2. NZ
  3. North Island
  4. Tongariro
  5. Mt Ruapehu
  6. Tukino
  7. Northern Bluffs

Northern Bluffs

(11 routes)

These are the cliffs across the valley from the car park. The obvious ice lines have been climbed, but there is potential for some very difficult climbs to be completed. The first three routes are on the shorter left-hand section of the bluffs. Much potentual for good rock climbs, but some of the lava layers are shattered

Altitude: 
1700m
Type: 
Crag
Aspect: 
South East
Walk time: 
20 min
Access: 

Best approach is to descend to just under the prominate waterfall, then climb out to base of the cliffs.

Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Edit link
West of South Buttress M3 40m
0
Face about 20ms left of the southern buttress. Ascend up through steep face. Some loose rock which can get frozen into place
Ollie Touhy, Callen Kennedy 29/7/2007
South Buttress 16 40m
0
 wire representing trad 3
Start to right of buttress, moving left onto the buttress & follow up, generally just left of the crest. The rock is a lot more solid than it looks, but there may be the occasional loose block. Belay at point where turns to talus. Exit by scrambling up for a while then descending the gut to the west.
Don French, Jozef Crosland, 5 January 2015
Point Eight M4, M2 80m
0
Start just to the south of the toe of the buttress left and below of Gully One. Up Left facing corner onto lead that basically goes straight up tending slightly to the left. A number of steps befor angle eases. Belay
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
1M445mNo
 Start just to the south of the toe of the buttress left and below of Gully One. Up Left facing corner onto lead that basically goes straight up tending slightly to the left. A number of steps befor angle eases. Belay
2M235mNo
 Continue to trend up and leftward on snow fields at first with a couple of steps which provide some interest.
Don French
Point Nine M2, M2 60m
1.02
Buttress left of Gully One. Climb buttress trending left. Fund mixed route. Climb snow fan to left of Gully One, with difficult step onto mixed ground
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
1M230mNo
 Buttress left of Gully One. Climb buttress trending left. Fund mixed route. Climb snow fan to left of Gully One, with difficult step onto mixed ground
2M230mNo
 Climb through snow fields varying left with steep step to finish on upper snow fields.
Oli Touhy, Callen Kennedy 15/7/2007
Gully One WI1 20m
0
 2
left corner of wide basin half way along Northern Bluffs. Short
unknown
Gully Two 20m
0
Another line just to the right.
Gully Three WI2 20m
0
Climb the right end of the wall, before the cliff line lengthens again.
Irish Ice Express WI2
0
 2
Fairly straight forward climb near the northern end of the Northern Bluffs. Short steep section before easing off into bowl above.
Bowel Wobbler WI4 50m
1.02
 2
More committing. A steep first pitch up to easier ground. A second pitch up a steep (vertical) ice lead eases off onto a slab, and right to easy ground.
Unclimbed Ice Project WI6 50m
0
This forms very briefly went he sun is at a low angle. A superb challenge on very steep ground. Grade a guess
beleive to be unclimbed
1 Tic Tac Toe 16 ,17 ,19 130m
3
 wire representing trad 6
A natural line of weakness connects the dots on this distinctive face to create an absorbing climb with three contrasting pitches of increasing difficulty. The route starts just right of the lowest point of the toe of the buttress at the right hand end of the buttress. Initially it follows a leftward-trending line up the centre of the obvious clean curving slab (easily identified from Tukino lodges) before breaking back rightwards where steep moves lead up the line of weakness through the overlap and onto the upper wall. It then continues directly up to finish the difficulties with a punchy short crack before easy ground leads up over another little bluff to belay at an obvious large boulder. Descent: Either walk off or rap from slings on a large boulder above the winter line of bowel wobbler (green line on image, 50m). Note there is loose rock on this rap line - take care when rapping and pulling ropes!
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11645mYes
 Pitch-1: Follow a rising traverse line leftwards up the centre of the curving slab just below the overlaps until the slab begins to steepen and a short vertical crack is reached. Follow the crack for a few moves until breaking out left again on small flakes and move up past a shaky block to a good belay on ledges near the left arete under overhangs.
21740mYes
 Pitch 2: From the belay, traverse back right and then up into the obvious line of weakness to gain the upper wall. Make committing moves through the over-hanging flakes (crux) and then continue up to a left-facing dihedral corner (2nd crux). After this climb directly up easier ground to a ledge indicated by a overhanging finger of rock. Note: Don't sling or touch this as it has a very loose look to it! Belay at base of top head wall.
31945mYes
 Pitch 3: Climb strenuously up the short steep crack directly above the belay. The crux is moving up past the overhanging bulge, thin on the feet. There is good gear in the crack but tiring to place. Continue on up over easy terrain to another outcrop. Follow the easy line on up to an obvious large boulder to belay.
FFA Sandy Britain,

This place appears in