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Wye creek info

Andrew_M

16-Apr-2009
9:34:45 AM

Hey all,

Anyone know when is the best time to at Wye ck in terms of weather stability and ice formation?

also...anyone know if there is any accessible water ice near Cook village that isn't too avy prone and/or requires too much boulder hopping and bush bashing? (I guess not...we'd all have heard about it if it existed...)

cheers,

Andrew

qman

16-Apr-2009
12:56:33 PM

there is a very good brand new guide book for rock and ice in Queenstown which should be available from the NZAC. highly recommended.

Bush Creek or Twin streams have ice and the best bet is to get a quick chopper ride from glen tanner in winter. works out pretty cheap as it is so close by air.

Andrew_M

16-Apr-2009
10:00:24 PM

Thanks qman. I heard there was a new Queenstown area guidebook but thought it was only for rock. I'll check it out.

ant

17-Apr-2009
11:40:29 AM

Best time for ice at Wye or around AMCNP would be mid-July to early August.

Wye creek is about 4 hours snow-shoe / ski from the Remarkables, with minor avi exposure. Bush Stream is a little longer to access apparently, with some boulder hopping - I've only ever been there via helo. Not sure on avi exposure.

For either location, you're not looking at pitches much longer than 30m. I'd go with just 1 rope and about 8 screws max. Wye Creek has loads of bolted belays too.

There are also a few short, mixed climbs around the Remarkables area in the M5 - M6 range.

Let us know if you get the new guidebook - I'd be interested in the info on these mixed routes.

jackb

17-Apr-2009
12:15:40 PM

last winter a mate and I tstarted to walk in to bush stream . started at 4.30pm . Which is way too late. pretty rough walk in. typical NZ stuff. we slept on the way in. Next day my mate got his boots wet. Walked straight out .

I'd fly in if I was going again. Try and get an agl back flight. Also call them up and ask about conditions because that's where they take people ice climbing

Call adventure consultants for conditions at wye because that's where they take clients.

I'd just fly into wye with heaps of warm stuff and nice food and stay there for as long as possible . U will get the most climbing done that way. Then walk out with your rubbish or send it with a guided group on a chopper . The walk out is easy and only takes a few hours if u don't get lost which might happen if u didn't walk in.

Andrew_M

6-Jul-2009
8:04:44 AM

Hey all, just reviving an old thread with some new questions about Wye ck:

-Avys...Is it worth taking transceivers for the "minor" avy danger on the way in/out?
-turds...what's the go? Carry out? Could be interesting trying to explain what a poo-tube is to the air NZ checkin chick.
-Water...is liquid water available (assume treating necessary?) or do we have to melt?

cheers,

Andrew

sliamese

6-Jul-2009
9:47:35 AM

we bivied in the cave a few years ago and were able to collect dripping water that didnt need treatment, but id reccomend at tent in the valley, walking up the hill is a welcome warm-up in the morning! there was a toilet(drum with a seat) that the guides were letting us use. basically be helpful/friendly to the guides and it makes life easier!!! we even had some ropes/food flown in for nothing! i wouldnt worry about transeivers, avi danger is pretty low generally. its pretty easy to find ur way in, just hit the right col, then u'll naturally be funnelled into the gut that leads to the slope down into the cirque.

and in terms of season its on now!! but july/aug is the best time!! get amongst it, its an awesome place to get ur technical skills up!!!!

simon

Damien Gildea

6-Jul-2009
11:51:43 AM

I've climbed in Bush twice but not in Wye. From what I can tell, Wye is easier access and shorter
approaches, but I think that when Bush is in good nick, it might be 'better' - though that depends on who
you are, what you can climb and what you want to do. There is still some great unclimbed stuff in Bush.

For Bush, fly in is best, walk out in 2.5-4hrs, depending on weather, snow conditions, whether there is a
track stomped and whether you know the way. I've done it twice, the second time with a track, and it
was fine. But it's boulder hopping, stream jumping and a small amount of bush bashing. There is no real
'track'.

Bush could have some avo danger on some of the slopes, but usually it's OK. I think it might be in
good nick right now. You can usually see the top of Bird Brain(?) from the road, I think, to tell whether or
not it's worth going in. July 2006 was awesome, heaps in, but the good big unclimbed stuff gets the sun
too early and bits fall off, so you'd have to start well in the dark and finish by 10am.

But ignoring that there's several good WI3-4 lines and easier short bits for beginner stuff. It's important
to be clean in there, remove all waste including shit (in poo-tubes) and notify the Ivys at Glentanner that
you're going in. There might be hunters in there at the same time.

More, including a pdf guide, at www.verticalresources.org

D

There are 8 messages in this topic.