Skip to main content

West Face

Type
Part of

Classic climbs. Many variations exist on the face. The far left buttress, the gully between the buttresses, and a narrow gully right of the Right Buttress have all been climbed. The most prominent routes are:

Aspect
West
Add Place Add Route

Routes

Reference Title Grade Length Pro Quality Alert Operations
11.67 11.67Left Buttress, III,3+,10,3+ III,3+,10,3+ 0m
1.02

From the névé, 200m of pleasant scrambling on good rock (crux 10), followed by 40-degree snow slopes and final exit gullies onto the South Summit. Superb.


  • P1
  • 10
  • Alpine (Commitment) III
  • Alpine (Technical) 3+
  • Alpine (Mt Cook) 3+

11.68 11.68Right Buttress, III,4,12,4- III,4,12,4- 0m
1.02

This route has excellent rock climbing. It’s best to follow a weakness on the right side (crux 12), although the centre of the buttress has been used (crux 15). Follow the snow slope to exit onto the South Summit. In 1967, this route was a major psychological breakthrough in face climbing and was heralded as a classic.


  • P1
  • 12
  • Alpine (Commitment) III
  • Alpine (Technical) 4
  • Alpine (Mt Cook) 4-

Excellent rock climbing, best followed up a weakness on the right side (crux 12), although the centre of the buttress has been used (crux 15). Follow the snow slope to exit onto the South Summit.


11.69 11.69West Ridge, II,3+ II,3+ 0m
0

From the névé, gain the rounded rib beside the west face, head up easy mixed ground, and trend
out left to finish up the same summit gullies as the west face routes.


  • P1
  • Alpine (Commitment) II
  • Alpine (Technical) 3+

11.70 11.70Albino Merino, II,4 II,4 0m
0

  • P1
  • Alpine (Commitment) II
  • Alpine (Technical) 4

The couloir between the west and south ridges.


11.71 11.71South Ridge, II,3 II,3 0m
0

Very popular, and the most common way up Mt
Haidinger. It is also the recommended descent
route. The ridge is fairly straightforward (but beware of cornices) until the last 100m of rock,which if iced can be tackled either by traversing out slightly on the east face or up the couloir to
the west. The ridge can be gained at many points.
The usual routes are:The usual routes are:
(i) The ridge can be gained at many points. The most elegant way lies up the arête which reaches the ridge 400m before the summit.
(ii) Along the divide from Governor Col, which involves a step halfway along the ridge must be ascended, otherwise the ridge is fairly straightforward (beware of cornices) until the last 100m of rock, which if iced, can be tackled either by traversing out slightly on the East Face or up the couloir to the west.


  • P1
  • Alpine (Commitment) II
  • Alpine (Technical) 3

Comments
Attribution
Alex Palman
UUID
 
fe3a8ece-72a4-4f2e-a7e9-4b84a2f5d67f