The wide Mangaturuturu Valley runs through mountain beech forest on the western side of Ruapehu. The northern bank of the river is lined with tall but generally rather mossy looking cliffs. Bill Denz reportedly climbed a line on the bluff immediately opposite Mangaturuturu Hut in 1969, but unfortunately the details are lost.
This section of cliffs is 300m long and 50m high. There is a lifetime of new routes here for anyone with some time and sufficient motivation.
More recently, the Sedon brothers focused their interest on another cliff further upstream. From the hut, cross the river and head upstream, possibly pausing to enjoy a few problems on some large boulders. From here you can see the crag, identifiable by two ‘bunny ears’ that stick out from the top of the cliff. Scramble up an old slip to reach the base.
A corner to the left of the nearly-completed route described below has been cleaned, but not climbed.
The valley is crossed by the Round-the-Mountain Track, and is best reached from Whanganui Corner on the Ohakune Mountain Road. It’s 1–1½ hours walk.
