Darrans Week
Climbing Adventures in Fiordland
Difficulty
Duration
7 days
Season
January to April
Gearlist
PRICE FROM $5,690 NZD
The Darran Mountains are the first choice for many Kiwi alpine rock climbers both for the quality of the rock and for the stunning alpine scenery. The rock is primarily diorite, and is great to climb on, being very coarse and solid.
Because of the hardness of the rock, the glacial origins of the landscape are very much in evidence; incredibly sheer-walled U-shaped valleys, sprinkled with small lakes and tarns, crowned by snow-capped glaciated summits.
It is a truly stunning area, and the dense temperate rainforest gives Fiordland a “Jurassic Park” feel.
This package runs in later summer, January thru April. It allows one or 2 climbers to seek out as many of the gems of Fiordland as the weather and time allows.
Darrans Week pACKAGE
Darrens Week Format
This trip is designed for 1 or 2 climbers per guide. Your prior experience and ability will help your guide to put together a challenging and exciting week.
We normally meet our guests in Queenstown. After sorting gear and discussing objectives you hit the road. The road trip takes about 4 hours but is a fantastic scenic drive.
We base the trip out of NZ Alpine Club's Homer Hut. Many climbs are conveniently accessible from the hut as day trips. Peaks such as Mt Sabre require a bivvy at the lovely Lake Adelaide. The area abounds with rock bivvies.
You spend the week climbing before the drive north on the last day.
Climbing Season - January thru April
Late summer gives the best, and generally most stable weather for climbing in Fiordland. However, Milford Sound has an annual rainfall of 7,200 mm - and as much as 250 mm has fallen in a single day!
Flexibility is all-important. We plan to spend 7 days in Fordland - but the weather (and your guide's expert local knowledge) will always dictate the best course of action.
If the weather is not great in Fiordland, there is no rush, with climbing in Kingston or the Remarkables possible on the way south (keeping it flexible).
If traveling directly to Homer Hut, you head straight to the local crag for the afternoon (Shotwell Slabs), before demobbing at the hut for the evening, and planning the following day's adventures.
Experience Required
Previous rock climbing experience is essential. You must be comfortable seconding natural rock at AU (Ewbanks) Grade 16.
You must be fit. Walking in with bivvy gear and food, plus technical equipment may be necessary for some climbs.
You should have a good head for exposure.
Any alpine mountaineering (snow and ice) expererince will help to increase the potential options.
Prices and Inclusions
Prices to April 2025
| Participants | 7 Days |
|---|---|
| One person | $8,950 |
| 2 People | $5,690 |
Prices are per-person in NZ Dollars.
Unless arranged differently, trips start at 08:30 AM on day one and finish at 5:00 PM on the final day.
Please read our booking Terms and Conditions.
The package Includes
Professional guide services.
All meals including snacks and energy bars from lunch on day one to lunch on day 7.
Mountain hut fees.
Free use of a range of technical equipment (see the gear list).
Road travel to Fiordland and return
Does NOT include
Any in-town accommodation (if required, due to schedule changes).
Aircraft costs. This may be required with specific objectives. These must be paid directly to the flight operator.
How to Book
The first step for booking is to contact us with your proposed dates. We will provide a guide to work around your travel plans (subject to availability).
Short-notice inquiries may be difficult to fill. We recommend making reservations well in advance.
NZAC Discount
New Zealand Alpine Club Members can receive a discount on this trip.
Check with us before booking, with your membership number, and we can supply a promo code.
Sample Objectives
This is a selection of some of the many climbs available. Routes marked with an *asterisk are only available on a 1:1 guiding basis.
Multi-pitch Rock
Moirs Mate, "Bowen Allan Corner"
A day trip from Homer Hut. 2.5 hours walk and climb along the exposed ridge from Homer Saddle lead to the bottom of the face. Then 10 pitches of slabs and cracks finishing with the amazing 2-pitch open book corner (crux grade 17) lead to easier scrambling to the summit. This is the classic introduction to serious Darran’s rock.
Mt Sabre, "North Buttress" *
A very long, serious, and sought-after climb. A long day’s walk takes one into the huge "Phil’s Bivvy Rock" in Moraine Creek. An intricate route weaves up the waterfall face to get to the bottom of the route. 12 or so pitches of climbing straight up the prow of the Buttress (crux 17 but mostly easier) lead to 200m of easier climbing to the summit. And then you have to get down…
Mt Talbot, "JC crack"
An early morning walk past Black Lake leads to a small glacier under the east face of Talbot. This is crossed, and then 8 pitches of grade 15 corner, chimney, and crack, lead onto the upper east ridge which is followed to the summit. The peak is then traversed to make the descent.
Brothers in Arms/Craddock’s Retreat
Another day trip from Homer Hut, and again via Homer Saddle. A fantastic line, sustained grade 20-21 for 5 pitches up the steep face of the Mate’s "little brother". The overhanging corner pitch halfway up the face is one of the best rope lengths in the country.
This is a very small sample of what the Darrans have to offer. Any ability of rock climbing skills can be catered for in this amazing playground.
Reference: "The Darran Mountains", Craig Jeffries, 2nd Edition, 2005, NZ Alpine Club.
MOuntAineering Objectives
Mount Madeline 2,536 metres, 3 to 4 days. Helicopter access required.
Mount Madeline is accessed from Turner’s Bivouac, a stunning rock overhang that sits at 1,500m above Leader Creek. We access the biv site by helicopter from Milford Sound.
The ascent requires glacier travel and some steeper pitches to the summit, with stunning views of Mount Tūtoko, the Central Darran Mountains and Lake Turner. We fly out from Turners Biv back to Milford.
Mitre Peak/Rahotu 1,692 metres, 2 days, from Homer Hut.
Mitre Peak towers above the water of Milford Sound and is one of NZ’s most iconic vistas. Unfortunately no kayak hire is available, so we must take a short helicopter flight to and from the start of the climb, at about 800 metres.
Much of the ascent is scrambling on scrub and rock terrain. Over steeper sections, we employ a rope for safety. The exposure is immense, and the views are incredible.
We will camp for the evening, as morning cloud inversions are common in the Sounds and can delay flight availability.
A 25% deposit is required to secure your booking. Full payment is due 60 days before the start of your trip.
