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Enchantment

Grade
24
Length
631m
21
Natural pro required
Quality
2.01
First ascent
Ben Mangan, Ruari Macfarlane, Dec 2022
Located on

Enchantment is a 15 pitch alpine rockclimb on Mt Eyetooth in the Blue River. Grade 24, or 20 A0. Alternatively, 17 for the upper 5p only.

Ruari Macfarlane first saw the face as a teenager in 2008. In December 2021 he returned with Kyle Walter,; the pair investigated the face and Ruari made a solo ascent of the North Buttress (15, 250m), using a rope for the final pitch.
In December 2022, Ben Mangan and Ruari Macfarlane climbed a line directly below the North Buttress - calling it the North Rib - which they linked into the headwall pitches of what would become Enchantment (pitches 9-15) at grade 17. These upper 7 pitches can be climbed independently by traversing left from the north ridge across the prominent ledge splitting the face. Stuart Duncan and Ruari finished Enchantment in March 2024, establishing pitches 1-3 and climbing to the ledge. A one-day ascent and a fully free ascent of Enchantment are yet to be completed; the Eyetooth headwall and neighbouring Haunted Spur offer several enticing opportunities for quality new routes - especially for climbers with a penchant on carrying heavy packs of batteries and bolts silly distances.

The lower section arguably earns one star for p2, p5 and 6; the upper section is superb rock, positions and features, high on an exposed chisel of top-quality schist with a stunning view, and warrants 2+ stars.

Enchantment (15p, 24, or 20 A0); (ALT: 5p,17 for just the upper 5-pitch headwall ['Superenchantment']). APPROX (see photos for detailed notebook topo scribbles): The route climbs the full East Face, from the Eyetooth- Actor Saddle ramp to near the summit. It is broken into two sections by the ledge across the East Face at two thirds height. Start a short way right along the large ledge angling from the valley headwall cirque to the Eyetooth-Actor Col. Left of a vertical/ overhanging cliff, scramble up a steep broken rib of red-ish rock then scrambling ledges up left, then up and far right, to the highest reasonable ledge high and right. Begin from here, following a few bolts for a short pitch finishing over the left side of a roof. A steeper, phenomenal and long bolted pitch (21) up a blunt rib leads to slabs above, where a long easy pitch or two lead up and far left past cracks and sparse bolts to an anchor at the base of the headwall. From here, a long pitch of sustained mossy difficulty (crux) - but mostly bolted - leads to a ledge. Walk left on this then a steep pitch - again, mostly bolted - leads to a wild finish, gaining a large shield of upper slabs. Despite good climbing and rock on this steep pitch, a large flake peeled off between visits taking several bolts with it. Up and left on the slabs for several pitches with the odd bolt to a waist-high block on the obvious transverse ledge bisecting the face (optional escape/access), further left than the north rib / north buttress. Above, upper Enchantment (Superenchantment) is a further seven classy pitches of slab and crack climbing on quality schist, up to Grade 17, to the top-out south of the summit. This begins by angling up and left across slabs to reach the giant obvious corner in the middle of the wall. Protection is a mix of bolts and gear; anchors on the first few pitches are bolted or mixed, becoming gear for the final few pitches.
There will be snow at the base of the wall and at the start of the climbs until at least January, requiring at least an ice axe.

Descent: there is a rap descent with bolted anchors on the north facing headwall on climbers' right of the North Buttress route. Walk a minute west from the summit and peer over the top of the face for the top anchors, by a 2m step in the ridge. It would be beneficial to upgrade these to 30m abseils from double bolt anchors (currently, abseils are 60m on single bolts). From here, cut through a basin of snow and giant schist features onto the flank above the Ngatau and traverse around to the Eyetooth - Actor Saddle. An alternative is to descend the West Ridge to 1700m where it is possible to drop down through a break in the cliff band. Then sidle around to the saddle.


  • P1
  • 17
  • 27m
  • 2
  • Trad

P1. From the flat, highest point of the upper R ledge (below you ina bulge, a slab, then a large cliff): look for a single anchor bolt. Straight up (more or less) and over L end roof at top (then right on ledge to more opoen ground). A little gear needed. Could use another bolt at finnish. Potential diversion to L. By moving around the ledge at top to the right you can see the next pitch (possibly belay around here?). Finishs at 2b anchor. A little scrappy, and rope drag from gear needs careful management.


  • P2
  • 21
  • 55m
  • 21

P2. Exceptional and sustained on small edges and smears up the blunt pillar. No gear. Finishs at 2b anchor.


  • P3
  • 10
  • 59m
  • 6

p3. Up and LEEFFT across slab. Use your longest slings to extend the anchor, which is near the white quartz dike at base of steep wall. No gear. Finishs at 2b anchor (there's also another less-well situated 2b anchor nearby).


  • P4
  • 24
  • 48m
  • 17

p4. The 'disenchantment pitch'. Can be aided at 20 (A0). No gear (optional hooks if wet). no gear. Finishs at 2b anchor


  • P5
  • 8
  • 27m
  • 2

p5. traverse directly left across exposed ledge/ramp. no gear. Finishs at 2b anchor


  • P6
  • 20
  • 50m
  • 10
  • Trad

p6. Steep and awesome piotch, but a large flake fell off between first and second visits taking bolts with it. Beware. Needs 2 hangers (currently only has finger-tight nuts on the bolt studs - bring spare nuts and washers.) Steep start, upo, traverse right on hanging face, and steeply up through wild finish. Then 10m up slab to 2b anchor.


  • P7
  • 10
  • 57m
  • 2
  • Trad

p7. Easy Slab. straight up slabs 15m then across tussock into groove beside small block on left - gear - then 1b, up and /L to anothr bolt bfore steeper bulge above tussocklands. Continue up and L to anchor.


  • P8
  • 10
  • 58m
  • 2
  • Trad

p8. Easy Slab. Straight up slabs on gear then 2b, trend slightly L to L side bg roof. Cam belay at block on ledge, at base of upper headwall. (.75, 1, optional sling). Either walk off right to ridge (involves some routefinding) or continue on up the glory pitches - 5 pitches of beautiful clean rock and cracks to the summit. (An easier but runout finish is also possible up the north buttress).


  • P9
  • 17
  • 250m
  • Trad

5 pitches on upper enchantment ('Superenchantment') to gain the ridge just S of the summit. Fantastic climbing, first up and left on slabs, then in corner cracks (including enormous cental corner). Mixed pro with mainly bolts initially, then all trad towards top. This is the most consistent great rockclimbing yet on the peak.


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UUID
 
0461e2f4-4cd3-403f-b81a-09d053a03898