The combined quality and length of these climbs make them unsurpassed as the best slab routes in the country. The rock is well featured and compact. Many have now been equipped with 10mm stainless bolts but a full natural pro rack with large size cams is still required, up to 10cm on Labyrinth.
It is common for routes on the north face of Barrier Knob to be completed in a long day out of Homer Hut, or alternatively from a camp or bivouac on the slopes below the face. Flat bivouac sites exist on the tussock slopes above Adelaide Saddle. There is a very good bivouac site underneath the central part of the north face.
Traverse high on scree from the end of the Barrier Knob Traverse until a long rock rib under the face forces you to descend; at the bottom of this rib a flat site, suitable for a two person tent can be found. It may be under snow early in the season. Water is available from the snow patches or snow-melt trickles on the slabs.
There are two approaches that can be used to access to these climbs.
- Traverse round to the base of the north face; from Gertrude Saddle climb to the start of the traverse around the southern aspect of Barrier Knob: Traverse on snow-slopes or rock and scree late season to the base of the north face. Allow approximately three hours and note that the snow slopes are very icy early morning and may require crampons.
- Abseil down from the summit ridge of Barrier Knob. From Gertrude Saddle climb to the summit of Barrier Knob. Follow the ridge east for 200m keeping an eye out for a cairn which marks the start of a rappel line to the base of the routes, with the first rap station (slings) 30m down on the northern side.
Routes
| Reference | Title | Grade | Length | Pro | Quality | Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Endless Summer | 21 | 265m |  |
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| Variation finish to Endless Summer | 18 | 70m | 8 |
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| 2 | Snake | 17 | 70m | 8 |
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| 3 | Sidewinder | 23 | 12 |
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| 4 | Labyrinth | 22 | 230m | 5 |
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| 5 | Missing Link | 23 | |
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| 6 | Sword of Damocles | 21 | |
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| 7 | Rita's Burritos | 21 | 80m | 5 |
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| 8 | Chilli con Kea | 20 | |
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| 9 | Mexican Stand-off | 19 | |
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| 10 | Gecko Ledge | 20 | |
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| McGregor-Atkinson | |
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| 12 | Carson Judge | |
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| 13 | Fly Higher | 22 | |
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| 14 | Fish Gills | 23 | 200m | 4 |
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| 15 | Maňana | 21 | |
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| 16 | Bandito | 15 | |
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| 17 | Day Tripper | 16 | |
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| 18 | Carson Judge | 21 | |
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| Denz Judge | |
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| English Gabites Reichwein | |
Images
