I consider the name “Kuri’’ (the dog) for a not unattractive peak to be ill-chosen and unromantic, but there may be some justification for Awful and Dreadful. I am unaware who thought up these names, but they were given many years ago, at a time when these words had a meaning very different from their usage in the slang of today, and I feel they were given in all sincerity, the one solemnly impressive, inspiring awe; the other awe-inspiring. It is possible they have impressed to this degree those who have been privileged to look upon them.
– Eric Miller, 1945
The mountains to the north of Mt Aspiring are fantastic. The approaches to Mts Alba, Castor, Pollux, and Mt Awful are a mirror image of the Aspiring peaks, in that they are approached up similar braided river valleys. However there are no alpine huts or glaciers on the scale of the Volta or Bonar glaciers, and most of the mountains are attempted from a bivvy. This is an area where trampers abound but mountaineers are thin on the ground.
Many of the smaller peaks have had very few ascents since they were first climbed.
The peaks are generally grouped together around the valleys they are commonly climbed from. But because peaks are situated on the Main Divide, where ascents have been made from the west they are noted in the text.
Access
Road access to the mountains to the north of Mt Aspiring is via the Wanaka–Haast highway (state highway 6). Makarora township, 80 kilometres from Wanaka, has a café, DoC centre and accommodation. Jet boat or plane access can be arranged for a quick trip to the upper Wilkin Valley: jetboats at Makarora Tourist Centre, Makarora (03 443-8372) and a light plane can be used to fly into Jumboland, the upper Wilkin and Siberia.
The Wilkin and Young Valleys are tributaries of the Makarora and give access to Mts Alba, Awful, Castor and Pollux.
Useful Links http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/otago/wanaka-makarora/wilkin-valley-tracks/ http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/otago/wanaka-makarora/gillespie-pass-circuit/ Huts
The valley huts that are present are owned and managed by DoC and a hut ticket or pass is necessary to stay in them. Alternatively, fees can be paid at any DoC office. Hut wardens are in attendance during the summer at Top Forks, Siberia and Young Huts.
Kerin Forks Hut
This hut can be found at the bush edge on the true right of the Wilkin River. It sleeps 10 and has a coal stove. 5–6 hours from the Makarora confluence.
Top Forks Hut
Located in the Upper Wilkin, beyond Jumboland Flat, Top Forks hut sleeps 10 and has a coal stove. It provides access to Mts Castor and Pollux.
Siberia Hut
Siberia Hut sleeps 20 and has a potbelly stove. It is handily located near an airstrip and it is possible to fly directly in from Makarora, though this idea may be abhorrent to some. Siberia Hut provides a base for climbs of Mt Alba.
Young Hut
Situated near the bushline below Gillespie Pass in the Young Basin. Young Hut sleeps 10. Used as a base for climbs on Mt Awful.
The Dark Side of the Moon is a thirteen pitch bolted climb on a black cliff in the Wilkin valley, a few kilometres downstream from Kerin Forks on the true right of the Wilkin river.
The climb was started in 1992 by Clinton Beavan and Allan Uren. They climbed five pitches ground up, bolting on lead using bat hooks on the insecure schist edges. When they arrived under the overhangs they knew their bat hooking days were over. With the skills they had at the time, bolting on lead on overhanging ground seem too difficult. They abandoned the climb and went alpine climbing instead.
Thirty years later, in the summer of 2021, Uren took Milo Gilmour to the base of the cliff. With a more enlightened approach, that of using a helicopter to lift 150 bolts and 300m of static rope to the top, they abseiled down the wall establishing three pitches. They went back several more times recruiting various labourers. By Easter 2022 most of the hard work was done and the overhangs succumbed to a bolt ladder courtesy of Steve Fortune.
In October 2022 the first ascent was made by Jochen Lenfert and Rike Andree. Uren, Gilmour and Fortune also made an attempt but had to retreat after Gilmour took a fall injuring his back after a hold broke.
The wall is compact grey schist, with a high concentration of quartz of exceptional quality for its size. But be aware due to freeze thaw and the friable nature of schist foot and hand holds can break. Just because the route is fully bolted it isn’t a sport climb. Injuring yourself on the wall would be serious, with rescue difficult.
As of writing the route hasn’t had a clean free ascent, an ascent by walking in and out, an ascent by walking in and out in a day, an ascent where the bolt ladder has been freed etc… .
The cliff faces north, so the best time to climb will be spring and autumn. Summer would be too hot. After a few days of rain there are numerous seepage lines that affect the climbing. A day or two of full sun may be needed to dry these.
Access:
There is a marked track to the base of the climb that starts at approximately Lat Long grid reference, 44.253507 S 169.068419 E. After about 200 metres from where you enter the bush there is a cattle track. On the downhill side of this track is a very large beech tree. From here follow up a faint gully finding orange markers. After a while the bush turns to regenerating kanuka and then comes out into a large healing landslide (this was relatively new in 1992). Climb straight up this to the top following cairns. At the top of the slip the track traverses left into more bush and then traverses around and up to a massive boulder. There is a fixed line on the true left of this boulder. Climb up scrappy country to the base of a short 10 metre slab that has a fixed line and a couple of bolts. From the top of this head up and right, squeeze through a gap between the cliff and trees and the route starts.
The descent is 50m abseils:
Abseil pitch 13.
Abseil to chains of pitch 12 that are on a large vegetated ledge.
Abseil straight down for 50 m to a bolt and piton anchor
Abseil to top of bolt ladder.
Abseil down bolt ladder into trees to slab keep going until you come to big tree on ledge
Abseil straight down over edge of overhang to anchor at top of pitch 3.
Abseil to top of pitch 2.
Abseil to ground.
On the last abseil there is an area of large flakes. On first inspection they look terrifyingly loose, but seem to be hanging in there. However with time and freeze thaw there is no guarantee they won’t break off. It's best, once off the abseil, to climb back up to the start of the climb to stay clear of any rock fall that could be initiated by the next abseiler.
P1
18
15m
4
P2
22
15m
10
At the top of the flake a reachy move right to a small edge unlocks the thin face climbing. Then climb delicately left to a ledge.
P3
26
15m
10
Bouldery moves past the first bolt takes you up to a shallow groove. Step through overlap onto face with difficult moves and not much for the feet. Keep right then left to belay (23 A0).
P4
15
10m
2
Short traverse left along spooky exposed ledge to belay.
P5
23
15m
10
Difficult moves to start off the ledge, then up and right on interesting pocketed rock that angles into white groove (the groove may be dirty). Finish up pocketed cruxy face onto ledge.
P6
23
40m
16
A fantastic pitch, with stunning climbing and lots of exposure. It climbs up the left hand side of the big slab below triangular roof. The best climbing is right out on the edge of the slab.
P7
10
15m
10
Traverse horizontally right on easy ground to the bottom of ramp.
P8
21
15m
10
Up to ramp that leads to the bottom of the overhang and bolt ladder. You will need some sort of foot loop to climb this ladder. The bolts are spaced and it is reachy and physical for a short person to climb this and a long panic draw might come in handy.
P9
23
15m
10
From a semi-hanging belay difficult moves off the belay lead to a short steep arete then a rightwards traverse.
P10
21
40m
16
Beautiful climbing up corner and arete system.
P11
21
35m
15
Another stunning pitch up face and slightly right to left face of corner. Head up towards overlap and surmount via a left loop. Then head back right into crack and attempt to gracefully climb through hanging corner. The finish may be a lurch for a tree.
P12
21
30m
12
Traverse left past chains and then up to belay on good holds. These were originally bolted as two pitches but the first ascent ran them together. You decide what’s best.
P13
20
45m
18
The last pitch is 45m of full value right to the last bolt.
