Climbing Course, Southern Alps
During 2/12/2009 to 8/12/2009 together with David Ellacott we hired the services of mountain guide Marty Beare for some advanced alpine instruction. We flew into Centennial Hut located on the West Coast of the main divide of the Southern Alps in New Zealand. Over the course of thee days in here we climbed a small peak named Pluto (Marty called it this and we were not sure if this was the correct name), the East peak of Minarets, and Mt Aurora. We then flew out and spent a day ice climbing on the Franz Joseph glacier.
The purpose of this instruction was to prepare Dave and myself for climbing the Linda glacier route on Mt Cook two weeks later(read about the Mt Cook climb here). The plan worked well, Marty got us working well together as a roped team of two. We got confident on the steep ice at Franz Joseph glacier, and by the time we got to Mt Cook were well prepared for the route.

Basecamp was the H.E.L. Porter Memorial Lodge - Fox Glacier Village, run by the New Zealand Alpine Club. At $15/night (NZAC members) this is a good deal.

Crossing the glacier to Pluto - we warmed up on this small peak - around a 200m high climb from the glacier - great for practise.

David Ellacott enjoying a 4AM breakfast in Centennial hut by torch light before heading off to climb the Minarets

Marty Beare and David Ellacott approaching the summit of the Minarets. Tasman glacier clearly seen below and Mt Cook on the right
Pingback: Malte Brun – The return « Axe on Everest 2012