Natural pro requiredThe first 4 pitches alone make a decent rockclimb (rap off - mixture of ring bolts and regular hangers, you will have to leave a little cord or maillons / biners). Carrying on for the full arete is a different experience - has that adventurous and loose mountaineering feel, and is satisfying to view from the village on sunny evenings.
Pros: This is a long and aesthetic line, the longest on Sebastapol Bluffs. It is very compelling from the village at sunset and has the best views of any rockclimb on Sebastapol. Topping out at McNulty tarns (with maybe a dip) and walking down the Red Tarns track is a dreamy, easy & scenic descent. Nice rockclimbing P2-4.
Cons: All the other pitchs involve runouts and choss. Sharp edges and loose rock abound. Climbing on two ropes is wise but no guarantee of safety. Bring experience and care. The final pitch on the arete in particular abounds in sharp edges and an alternate finish continuing up the sound rock of the slab to the left, while less wild, could be a more logical and safer finish.
Rack: Take a single rack and 12 draws (include alpine draws). Cams to #3 will find homes.
Access: Start uphill almost below the arete (just right) on grass slopes. Trend up and left, following your nose (and, importantly, old cut branches) through thin bands of scrub, eventually gaining a narrow thread of scree out left. Puff up this, then back into scrub on faint trails (more cut branches) and then right along the base of bluff, following now-obvious cut branches through a final 20m of forest to the base of the route. The route begins on the slabs to the left of the arete. 1 hr from your door in the village (or the highway).
- P1
- 17
- 25m
- 9
- Trad
Start well left of the arete, at the left edge of slabs leading up to a large white roof. Climb past several bolts up the slab. At a small white overlap (crux) move up and left, clip a bolt above, then traverse right (optional #2 cam)across a ledge past one more bolt to a DBA around arete. Scruffy in places.
- P2
- 17
- 15m
- 4
Up steep clean wall left of big white roof on awesome moves, then pull over lip to left and past one bolt to DBA at first ledge. No gear required.
- P3
- 14
- 30m
- 6
- Trad
Up the consistent orange slab on good holds. Optional .5 and #1 cam to supplement bolts. **NB can linkup from P2 if enough draws.**.
- P4
- 17
- 22m
- 4
- Trad
Good technical face/slab climbing following thin crack (couple of small pieces possible to supplement bolts) just left of arete. At top pull onto ledge (holds here still need a brush) and step left behind Totara to DBA on arete.
- P5
- 8
- 30m
- Trad
Scramble arete taking great care in bad choss, worst for the first 10m until the gap between the two trees above. A death block above the belay could be rocked by foot in 2024 but was unresponsive to crowbar - avoid touching this!!
- P6
- 6
- 30m
- Trad
Scramble arete- now on good red rock - then walk along scree spur to find bolt and pin anchor right of the arete at base of the next wall.
- P7
- 14
- 35m
- Trad
Step 3m left, climb corner/gully with crack on right, then straight up and over large freestanding orange flakes (fun! caution!) on skyline of arete. On to next wall.
- P8
- 15
- 45m
- 1
- Trad
Up and left around arete, up on left (downsloping / vegetation / loose) past one bolt, and finally when practical step back to R side and on on somewhat better rock, on up and across a scree ledge below the next (overhanging) wall. The anchor (1b + small rata tree) is up a 3m v-groove gully. **NB this pitch might be better finding a way that stays right of the arete the first 10m - maybe the incipient crack (to a small tree) starting just right of the belay.**.
- P9
- 17
- 43m
- 3
- Trad
Up left through overhang past bolt (Fun positive moves) then up; once practical step back right onto better rock and past one bolt, and on up clean slab up and right towards the enormous prow on right. Gain this via a broken fingercrack in its' face and an exciting move out right onto the very crest. Step up onto a ledge on the very crest of the prow, 3m below top, then step right and clip a bolt (check where your rope is running) on your way to the anchor just above (1b on wall, 1b over top). Backclean last draw before belaying. Take great care with where ropes run for your second. swinging fall on sharp edges is possible for them gaining the prow. Consider instead finishing straight up the clean slabs you were on left of the prow, straight above the second bolt (no bolts placed in this slab, however looks very feasible on relatively clean rock). Walk back, up and right over the terrace , then take the rough trail down the large scree slope below Mt Sebastapol to the Red Tarns Track, brining you back to Mt Cook village.
