Grade
V,4+,12
Length
0m
0
Quality
First ascent
Laurence Earle, Freda Du Faur, Peter Graham, January 1910
Located on
Topo ref
5.97
A very long climb, recently made slightly more difficult due to rockfall. The lower ridge is straightforward, but some parties have opted to avoid it by sidling on scree on the north side of the ridge, climbing back up to regain the ridge at a col at 2250m. From there, follow the ridge on good rock. At one point, a large chunk of the ridge has fallen off, leaving a notch with a very steep, smooth pillar of rock on the uphill (eastern) side. From the notch, traverse horizontally on the left (north) side – about grade 12, but very exposed – to bypass the difficult rock, then climb up to regain the ridge. The ridge has some sustained sections of climbing before it eases off. Cross the cheval and continue another 200m higher to the summit.
- P1
- 12
- Alpine (Commitment) V
- Alpine (Technical) 4+
Comments
UUID
0b96866a-dc9c-4726-b1a6-faf02177123a
I went up in early Feb 2025 on a solo overnight trip from the carpark. I didn't encounter any rock above grade 12, definitely nothing close to 18.
There was good access up the true right of Reay Stream to Beetham hut (that might have changed with all the rain though). Bivvied on the ridge just near point 2069 and went up and down the ridge the next day.
Having a rope is handy for abseiling a few of the gendarmes (though they can mostly be turned on the North), and coming down some of the chossier sections.
In the new unreleased Mt.Cook guidebook the route description for the full West ridge describes a "staunch 18 pitch." I recently climbed Malte via the full West ridge (gained at 1700m) and did not feel like we ever came a cross a pitch of 18 let alone a staunch one.