Ice climbing The Remarkables: The coolest way to see New Zealand

IF you can handle the freezing cold, fear and pain, ice climbing The Remarkables is incredibly rewarding.

WIELDING two weapons fit for Mad Max, two ice climbers grunt, kick and scrape on to the ridge line above the plunging west face of The Remarkables range near Queenstown.

A lone snowboarder scouting for fresh snow beyond the patrolled boundary of the ski fields can’t figure it out. “Where the hell did you just come from?”

Tim Steward from Aspiring Guides and I have just capped a week of ice climbing by topping out a spectacular rock and ice route that overlooks Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown.

Ice climbing is an exhilarating way to break up a New Zealand ski trip and a natural progression for Australian rock climbers.

We start on the pillars and curtains of ice that encase Single Cone, the highest peak of The Remarkables at 2319m. Access is on foot through the groomed runs, where skiers carve past, and then dropping into a valley where the winter sun barely shines.

Ice climbing in the Remarkables, New Zealand. Matthew Kitchin climbs.

It’s a freezing and unforgiving classroom for the basic skills and tools required to climb steep ice and rock – ice axe placement, front-pointing and other crampon techniques, threading ice screws, rope work, ice safety, route selection and avalanche awareness.

Add bruised knuckles and freezing toes and you’re ready for action in intimidating chutes on the west face of The Remarkables.

There are numerous routes – ranging from the sheer impossible to lines for climbers new to the game.

On our fourth day we choose Friday’s Fool, a multi-pitch route that follows a narrow ice-blasted gully up to the Telecom Tower on the ridge line.

The winter route forms when snow storms in from the Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean.

Tim’s lighter than me and glides up effortlessly, while I break through any pockets of snow or thin ice.

Dexterity becomes clumsiness as shards of ice melt on to gloves and intense cold creeps into boots. Calf muscles start to scream. And maintaining a grip with crampons on the slick rock requires steady nerves.

Matthew Kitchin climbs.

More than any other type of climbing, winter alpine is where quality training is vital.

There are no short cuts in this environment.

There’s also a stunning natural beauty about mountains up close and Tim and I dig out a platform halfway up Friday’s Fool to pause and refuel. The vertical view to the farmland below is amazing and the tourist steamer Earnslaw can be seen docked at the Queenstown wharves across the lake.

A testing couple of pitches later and we top out, compose ourselves and the baffled snowboarder, and trudge back to the car at the ski fields.

It’s surreal to climb in the alpine wilds within view of the buzzing tourist hub Queenstown – and where an ice-cold Speights beer shared with ski bums is the perfect apres climb.

An exhilarating way to take in the view

GO2 - QUEENSTOWN

Getting there

Qantas, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia fly direct from major Australian cities to Queenstown.

Climbing there: Aspiring Guides is based at Wanaka. Cost starts at $3000 for eight days.

Email [e-mail] or ph + 64 3 443 9422.

Apres climb: The Remarkables cafe at the skifields during winter has lasagne, curries, hot pots and soup.

Climbing dates there: July to early August

Staying there

For the climbing bum, try the Frankton Motor Park’s self-contained rooms from $105 for two. About a 30-minute drive to the ski field carpark.

Eating there

Frankton Ale House Bar, decent pub food with cold beer and pool tables. Cnr Kawarau Rd and Gray St, Frankton, near the airport.

“Like” Escape.com.au on Facebook

Follow @Escape_team on Twitter