This is one of the great ice climbs of New Zealand—a perfect line on a beautiful face.
Follow Route 11.61 as far as the first section of the leftwards traverse into the Central Gully. Here there are two pitches of steep ice. The first is around 80 degrees and usually forms as water ice. The second pitch gradually relents, and then moderate ground leads to the summit. Abseiling the route has become popular on V threads, which has the added advantage of bringing you back to your skis, but think carefully about whether this is feasible for you on the lower pitches, which can collect a lot of snow. Legend has it that a party, while retreating from just below the crux, dropped both their ropes and had to downclimb the lower pitches.
- P1
- Alpine (Technical) 5
- Alpine (Commitment) IV
- Alpine (Mt Cook) 5+
Follow the lower right couloir to near the foot of the obvious narrow notch (at 2/3 height), then traverse leftwards into the Central Couloir. Ascend steep ice, for a couple of pitches, which gradually relent, leading to the summit. Superb.
