Summiting New Zealand's Greatest Peaks
“Every mountainous region has its list of high peaks. The 14x 8000ers of the Himalaya. The 82x 4000ers of Europe. NZ has the 24x 3000m peaks.
As December 2021 came to a close, so too was New Zealand Alpine Team member Alastair McDowell & Hamish Fleming’s quest to summit all of these mountains in a single outing - a transalpine journey of 31 days.
All of the peaks are clustered around the Aoraki/Mt Cook region, except for one. Alastair & Hamish started in the Copland Valley, traversing through to the Hooker Glacier, the Fox & Franz Neves and coming out down the Tasman, ticking off peaks as they went, before biking from Mt Cook Village to Aspiring.
Their vision was not necessarily for speed, more so for expedition. A deep immersion in the hills for an extended period. Connecting with the mountain environment, watching the storms roll in and out, sensing the changing of conditions, snow ice & rock, patiently waiting for short opportunities to dash up to those high summits for a fleeting moment, before racing down to the shelter of an alpine hut for the next bout of maelstrom.
Good Nutrition
Good nutrition was an incredibly important part of this trip. Alastair & Hamish pre-stashed a week’s worth of food in each of 5 huts around the park using existing flights and even one walk-in trip. The meals allowed them to eat well and recover between each storm, feasting on high-calorie & nutritious foods. The pair used the Radix Ultra range for their dinners and credit these for keeping them healthy and fuelled up for over four weeks of continuous glacier travel and mountain climbing.
World-class Opportunities for Adventure.
The New Zealand Southern Alps were a spectacular arena for an expedition. Alastair felt this trip was just as satisfying as those he has experienced in far-flung places such as Patagonia, Peru or Alaska. It’s another reminder that NZ really does have world-class opportunities for adventure right here on our doorstep.
Radix Nutrition – Proud Supporters of the New Zealand Alpine Team
Radix Nutrition is proud to support the New Zealand Alpine Team as they push the boundaries of human performance in extreme environments.
Getting proper nutrients in is a crucial element to consider when planning an epic adventure. The Radix Ultra Range is designed to support extreme energy demands, optimal health and athletic recovery, enabling long-term performance. Ensure you have everything you need for your next expedition - try a Radix Ultra Meal!
