MALTE BRUN EXPEDITION
Alpine Guides expedition to Malte Brun (3,199 metres) offers a chance to climb one of the hidden treasures of the Southern Alps. Malte's warm red sandstone faces provide some of the best alpine rock mountaineering in the Mount Cook area.
Malte Brun is a fantastic alpine rock peak, standing out high on the mountain range named after it, east of the Main Divide. The summit offers stunning views of the Aoraki Mount Cook massif and the lakes of the Mackenzie Region.
The peak was first summited by the legendary Tom Fyfe in 1894. It is one of the gems of the Southern Alps, often overlooked by climbers focused purely on the snow and ice summits of the Main Divide. Malte is a great late-season alternative to Aoraki Mount Cook.
Malte Brun guiding package
Price: NZ$9,450 per person
Scheduling and Booking
Each trip is run on request. The start date is privately arranged to suit your travel plans.
Please contact us to enquire about guide availability. Advance bookings are essential.
Check-in at Alpine Guides office in Mount Cook Village.
Please read our booking Terms and Conditions.
Your guiding package includes:
Guide and National Park fees
Aircraft access in and out from the upper Tasman Glacier
All meals and snacks from lunch day one, to lunch day 6
Accommodation in Mt Cook village (if required)
Hut fees (if required)
Free use of a range of technical gear
Alpine Guides Technical Manual
Special Booking Conditions:
These special conditions are in addition to our standard booking terms and conditions:
A period of 6 days is covered in the cost, even though the climb may be completed in only 4-5 days. You have the option of retaining your guide and completing another climb or returning to Aoraki Mount Cook village. This will be at the discretion of the guide, based on your ability and the prevailing conditions. No refund is due if you choose to finish early.
Extensions to the 6 days may be possible (depending on your guide’s work commitments) - this will be an additional cost of NZ$995 per day, which includes food and hut fees.
If the period is involuntarily extended, the cost is an additional NZ$795 per day.
Experience and Hazards
Experience Required
Malte Brun is a true “mountaineers’ mountain”. Basic knowledge of travel in crevassed areas is expected for the approaches and exit.
Prerequisites:
At least 10 days on rock within the past 2 years
Experience of several 12-15 hour days on alpine ascents (NZ Alpine 1+ to 2+)
Basic level of crampon and axe skills for approaches and egress (at least to the standard of our Mountain Experience Course)
Comfortably second on rock - to at least grade AU 15/16 (US 5.8) in mountaineering boots
The ability to self-manage abseils and assist in cleaning gear and anchors
A high level of aerobic fitness - able to carry an 8 kg backpack 1,000 vertical metres in 2.5 hours
For South Face routes, ice climbing ability to WI 3-4 (seconding) is required.
As there are no nearby huts. Climbing Malte Brun requires a tent camp and/or bivouac for at least 2 nights, along with the heavier pack load carrying that this additional gear entails (loads of up to 15-20kg).
If you have questions about the experience required, please contact us.
Alternative Climbing Options
Flexibility of goals is important. After you book we will keep you well informed if conditions change so that a climb may not be possible.
If snow conditions, weather, level of experience, or fitness preclude an ascent with an acceptable safety margin, your guide will recommend an alternative venue for your trip.
There are many other spectacular ascents in the region. The following list names only a few:
West face of Rumdoodle
Langdale Buttress
North Buttress of Darwin and Annan
Aiguilles Rouges, via north Ridge
Mount Chudleigh, Mount Hamilton, etc.
It is not possible to cancel your booking for a refund due to changing route conditions.
Hazards
Mountaineering on Malte Brun in the summer months has a relatively low-moderate objective hazard.
The guide’s primary concern is always for safety. Your guide’s appraisal of your competence and route conditions will determine whether the climb can be attempted, or an alternative ascent considered.
Climbing Season and route description
Climbing Season:
Climbing on the Malte Brun massif is best when the faces are clean of snow - December to April.
This makes Malte’ a perfect late-season climb when the other significant glaciated peaks are coming out of condition. We recommend planning for January onwards, but conditions may be suitable earlier in some seasons.
We most commonly guide variations on the North and West Ridges but can look at alternatives, depending on conditions and also your experience.
West Ridge, NZ Grade 3:
The most commonly guided routes on Malte Brun peak are variations of the West Ridge and North to Northwest Face.
The ascent day is a long one, usually taking 10-14 hours to return from your campsite. The height gain from the high bivouac (at 2,400 metres) is 800 metres (2,640 ft.). The total vertical climb is around 1,600 metres.
On arrival at the upper Tasman Glacier, we either spend the first night in a hut or take our gear closer to the mountain to establish a base camp. The first day will involve revising skills and reconnoitring the best approach with current conditions.
The day before the ascent we move into place for a high camp/bivouac near the base of the North Face, or at the top of the Bonney Glacier (around 2,400 metres) ready for an early start.
The most common approach is to take a route either up a buttress to the right-hand side of the North Face, or a variation of the face. This will meet up with the West Ridge just below the iconic “Cheval” - a knife-edge ridge section, with amazing exposure and vistas.
From here there is about 200 metres more airy ridge climbing to the summit. The scene from the summit offers unsurpassed views of the Aoraki Mount Cook massif, and the lakes and grasslands of the Mackenzie Region.
The descent is by the same route, abseiling the buttress. The descent requires concentration and good ropework.
Aircraft use and walking out
Aircraft access to a location high on the Tasman Glacier is built into the cost of the trip. A walk/climb to a base camp for Malte Brun is a strenuous exercise of up to 2 days on foot, that can only be attempted in good weather. Flying in makes the best use of available time and good weather, and saves on heavy load carrying.
The cost of flying out is also covered in the price.
Walking Out
Walking out is possible, but is a physically demanding trip - a full day or more, with heavy packs across the glacial moraine of the Tasman to a 4WD pickup.
If you and the guide decide to walk out, this must be done within the trip dates. In some situations (due to weather, conditions, and fitness) it may not be possible to walk out. Your guide is the final arbiter on whether a walkout will go ahead. If you walk out credit for the unused flight will be applied.
A 25% deposit is required to secure your booking
