Mt Elie De Beaumont West Pk

A highly recommended and exhilarating addition to climbing the main summit of Mt Elie de Beaumont. From the main summit, descend and head west along a sharp, very exposed, undulating arête, traversing around a number of gendarmes, usually on the south side, before reaching the West Peak. One of the few early routes whose first ascent was in winter.

The north ridge is gained via the Johannes Glacier, which is best reached from the lower Burton via a stream bed and couloir on the true left of the tip of the Johannes Glacier. Get to the true right side of the Johannes névé at about 2380m and ascend the rock ridge to Pt 2724m (six pitches of good red rock).
Now cross the base of a prominent spur between the north and Burton Ridges into a snow couloir, which re-joins the north ridge just below the summit. The upper couloir is frequently cut-off after midsummer.

Gain the ridge via the Johannes Glacier, which is best reached from the lower Burton via a stream bed and couloir on the true left of the tip of the Johannes Glacier. Get to the true right side of the Johannes névé at about 2380m and ascend the rock ridge to Pt 2724m (six pitches of good red rock).
Now continue straight up steep snow then left onto the rock ridge which is followed for several pitches to the summit.

A special climb. Approach this ridge either from the access route between the lower Spencer and lower Burton Glaciers, or from the lower Burton via a stream bed and couloir on the true left of the tip of the Johannes Glacier.
The first ascent party departed the Burton Ridge at about 2700m and followed snow leads out onto the great slab above the Montague Glacier, and then ascended the final 100m of the Montague Spur. The slab is completely covered in snow in early summer and completely bare by late summer – expect anything if you’re there in December-January. Most parties have descended the same way, but it could also be possible to descend back to the Times Glacier via the Elie-Walter Col, depending on the season.
January 1963, P Duncan, H Fairburn, H Gifford, J H Leonard, D Medland, Bev Price and I Simpson used the Montague Glacier to gain the upper Johannes Glacier and the upper Burton Ridge.

A striking line. Gain the ridge separating the upper Times and Montague Glaciers (good bivouac sites here), head up the edge of the Montague Névé, and onto the right edge of the great slab dropping from the West Peak. Continue straight up to West Peak or, depending on the season, use steep snow to the left before moving right again onto the rib near the top. The best conditions occur when crevasse conditions allow for an easy approach and when the route is dry to allow pleasant rock climbing – possibly a rare combination.