have again become 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)!
  • Anne River Hut has burnt down on St James Walkway - carry tents!
  • The Rolleston River track & the Mt Barron route (East Face route) have been thankfully recut/remarked by Hokitika DOC.
  • NIWA have installed an automatic weather / avalanche station in the Mt Philistine area.
  • Damaged Routes/Tracks: Newton Saddle & Otehake Valley
  • Barker Hut radio has been repaired.
  • 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 a long drop toilet at one of the campsites.

  • General Conditions
    Tuesday 7/09/2010: The snowpack to about 1800m has now absorbed approx. 100mm of rainfall in this storm-cycle (wet snow falling above driven by strong NW winds). As expected there has been some wet snow avalanche activity about the ranges on many aspects; further light rain during the day; a possible temporary clearance tomorrow, then rain again for weekend.

    The Main Range is still experiencing the occassional after-shock jolt of varying intensities; this obviously puts a random factor into the stability of the snowpack and rock-strata! (Click Here to see latest seismic info)

    Although days getting longer, only 30 minutes of twilight left before "lights out" at 1830hrs.

    Gully system snowpack has been completely undermined by recent flood waters and has no structual strength.
    Avalanche Hazard
    Tuesday 7/09/2010: Considerable
    (Natural avalanches possible. Human triggered avalanches probable.)

    Current Activity: No reports today, but all a bit murky. Light rain continued to fall to higher altitudes so surface stability most likely remains quite poor.

    Previous Activity: Multiple Class 3 releases evident in upper Bealey Valley have run from about 1800m to valley floor following pre-established paths. Multiple Class 1 & 2 wet sluffs evident in upper Otira Valley from over Philistine Bluffs and further up valley from traverse (would expect much larger events tucked away off Otira Face)

    Snowpack: The snowpack to 1800m has now received about 100mm of rainfall, and has duely absorbed it to base (face and steep terrain snow has released any surface bonding). Poor internal bonds will lead to slope failures. We are still receiving the occassional earthquake aftershock that could assist movements through cornice collapse (though many cornices have degraded in rain & wind).

    Recommended to avoid all high level travel travel and terrain traps such as alpine valleys outside treeline.

    More avalanche assessment detail - Click Here
    Weather Outlook
    Wednesday 08/09/10
    Increasing clouds with little temperature change. Rain possible within 24 to 48 hrs.
    Forecast Links
    Arthur's Pass Forecast (2 day)
    Canterbury High Country (5 day)
    SEVERE WEATHER ALERTS
    WeatherCity Forecast (AP 7 Day)
    Weather Underground (Hokitika)
    NZ METVUW CHARTS

    mask

    Moonrise 6:40hrs
    Moonset 19:23hrs
    Sunrise 6:50hrs
    Sunset 18:18hrs
    (All times NZST)
    Park ShotGetting High

    15/08/2010: NZAC climbers traversing Rome Ridge, Mt Rolleston (2275m) - APNP
    (photo provided by Clayton Garbes with thanks)
    Click Image to open larger original in a Javascript window.
    Click Here if it won't open!

    1/09/2010: Climbing instruction party on Mt Temple (inset - busy day at 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 recent mountaineering image for the "Park Shot" or "Getting High" photographs please email ( ).
    Click Here for a summary of Copyright Issues.
    "Park Shot" images must be from Arthur's Pass, Craigieburn or Torlesse. "Getting High" images must contain climbers/huts etc, and can be mountaineering/climbing from anywhere in the world. Images are updated on Mondays. Minimum size=800 pixels wide please!
    Archived photos appear in Gallery Menu!
    Local Weather Station Data
    LATEST DAILY READINGS
    Update: 8/9/10 13:00hrs NZST
    Sunrise: 6:50hrs
    Sunset: 18:18hrs
    Temperature: 9.8ºC
    Wind Chill: 9.8ºC
    Humidity: 84%
    Barometer: 1022.5mb (Falling)
    Wind Speed: 3.2km/h
    Wind Direction: SE
    Wind Gust: 25.7km/h (8:40hrs)
    Cloud Base:  1055m ASL
    Freezing Level: 2538m
    Rainfall: 0.25mm
    Hourly High Rain Rate: 0mm/hr

    SNOW MODEL (1800m)
    Goldney Ridge (Mt Rolleston) 1800m
    Alt. Temp: 2.44ºC
    Alt. Wind Chill: N/AºC
    1800m Snowpack: 245.6cm
    Last Snowfall: 0 days ago
    Surface Stability: Very Poor
    Avo Chance: 100%
    Snow Melt:  -0.1cm
    Snowpack Weight: 792.12kg/sq.m
    Base Density: 520kg/cu.m
    Surface Density: 170kg/cu.m
    Alt. Windspeed: 3kmph
    1900m Windslab Calcs
    South aspect windslab = 33cm+
    East aspect windslab = 75cm+
    Click Here to view full weather station details.
    Most Recent Condition Photos (x12)
    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 01/09/2010
    2. 
    Blimit (1921m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    3. 
    Mt Barron (1730m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    4. 
    Mt Cassidy (1850m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    5. 
    Mt Philistine (1967m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    6. 
    Mt Rolleston - Bealey Face (2275m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    7. 
    Mt Rolleston - Goldney Ridge (2275m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    8. 
    Mt Rolleston - Rome Ridge (2275m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    9. 
    Mt Temple (1913m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    10. 
    Phipps Peak (1965m)
    © SoftRock 01/09/2010
    11. 
    Kellys Range - Kelly Hill (1408m)
    © SoftRock 24/07/2010
    12. 
    Lyell Peak (1828m)
    © SoftRock 24/07/2010
        
    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. Care is still required as obviously the side-streams can still drown you!
    • 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!


     
     
    Note: this website makes extensive use of Javascript for SPAM protection purposes (email) and more importantly to display "popup windows" for images, notes and feedback forms. Some modern browsers (especially Mozilla Firefox) allow the user to set whether a site has permission to create these windows. If you experience trouble viewing images this is probably the reason, go into your "tools/popup manager" menu and give permission to "www.softrock.co.nz".

    SoftRock supports Médecins Sans Frontières. Please consider doing likewise...
    Medecins Sans Frontieres

    Powered by Web Drive

    | Home | Mountain Cond 1 | Mountain Cond 2 | Avalanche Conditions | Ice Conditions | Snow Conditions | WX Station | WX Chart |
    | Satellite Images | WX Forecast | WX Snowfall | Galleries | SAR Reports | Guide Book | Feedback Form | Guest book | Webscape |

    This site is designed for 800+ pixel width screen sizes.


    Copyright © 2010 by Graeme Kates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.