Abel Janszoon Face

The major zigzag buttress right of the North Buttress. There are approximately 15 pitches of excellent mixed climbing involving three major rock steps. The first ascent team avoided the second rock step by ‘dropping into the gully on the right.’ Variation: climb the second buttress directly (Tech Grade 6, crux 18). This route is best climbed in the spring or winter when a bit of ice holds any loose rock together. The first ascent team bivvied twice en route (a good site is at two thirds height on a narrow ice arête). Dave Crow, Andy MacFarlane, Jon Taylor, Jun 1994

Start up the same gully as the original route (11.134) to gain the broad rock buttress on the left. Follow the buttress tending left to exit via a hidden couloir that leads through the final rock curtain below the icecliffs. Ascend through the icecliffs onto the North Shoulder.

Ascend the gully start of the Original Route (11.134) and, instead of moving right on the large snowfields, continue straight up the gully systems onto the North Shoulder.

Ascend a gully line to the left of the prominent icecliffs in the middle of the face, moving right onto the central snowfields. Finish up steep sastrugied ice to the left of the summit.

Starting on the left side of the Stevenson-Dick Couloir, head up steep snow to the foot of a major rib leading to the west ridge. Ascend rock of reasonable quality for 15 pitches to emerge onto a prominent rock tower known as the Nipple, 130m below the summit of Tasman.

The route ascends the lower Stevenson-Dick Couloir, and then moves left onto a subsidiary rib beside the couloir. The rock on the rib is of variable quality but nowhere is severe climbing.

A continuous 800m slope descending from the West ridge, averaging 40–50 degrees. Beware soft snow avalanches and rockfall. Has been skied.

Gain the buttress between the icecliff and the base of the Stevenson-Dick Couloir, and head straight up snow and mixed steps on the crest of the buttress, aiming for the mixed gully that breaches the headwall, and then continue up the crest. A terrific big moderate route with enough variety in the climbing to keep it interesting, but easy enough to travel fast. Continue up the West Ridge and down the North Shoulder.

Up the 550m rock buttress immediately left of the Torres-Tasman Col to reach the start of the ice on the west ridge. There are two pitches of grade 17, which are steep and well protected. The rest of the climbing is around grade 12 with, just a bit of scruffy mucking about. Being situated on a buttress gives it a feeling of being safe from most of the objective hazards above.

One of the great New Zealand classics, involving remoteness, exposure, and absolutely engaging ridge climbing. The normal route traverses Torres Peak, making this a long, committing route. Above Torres-Tasman Col, use the rock ribs on the Balfour Glacier side, and then follow the narrow arête upward. The arête gradually broadens out towards the summit of Tasman. Knowing this takes the sting out of the commitment of the route. If you need to escape from low down on the ridge, the best option is probably back up to the summit of Torres, and then down the North East Couloir. Just make sure you can descend the Abel Janszoon Glacier, as it sometimes gets cut off with large crevasses.

This is a classic journey starting 3330m below the summit of Tasman. Requires creativity in your planning, a good weather window, and about three days. It’s possible to skirt around Big Mac on the Balfour side on a narrow snow ledge. This avoids dropping down long snow slopes on the Fox side to Katies Col.

A short route of steep snow and ice, which unfortunately tends to act as a funnel for any rubbish falling from the surrounding slopes. Stay away.