Mt Aspiring
In January 2016 I was hired to photograph the athlete Luca Colli, a specialist of high altitude climbing on mixed terrain. Guided by Michele Cucchi and Andrea De Gasparis we chose as objective the Mt Cook, the highest peak in New Zealand. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, after two days of approach into the wild, we had to give up and change destination. We aimed to Mt Aspiring - Titea, the "Matterhorn of New Zealand", a long blade of 1200 meters that stands on the endless glaciers of the Bonar Glacier, between the New Zealanders Alps. This is the article written with the evidence presented by my fellow and published in "La Stampa" and "Montagna.tv" after the success of the company: "Unexpected Outcome in New Zealand for the Alagna Speed Team formed by the athlete Luca Colli, by mountain guides De gasparis Andrea and Michele Cucchi and photographer-filmmaker Niccolò Aiazzi. The team had to give up the summit of Aoraki-Mount Cook ( 3724 meters), tucking the Mt. Aspiring-Tititea (3083 meters)."
"Despite a good winter - says Colli - in the Aoraki-Mount Cook summer proved to be very hot, and in recent weeks have fused more than three meters of snow along the adjustment path on the Linda Glacier. However, we have attempted the climb, which was however interrupted at the base of the ice-fall due to the difficult conditions and high dangerousness of the path."
The last ascent to the Mount Aoraki / Cook was made 15 days ago, after which no one has attempted the summit. The team has decided to aim for the Mount Aspiring-Tititea, the "Matterhorn of New Zealand", one of the ten mountains with the highest aesthetic impact in the world, standing out among the peaks of the New Zealand Alps with his sharp profile. First ascent was in November 1909 by Major Bernard and the guides Jack Clarke and Alec Graham.
After the approach through the Bonar Glacier, reached the Collin Todd hut (1800 m) on January 11, 3 A.M. in the morning they attacked the Northwest Ridge and in 4 hours 30 minutes, with fast climbing mixed rock-ice and 1,200 meters in altitude, reaching the summit of Mount Aspiring-Tititea. After a brief stop on the top they start the long and difficult descent, with the return through the Bonar Glacier, than crossing the Quarterdeck Pass and a difficult descent through seracs and crevasses, in an enterprise lasting 14 hours non-stop, and ended at the French Hut (1440 meters). After all the last day of trekking in New Zealand forest they walk down for 20 kilometers ".