North Face | ClimbNZ

Type

Part of

Some of the best alpine rock climbing in the Southern Alps awaits those prepared to get themselves, two ropes, rock shoes and a full rack to the base of Drakeʻs north face during a fine weather window.
The Crows Nest Ledge at two-thirds height allows easy access between the routes and to the Corsair abseil descent.

Aspect

North

Accessed from

Balfour Glacier

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Routes

Reference	Title	Grade	Length	Pro	Quality
	Bonaventure, II,5+,19	II,5+,19	200m		0
The half-size outlier buttress on the left side of Drake is a superb quarter-day climb. From the névé, climb the central weakness on deceptively good rock midway between the black rock band on the right and the left-hand margin of the buttress. A small roof three quarters of the way up (crux) is probably avoidable. Four pitches equipped with double bolt belays. Abseil off. P1 19 Alpine (Commitment) II Alpine (Technical) 5+ 200m Trad
	Shogun, 16,5+	16,5+	0m		1.02
P1 16 Alpine (Mt Cook) 5+ This is the largest and most distinctive buttress on Mt Drake. The climbing is both superb and sustained, however after the Crows Nest Ledge it relents somewhat and becomes more broken. The toe of the buttress fell away in 1998 and so access onto the buttress now looks harder (was 14). A snow ramp to the left of the buttress might offer a way. A classic and sustained route (crux 16).
	Samurai, III,23,7-	III,23,7-	400m		0
P1 23 Alpine (Commitment) III Alpine (Mt Cook) 7- 400m A wild ride. The thin buttress right of Shogun. An awesome line with a sting in the tail. Occasional bolt belays and runners (crux 23).
	Golden Hind, IV,6+,19	IV,6+,19	400m		0
Starts on the slabby buttress (as for Samurai) and climbs the line of least resistance up corners and cracks on the left side of the Pelican Buttress. From the Crows Nest Ledge climb the prow, turning difficulties on the left. P1 19 Alpine (Commitment) IV Alpine (Technical) 6+ 400m Trad
	Pelican, IV,7,22	IV,7,22	400m	10	1.02
Ascends the clean red rock of the central buttress all the way to the summit, never deviating more than six metres. There are occasional bolt belays and runners. Start up a thin crack a few metres right of the crest, moving back left about 10–15m up (grade 21/22 depending on the line taken). Continue up the crest, climbing left through the intimidating roof on pitch 4 (grade 22) to reach the Crows Nest Ledge. Above the ledge, climb two pitches up the crest of the buttress (grade 15/16) to an obvious prow, then climb this direct at grade 22. There is a final 60m pitch to the summit, mostly easy but with a grade 20 finger crack. A direct start to the first pitch, straight up the crest, is Superconnected, grade 27 (Alex Palman, February 1996). P1 22 Alpine (Commitment) IV Alpine (Technical) 7 400m 10 Trad
	Superconnected, 27	27	0m	3	0
P1 27 3 A one pitch direct start to the Pelican. Desperate moves up the angular buttress lead to easier ground above.
	URGA Memorial Route, III,19	III,19	200m		0
P1 19 Alpine (Commitment) III 200m Trad This follows a classic corner, between the Pelican and the Right Hand Buttress, which sweeps up to the large roof, shared with the Pelican. Take the right hand side of the roof via a detached plate (crux 19). The climb finishes at the Crows Nest Ledge.
	Red Scorpion, I,23	I,23	210m		0
P1 23 Alpine (Commitment) I 210m Climb the centre of the Right Hand Buttress, taking the right pillar at the top. Start as for Astrolabe but traverse left along a break to gain the buttress proper. Continue up through great rock involving cracks, roofs, slabs and a headwall (crux 23). All pitches are equipped with double bolt belays and some have bolt runners. Mostly 17-20. Stunning.
	Astrolabe, II,17,6-	II,17,6-	350m		2.01
P1 17 Alpine (Commitment) II Alpine (Mt Cook) 6- 350m A classic route. An almost perfect buttress of red rock forming the junction of the North Face and the West Wall. Once on the Satellite Buttress, scramble up the next 30m rock step to the base of the buttress. Astrolabe starts in the obvious right facing corner at the toe of the buttress (there are two corners – the left one being easier). Superb climbing leads to the Crows Nest Ledge and continues directly up the arête to the top of the West Wall. Two easy pitches lead to the summit. The seventh pitch involves under-clinging a small roof (crux 17) however most of the climbing is 14-16. A third pitch variant involves climbing the arête directly rather than moving left, grade 18.