Mt Iris

A Nelson NZAC trip organised by Ben Winibust, with Norman Carrington, Mike, and myself to climb Mt Iris 2114M located East of Nelson Lakes National Park.

Saturday 26/10/2002
We left Nelson and travelled to the Rainbow station and picked up a key for the gate. Off up the river and parked as the matagari trees thickened. Walked off to Rainbow hut and checked it out. A bit of a shooters shack. Carried on up to a bivvy site.

Sunday 27/10/2002
Ben had us out of bed at 0450 and by 0530 we where off to the gully. Firmly in the 'where are we zone' so back to rocks above camp and onto the NE ridge. All the way to the top with excellent weather. Absailed into the notch and climbed to the summit of Mt Iris at about 1150.
Climbed back down to the notch and Ben cut a bollard and we climbed down the steep snow gulley. As this was going on the weather changed. Snow and rain, got very cold in the wind. We headed N along the slopes and then went down the most eastern of the NE ridges. Often looked steep and impassable in places.
We where back at the campsite at five and off back to the car by six. I was home at half past eleven that night. That was a very enjoyable climb.

Mt Iris

Map of Area

View Larger Topographic Map

Mt Aspiring

Ian hunt and Matt Everest doing the easy to the top of Mt Aspiring. Turned out to be a most perfect climb, as the helicopter man got the wx just right.


Friday 01/02/2002

0805 Left house in Nelson
0905 Glenhope
0940 Murchison - fuel and coffee. Realised I didnt bring my sleeping bag! Will find something in Greymouth.
1000 Left Murchison
1040 Inugahua
1100 At Reefton
1150 Greymouth, sleeping bag time? Scored one will its a poly bag!
1250 Hokitika. 426km togo to Wanaka.
A flight is on the cards! Found Matt and we got into the car and headed off.  Ran over a sheep on the way to Rasberry!
1930 getting into chopper with our stuff.
2000 Flew into Bevin Col. Awesome flight. Roped up for the walk across the Bonner as its all slotted up.
2100 At hut.

Saturday 02/02/02
0230 Out of bed, have learnt the business from Ben and early is best.
0330 Left Colin Todd hut. The climb was on easy rock up a ridge leading to an abrupt drop. Couldnt be bothered abseiling so we back tracked and found a route down a ledge onto the snow. We wandered up the snow to the true NW ridge. On this ridge the slab area needs care and a few other exposed moves. We did not use a rope on the ascent or descent. Eventually onto easy open rock slopes, up to the ice cap then 10 minutes to the summit.
0950 On Aspiring, via the North West ridge, rang Duang and spoke with her and Tariga.

Ian Hunt on top of Aspiring

Matt Everest on top of Aspiring

1430 Back at hut, and then walked to glacier lakes - maybe 30 mins? And a view back of where we'd been.

Sunday 03/02/2002
0840 Left Colin Todd hut and headed up the Bonner on the true right.
1120 At he top of the Bonner heading SW down the quarter deck. A bit of steep icy shit to go thru. We fucked up and stayed roped as we went thru the step almost like an icefall.
1245 At French Ridge hut.
1345 Left French Ridge hut. A knee shattering judder to the bottom.
1650 At Aspiring hut.
1700 Left Aspiring hut.
1900 At the car at Rasberry flats.
2015 In Wanaka. Had a good meal of pizza and some beers. Meet the guys whos bedroom we walked thru on Saturday at 0400 hours. Stayed in a back packers for the night.

Sunday 04/02/2002
We drove off for the long road back to Nelson.

The Place