West Face

From the Albert névé, ascend the snow slopes left of the west face routes.

From the névé, 200m of pleasant scrambling on good rock, followed by 40-degree snow slopes and final exit gullies onto the South Summit. Superb.

This route has excellent rock climbing. It’s best to follow a weakness on the right side, although the centre of the buttress has been used (grade 15). Follow the snow slope to exit onto the South Summit. In 1967, this route was a major psychological breakthrough in face climbing and was heralded as a classic.

From the névé, gain the rounded rib beside the west face, head up easy mixed ground, and trend out left to finish up the same summit gullies as the west face routes. The first ascent party is unknown – the party listed below took a line right of the Right Buttress.

The couloir between the west and south ridges.

Very popular, and the most common way up Mt Haidinger. It is also the recommended descent route. The ridge is fairly straightforward (but beware of cornices) until the last 100m of rock, which if iced can be tackled either by traversing out slightly on the east face or up the couloir to the west. The ridge can be gained at many points. The usual routes are:
(i) The ridge can be gained at many points. The most elegant way lies up the arête which reaches the ridge 400m before the summit.
(ii) Along the divide from Governor Col, which involves a step halfway along the ridge must be ascended, otherwise the ridge is fairly straightforward (beware of cornices) until the last 100m of rock, which if iced, can be tackled either by traversing out slightly on the East Face or up the couloir to the west.
The first ascent was from the Grand Plateau and Glacier Dome, then traversing across to Governor Col.