Even in the Mont Blanc massif, home to some of the most impressive mountains in the world, Les Dru stands out as a peak of immense beauty and allure. Before my flight back to New Zealand, Andrew and I set our sights on the American Direct route up the west face. This climb was an accumulation of my time here and Europe and pushed me to the limit!
Read MoreWhile scouring the Caucasus on Fatmap, a valley underneath the highest peaks of Georgia caught my eye. There was no information about Khalde Valley online, but it looked like a skier's paradise! Curiosity eventually got the better of me. With nothing more than a summer map, Pirmin, Franz, Martina, and I were in Georgia to check it out for ourselves.
Read MoreSalbitchejin granite is about as good'a rock as you'll get anywhere. The South Ridge is 20+ pitches of about 5a climbing with a crux of 6a. It was a beautiful looking line that I had my eye on for a while. However, I didn't expect to use it as a debut at rope soloing!
Read MoreAfter a good nights rest in the Guggi hut, we climbed the Nollen route to Monch, traversed over the glacier, went up the SE ridge of Jungfrau, and down climbed the Rotgrat; clocking 3000m of descent to the Lauteraan Valley.
Read MoreThe Arete du Diable is a classic Chamonix traverse over the five towers that make up the South-East ridge of Mont Blanc du Tacul.
Read MoreTom Livingstone climbed the Hornili Ridge on the Matterhorn during spring 2019. He had the mountain to himself, remarking on an enjoyable solo in beautiful, wintery conditions. Was pre-season the best time to climb the Matterhorn? This post covers my climb with Jasper and explores the idea of pre-season ascents becoming the norm in the future.
Read MoreChamonix is a small village nestled at the foot of the Mont Blanc massif in the European Alps. Often called "the birthplace of alpinism" it is home to some of the most impressive and accessible alpine climbing in the world.
Read MoreI hadn’t been in France for long but when my good friend Marlin reached out and said he was coming to Chamonix for a few days I knew what was on the cards. We spent the following three days living out of my small tent on the Blanche glacier climbing some classic and totally baddass routes.
Read MoreAn exhilarating endeavor. The traverse takes you over three three thousand meter peaks, one being the countries second highest - Mt Tasman (3497m). Although it is a technical climb, the real crux of the route lies in its distance and so it is no surprise that the six kilometers of steep, exposed ground is usually done over two days. Remote and offering no easy escape down, once you start, you are committed to finishing the route.
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Recently, I took to the Old Ghosty with a mountain bike for a project with Luxury Magazine. My buddy Chris Brinlee Jr had organised the trip and bought me along as the talent for the shoot. Little did he know I had next to no experience on a mountain bike and had never been on a trail before! I got through all it in one piece and loved every moment of it but it was definitely a dive into the deep end. I have put together a few things that I learnt along the way. It is aimed at beginners but if its your first time on this track i’m sure you’ll pick up something too.
Read MoreMt Aspiring (Tititea) is New Zealand's largest mountain outside of the Mt Cook region. A real gem of the Southern Alps, it is sometimes called "the Matterhorn of the South." due to its pyramid shape. At 3033m, Aspiring sits above other nearby peaks and welcomes those daring enough to a range of routes.
The Southwest ridge of Aspiring is like a rite of passage for Kiwi mountaineers wanting to progress onto more challenging alpine routes. You start at 400m above sea level, so it is a massive effort to get to the top. The climb follows a long, exposed snow arete, which leads to a steep ice crux and the final snow slope to the summit. And this is New Zealand; of course, it involves a big old approach!
Read MoreThe Remarkables range lies just east of Queenstown and it’s intense, jagged ridge-line is one of the first things that captures your attention when going to the small city. I have wanted to do the Grand Traverse for a number of years but have kept busy on other climbs in the area when visiting. The route takes you up and over three of the highest peaks on the ridge and while it isn’t technically difficult, (Mt Cook grade 3) it is a highly recommended climb — one of New Zealand’s classics.
It was 5:30 on a Tuesday morning and finally; I was waking up with that objective in mind.
Read MoreChancellor hut sits above the Fox Glacier and is the oldest alpine hut in New Zealand that is still in its original condition. Last weekend, a friend and I walked up from the ice below. We spent the day ice climbing on the steep walls of the glacier. That evening, just before sundown things got interesting when I stalked in on a Himalayan bull tahr not far from the hut…
Read MoreNew Zealand’s annual Ice And Mixed Festival is held in Queenstown and brings some of the countries top climbers together. The NZ Alpine Team hold a bunch of clinics and there are evening events held in town but I went there with one aim in mind - to lead my first technical mixed route and climb as much as possible. Over the week I teamed up with Lucas, a good mate and college and also made a new friend Chris, as we tackled a bunch of classic routes together.
Read MoreFrom learning to ski in the heart of New Zealand’s largest mountains, to a near death experience in a crevasse; this trip was one to remember!
Recently I was part of a four man team that travelled from the Western side of the Main Divide and ended up on the Tasman River; the Eastern side. The Expedition took place over 8 days and just as every real adventure - not everything went according to plan…
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