Mt Elie de Beaumont West Pk

A highly recommended and exhilarating addition to climbing the main summit of Mt Elie de Beaumont. From the main summit, descend and head west along a sharp, very exposed, undulating arête, traversing around a number of gendarmes, usually on the south side, before reaching the West Peak.

The climb is complex. It is usually gained via the Johannes Glacier, which is best reached from the lower Burton via a stream bed and couloir on the true left of the tip of the Johannes Glacier. The North Ridge has been climbed from above the upper Johannes Glacier icefall. The ridge consists of steep but pleasant rock climbing.

The climb is complex. It is usually gained via the Johannes Glacier, which is best reached from the lower Burton via a stream bed and couloir on the true left of the tip of the Johannes Glacier. A more intricate route begins on the upper North Ridge, crosses the prominent spur between the North and West Ridges into a couloir, and up the last 200m of the North Ridge.

This ridge is gained from the southern edge of the Johannes Glacier, which is best reached from the lower Burton via a stream bed and couloir on the true left of the tip of the Johannes Glacier. On the last 500m the route leaves the ridge and follows snow leads out onto the great slab above the Montague Glacier, until the upper part of the spur between the Montague and Spencer glaciers is reached. It is a further l00m to the summit.

Gain the ridge separating the upper Spencer and Montague Glaciers (good bivouac sites here), head up the edge of the Montague Névé, and onto the large schist slab dropping from the West Peak. Continue up steepening snow to the left of the rib before moving right again onto the rib, which is followed to the West Peak.