The highest point of the Ben Ohau Range was believed (incorrectly), to be still unclimbed as recently as 1968, when it was climbed from Whale Stream via a lengthy scramble across the ridge tops and western slopes. While a first ascent of Pt 2466m was made along the way, the first ascent of Mauka Atua seems likely to have been made by Norman Hardie in 1948. “I now see that I should have recorded in 1948–49 all that I did as an engineer at Pūkaki. At various stages I had working for me W McFarlane, A Cookson, E Hillary, and others who were not really climbers. With MOW vehicles and able to watch the weather, I traversed most of the Ben Ohau Range from Dun Fiunary to Dark Peak in 1948.” – Norman Hardie, 1992
Routes
| Reference | Title | Grade | Length | Pro | Quality | Alert | Operations |
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| South Ridge, II,2 | II,2 | 0m | |||||
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From either Twin Stream or Back Bush Stream, follow the south ridge of Kai Tarau and either traverse the summit or, if there is good snow cover, sidle below through bluffs at about 2360m altitude to the col south of Mauka Atua. Finish with an easy scramble to the top.
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| East Face, II,2 | II,2 | 0m | |||||
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Follow Back Bush Stream until at 1450m altitude. The east face appears broken and loose but excellent progress can be made up a streambed at BY15 615 386 to gain the north ridge. From here, the summit of Mauka Atua is gained by a 1km long ribbon of narrow ridge.
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| North Ridge, II,2 | II,2 | 0m | |||||
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Ascend the bush-clad spur north of the obvious stream opposite Kennedy Hut, then through snow tussock basins to join the Ben Ohau range crest just north of Pt 2515m. Then head south along a narrow and airy ridge to the summit.
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