Ascensiones en Te Tai Poutini / West Coast

Didn't actually make it to the crag, writing this for future people trying to acçess as we found it really hard today, as the directions to get to the crag parking are quite bad and we wasted lots of time trying to find the correct place. You want to drive on old Christchurch road to these coordinates -42.7330466, 171.2097620 then if coming from hokitika turn right onto a gravel road. This road will take you to the weir at Kawhaka intake. You can also access old Christchurch road from Arthur's pass. From here the path is pretty obvious, it says follow for 5.5km but we found that using the bike track km markers it was more like 4.5km, the turn off track onto the old mossy road is now marked with a small cairn we made and is after the 53km marker, if you get to the 54km marker you've gone to far. This walk is probably 45 mins. From here there is a trodden path up to the clearing where another cairn is and you can see the red marker to start the next section. This doesn't take long. This next section is super steep and the closest thing you could get to bush whacking without the whacking, it takes around 2 hours and is pretty strenuous. Once you get to the top of this section you will be able to see the crag in the distance, we ended up having to stop here as we reckoned the traverse to the crag would have taken another 30-60 minutes and it was getting late in the day and we did not want to attempt the descent in darkness. Overall I reckon the entire approach would take between 3.5-4 hours. The view from the top was incredible so glad we did the hike but definitely wished there were some clearer approach notes for this crag! I think being tourist not knowing the area, it was hard to pinpoint the parking location as nothing comes up on Google maps. Also knowing the rough approach time would be helpful. I hope this is informative.

Super fun! done in full white out conditions in approach shoes (I forgot my climbing shoes on the longest approach of the trip). Brought all the gear to camp, but the weather turned so decided to head back down, only just got this one in

Simul-Soloed as a four (Alex and I, Mike and Mike). Roped up for crevasses but didn't place any gear. Left hut at 3:15, summit at 6:30 am. Traversed under Douglass peak and down for 8:30 am.

Sick climbing above the glacier.

Superb top pitch on good rock with good gear. New guidebook rates it at 17 which is probably a little soft but definitely harder than 15.

3pitches to where the 2 couloirs meet, 2 nice rooflets, always scary in alpine boots and an alpine rack

Fund little day out with sloppy snow conditions after a storm.

Fun climb done in our mountaineering boots.

What a way to start the New Year! Here is the video:

Type 4 fun. Terrifying chossy ridge

Ecellent day in the mountains. Had our bivvy just above the glacier & climbed the peak via the West Ridge. The chossy traverse was interesting... Clouds came in, so our rappel down a gully on the south face was a bit more exciting for it. Climbed as a party of three with Scotty & Deano.

An excellent choss adventure

Went up and back via the ramp,very long day 17 hours from Colin Todd and return.Pitched The Ramp up and back,putting our mountaineering course into practice!

c. 15h return to Colin Todd. With Luke, Mike and Cam.

Taken up by Geoff Wayatt

2750m, soft snow, bailed down the entire rock route, Long day.

what a way to wind up the year! great snow and ice conditions ascended via the lost Couloir. descended NW / shipowners prow to CT hutt. with Mikey and James.

best climb in NZ so far that I've done, up and back in 9 1/2 hrs then straight out to Aspiring hut, making for a 17hr day. cant wait to go back.

Historical Log (weather based retreat, about 3/4 the way up)