This article was published in Tararua Tramper November 2025
Mt Egmont - a little breezy at the top
Saturday 20 September
Saturday looks like a good weather window. What about the avalanche risk - is it considerable? We’ll take our avalanche gear and see what the snow looks like. Off we go at 16:00 on Friday evening, packed and ready. Five hours later we are at the Manganui ski field. Strange, there are heaps of people there. Oh, it's a camera club exercise to do night shots of the stars.
We get dressed, get our gear together and head to the ski field shelter for the night. Who should turn up an hour later but two club members and another. We all have a climb in mind. They plan to climb the East Ridge and we will go up via Surrey Road. Both groups want to take advantage of the weather.
Up at 5:00, breakfast, pack, and we follow the other three up the ski field. The snow and ice on the ski field is thin but hard, so on go crampons. We weave our way up to the top ski run hut and have a wee break. What a great day to be on the hill. Up we go, jump onto the East Ridge, and slowly make our way up. The others have stopped just below the steeper part of the East Ridge route, got their rope out and started pitching.
We, on the other hand, weave our way up the slope, ending up on the East Face, Pleasant Valley route instead of the planned route. Over ice patches and up steep slopes, but mainly the snow is kind to us and we can enjoy the stroll. Eventually, after a lot of rests, we hit the crater and realise our navigation mistake; we are over halfway up Shark's Tooth. Not a problem. We climb down the slope and navigate through an ice step to get onto easy ground. At this delicate stepping point Martin loses his helmet. Bugger.
While we are heading to the crater, the wind starts to get vigorous and when we get to the crater is ripping though and pushing me around. We find shelter in the crater and have lunch with a well-earned drink. A local comes up the north route and we have a good chat. He says there is no sign of avalanche activity on the route.
The other three aren't there and we assume they have gone down. I try to go higher prior to lunch but the wind won't have any of that. We are getting cold, so after lunch decide to head down. It’s a cruisy and enjoyable descent down the north route, firm but not icy. We chatter and take in the great vibes. Every now and then the wind hurries us along. At Tahurangi Lodge intersection we turn to go back to the ski field, have a snack at the shelter and head back to the car. Crossing the new bridge is fun with the wind howling down the valley and it’s a bit brisk at the carpark. Five hours later we are home. When I walk in the door, I look at my phone; the other three have just passed Foxton.
It was a fun trip and a fun climb, even with the wind.
Stu Hutson, Martin Kennedy [Other climbing group: Jo Buysse, Jack O'Carroll and ???]