I first heard about this route from my guide on a mountaineering course; he had recommended it as a classic ‘must-do’ for the region.
That was 2 years ago, but I finally got round to it in March 2022. A really great day trip from Cook village. Easy access, long route (800m), non committal. And the rock quality was pretty good! She says, surprised.
Very solo-able. Some parties may want to take a rope but expect a long day if that is the case; it is an 800m route! As a frame of reference, it was more exposed than the Phipps Temple Traverse, but similar in parts to the access to Moir’s mate.
- Grade: III 3, crux 8
- Equipment: we took a 30m rope and a minimal rack just in case
- Approach: 2h up the Hooker Valley track from White Horse Hill Campground
- Climb time: 4h to top ridge then further 1.5h scrambling up to Mt Wakefield
- Season: best in summer/early autumn when dry rock is guaranteed
- Team: Jack, Maria 5/3/22
approach
Woke up at the very reasonable time of 7 after driving down from Christchurch the night before to stay at the NZAC’s Unwin Lodge – email ahead to book a spot and bring cash for fees.
Easy walk along the marked Hooker Valley track. Cross all 3 suspension bridges. Just nearing the end of the track, turn off the path right towards the scree field. There are two large scree fields, it is the one closest to the Hooker lake. Fatmap has a really handy route overlay.
From here scramble up to looker’s right of the scree field. The direct start (18/19) is on the left sticking to the arete. We started further right. Initially a bit vegetated (I was in head high bush briefly), but the route comes into its own the higher up you go. Soon you’re scrambling over decent rock with stunning views of Aoraki the whole way up. Route finding was pretty straight forward; generally we stuck pretty close to the arete.
The route pops you out at around 1960m on to a very Mars-esque plateau. Walk left and scramble up to Mt Wakefield. Soak in the 360 panorama before taking care going down -there was more loose rock on this section than on the actual route.
We initially thought we’d walk south along the ridge until we met the Tasman Valley Road, and had dropped a car off there in the morning, but the ridge looked quite involved (see photo on left) and it was already mid afternoon so we dropped down into the scree field west of 1566m. Scree quality was average but this saved us a good few hours. At the bottom head right and within a km you’ll hit the Hooker Valley Track again.
Type 1 fun all the way. Would climb again, next time via the direct start or via the other Wakefield gullies!
Peak Exposure 