Mt Townsend

This upper Landsborough climb was accessed via Barron Saddle, Scissors Peak,
and Hardies Gut. On the east face of Mt Townsend begin up shallow buttress
directly beneath summit. Wend up until a compact wall bars progress, and
swing around right into big corner. Follow corner until it steepens to
continuous overhang. Move left onto buttress and cross left to another corner
which leads to the top of wall. Follow sloping terrace to gain crest of right
hand arête, and climb steep arête to summit. Excellent rock, route finding
is simplified by following large features. Overhangs can be turned. This is
steep terrain, and any mixups could cause hardship. Grade14-17, 600m.

Climb up the ridge towards Townsend until the shelf at about 1700m. Head right to gain the base of a prominent gully, which leads back left to high on the north-west ridge, and then on up slabs on the south-west side of the ridge to the summit.

This ridge involves serious exposure on the Landsborough side. Until early summer the climbing is mostly on snow; later it involves mostly enjoyable rock scrambling.
First climbed from the Landsborough. Descended to the Troyte by Aat Vervoorn in November 2003.