Routes as alpine in Waitaha / Canterbury

2+

Quality alpine scramble doable in a day from Mt Cook Villiage. NZ mountaineering grade 3, approximately Ewbanks Grade 8. Competent parties may be able to solo but a rope and some trad gear should probably be carried. Start either:

• Scrambling up the scrub to the right of the buttress until gaining the ridge.
• Direct up the buttress (approx 18/19)
• following a stream on lookers left of the Buttress until it joins the route higher up.

See here for where the climb starts.

Up the easy snow slopes trending slightly left of the black thumbnail and the corniced ridge above. Steep climbing and technical crux (Wi4) lessening to 70 degree ice leads left up a snicy couloir to a ridgeline. Traverse left and straight up a headwall for 80m of 60 degree ice.

A thirteen pitch route starting just right and below where the major icecliffs begin to develop. The route follows a right ascending traverse after four pitches and then heads straight up steep ice onto the ridge 200m from the summit of Mt Walter.

Ascend an obvious gully for eight pitches, which broadens out to join the snowfields left of the summit.

Climbed during a lean snow season on mainly since with a little bit of rock/water ice. An engaging climb from start to finish. 250m of technical climbing + 100m of steep snow. The crux second pitch (WI4+) goes directly up a smear of steep ice - an amazing pitch of alpine climbing. Approached via Divers Col route. Descent down this via Green's east face.

The eye catching southwest buttress gained from upper valley in Freds Stream, on the south west outlier of Mt Lloyd. Climb centre of delightful face for six pitches of about grade 12. Then complete a series of pinnacles and short walls. The upper part of the route provides a crux grade 16 pitch on a 40m wall. About 350 m, 14 pitches in total.

From Plateau Hut cross the Grand Plateau Glacier and follow the Linda Glacier past Zurbriggens and Bowie Ridges. Turn left at Teichelmans Corner and continue to the right of the Linda Shelf. Gain the shelf and traverse to climbers left quickly underneath the menacing ice-cliffs above (called the Gunbarrels). Join Zurbriggens Ridge at the Summit Rocks and continue up onto summit ice-cap.

Easy climb from Barron Saddle Hut

Up via Welchman Glacier

Arthur’s Pass NP’s answer to the Grand Traverse of the Remarkables. Similar in character to its southern cousin, but with poorer rock quality and slightly less dramatic views.

From the Temple Basin ski field, ascend the slabs on the east face of Mt Phipps. Many variations are possible, and it is sometimes better to choose the harder line to avoid loose rock and scree. After gaining the ridge, follow it northeast to the summit of Mt Temple. Travel along the ridge is relatively straightforward, but it is sometimes necessary to drop down on one side or another to avoid gendarmes. The descent from Temple involves scree skiing down the central fully back to the ski field.

This route follows the only marked track to a summit in APNP. From behind the visitors centre in Arthur’s Pass Village, ascend steeply through native beech forest, passing several waterfalls, to eventually arrive above treeline. Join with Scott’s Track about 200m below the summit and continue up. Descend via Scott’s Track or continue on to Lyell Peak and Mt Bealy.