Air Access to the Darran Mountains
Written by the (now former) Recreation Advocacy Convenor Phil Doole
Darran Mountains Proposed Landing Site
The Darran Mountains are part of Fiordland National Park. They are recognised as one of New Zealand's premiere rock climbing areas in a remote or wilderness setting. To help preserve wilderness qualities, access into the Darrans by aircraft is currently restricted to just two sites-Turners Bivvy and the Ngapunatoru Ice Plateau, both providing easier access to Mt Tutoko. The number of landings at these two sites is controlled via the concessions held by helicopter operators. There is no seasonal restriction on landings.
Now a review of the National Park Management Plan is proposing that two more sites be opened for air access-Lake Turner and Te Puoho Glacier, both in the central Darrans. Landings at these two sites, and Turners Bivvy, will be limited to two per day between 1 May and 30 November for climbing/ski-touring access only (i.e., no summer air access). Landings at Ngapunatoru Plateau are to be restricted to six per day including scenic fights, year-round.
The Club has supported the proposed changes, but with one exception - to extend the fying season for Turners Bivvy, Lake Turner and Te Puoho Glacier to include all of March and April. This would favour the serious, unassisted mountaineers for the best part of the climbing season, but also allow less fitt or able parties to have a chance of climbing the routes by flying in later in the season. We are strongly opposed to any other extension to the flying season, conditions, or listing of more sites.
Club members' views are split on this issue. Allowing additional landing sites will enable easier access to remote climbs. However, the opposing view is that easier access by air will impact on the remote experience and make it easier for remote climbs to be bolted.
Richard Thompson, who actively climbs in the area, says it is true that air access has little impact in the remote area-that surely is because it is only permitted at two points! It is scenic over flights that create the major aircraft impact-the draft plan admits as much-and I'm aware that is a separate and much more intractable issue… …I don't believe that all the major climbing catchments in the Darrans should be accessible by air, which is effectively what is being proposed. Once an area is opened to air access it is really hard to go back again… …Landings at Lake Turner and the Te Puoho will create bolted alpine crags similar to those on the Mate's Little Brother and Barrier Knob. Doing so will change the nature of the climbing experience there for everyone, and therefore will reduce the range of climbing opportunities that the Darrans offer.
There is still time for us to consider members views on this issue before we present the Club's submission on the plan review later this year.
