GUNUNG · Selandia Baru

Mount Tasman

Te Horokōau (Māori)

Mount Tasman (3.497 m) di Pegunungan Alpen Selatan, Selandia Baru — foto dari Wikimedia Commons. Photo: source

Information

Elevation: 3.497 m
Country: Selandia Baru (NZ)
Location / Range: Southern Alps (Kā Tiritiri o te Moana), Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, South Island
Mountain type: Greywacke and granite peak (non-volcanic) — the second-highest peak in New Zealand
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: -43.5660, 170.1570
Difficulty: Fully technical — snow and ice alpine mountaineering with glaciers, mixed ice-rock pitches, and rapidly changing weather. Not a non-technical climb; crampons, ice axe, harness, and glacier experience are mandatory. Most climbers hire an NZMGA-licensed guide
Best Season: November–March (New Zealand summer): the most stable snow conditions and longest daylight hours. Outside this season conditions become highly alpine and dangerous
Permits & Rules: No special permit for climbing; climbing intentions must be logged with the DOC Visitor Centre Aoraki/Mount Cook. Huts such as Plateau Hut require booking via DOC. Most climbers use licensed guiding services
Hazards: Glacier hazards (hidden crevasses, serac avalanches), brittle and unstable greywacke rock, very rapidly changing alpine weather, white-out fog, hard ice on steep slopes, and avalanche risk. The mountain has a record of fatal accidents

Description

Mount Tasman / Te Horokōau (3,497 m) is New Zealand’s second-highest mountain, on the Southern Alps’ Main Divide between Aoraki/Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini national parks. This glaciated peak demands ice-climbing, rope and crampon skills. Distinct approaches include the North Shoulder from Pioneer Hut via Lendenfeld and Engineer Col, and Syme Ridge from the Grand Plateau, which joins the upper North Shoulder. Silberhorn is a separate ridge used for descent in a reported traverse, rather than another name for Syme. Changing ice cliffs and weather can prevent an ascent even during an operator’s advertised season.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

North Shoulder via Pioneer Hut / Fox Névé (sisi pantai barat)

NZ Alpine Grade IV, 3 (Alpine Guides)

15–18 jam pulang-pergi Pioneer Hut menurut Alpine Guides; paket 6 hari / 15–18 hours return from Pioneer Hut within a six-day package

From Pioneer Hut, cross Marcel Col, climb Lendenfeld and descend to Engineer Col. An ice cliff may block access before the North Shoulder and summit ridge. Return by the same route. The 15–18-hour timing starts at Pioneer Hut, not Plateau Hut; the operator lists mid-October–January and reassesses conditions before an attempt.

Source

Syme Ridge ascent / Silberhorn descent via Grand Plateau (Plateau Hut)

Alpin teknis: es, crevasse, punggungan terekspos dan abseil / Technical alpine ice, crevasses, exposed ridges and abseils

12 jam pulang-pergi dalam laporan tim yang diterbitkan 2021; bukan waktu baku / 12 hours return in the account published in 2021, not a standard estimate

The reported traverse starts at Plateau Hut, crosses crevassed terrain to Syme Ridge, joins the North Shoulder and follows a narrow ridge to the summit. The team descended Silberhorn, encountering hard ice and loose rock requiring abseils. Syme and Silberhorn are separate ridges; this descent comes from a historical trip report and needs fresh assessment of conditions.

Source

Climbing Experiences

These six sources document alpine climbs or attempts on Mount Tasman: the Balfour Face, North Shoulder, a solo mission, a sea-to-summit attempt, Syme Ridge skiing and a Syme–Silberhorn traverse. The Syme skiing account should not be treated as evidence of reaching Tasman’s summit. Each team describes conditions during its own trip, rather than guaranteeing present access.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.