Party at the top!

[PeakRunner]

To celebrate a mate's 60st birthday with a champagne at the (Dome) summit.
Ian walked up in Kilt, Smoking jacket, bow tie and top hat.

Great day, cloud at about 2000 meters, but with a south-westerly it never touched the Whakapapa ski area. Summit clear all day.
All the ski fields appearded to be open, but it was not very busy on the slopes.
We walked all the way from the carpark. About 4 hours up, 3 hours down to accomodate for varied skill and fitness levels.  It was VERY cold at the top, probably -10 deg and another -10 wind chill factor in the 40 kph gusts. The Dome shelter was barely recognisable and not accessible as it had turned into a pile of ice.  Great views of the lake and the summit plateau.  Busy up there too, I spotted 4 other parties, some 12 people as well as our group of 8.  Awesome day

Crampons essential!

[vinodrinker]

To celebrate a mate's 60st birthday with a champagne at the (Dome) summit.
Ian walked up in Kilt, Smoking jacket, bow tie and top hat.

That is so, so, so cool.  but you can't do this to us!  Where are the pictures?? We need pictures!!

[GuanoGerbil]

I think I saw you!
I was up there showing a few alpine club students around on Saturday. We got to the shelter at midday for lunch (first ones there). We then continued up to Paretetaitonga (the big peak to your right as you look at the lake). From up there I could see other parties making their way along Dome Ridge to the shelter. We cut back down and rejoined the ridge before continuing on a bit further to bag Glacier Knob before descending. I passed a few people walking towards us along Dome Ridge on their way to the shelter as we were walking back about 1:45pm - one of whom was wearing a kilt (must have been you guys!).
Was a lovely day indeed. Temperature quite mild (hovering just below freezing point) but I must admit it did feel a little cool due to the gentle breeze (gusting around 45km's). The last time I was up here it was minus 11 degrees and a 130km wind (with a peak gust of 170km!). You know it's windy when you start crawling, and you know you're alive when your waterbottle freezes solid and you've got icicles growing on your eyelashes 
Your comments about the shelter are very true - it is very unseasonably completely iced up. I was going to do a maintenance check on my geocache in there, but even the chimney was inaccessable.
Vino, you've already seen my pictures on Facebook, but I'll include a few here for you PR (you may be in some of them!).

[vinodrinker]

haha was more a picture of the drinking champagne in a kilt in the snow which would get a laugh from me.  ive often thought about taking a wine, a fold up table and chairs up to a well trodden peak and just sit there drinking wine as other people arrive at the summit.

sorta like bacon and eggs or a good coffee.  there does seem a bit of a contest at times when it comes to luxury in a remote location!

closest ive got is a top pinot noir at syme hut but alas no visitors that day

Guano let me know if there is another snowcraft course you are going to that i could join anytime this winter.  on the right weekend i could well be a goer!

[GuanoGerbil]

Yes I imagine the kilt would be a little draughty...

Sorry Vino, our beginners snowcraft course was the previous weekend. Last weekend was just some unfinished business after the bad viz cut us short from getting the students right to the top. Our next course isn't until late August, but this is teaching the technical side of alpine and limited to those you have already done our beginners course. Didn't realize you were keen for more of the white stuff!

I've also had the odd fleeting thought of doing a dinner party up there sometime too. Yes lugging a table and chairs up in a suit would be a suitably stupid thing to do. Perhaps summertime might be a better time of year to do it though - wouldn't want the red wine to get chilled.
Hey, why not organise a peakbagging Christmas dinner up at the shelter? Would be fun to meet up with some others, is a central NI location, and what better place to do it?! We could meet up at the public shelter at the top carpark and all walk up together. What'cha yeckon guys??

[vinodrinker]

count me in guano. that would be so cool.  i reckon the whole crew would be keen and i know henrys would be too. henrys would carry beer.  i call him "the mule".  you can always get changed at the top. id even select a decent vino

i also have the perfect collapsable table for the job that would fit in a pack

as for snowcraft. yip would be keen for a course one weekend but no rush, just when ever. would be good on a winter weekend when everyone else is playing netball

[GuanoGerbil]

Dome shelter sure looks different in the summer. A few snaps below taken when I brought a then 8 year old OmaGosh up in March '06.

No, Vino, I don't think Pare would be as good a spot in the summer. You can see crevasses (yes, Ruapehu does have them sometimes!) to navigate around on the glacier on the way up followed by a steep rock scramble near the top (this is filled in with snow and easier to climb in winter). Plus it's further away, and I think Dome shelter makes a nice destination in itself. This is where everyone heads for.

I could organise us all to stay at our NZ Alpine Club hut at Delta Ridge (10 minutes walk from the top chairlift and the highest hut on the mountain). It's very comfy with electricity, fully equiped kitchen, heaters and flush loos. Sleeps 20 (see photos) and is only $25/night for non members. We'd probably have the place all to ourselves that time of year (as we did). We could all take the chairlift up there Saturday afo (or 1.5 hours walk up from carpark if you prefer) and be poised for a champagne brunch at the crater the next morning.

What'cha reckon Jon - the makings of a peakbaggers christmas event?

[vinodrinker]

cool. didnt mean pare to dine upon, just an unrelated question

looks good to me, all we need is a great day. would be great to set up on the ridge with those awesome views out from the mountain for photos

[GuanoGerbil]

Hey we can always leave the champagne to chill on the glacier whilst we do a recce up Pare. What the hell, bring your togs and we can even go for a swim