Niekolaas, 7 maart 2006
Nieuw Zeeland Christchurch

Westcoast mountaineering

Yoooooo,

(yep english again!!!)

Back in Christchurch, sitting here behind the screen with my well earned Bourbon Coke, if I may say so. Had an aweful stressfull day here in Christchurch. Nick and me locked ourselves out of the car 2 times today while we were driving around town to put up ads to try and sell our car, and everywhere you go you see shitloads of other ads of people trying to sell their car as well.
Anyway, yesterday morning we woke up in Pioneer hut at the westcoast on 2300 m a.s.l. Had 3 full days of good climbing although it was quite windy. Quite windy......sorry it was f*&$%^king windy. We flew in with a helicopter on thursday and were quite lucky cause the next 3 days it was not possible for helicopters to reach that altitude cause of the strong SW winds. The first climbing day we woke up at 3.30 and went outside to look at the weather, the whole hut was shaking and ice crystals were blown in our face as soon as we came out of the shelter of the hut, me and Nick both agreed instantly togo back to bed. At around 8 we got up and left to climb a 3000 m peak, Haidinger, the first few pitches were ok, good iceclimbing, but as soon as we hit the rockface we found out it was all icey and very hard conditions, the weather was closing in and we had to descend, downclimbing on 40 degrees.
The next day the weather forecast was supposed to be good, we planned to climb Mt Tasman, we got up at 2.30 (pfff fucking early) and the whole hut was shaking again. No way we were up to climb the 400 m long iceclimb up Mt Tasman, really exposed to the SW winds, back to bed, got up at 5 and left to climb Lendenfeld (3200m). It was freezing, all the milk, bananas, veggies, and waterbottles were frozen, anyway we made it and had an awesome day.
The next day we went to climb the North couloir of Halcombe (2600m), a minor peak but a great line. It was good iceclimbing with some mixed climbing as well (ice and rock). There were some loose rocks and ice blocks. When Nick was leading the 2nd pitch there came some rocks and chunks of ice down and I duck, a few hit my helmet, toonk toonk....boink.... I looked up and as soon as I looked up a big chunk of ice hit me straight in the face........aaah...f*(&$#k...I was alright, but it hurted and I felt blood under my right eye. It's alright now, a bit bleu and a few tears...! We got to the top though!!! Anyway I had to walk back over the glacier with the sight of one eye. Back in the hut I went straight in my sleeping bag...aaah.
The next few days the forecast was rain rain and rain but mondaymorning it was surprisingly clear and we took our chance and walked halfway down to Chancellor hut from where we took a helicopter flight. Yeah and everybody who thinks aah those lazy bastards take helicopters to climb mountains, well I double dare you to walk up Fox glacier with a week of food, man it's so broken up.
Well we're save, drinking again, trying to sell the car and then going to Castle Hill, bouldering and hopefully meet Boyd there!!!
Hope everyone is going well!!

love Niek

Verras Niekolaas in Nieuw Zeeland met een belletje via HalloBuitenland.nl