Mountaineering - General Conditions

Mountain Condition Report

Sunday 30th August 2026, 11:13hrs: Since last weekend we have experienced a substantial amount of rainfall under varying freezing levels. Last weeks heavy snowfall has been stripped off by wind and rainfall to about 1750m; rivers have been consistently high because of this.

Current freezing levels are dropping again with light, low level (600m+) snowfall expected through Monday.

Some wet snow avalanche activity has been noted to size 3 in the upper Otira Valley (some lower valley releases only reached the base of the Philistine bluff, not setting full paths to the river), and are mostly associated with faces and steep terrain features unloading after rainfall ingress.

A new, intense storm-cycle arrives on Wednesday, again bringing wildly swinging freezing levels, snowfall may come and go above 1600m through Thursday. Unstable weather is likely beyond.

Latest Condition Images (x30)

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20/08/2026
Mt Philistine - Philistine Ramp (1967m)
20/08/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Otira Face
20/08/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Otira Slide
18/08/2026
Phipps Peak (1965m) - West Ridge
20/07/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Crow Face
20/07/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Goldney Ridge
20/07/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - High Peak Access
20/07/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Rome Ridge (lower approach)
20/07/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Rome Ridge (upper arete)
16/07/2026
Avalanche Peak (1833m) - North Aspect
16/07/2026
Black Range (1800m) - Head of Jordan Stream
16/07/2026
Blimit (1921m) - West aspect
16/07/2026
Brown Hill (1716m) - West aspect
16/07/2026
Lyell Peak (1828m) - East aspect
16/07/2026
Mid Hill (1831m) - North aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Bealey (1836m) - North aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Binser (1860m) - West aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Bruce (1630m) - North aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Davie (2280m) - East aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Harper (2222m) - East aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Oates (2041m) - South aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Bealey Face
16/07/2026
Mt Rolleston (2275m) - Rome Ridge (Northeast aspect)
16/07/2026
Mt Stewart (1934m) - Southeast aspect
16/07/2026
Mt Temple (1913m) - West aspect
16/07/2026
Phipps Peak (1965m) - South Face
16/07/2026
The Dome (1938m) - Southwest aspect
16/07/2026
The Spike (1440m) - Southwest aspect
12/07/2026
Avalanche Peak (1833m) - Upper Avalanche Peak track
12/07/2026
Avalanche Peak (1833m) - Upper Scott's track

Storm & Snow Models

THIS STORM CYCLE (55hrs)
Rainfall: 147.0mm
High Rain Rate: 14.4mm/hr @ 6:11hrs 4/9/26
Temp Low: 3.2ºC @ 17:57hrs 4/9/26
Temp High: 9.2ºC @ 13:57hrs 3/9/26
Wind Gust: 98kmph @ 7:14hrs 4/9/26
Dom.Wind Dir: West
Barometer Low: 989mb @ 5:57hrs 4/9/26
SNOW MODEL
Last Update: 4/09/2026 18:04 NZST
Location: Mt Rolleston (Goldney Ridge) 1800m
Snow Fall-Line: 966m
Alt. Temp: -2.5ºC
Freezing Level: 1276m
Lapse Rate: -0.484ºC/+100m
Alt. Humidity: 89%
Alt. Windspeed: 59.3kmph
Alt. Av. Windspeed: 73.0kmph
Alt. Min. Windspeed: 36.4kmph
Alt. Max. Windspeed: 132.7kmph
Alt. Wind Chill: -12.2ºC
Alt. Air Pressure: 797hPa
Alt. 3 Day Rainfall: 117.2mm (Today: 57.6mm)
Daily Snowfall: 2.9cm
Snowfall Max. Intensity: 1.1cm/hr (14:04hrs)
Storm Snowfall (55hrs): 4.9cm
7 Day Snowfall: 8.7cm
Snowpack Depth: 88.4cm
Windslab E: 8.0cm
Surface Stability (@ 35º): Very Poor (Warning: Slab present!)
Avalanche Chance: 100%

Avalanche Risk

Avalanche Size Chart
(MSC Assessment)

Snow Model Graphs

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