Saturday Morning Special | Remarkables
- Mike Morelli
- Aug 3
- 2 min read
Date: August 4, 2025
Location: The Remarkables, Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand
Total Trip Distance: 4 mi / 6.4 km
Total Elevation Gain: 1,735 ft / 529 m
Trip Duration: 7 hours
Team: Emilie Agnew
Field Notes: The climb is 170 meters and completed in three to four pitches. Bring a full trad rack. We found the start to be the crux and the climb to be one step up in difficulty from MK Gully.
Rating: M3+
Still buzzing off our climb of MK Gully the day before, Emilie and I went right back to the West Face for more.
Our goal was to do something of equal or slightly greater difficulty. We landed on Saturday Morning Special, graded at 3+. My friend Henry warned me to take mixed grades with a grain of salt, so we went into it with an open mind.
Standing at pitch 1, which was apparently the crux, it looked to be a decent step up. Being a stronger rock climber, Emilie started us off.
It looked technical and awkward. I still wonder if we attacked the first pitch in the best way possible. Regardless, Emilie composed herself and made her way up. When I followed, I was glad I wasn’t leading.
The second pitch definitely wasn’t as challenging as the first, but it didn’t let off the gas that much. I led out on moderate angled snow until another awkward body length step.
I tried to find protection, but none of it was confidence-inspiring. I remember throwing in multiple pieces before committing to the move.
I had to shimmy myself up until I could get high enough where I could place a tool over the step.
To my dismay, the snow was soft and deep, and I burned energy trying to get solid placements. Eventually, my tools secured a solid purchase, and I committed to the top out.
Feeling vulnerable above the step, I was greeted to a fifty-degree-plus snow slope with massive exposure below. I climbed this six to seven-meter section, making sure every placement counted, until I reached the glorious safety of a belay cave.
I brought up Em, where we swapped, and she climbed a short section right before the top out. Because of the rope drag, she belayed me and let me take the final pitch in the sun.
This climb felt harder than MK, and I relished the easy climbing with good protection all the way to the top. The afternoon sun was strong, and I practically belayed Emilie up in my base layers!
We celebrated just as stoked as we had been the day before, buzzing off two back-to-back climbs on the West Face in perfect conditions.
Ravished - we ate like dogs (or at least I did) and set off back to the car.
Happy days...
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