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Twin Stream in the Ben Ohau Range crosses the Twizel to Mount Cook road just
before the Glentanner Station and airport, permission to cross the Glentanner
Station land should be obtained from Ross Ivey Ph 03 435 1843.
ShelterThere are three small rock bivies, one at the top of the grassy flat and two under isolated boulders in the scree-field below southerly front (both have water nearby). For larger groups it is worth taking tents, but the upper valley has little protection from a good nor-wester.
Half Moon Slab
Hugh Logan climbed a line on this slab in 1976 and the buttress above.
Southerly Front SlabThis impressive feature of tilted greywacke is separated from the main wall at the top and is free of stone-fall danger except in the white corner and around the scree gully at its base.The climbs can be approached by climbing a two pitch route on the lower Half-Moon Slab or via an easy gully up past the Half-Moon Slab. Hugh Logan, with Paul Scaife climbed a line on the outer aspect of the buttress, reaching the L edge of the slab after two or three pitches and traversing along the top of the slab with a short abseil to reach the main wall, Hugh later climbed a different start with John Hobison in 1977 up a chimney with a huge chockstone, on the right of the first line and joining it after three pitches. On both climbs they continued up and descended the gully now known as Shindig Gully.
climbed to gain access
Three bolts and a little natural pro, some very fine slab climbing.
Four pitches so far, up the centre of the L hand slab.
Climb pitch one of Southerly Front to the traverse and continue up the shallow pillar to belay on a flake. Climb the pillar to the roof and a quick pull onto the upper slab and up to belay ledge, traverse left across the slab and up the left hand edge.
Start below the large chockstone, climb the shallow pillar to a horizontal break and traverse L to the belay. Three pitches up the R hand slab to the ledge below the headwall. The two headwall pitches were climbers by Murray Judge, Andrew McFarlane and Tony Pine in Feb 1998.
two long pitches to the right of Southerly Front
two pitches on the right of the white corner. Above the ledge, climb the upper wall on natural gear to bolt belays.
three excellent pitches up the arete
From the scree climb a broken rock pillar (the right hand of the three pillars) to the base of Southrly Front slabs. The broken rib leads to a groove L of the arete, higher up traverse R around the arete to a thin crack on the upper wall. The wide crack and chimney line on the far right of the upper wall was climbed by Murray Judge and Tony Pine in Jan 1998
The Lower WallThe Central Buttress and the walls to its left and right are split at half height by a broad terrace which can be gained from the scree at its left end. Just down from this point are some narrow inset slabs:
right slanting grooves to the right of Hidden Slab
a three pitch climb with varied and intricate climbing.
The Central Buttress
start below the roof on a left slanting slab, above the first belay move right and up the corner and further right on the face holds to the thin crack line. At the terrace walk left for 30m to the start of the upper wall. Pitch 3 Murray Judge, Sam Brooks March 1998. The thin crack up to the large roof was aided by Tony Pine and Murray Judge in 1998, later free climbed at grade 24 by Steve Monks Jan 1999.
The Central Buttress arete, a long third pitch up to the terrace.
slab and wide cracks. The large roof breaks the lower third of the buttress, at the base of the wall traverse L around the arete and across to a belay. Climb the slab to the alcove and through the overlap to a sloping ledge. The wide crack narrows to a pleasant hand crack through the bulge.
Slabs to right of Central Buttress
Upper Wall
Pull through the overlap and onto the wall, some fine flaky climbing. The upper pitches are steep and juggy.
Start on L side of the arete off the terrace, climb some short walls and move around to the right of the arete near the end of the pitch to find the belay. Climb up and left to the top of the arete.
Takes the slabs right of the arete.
The stepped line of flakes.
Slabs right of steep south wall
two pitches on the lower slabs to the ledge, move up and left around the overhangs to a natural belay below the overlap.
The Fin
The fin is a knife-like blade of rock seen from the top of the upper gorge. The route can be started off the slabby terrace accessible from the gully L of Shindig Gully. (Look for a ring bolt at top of the terrace).
Gully Left of Shindig GullyThis was climbed by Hugh Logan and Darryll Thompson in 1977, six pitches on rotten rock, descending Shindig Gully.
Shindig GullyThis is the largest and most downstream of the gullies with a sheer left wall extending up the gully. The gully itself is the best access route to the upper parts of the mountain, mostly scree with an occasional rock step, it was used as a descent route by Hugh Logan in the 1970s. There are presently three routes on the left wall.
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