The Real Mottram Peaks

Graham Kates now has a photo of the real Mottram Peaks, for his Arthurs Pass Mountaineering website.

Jeremy Parker got this shot of the peaks from the large basin under Echo Col.

Jeremy's photo is a good one. It makes me want to get back up there.

The basin where Jeremy took this would be good to camp in for a couple of days of summer peak bagging. Then finish by crossing one of the high cols in a two day circuit back to Klondyke Corner in the Waimak. Alternatively, any of the peaks could be reached as a day trip from Klondyke.

The main peak there is Gizeh, the high point in this skyline below.

 

I'm also keen to try out the other route to the Mottrams recommended by John Pascoe in his climbing route guide in the original Arthurs Pass National Park handbook. That one follows the spur up from the junction of the AntiCrow River and the Waimakariri. We might be able to make a circuit out of it by descending a scree into Greenlaw Creek.

When we did the Mottrams in December 2005 (see The Mottram Peaks) we climbed a scree in the head of the AntiCrow and went down a scree descending north to beech forest in the upper Waimakariri. 

That was a really nice jaunt. 

Comments

[Alan Jemison]

Frank, I got inspired to climb the Mottrams after reading your post on it. Went up Anticrow same as you at Queens birthday as a day trip from Anticrow hut. Snow in the upper basin was very soft though not very deep but made the going to slow with the short days so we climbed to the col west of the low Pk and went out the same way.
Will try again in July with better snow condtions hopefuly, via you decent route.
Cheers, Alan Jemison.