Attempt on Fastness Peak, 6 - 8 February 2016

Day 1: We crossed a swollen Matukituki River West Branch at Camerons Flat, then walked up the Matukituki River East Branch to Junction Flat, the Kitchener River to Aspiring Flats and up Rainbow Stream to Pt 1724m west of Wilmot Saddle. We descended Erik Bradshaw's route into the head basin of Ruth Stream, where we bivvied at 1300m of elevation.
Day 2: We climbed what used to be the Tartarus Icefall, then down the Upper Volta Glacier before climbing steep slopes to the west ridge of Fastness Peak. Open schrunds dictated our route choice more than anything else, pushing us much higher up the west ridge than we would have liked to. We were not able to sidle to the south-west ridge, and a steep gendarme on the west ridge turned us around at 2320m of elevation. We retraced our steps to our bivvy site in Ruth Stream.
Day 3: Out the way we had come.

Party: Aaron Whitehead, Susan Lilley, Danilo Hegg.

View down Rainbow Stream to Aspiring Flats. Duncans Knob, Mildewed Meg and Mount Avalanche are directly above at centre image. Niger Peak and Fog Peak are in the far back on the left, while Rainbow Col and Moncrieff Peak are in the right foreground.
Fastness Peak attempt 262a Aspiring Flats Climbing Duncans Knob Fog Peak Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mildewed Meg Moncrieff Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Avalanche Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Col Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping
View down Rainbow Stream to Aspiring Flats. Duncans Knob and Mildewed Meg are directly above at centre image, with Mount Avalanche top right. Niger Peak and Fog Peak are in the far back on the left.
Fastness Peak attempt 265 Aspiring Flats Climbing Duncans Knob Fog Peak Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mildewed Meg Moncrieff Peak Mount Aspiring National Park Mount Avalanche Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Col Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping
Huhu (Prionoplus reticularis). Matukituki River East Branch, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 007 Climbing Fauna Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Prionoplus reticularis Southern Alps Tramping beetle huhu insect longhorn beetle pepetemuimui tunga rere
From Prionoplus reticularis - Huhu
Hedgehog slug (Arion intermedius). . Rainbow Stream, Mount Aspiring National Park. There were six of these slugs at the bottom of a pool in the river. How they got there remains a mistery!
Fastness Peak attempt Arion Climbing Fauna Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping roundback slug slug Arion intermedius hedgehog slug
From Arion intermedius - Hedgehog slug
Land snail (Thermia spp.). Diameter of shell approx. 5mm. In cavity in boulder at 1300m of elevation in Ruth Stream head basin (alpine habitat), Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt Climbing Fauna Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Ruth Stream Southern Alps Tramping gastropod sigmurethrid terrestrial snail snail Charopidae Thermia
From Genus Thermia
Land snail (Thermia spp.). Diameter of shell approx. 5mm. In cavity in boulder at 1300m of elevation in Ruth Stream head basin (alpine habitat), Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt Climbing Fauna Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Ruth Stream Southern Alps Tramping gastropod sigmurethrid terrestrial snail snail Charopidae Thermia
From Genus Thermia
Holcoperla magna, New Zealand's largest stonefly. A wingless alpine species. At 1700m of elevation in Ruth Stream head basin, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 068 Climbing Fauna Holcoperla magna Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Plecoptera Ruth Stream Southern Alps Tartarus Icefall Tramping alpine stonefly insect stonefly wingless stonefly
From Holcoperla magna
Alpine willowherb (Epilobium glabellum). Rainbow Stream, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 018 Climbing Epilobium Epilobium glabellum Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping alpine willowherb willowherb
From Alpine willowherb - Epilobium glabellum
Alpine willowherb (Epilobium glabellum). Rainbow Stream, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 027 Climbing Epilobium Epilobium glabellum Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping alpine willowherb willowherb
From Alpine willowherb - Epilobium glabellum
Mountain ribbonwood / houhere (Hoheria glabrata). Rainbow Stream, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 029 Climbing Flora Hoheria glabrata Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping houhere mountain ribbonwood
From Mountain ribbonwood - Hoheria glabrata
Cushion forget-me-not (Myosotis pulvinaris), at 2300m of elevation on the west ridge of Fastness Peak, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 093 Climbing Fastness Peak Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering Myosotis pulvinaris New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping cushion forgetmenot
From Cushion forget-me-not
Cushion forget-me-not (Myosotis pulvinaris), at 2300m of elevation on the west ridge of Fastness Peak, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 100 Climbing Fastness Peak Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering Myosotis pulvinaris New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping cushion forgetmenot
From Cushion forget-me-not
Gentian (Gentianella divisa). Fastness Peak, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 130 Climbing Fastness Peak Flora Gentianella divisa Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping gentian
From Gentianella divisa
Forget-me-not (Myosotis lyallii). Ruth Stream head-basin, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 154 Climbing Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering Myosotis lyallii New Zealand Ruth Stream Southern Alps Tramping forgetmenot
From Myosotis lyallii
Bronze forget-me-not (Myosotis macrantha). Ruth Stream head basin, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 181 Climbing Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering Myosotis macrantha New Zealand Ruth Stream Southern Alps Tramping bronze forgetmenot forgetmenot
From Bronze forget-me-not
Bronze forget-me-not (Myosotis macrantha). Ruth Stream head basin, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 186 Climbing Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering Myosotis macrantha New Zealand Ruth Stream Southern Alps Tramping bronze forgetmenot forgetmenot
From Bronze forget-me-not
Lobelia macrodon. Rainbow Stream, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 244 Climbing Flora Lobelia macrodon Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping
From Lobelia macrodon
New Zealand common broom (Carmichaelia australis). Rainbow Stream, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 271 Carmichaelia australis Climbing Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand New Zealand common broom Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping common broom
From Common broom
Feathery tutu (Coriaria plumosa). Rainbow Stream, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 282 Climbing Coriaria plumosa Flora Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Rainbow Stream Southern Alps Tramping feathery tutu tutu
From Feathery tutu - Coriaria plumosa
Potato orchid or black orchid / hūperei (Gastrodia spp., probably Gastrodia cunninghamii). Kitchener River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Fastness Peak attempt 287 Climbing Flora Gastrodia cunninghamii Kitchener River Matukituki Matukituki River East Branch Mount Aspiring National Park Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping black orchid huperei hūperei orchid potato orchid
From Black orchid - Gastrodia cunninghamii

Southern Alps Photography

Attempt on Fastness Peak, 6 - 8 February 2016

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