2. NZ
  3. North Island
  4. Taranaki
  5. Taranaki Mt Egmont
  6. Turtle

Turtle

(1 route)

The summit of the Turtle has been gained from all points of the compass, with the traverse giving a very fine alpine outing (2) in good conditions. It can be harder very early in the season.
Rumoured to have been climbed as early as the 1950s, when under snow and ice, only one climb has been recorded.

Type: 
Wall
Altitude: 
2200m
Access: 

The descent is via the Nose on the uphill side, a short down-climb at about Scottish grade II. The crest can also be reached via steep snow from the north, but it is on the south side that the real action is.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-39.292793000000, 174.060345000000
Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Big Mal WI4 55m
0
As the base of the Turtle is descended on the south side, a prominent corner will be turned just before the slope steepens, about one third of the way down. Just before this point, an obvious groove and ramp system cuts up the face, which on the first ascent was free of the giant sastrugi build-up adorning the rest of the face. This gives an excellent 55m pitch to the crest, with the crux occurring as the groove is left to establish oneself on the wall above.
Mark Hall, Iain Young and Chris Prudden, Aug. 1995.
UUID: 
67780f7a-3f2f-4297-8c8a-147d9e81cc88