Description

If you have ever spent anytime at the Kelman Hut than you can’t help but notice the Murchison Headwall.

Not only is this the gateway to numerous other zones but it in itself is a great ski run.

With winds predominantly coming from the west if there is any new snow there is a good chance that it is loaded here.

As for access this is the closest descent you can get from the Kelman Hut but does require a semi steep climb in glacial terrain which is easily doable, just make sure to bring a rope just in case. Being that this tour is within the Glaciated zone of Mount Cook National Park you can either do a brutal 2 day long hike or use transportation to get up.

Starting at Mount Cook Airport you can fly in via either plane or by helicopter based on prices and how the weather is.

With a 30 minute ride past Mount Cook you will soon enough be on the upper section of the Tasman Glacier and dropped off within a 10 minute hike of the Kelman Hut.

Once you’ve made it to the shelter remember that they have 2 daily forecasts both in the morning and in the evening as weather can change fast and it is good to know what the next few days are like. Once you’ve decided to get out of the comfort of the shelter the moment you walk out the door you have a clear view of the Murchison Headwall so snap a shot where you can see what the crevasses are like.

It is time for a short 100 meter descent before heading Northeast to the Tasman Saddle.

Standing on top of the Tasman Saddle can be intimidating as you can’t see the slope under you.

Starting your descent the best thing to do is to traverse a few meters to the skiers right before descending to the flats below.

By the time you reach the bottom you know have a full view of the slopes above.

While you can skin back up most people would find it easy to use crampons for the climb.

The only real crux is the last few meters traversing back to Tasman Saddle as this area has a buried crevasse so proceed with caution. If the snow is good then you can make a few hours out of the slope repeating the line over and over and using your bootpack to head back up.

We were fortunate to do this as it was the best powder around.

The best part of this is heading back to the Kelman Hut at the end of the day with clear views of your tracks throughout the day. For more pictures and the full story check out this link https://www.whereiskylemiller.com/new-zealand/back-ski-touring-tasman-glacier/