Black Tower Pk

From the base of route 3.29 ascend the couloir up the north slopes to reach Hope Col. Follow the east ridge until a difficult section is reached. Climbing parties have turned this problem on both the Hopkins and Le Blanc sides. A classic chimney follows soon afterwards, and beyond the climb is a scramble to the summit.

A winter climb on Black Tower was achieved after helicoptering in to the shelf on the south face at 2000m. Two hours of unroped climbing to the col were followed by some careful leading on ice and loose rock up the west ridge to the summit. Eleven abseils were required on the descent to the hanging glacier.

The first ascent of Black Tower involved an 8 1/2 hour traverse from Mt McKerrow along the 'tottery' ridge. At the col between the ridge and Black Tower, descend on loose rock to the snowfield, cross the col then climb gingerly up loosely stacked slates on the south ridge. On the summit is an impressive cairn built by the first ascent party. At least one party has used the cairn as a belay anchor.

From the lower Le Blanc glacier ascend steep rock and icecliffs to reach the northern snowslopes. Once on the relative safety of the snowfield traverse across to gain the west ridge to the summit. A difficult and dangerous climb which required a bivouac before the summit was reached. Exit from the climb was over Mt Hopkins, with a further bivouac on the summit of that peak. First attempted by TomBarcham, AlecWitten-Hannah and Ash Cunningham in December 1952.