Ailsa Mountains High Peak, 14 - 15 March 2015

A rewarding ascent of the highest peak in the Ailsa Mountains, tarnished by the loss of my tent in a freak wind gust on Saturday night.
We started at The Divide, walked the Routeburn Track to Lake Howden, then the Greenstone Track past Lake McKellar to the start of the large river flats west of Pt 2096.
We climbed to the summit on Saturday afternoon, then bivvied at 1300m of elavation at the edge of the hanging valley on the way down.
On Sunday, we returned the way we had come.
Party: Robert Schadewinkel & Danilo Hegg

Route description:
From the Greenstone Track, climb through open beech forest either side of the creek that drains Pt 2096m to the west. Above the 700m contour, cross to the spur between the two branches of the creek then follow the spur to bushline. After another 50m or so through easy scrub, sidle right then climb tussock slopes and skirting bluffs to the lip of an alpine basin at 1300m of elevation.
The basin is filled with rocks; it is dry and lacks flat campsites. There are reasonable bivvy sites among tussocks right at the lower edge of the hanging valley, where the creek flows from a large spring.
Keep climbing scree then grass followed by ledges directly towards the summit of Pt 2096m, staying on the true left of a major gulch cutting through the west face of the mountain. A system of narrow scree ledges under bluffs allows crossing above the top of the gulch to a major scree ramp that gives access to the north ridge of the mountain. Follow the ridge til under the steep summit pyramid, then sidle narrow ledges west of the summit and above a steep gulch in the south face (delicate!) to the easy summit slopes on the south side.
Grade 1.

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size.
Pt 1779m, Livingstone Mountains, and the river flats at the head of the Greenstone River.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 003 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Greenstone River Livingstone Mountains Livingstone Range Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Pt 2096m west face from bushline
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 004 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Just above bushline en route to Pt 2096m
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 009 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Ailsa Mountains High Peak (Pt 2096m) from the scree shelf below the summit.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 011 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
On the summit ridge of Pt 2096m. The Ailsa Mountains are in the background.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 013 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Ailsa Mountains High Peak (Pt 2096m) summit pyramid.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 014 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Darran and Ailsa Mountains from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak. Mount Christina is on the far left, Mount Madeline and Mount Tutoko are at centre image, Somnus is on the far right. Jean Batten Peak is just below and right of Mt Madeline.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 018 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Darran Mountains Jean Batten Peak Mount Christina Mount Madeline Mount Tutoko Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Ailsa and Humboldt Mountains from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak. Somnus is just left of centre image; Mount Earnslaw is on the right.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 020 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
View north from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 025a Ailsa Mountains Climbing Darran Mountains Humboldt Mountains Jean Batten Peak Mount Christina Mount Earnslaw Mount Madeline Mount Tutoko Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
View north from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 025b Ailsa Mountains Climbing Darran Mountains Humboldt Mountains Jean Batten Peak Mount Christina Mount Earnslaw Mount Madeline Mount Tutoko Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
On the summit of Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 029 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
View north from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak. From left to right are Somnus, Cosmos Peaks, Pt 2117m, Upper Peak. Emily Peak is right in front of Somnus.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 035 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Cosmos Peaks Emily Peak Humboldt Mountains Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Upper Peak
View north from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak. In the right half of the image are Somnus, Momus and the Cosmos Peaks. Emily Peak is right in front of Somnus.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 038 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Cosmos Peaks Emily Peak Humboldt Mountains Momus Mount Madeline Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
View north and east from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 046a Ailsa Mountains Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mount Bonpland Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Upper Peak
View north and east from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 046b Ailsa Mountains Climbing Cosmos Peaks Emily Peak Humboldt Mountains Momus Mount Bonpland Mount Earnslaw Mountaineering New Zealand Sir William Peak Somnus Southern Alps Tramping Upper Peak
Mount Bonpland from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 048 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mount Bonpland Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Tooth Peak from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 049 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tooth Peak Tramping
Mount Tutoko and Mount Madeline from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak. Jean Batten Peak is closer, on the far right.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 051 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Darran Mountains Jean Batten Peak Mount Madeline Mount Tutoko Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
The Darran Mountains from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak. From left to right are Mt Christina, Mount Crosscut, Barrier Peak, Marian Peak, Sabre Peak.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 052 Ailsa Mountains Barrier Peak Climbing Darran Mountains Marian Peak Mount Christina Mount Crosscut Mountaineering New Zealand Sabre Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Looking south-west from the Ailsa Mountains High Peak, Pt 2096m
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 053 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
View north across the Ailsa and Humboldt Mountains from Pt 2096m. Somnus and Momus are back left.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 054 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Humboldt Mountains Momus Mountaineering New Zealand Somnus Southern Alps Tramping
Mount Bonpland and Bold Peak from the Ailsa Mountains High Peak, Pt 2096m.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 059a Ailsa Mountains Bold Peak Climbing Humboldt Mountains Mount Bonpland Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Earl Mountains from Pt 2096m, Ailsa Mountains High Peak. From left to right are Flat Top Peak, Pyramid Peak and Ngatimamoe Peak; Consolation Peak in front.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 062 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Consolation Peak Earl Mountains Flat Top Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Ngatimamoe Peak Pyramid Peak Southern Alps Tramping
Looking up at our route, and the alpine basin where we camped. Pt 2096m is on the right, the summit not visible.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 066 Ailsa Mountains Climbing Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping
Jean Batten Peak from the Greenstone Valley floor.
Ailsa Mountains High Peak 078a Ailsa Mountains Climbing Greenstone Track Jean Batten Peak Mountaineering New Zealand Southern Alps Tramping