Mt Cook, NZ

[ninjapuppet]

I'm heading over to Mt cook for a few weeks for an attempt at some summits. Was wondering if one can get food supplies and fuel there? or does one have to go back to twizel for resupply?
is there a New World store somewhere in the region or are they just small grocery stores? Last time I was in the region was flying in from fox glacier so I've never been to the Cook Village.

And before I meet up with my team there, I'll have a few days spare alone. Any suggestions on walks around there safe to do alone? First comming to my mind are Mt oliver near mueller hut and the ball pass but are there any other recommended routes? Once my mates arrive, our teams' rough plan is to head to the top of copland pass and head to the footstool and summiting Mt sefton from there. Weather permitting, we'll catch a chopper over to the Mt tasman region and hopefully summit the big one there.

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[wayno]

you could try contacting the local doc office, they are pretty helpful, they'd rather answer questions in advance than have someone turn up and ask them when it's too late to help....

http://www.doc.govt.nz/footer-links/con ... ffice=1227

[ninjapuppet]

thanks wayno, i tried call them them last friday and this morning with no answer.

maybe i'll try the DOC office in a nearby town.

[wayno]

you might have to try the canterbury office in chch, there isnt much else in that immediate area

http://www.doc.govt.nz/footer-links/con ... canterbury

[wayno]

some more local info centres

http://www.mtcooknz.com/mackenzie/visitorInformation/

[sef]

There isn't much in MCV. Alpine Guides definitely sell 220g gas canisters, DoC probably do too. You could try and supply out of the backpackers, but hitching to Twizel would be much the better option. There's a DoC area office there too, near the supermarket.

[wayno]

doc sell at highly inflated prices..., i think anything sold at mt cook is like that,,,, not sure about twizel

[Azza]

Have you got the Mt Cook region guide book? Super useful if your going to be climbing in the area.

Oliver itself is pretty straight forward walk in summer. Although I'm still not sure which bump is actually the summit as there is a cairn on every bump going along the ridge all the way to Mt Sealy. Solo this time of year could potentially be a bit dodgy, depending on snow conditions? Even up to Mueller Hut or the Ball Pass.
http://www.avalanche.net.nz/ worth checking... because current conditions are saying no go... Who knows in a few weeks time it could be fine.

[eggs]

I think you guys are referring to Mt Ollivier - which is easily accessible from Muellers Hut.
There were only a couple of scrambly bits of no real difficulty along the ridge line.

It is the second bump south along the ridge from Mueller Hut and there is a clear gap between it and the next section of ridge leading to Mt Kitchener and beyond to Annette and Sealy.

Heading further south past the large rock pile that marks the top of Ollivier. Mt Sefton is the backdrop.

View further south from the ridge line south of Mt Ollivier at the spot where it drops away before the section to Kitchener begins [Click to expand]