North Shoulder

A classic climb. From the summit of Lendenfeld, Tasman appears very close and, if conditions are good enough that you do not have to pitch the route, then it should not take long. However, several parties have found themselves on overnight epics due to pitching the entire Plateau Face, usually due to hard ice. There is nothing very steep on this climb, but you need to be comfortable with a lot of air under your feet.The climb is best approached by traversing over Lendenfeld to reach Engineer Col. Above Engineer Col, there is often an icecliff straddling the ridge crest. The route usually follows moderately steep ice gullies on the Plateau Face to where Syme Ridge joins the North Shoulder. Although the section above the col has changed markedly over the last few decades, it still provides a relatively straightforward route onto the shoulder. The broad North Shoulder eventually narrows into an exhilarating ridge, which leads to the summit. Also used as a descent route.