Pick a line up the upper-right region of the recent
rockfall wedge, probably climbing a new route
as you go, to reach a gully that leads up and right
to the base of the prominent double ice couloirs
(the Gunbarrels). Climb the Gunbarrels (grade 6),
then climb sustained moderate-angled ice to
the summit.
On the impressive first ascent of the original
Gunbarrels, Bill Denz aided the first two vertical to
overhanging pitches (including a 50m ice pillar)
on Doubek ice screws. Then in a game of oneupmanship,
numerous parties attempted to free
the lower pitches. Allan Uren and Julian White made the first free ascent, only to have the lower
2.5 pitches obliterated by the 1999 rockfall. These
lower pitches were climbed in November 1999 by a
strong kiwi team, but it was visiting climber Gren
Hinton who was the first to climb the full route
post-rockfall. Only one more party got to climb
the route before the 2007 rockfall, which appears
to have made the lower area quite thin and steep.
- P1
- Alpine (Commitment) V
- Alpine (Technical) 7
- Alpine (Mt Cook) 6
- Water Ice WI5
Original: Up two difficult pitches, into the bottom of the Curver Gully, then up three pitches until a diagonal gully cuts back right to the foot of the prominent double ice couloirs (the Gunbarrels). The first two or so original pitches fell off in 1999.