1. Tramping and mountaineering in New Zealand
  2. Aspiring Region

Circumnavigation of Aspiring, 20-27 December 2011

This year's Christmas trip was a true Aspiring appreciation trip with 8 days of fine weather, on which we circumnavigated the mountain. We reached the upper Volta from the East Matukituki via Ruth Ridge, sidled the northern flanks of Aspiring to the Therma Neve and Shipowner ridge, then travelled up to the head of the Bonar, dropped onto the Maude Francis Glacier via the Flightdeck, from which we accessed the Avalanche Glacier to reach Homestead Col and to drop down into Rob Roy Stream and the West Matukituki. Day 1: Up the East Matukituki from Cameron Flat to Ruth Flat. Day 2: From Ruth Flat to Pt 1521m on Ruth Ridge. Day 3: Up Ruth Ridge onto the Upper Volta. Afternoon climb of Glacier Dome and down the Upper Volta to where it drops down to the Lower Volta. Day 4: Down to the Lower Volta via the true left of the icefall, across the Volta Plateau towards the route through the rubble that brought us to the Volta Shelf near the North East Ridge of Aspiring. After negotiating some big crevasses near the toe of the ridge, we found ourselves sidling across to the Therma Neve crossing active avalanche tracks along the way. From the Therma Neve to our camp on the Shipowner Ridge. Day 5: Rest day and Skyline Traverse of Rolling Pin. Day 6: Travel to the head of the Bonar to the Flightdeck with climbs of Mts Bevan and Joffre along the way. Day 7: Descend of the Flightdeck to the Maude Francis Glacier and over the lowest point on the Maude Francis/Avalanche Glacier Ridge to gain the Avalanche Glacier, from where we reached Homestead Col via a ledge leading around the East Ridge of Rob Roy. Day 8: Down to Rob Roy Stream and the West Matukituki. Team: James Thornton and Nina Dickerhof
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  • This trip was inspired by Paul Powell's book. He and his friends were the first to circumnavigate Aspiring in the 50s. They themselves were inspired by a photo taken by Dr Teichelmann from the head of the Waiatoto when scouting for a route to climb the mouintain 30 years earlier. The northern flanks of Aspiring are shown on the frontcover (left) as well as in the shot from this trip (right).
  • The bauty of this trip was to see this shapely peak from all these different angles.
  • Crossing the three wire bridge at Junction Flat.
  • At Junction Flat. Popes Nose and Moncrieff Col above.
  • The Mountain Tree at Junction Flat.
  • Climbing to above bushline, views of Aspiring Flats and Kitchener Cirque.
  • Looking down the East Matukituki.
  • Cloud spilling over Moncrieff Col.
  • Ruth Flat, Ruth Ridge on the left, Aspinall Peak above.
  • East Face of Fastness from Ruth Flat.
  • Rabbit Pass from Ruth Ridge, Mt Taurus on the left and Lois Peak on the right.
  • Climbing up to Ruth Ridge.
  • Making our way up Ruth Ridge.
  • Campsite on Ruth Ridge, Rabbit Pass behind.
  • Campsite on Ruth Ridge, Rabbit Pass behind.
  • Ruth Flat and Mt Sisyphus from Ruth Ridge.
  • Campsite on Ruth Ridge, Pickelhaube above.
  • Campsite on Ruth Ridge.
  • Climbing up a steepening Ruth Ridge.
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