West Face | ClimbNZ

Type

Part of

The following climbs lie in the central area of Moir’s Mate and use either the initial pitches of the Bowen Allan Corner or corners further right to gain some broken ledges which signal the start of these routes.

Aspect

West

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Routes

Reference	Title	Grade	Length	Pro	Quality
11	11Central Line, 18	18	0m		0
P1 18 Trad Move left beyond the broken ledges before straightening. Continue up the left side of the headwall; the crux pitch is an off-width below the overhangs, then right past the roofs finishing with an excellent pitch up the split headwall crack.
	Moir's Mate, IV,WI4	IV,WI4	0m		0
P1 Alpine (Commitment) IV Water Ice WI4 Climb the layback first pitch of the Central Route then trend up and right to finish via the top of the Fantini Coradine. "The climbing was not all that hard but required quite a lot of care here and there due to cold hands and little icy bits. For most of the climb protection was about the same as summer...used a couple of pegs in this pre-Friends era. On the top couple of pitches a Southerly front hit us, these pitches were dangerous, though not hard they iced quickly and there was no pro, no belays and the climbing became a bit subtle. Judy actually untied from the rope while I led the last pitch!" Merv English
12	12English Fearnley Hudson, 20	20	0m		0
P1 20 Trad Start as for the Central Line, but turns right under the overhangs which cut the top slabs then up a steep fingery crack in the overhanging wall, crux 20. Continue up V groove to top.
13	13Fantini Coradine, 17	17	0m		0
P1 17 Trad Starting at the broken ledges, traverse right into a corner system which leads to a delicate left slanting slab. Climb the slab (crux) then a 20 metre abseil down and left before climbing into a gully towards the prominent overhang. Move out right below the overhang then to the summit.
14	14Orthopod, 18	18	0m		0
P1 18 From the skyhook move, on the Fantini Coradine line. Up and right two rope-lengths.
15	15Red Zinger, 19	19	0m		0
P1 19 Trad A direct finishe above the skyhook move on the Fantini Coradine line
	Pipe Dreams, 21	21	302m	7	3
Right of BAC left of FK A high quality route, some sections may have be climbed before. Recommend, rap from the top, 30m, 60m, 30m, 60m, 60m, 60m. P1 16 30m 3 Trad Slab Climbing P2 18 32m Trad Steepening cracks P3 20 30m 2 Trad Corner to slab P4 14 30m 3 Trad Scramble up P5 21 30m Trad Corner, small roof, layback P6 21 30m Trad Continue up corner P7 21 30m 7 Trad Slab climbing, left of the big block, then back right. P8 18 30m Trad Up left facing corners P9 21 30m Trad Steep crack through upper headwall P10 20 30m 4 Trad Slab climbing through upper headwall.
	Finders Keepers, 22	22	280m	5	3
The "Lucky Strike" of trad climbing. Excellent rock & gear, sustained climbing. Topo attached to the climb description. Equipment: 2x 50m ropes, rack of wires down to #RP, Camalots, C3- #3(blue), double up on 0.5 & 0.75 + 12 draws inc extenders. All belays equipped with abseil rings. P1 15 25m 4 Trad Start 50m right of BA Cnr. Bolt at start of rte. Initialed (FK) P2 19 30m 3 Trad P3 18 30m 3 Trad P4 12 60m Trad Pitches 4&5.Scrambling on good rock with DBB in between to big ledge & Trad belay. P5 22 20m 4 Trad or climb optional corner (17) P6 21 25m 5 Trad P7 21 30m 4 Trad P8 21 30m 2 Trad P9 21 30m Trad
	Lucky Strike, 20	20	275m	11	0
The original topo is attached, click on Lucky Strike. A quality route, well equipped with bolts, climbing the buttress on the right-hand side of the Mate. Seven pitches (280m), plus an optional further pitch to the ridge and a scramble to the summit. Take 2 x 50m ropes, a small rack of medium wires, cams to hand size and a dozen quickdraws. Abseil descent is best. P1 18 55m 9 Trad Start 150 metres right of the Bowen Allan Corner. Access via a good ledge slightly further right. Bolts and natural pro. It’s possible to belay at the seventh bolt, with a cam, to reduce drag and increase visibility. P2 18 45m 11 P3 18 30m 9 Follow the bolts left, then back right. P4 19 45m 9 Trad Bolts to a steep section, then some natural pro. P5 20 25m 8 P6 20 25m 9 Trad Some natural pro. P7 13 50m Trad Climb 15 metres to where a dyke leads right to the top of the Mates Little Brother, or continue up to a belay station.
	Shot in the Dark, 24	24	0m		2.01
A six pitch affair ranging in difficulty from grade 17 to 24. Nick comments that the one grade 24 pitch is an ‘absolute stunner’ and that a good rack is required. P1 24 Trad

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Comments

Attribution

Craig Jefferies

UUID

eb2e35e8-3629-4ca7-98cb-c1022800ea70