K2 SUPER CLUESDAY! Win’em, ski’em – Conquer the Earth.

| September 23, 2008

Our story begins after you have been magically transported to the top of the peak identified (hopefully) in Clue #4

It’s late afternoon and you have no headlamp, compass or topo map, but, pffft – who needs ‘em?  Use the force Luke and just start skiing.

Stepping into your bindings, you cruise along a ridgeline with gobsmacking exposure on all sides.  Glancing to the left and right, you come to what looks like a skiable line and turn off.

Gut-wrenching steep, exposed turns lead down a face.  The sun is setting and there is mot much time.  Sticking to the fall-line, you weave around seracs, icefalls and huck a few fifty-footers with blue ice landings all bathed in brilliant alpenglow.  Where’s the photographer when you need him?

Then, shazaam! Stokage!  You have made it through the crux of a suspected first descent!  Relieved, you make big sweeping turns across a bit of a plateau, and then come to a glacier.

At the glacier, you take a skier’s left.

By now, it is pitch black and you are dodging crevasses by Braille for hours while staying on the glacier.  This is misery…. when will it end?

Exhausted, you eventually see the outlines of some structures in the moonlight.  Ahhhh, praise Allah…

Staggering up to the structures, you  meet a climber geared up for an early alpine start and ask “Where am I?”

Instead of smiling and giving you a Vegamite sandwich like those infernal, AC/DC loving Aussies do, he fixes you with a steely gaze and reveals a BRAND NEW PAIR OF K2 TELE/AT SKIS.

Oh My God…!!  Your knees tremble in eager anticipation of shredding Planet Earth. Tears of joy spring from your eyes.

Within one meter, where are you?

Winning format:
Continent:  (your answer here)
Country: (your answer here)
Mountain Range: (your answer here)
Specific Peak: (your answer here)
Exact location: (your answer here… now!)

________________________________
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Tags:

Category: Chuting Spree Contest

About the Author ()

Andrew McLean lives in Park City, Utah and is a gear designer, writer, photographer, ski mountaineer, climber, Mountain Unicycle rider and father of two very loud little girls.

Comments (183)

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  1. Andrew says:

    Somebody is going to walk by and steal these skis if they aren’t claimed soon…

  2. FiveClueAvenger says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia (Australia/NZ/Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt Cook (Aoraki)
    Clue #5 – Exact Location: Albert Haast memorial

  3. joshg says:

    Update…i read more carefully and changed my last location.
    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia-New Guinea continent (Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mount Cook (Aoraki)
    Clue #5 – Exact location: De la Beche Hut Water tank

  4. randosteve says:

    Hi
    Here is my answer for the K2 skis comp
    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia/Oceana (Australia/NZ)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Ball shelter outhouse

  5. Ken G says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania/Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Unwin Hut Outhouse

  6. Aimee says:

    #1- Oceania
    #2 – New Zealand
    #3 – Southern Alps
    #4 – Mount Cook
    #5- Murchison Hut

  7. Continent – Carstenz Pyramid, elev 16,023 feet or 4884 m, is the highest point in Australia/Oceania
    Country – The home country of beekeeper Sir Edmund Hillary is New Zealand
    Mountain Range – The mountain range named by Captain Cook is the Southern Alps
    Peak – The Caroline Face is on Aoraki/Mount Cook
    Specific location – De La Beche Hut first bunk on the right

  8. Andrew says:

    steely look in eyes…

  9. SWMT says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Deck of Mueller Hut

  10. Nord says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Empress Hut Porch

  11. burrows says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: moraine at Ball Shelter

  12. Tim Soule says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia / Australia / NZ (you know where)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: bottom of the porch of the Plateau hut

  13. jamesp says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania/Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Gardiner Hut deck

  14. MPG says:

    Sounds like the highest hut on the mountain to me . . .

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand, South Island
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt. Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Tasman Saddle Hut front door (standing next to the Aussie)

  15. Matthew says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania/Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Kelman Hut (2460m)

  16. Adam Shilman says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Tasman Saddle Hut Outhouse

  17. Charlie says:

    1. Australasia/Oceania
    2. New Zealand
    3. Southern Alps
    4. Aoraki/Mt. Cook
    5. At the door of the Gardiner Hut (gotta ski West facing in the evening)

  18. Nord says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Kelman Hut Bunk

  19. joshg says:

    Update…i read more carefully and changed my last location.
    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia-New Guinea continent (Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mount Cook (Aoraki)
    Clue #5 – Exact location: De la Beche Hut Kitchen

  20. Bert Granberg says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mount Cook
    Clue #5 – Copeland Shelter outhouse

  21. Steve says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: (Australia-New Guinea)
    Clue #2 – Country: (New Zealand)
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: (Southern Alps)
    Clue #4 – Peak: (Aoraki/Mt. Cook)
    Clue #5 – Exact location: (Chamonix bar)

  22. Nord says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Mueller Hut Porch

  23. telexis says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mount Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: “Not everyone who wander is lost”… I am not and have a pair of skis in my hand! :-)

  24. Tim Soule says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia / Australia / NZ (you know where)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: bottom of the stairs on the porch of the ball hut

  25. SWMT says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania/Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Kelman Hut deck

  26. Matt says:

    1. Continent = Australasia, or Oceania
    2. Country = New Zealand
    3. Mountain Range = Southern Alps
    4. Peak = Aoraki – Cook
    5. Specific location = Tasman Glacier Basecamp, 2395 meters

  27. randosteve says:

    Hi
    Here is my answer for the K2 skis comp
    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia/Oceana (Australia/NZ)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Tasman Hut Outhouse

  28. Marcin says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania (Australia/NZ)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Plateau hut balcony

    Marcin

  29. climbhoser says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceanea
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt. Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Caroline hut

  30. martinibart says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mount Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Outhouse entrance, Tasman Saddle Hut

  31. Brandon French says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Tasman Saddle hut outhouse

  32. FiveClueAvenger says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia (Australia/NZ/Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt Cook (Aoraki)
    Clue #5 – Exact Location: by the radio in plateau Hut

  33. Bert Granberg says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mount Cook
    Clue #5 – Godley Hut the outhouse

  34. Andrew says:

    Still there….

  35. shZo says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania/Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mount Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Statue of Sir Edmund Hillary outside The Hermitage

  36. Nord says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Unwin Lodge Porch

  37. Mitchell Skis says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: (Australia/Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: (New Zealand)
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: (The Southern Alps)
    Clue #4 – Peak: (Mt Cook)
    Clue #5 – Exact location: (Plateau hut front steps)

  38. Doug says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Plateau Hut, down underneath the overhang

  39. SWMT says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceanea
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt. Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location:Welcome Flat Hut deck

  40. Continent – Carstenz Pyramid, elev 16,023 feet or 4884 m, is the highest point in Australia/Oceania
    Country – The home country of beekeeper Sir Edmund Hillary is New Zealand
    Mountain Range – The mountain range named by Captain Cook is the Southern Alps
    Peak – The Caroline Face is on Aoraki/Mount Cook
    Specific location – De La Beche Hut above the sign

  41. Nord says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Snowline Bar at Unwin Lodge

  42. Bert Granberg says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mount Cook
    Clue #5 – Onslow Hut the outhouse

  43. Andrew says:

    Oh ShZo…. do you like to ski? ‘Cause you’ve got a pair of K2’s coming your way!

  44. Nord says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australia/Oceania
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Snowline Bar at the Hermitage

  45. Brandon French says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia (Australia/NZ/Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt Cook (Aoraki)
    Clue #5 – Exact Location: plateau hut Kitchen

  46. Matthew says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania/Australasia
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Aoraki/Mt Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location: Kelman Hut (2423m) (made of steel)

  47. climbhoser says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceanea
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt. Cook
    Clue #5 – Exact location:outhouse of plateau hut

  48. Ken G says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia (Australia/NZ/Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt Cook (Aoraki)
    Clue #5 – Exact Location: Next to the Snowcat parked by the Plateau Hut

  49. Brandon French says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Australasia (Australia/NZ/Oceania)
    Clue #2 – Country: New Zealand
    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps
    Clue #4 – Peak: Mt Cook (Aoraki)
    Clue #5 – Exact Location: Tasman saddle hut kitchen

  50. Fenris says:

    Clue #1 – Continent: Oceania
    
Clue #2 – Country: New Zealad

    Clue #3 – Mountain Range: Southern Alps

    Clue #4 – Peak: Mount Cook / Aoraki

    Clue #5 – Exact location: the helipad where you left the car? (It’s night and you are lost as all hell)