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Caroline Face

Type
Face
Part of
Aoraki Mt Cook Low Pk

An enormous face, the biggest in the region, whose first ascent was a significant psychological breakthrough in New Zealand mountaineering. The lower half of the face is subject to frequent icefall and snow avalanches and is very crevassed. The shelf beneath Nazomi can be used either as an escape route from the lower face or an entry to the upper face. For descent options from Middle Peak, refer to Route 4.13.

Aspect
East
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Routes

Reference Title Grade Length Pro Quality Alert Operations
4.06 4.06Denz Route, VI,4,5 VI,4,5 0m
0

Follow The Clit Route to the shelf, then head quickly across the shelf below icecliffs and ascend gullies and snowfields 1000m to the Low Peak, meeting the South Ridge just below the summit.

  • P1
  • Alpine (Commitment) VI
  • Alpine (Technical) 4
  • Alpine (Mt Cook) 5

Follow the Clit Route to the shelf, then head across the shelf and ascend gullies and snowfields l000m to the Low Peak, meeting the South Ridge 40m below the summit.
4.07 4.07Clit Route, VI,4,5 VI,4,5 0m
0

What a climb! Look at it and feel the history seep into you. The last of the major faces of Aoraki to be climbed, but not the most difficult. The lower half is usually threatened by some gnarly icecliffs.
Interestingly, this is not an uncommon route for people to solo – despite (because of?) the dangers.
From the Caroline Glacier ascend an avalanche fan to gain the rock and snow arête to the right of the central icefall. Above here follow the obvious arête up to the major icecliffs cutting across the face. Depending on their condition, the cliffs can be the technical crux of the climb. Continue up a broad rib onto the 45 degree summit icefields and continue to join the summit ridge between Porter Col and Middle Peak. Incredibly, this route was skied in the spring of 2017 with a couple of abseils.
A few variations are possible: some parties have avoided the lower part of the face by traversing from Cinerama Col, while others have climbed to above the icecliffs then finished up the East Ridge.

  • P1
  • Alpine (Commitment) VI
  • Alpine (Technical) 4
  • Alpine (Mt Cook) 5
4.08 4.08A Jump to the left, VI,4,4+ VI,4,4+ 0m
0
  • P1
  • Alpine (Commitment) VI
  • Alpine (Technical) 4
  • Alpine (Mt Cook) 4+

Climb the snow rib right of the Clit Route (from the CR or from the Caroline Glacier directly). Miroslav variation continue to join the East Ridge. The FA of this route started from Pioneer Hut, to Plateau via Pioneer Pass through Cinerama Col.
Comments
UUID
 
332c653e-6ad2-4647-9677-04a8276a59aa