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Sabre Pk

Type
Altitude
2162m

New Zealand’s best rockclimbing peak – Murray Judge, NZAJ, 1984. A thin blade of rock sitting astride the narrow ridge that separates Moraine Creek and Marian Creek.

Image
Lat/lon
-44.74716781,168.05225442, NZ Topo Map
Topo50
CB09 083 332
Approach

From Phil’s Bivvy
Drop down and across the basin towards the main waterfall below the North Buttress of Sabre, which often has a large avalanche cone at its base. Cross the stream 100m down from the foot of the waterfall to slabs on the north side, climbing these to a narrow ledge leading left, up and across a grassy gut to a short rock slab. At the top go left to a short waterfall and then diagonally right up a rock ramp to a large terrace. Take the second gully at the right-hand end to the foot of the North Buttress, then continue to Sabre Adelaide Col, or head right over rock and snow to the Marian Sabre Col.
Descent off Sabre Peak
The East Ridge is the usual summer descent. From the summit drop down the north-east face then follow ledges down and right for 150m, slowly traversing back to the East Ridge above the large gendarme. It is possible to abseil this section, two 60m raps. A small flat ledge located at the base of the gendarme runs across the wall and two separate rap lines with fixed slings descend from the ledge to the col. One of these follows a gully and is found by traversing the ledge west for 50m.
Descent off Sabre Peak in winter
There are three options. All are quite involved.

  • Down the East Ridge to the Sabre Adelaide Col and back into the Marian valley; conditions on the glacier vary depending on the season.
  • Down the East Ridge to the Sabre Adelaide Col then descend the northern slopes to Phil’s Bivvy in Moraine Creek.
  • Down the West Ridge, then traverse Marian and Barrier heading for Gertrude Saddle; the quickest way to Homer Hut.
Accessed from
Add Place Add Route

Places

Type Name Alert
Face South Face
Face North East Face
Face North Buttress
Face North West Face

Routes

Reference Title Grade Length Pro Quality Alert Operations
1 1East Ridge 0m
0

  • P1

From the Sabre Adelaide Col traverse 5m left then climb a steep pitch onto the ridge. Move right up a slab to a short chimney and groove above. From this point the ridge may be climbed directly, or follow easier broken ledges slanting right towards the top of the North Buttress and up the broken ridge to the top.


 West Ridge 0m
0

  • P1

The ridge rises in two steps from the Marian Sabre Col; these are usually climbed on the right (south) side. Near the summit the ridge is cut by a deep notch but this can be by-passed via ledges on the north side.


 West Ridge (Winter Ascent) 0m
0

  • P1

The west ridge was accessed via the north-west face, five pitches to the ridge then exposed travel to the summit. The summit was reached in a long day from Homer Hut, with a bivvy at the Sabre Marian col on descent.


Images

Comments
Attribution
Craig Jefferies
UUID
 
f89dbe38-0310-433e-b996-e1cd02d7cd1d