New Zealand 2004

We had 'specced' out the line the day before, concluding, that despite some apparently thin conditions on two parts of the face, the route would probably go.

Contrary to popular myth, winter in higher altitudes often creates thinner ice conditions. This is particularly so in the Southern Alps, which appear to be less obviously impacted by the effects of global warming. Without the freeze / thaw cycle of spring, summer and autumn the build up of ice from snow meltwater cannot occur. Snow accumulates as powder and at best thin residual smears of ice form on the underlying rock buttresses with a characteristic 'rippled' texture. Unlike ordinary ice climbing, which demands a powerful swing of the axe or kick of the boot to secure a purchase, climbing on thin ice requires a more delicate and precise placement of the tools and crampon points, not dissimilar from slab or wall climbing on rock; the more desperate moves being when the angle steepens or the holds disappear completely!

Rocky and the Brit ex-pat Nick Wall (non-MMC), a veteran of big wall climbs in Yosemite and two epic retreats from the North Wall of the Eiger, had teamed up to attempt a first winter ascent of 'The Thing', Mt. Mallory, New Zealand Alps. Using tracks from a 'recce' on the previous day rapid progress was made from the hut to the base of the face. Approaching the bergschrund from below the angle soon steepened. The whole face towered above and overhead loomed the top lip of the 'schrund. The build up of unconsolidated powder snow was not dissimilar from the overhanging cornices found on Ben Nevis in winter. Casting eyes to the left revealed the tenuous line of a snowbridge that led across the open void and provided the only apparent way to the upper slopes. Gingerly prodding the surface it soon became clear that the bearing capacity was limited. Edging forward very gently until a body length away from the top lip; the final move required leaning forward and falling with arms outstretched to embed the tools into the upper slope. This required a certain 'leap of faith' especially as the point of impact proved to be very soft steep snow! A rapid scrabbling of arms and legs finally succeeded in clawing tools and crampons into the mountain and provided the necessary purchase to move up a few feet until crampons could bite into the firmer ice above. Unroped at this point, the pair moved together on the lower ice slopes until faced with a short 85° ice pitch. It was a relief to place two ice screws and get some solid anchors in the mountain. Although steep the climbing felt a lot more secure than the episode with the bergschrund.

After one pitch the angle eased and a broad snow field led to the base of the first crux pitch - a steep ice runnel between protruding rock buttresses. The narrow width of the runnel required ice tool placements to be very close together; balance was maintained with one crampon gaining a secure purchase on the ice, whilst the other leg 'flagged' out to one side against the rock. Much of the time too thin for ice screws, a couple of good runners were placed in the rock including a sling over a solid flake. The pitch proved to be mouth-wateringly good, fun and not too hard. A further link pitch on a second snowfield led up to the next steep step through the second band of rock buttresses.

It was obvious the line to take, there was only a single patch of ice around. A rock slab with a 10 - 15mm veneer of ice about 1.5m wide led up to an overhang. The overhang itself was bare rock with weakly bonded icicles dangling from the lip. To get established on the slab it was necessary to climb up a narrow groove with weakly bonded snow-ice. Placing three screws, each requiring to be tied off, was little comfort for the obvious 25 ft runout above. Climbing as high as possible in the groove, an extremely tenuous step right had to be made onto the slab. Balanced on the tips of the axes and crampons on small 'ripples' of ice three further extremely delicate moves had to be made before the axes and crampons sunk into some thicker snow-ice just below the overhang. After clearing away the icicles the feet needed to be raised as high as possible. The axes meanwhile clawed over minute holds in the rock until a 'locking-off' position could be gained with the axe in the left hand in thin ice above the overhang. Then turning the body into the left arm, the right hand could swing the second tool into some thicker and thankfully 'bomber' ice above. Finally it was necessary to haul up and over the overhang, crampons desperately scratching over the rock before both hands and feet were well established on solid placements. Whew! The relief was considerable.

A further two pitches were climbed to reach the summit ridge, which although not as steep as the crux pitches, had an alarming amount of unstable snow. Being high on the face the exposure weighed heavily on the mind. And, far from being a place to pause and relax, the ridge, once attained, proved to be a knife edge with steep rock falling away on the north side. An awkward traverse 'au cheval', with legs dangling either side, and steep rock climbing over loose rock, led to the summit block. Fortunately, Nick, with his superior wisdom and experience in getting off big mountain faces alive, rigged up an abseil off the summit block that led down the north face over a steep, overhanging section of loose rock and hanging icicles to reach the top section of the ice face below. Down climbing for a further three pitches led to a relatively benign slope falling away to the bergschrund. Bum sliding the rest of the face led down to the head of the Franz Josef glacier. A 3 hour snow plod and traverse over the pass then led back to the hut.

The first winter ascent of 'The Thing' on the South Face of Mt Mallory was graded as New Zealand Alpine 6-, French Alpine ED/ED-.