Madeline. You can see the top and some of the middle of NE ridge – the left skyline
Ian Brown and Tom Williams climbed the probable first complete ascent of the North East Ridge of Mt Madeline in February 2009 over two days. The pair encountered fresh snow and rock gendarmes that made for difficult travel on the upper ridge. They bivvied at 1400 metres and thought the route would be about grade 3 on the Mt Cook scale.
A new mixed route in the McPherson Cirque takes a devious line up the right-hand side of the overhanging wall right of Gomer to reach the top of Rabbit Run. The Celtic Connection is named after the two jokers who climbed it with Al Uren – Scotsman Ron Dempster and Welshman-from-Wellington Max Gough.
Read more and see photos on mountainz.co.nz.
Three pitches to reach Rabbit Run
Grade III, 7
Al Uren, Ron Dempster, Max Gough, July 2009
Hanging Out the Washing
Two routes right by the Eyrie: Hanging Out the Washing, 17 and Having a Bit of a Tidy Up, 22 up the wall just to the left.
It’s All Gone Biltong, 22 is a two pitch arete on a wall below the east ridge of Patuki.
It's All Gone Biltong
South ridge of Te Wera
Not really fair to describe Te Wera’s south ridge as “Loose in places” – as it says in the guide. “Stone cold old-school classic” does it justice though.
Phil Penny and Alan Uren climbed the buttress just right of the original route on Patuki way back whenever it was when they were on their big Darrans traverse. About 16, II, 300m.
North face of Patuki
The route on the left is the Turner–Vass from 2001. The right-hand route was climbed in February 2009:
Thomson–Turner–Vass, 20, II, 5–6 pitches, 300m.
Descent by scrambling down into and across the gully on the right of the photo, then a few abseils and more scrambling.
Dave Vass, Rich Turner, Rich Thomson, February 2009
North East Face of Barrier Peak (including Quiet Earth Slabs).
Topos for routes climbed in 2006 and 2007.
Download a PDF of the topo here
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