North Ridge

The North Ridge is a much more demanding climb than any of the other recognised routes on the mountain. To get to the North Ridge use access routes from Matukituki Saddle the ridge consists of easy rock and snow as far as its junction with the ridge separating the Arawata and Waipara watersheds. Three prominent buttresses follow. The first is climbed by a steep rock couIoir to gain a snow ridge above, from where an easier mixed section leads to the second buttress. This is the crux of the climb as it overhangs slightly at the bottom and although the rock is sound, there are few holds. Brown and Hutchins climbed it direct but a break in the west side may offer an easier route.
The upper part of the buttress consists of a smooth vertical face at the top of a sharp snow arête, and was turned on a narrow and exposed crack on the eastern side of the ridge. The third buttress is climbed by a crooked chimney well round on the west side. Above this steep snow leads to the summit towers, of which the easternmost is the highest and is climbed by easy rock on its north-west side.
The first ascent was made in heavily iced conditions and took about nine hours from Matukituki Saddle to the summit.