Hongi's Track

It is quite a hike up to the base of the south face. Starts by sidling up the scree slope under the glacier nestled beneath Mt Adelaide. There is usually an avalanche cone that affords access through a weakness in the line of bluffs. Above here the ground is moderate; easily soloed up to where the fun starts. The route involves one steep pitch of 80 degree ice through the band of overhangs, this is the crux and in thin ice conditions would be very difficult. The rest of the route follows a corner system with 50 degree sections, interspersed between 70 degree steps. It is easily climbed in a day from a bivvy either at the bottom of the face or from the bivvy rock. The line runs up the right side of the face, just to the left of the gendarme on the East Ridge. It tops out just right of the summit. On the first ascent it was climbed from a bivvy in the Upper Marian, twelve hours on the face with two bivvies in a storm on the descent. It has since had several ascents and most agree it should be more popular. And probably would be if you could fly to the bottom of it.