Mt Huxley

The north east face of Mt Huxley is an extensive snowfield. Access to the slopes is limited by the presence of some moderate angled bluffs. From the upper South Huxley Valley a rock rib gives steep access through the middle of the bluffs to the upper slopes and the summit. The first ascent party departed in time-honoured style from the Oamaru pie cart, carried 5 foot skis for a day and a half up valley through beech forest and up an interesting bluff, for a 600m altitude gain across the top snowslopes, and a careful ski descent back to the bluffs.

A variation on 4.29 is to follow a ramp on the eastern side of the bluffs until near the east ridge, climb through the bluffs and rejoin the original ascent route.

From the Ahuriri - Huxley Col traverse toward the mountain on the slopes just north of the east ridge, maintaining altitude as much as possible. One short bluffy section has to be surmounted to gain access to the upper slopes and the short summit pyramid.

Pick your way through the icefall on the right hand side of the south face and climb the snow ramp and broken rock to reach the east ridge to the right of the East Peak.

Follow the hanging glacier in the centre of the face, then up a couloir which is mostly hidden from view in the valley, up the right central portion of the face to near the East Peak, 800m from the main summit. A heavily crevassed section at mid-height presents the major difficulty on the route.

A mainly mixed route apart from the first 3-4 pitches which is steep ice. Start at the toe of the south spur up a narrow gully of steep ice for two pitches then take a gully to the left which leads on to the south spur proper. The crux two pitches are at the top, finishing just east of the summit. Ten pitches of grade 4-5 ice. The first ascent party took 17 hours for the complete climb. Erik Bradshaw climbed a variation on this route in summer conditions with a full tramping pack in two and a half hours. Good positive rock all the way interspersed with gravel ledges.

Begin on the left side of the large snowfield in the middle of the face and angle up left to meet the centre of the south spur at around 2200m where the route joins The Vein to the summit.

Accessed on left side of pinnacle, between pinnacle and glacier. Climb rib above glacier, to left of 42 St. Climb left angling crack to crest of rib, then follow crest. 4 pitches to easier ground. Continue up rib to left of hanging snow patch. Traverse left to gain crest of pinnacle, before swinging onto slab on left side of pinnacle. Finish up amazing splitter cracks to summit ridge.

A rock pinnacle stands at the bottom centre of the 600m high west face. The small col between face and pinnacle is reached by a snow couloir and is the starting point of the route. Once established on the face, gain the rib that runs up the left side of the shallow gully. Glaciation has left few holds on the lower pitches. Follow the rib to finish on the summit about 70 metres to the right of two rock spires which can be seen on the skyline. Crux pitch 14.

An impressive west-east traverse of the mountain began in the the Hunter valley near Forbes Hut, ascended the cwm passing Abseil Pk, climbed steep slabs to gain the north east ridge, and gained the summit. The group completed a circuit back to the Hunter Valley via the Huxley-Ahuriri Col, head of Ahuriri Valley and the 1935m saddle to the south of Peak 2414m.

James Edwards and Sam Barron completed a winter ascent of a new line to the right of 42nd Street on the west face of Mt Huxley. The 800m high line goes up a big couloir and exits via some tricky ground just short of the summit where the pair spent the night in a hole. A pleasant introduction to New Zealand climbing for Sam, who was straight off the plane from the UK.

Climb the 700m south spur leading to the east peak 2300m. Some nice rock near the bottom up to grade 16, then into less pleasant stuff higher up. Plenty of snow and verglas rock and snow over steep blocks. 10ish pitches, plus plenty of scrambling and soloing.