South Face

Matihao can lay a solid claim to having the best ice routes on Ruapehu on its South Face. These climbs are long, steep and exposed – and being high on the mountain they can remain in condition late into spring.

Type:

Face (Alpine)

Aspect:

South

Reference

Title

Grade

Length

Quality

Bolts

Gone

Natural pro

Link to edit content

Left Couloir

I 3

A great two-pitch route up the major couloir on the left end of the face, to top out on the col between the two southern summit outcrops.

Easy Gully

A pleasant introduction to the South Face.

Accidental Pleasure

WI3

Start as for Lahar View, then head left. After first step follow left hand chimney and corner until you reach as small ledge/pinnacle then follow left trending ice bulges unto upper slopes. After easy grade runout surmount last step and follow easy grade slopes to belay at the top. We did it in three pitches. Possibly climbed before, but a great outing and worth a mention/ description.

Adam Power, Dion Fabbro 2020

Lahar View

“Three of us climbed the central gully in November 1977 up three pitches of ice and snow lightly covered with ash from the recent eruptions” – Harry Keys. The left-hand line on the main central face, with a ﬁne last pitch on to the summit block.

Harry Keys, Tony Teeling, Tony Connell, November 1977

Piton Route

Climbs the left side of the ﬂow, exiting on to the col between the two summit blocks.

Route Five

A little steeper than the Piton Route, moving into a nice gully near the top of the lower face. Finding a sound belay in soft snow on the middle ledge can be tricky; look for rock if possible. A second pitch is a two-move wonder through the rock band.

Straight Route

The best of the easier routes, consistently steep with nice bulges lower down. Drift right as you near the middle ledge and the difficulties ease.

Corner Route

I 5

Climb mixed ground into a shallow corner. Climb this until forced right onto moderately steep ice that eases towards the belay.

Don French. Rob McBrearty, 1988

Blind Faith

WI4+ or M6/WI4+

70m

70m long route on the left-hand side of the main rock buttress. Can be a fully formed (although thin) water-ice route or a mixed line up to an ice pillar. Excellent either way. Climb up low-angled ice steps then up steep, challenging climbing to the vertical ice pillar. Descent: Rap off v-threads or climb the low-angle ice above the route through the second tier, then walk around. Gear: Screws including stubbies, rock gear if it's not fully formed.

Possible FA by Edwin Sheppard and Gregor Kolbe June 2016. Climbed by Di Drayton and Jono Clarke as a mixed route June 2017.

Eyes on the Pies

WI2,M6,WI3

85m

Starts below deep cleft about 30m left of Mr Lava Lava. Gear: 4-5 short screws, wires, 2 sets medium-large cams, 1 set small cams, hexes, couple of pitons.

#	Ewbank	Water Ice	Mixed	Length	Trad
1		WI2		25m	Yes
	Up ice steps to belay just left of chimney.
2			M6	45m	Yes
	Up right into chimney, weave through one or two rock caves with stemming moves, then straight up vertical pick crack to top. Takes good gear up to hard top out over ice bulge.
3		WI3		15m	Yes
	From ledge, up low angle groove directly above P2. Easy climbing but unprotectable. Walking off along the ledge is an option if you want to avoid this pitch.

FA Gregor Kolbe, Edwin Sheppard, Shaun Brown, July 2020

Ubiquitous Ed

WI2,M5,M4

85m

Great route up the blocky groove 10m right of the deep cleft that is Eyes on the Pies.

#	Ewbank	Water Ice	Mixed	Length	Trad
1		WI2		25m	Yes
	Up moderate ice to belay at the base of the blocky groove.
2			M5	45m	Yes
	M5+ ish. Up the blocky groove and then trend right to climb the left-facing corner to the ledge. A little run-out in places.
3			M4	15m	Yes
	Climb up under the giant hanging boulder and out the right-hand side. Decent rock gear.

FA Gregor Kolbe, Edwin Sheppard, Rimma Kade, July 2020

Mr Lava Lava

70m

Takes one of the many steep cracks in central section of face. Started up left facing corner on left side of large pillar. Then climbs striking offwidth in center of pillar.

Steven Fortune, Matt Thom, August 2012

Kelpie Yelpie

20m

Corner cracks with good gear to belay ledge with huge cracks. Rapped off rock thread.

FA Jono Clarke and Di Drayton, June 2021

Rusty piton

70m

Hard climbing with good gear up crack systems on the right side of the face.

FA Romain Albert and Wayne Marshall, 2021

Like Your Mom

M5, M3

60m

Starts about 30 meters to the left of Goblin's Thrash up a steep crack system. Good hooks. Belay on small ledge at about 40m off the deck. Second pitch exited out right due to poor ice conditions, but would be good when ice is better. about 60m total, M5 for first pitch,M3/4 for second. Some loose rock. Walk off. Fun, but not amazing, route.

#	Ewbank	Mixed	Length	Trad
1		M5	40m	Yes
	Start up steep crack system (10m) to more ramble-y terrain then up steep corner to belay
2		M3	20m	Yes
	Exit/traverse up and right.

Graham Johnson, Anesh Narsai 10/11/13

Goblin’s Thrash

30m

A short line on the far right end of the wall.

Rob McBrearty, Don French, October 1993

Ultra Right

Shorter still and further right.

Don French, Mike Peat, July-August 1991

Strange Onions

60m

A fun,moderate, two pitch mixed route on good rock. Pitch 1: M5- Start just right of Ultra Right up a short chimney. Continue straight up to an alcove at the base of a overhanging hand crack. #3 C4 fits well here. Pitch 2: M5 Duck down and right around the corner to the base of a left-facing chimney/corner. Climb up corner to the top and walk-off.

Graham Johnson

Ride the Lightning

M7,M6

70m

Start directly up the blank slab to the right of 'Rusty Piton Route' and continue into some staunch moves up the steep and fractured face above.

#	Ewbank	Mixed	Length	Trad
1		M7	20m	Yes
	Start directly up the blank slab to the right of 'Rusty Piton Route' and continue into some staunch moves up the steep and fractured face above.
2		M6	50m	Yes
	Carry on up the low angle terrain above, trend leftward to a stance on a large block below the final headwall, follow the obvious line of weakness to the top.