Natural pro requiredAim for the northern corner at the base of the east face and scramble low angle slabs to the bottom of a gut between Mt Russel and its north east outlier. Climb left out of the gut to gain broader slabs and trend straight up, passing a small overlap on the left via a slab with thin moves (first crux). Ascend more easy slabs to where the rock steepens before trending right via a vague ledge system and the second crux before the angle eases off again. Ascend the remaining slabs directly to the summit. Crux sections around Ewbank grade 12-13 with the remainder of the route mostly grade 10. Generally sufficient protection but you have to work to find it.
Descend Mt Russel via the west ridge to approximately halfway between Mt Russel and pt1689 to low point on the ridge. Descend south via scree and ledges back to scree field south west of Mt Russel.
Access: Best approached via the Good Luck Creek route out of the Deception River. Cross Mt Franklin west ridge at accessible low points, then under or on the Aicken Range towards Mt Russel.
- P1
- 13
- Alpine (Commitment) III
- Alpine (Technical) 3
- Alpine (Mt Cook) 2+
- 300m
- Trad
