Mount Wakefield guideless Route
a 1.5 day alpine rock adventure
The “Guideless” Buttress
This is a trip for fit climbers looking for a challenge, and one of the most spectacular lines in the Park. We like to think of the Guideless Route as Mount Cook's answer to the Remarkables Traverse!
The rock buttresses on Mount Wakefield offer some of the best views in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. The route delivers excellent rock, mixed with scrambling, climbing gendarmes, and numerous buttresses, with plenty of exposure. It's called "guideless", but we do, of course, provide a professional, experienced guide.
experience and the route
Experience Required
High level of fitness - you can expect an 8 to 12-hour day with an 800 metre ascent.
Be able to rock climb comfortably to grade AU 16. The crux is Ewbank 8 - in mountaineering boots
A cool head for exposure
Be comfortable on rough ground
The Guideless Route
The 800+ vertical metre ascent on Mount Wakefield starts on the east side of the Hooker Valley, just past the 2nd swing bridge. After a scrubby 100-metre scree slope ascent, the buttress is reached.
The rock eventually gives way to boulders and rubbly slopes. You “summit” just below our radio repeater, at almost 2,000 metres. The exit is a 2 to 3-hour descent along the Wakefield Ridge, or via the direct route down the scree fan adjacent to the Village.
The Guideless Route involves a degree of exposed climbing and ridge travel. It is a committing assignment for both guide and the participant.
We run the first half-day as a “warm up”, an opportunity to climb with your guide before the big day in the mountains.
Specifics and Booking
Price: NZ$1,595 per person
What's included:
Professional Guide services for 1.5 days
Meals - lunch day one, to lunch day 2
One night’s accommodation at Unwin Lodge
Free use of a range of technical gear
Alpine Guides Technical Manual
Scheduling and Booking:
Each trip is run on request. The start date is privately arranged to suit your travel plans.
Please contact us to enquire about guide availability. Advance bookings are essential
Additional Terms and Conditions:
For this trip, our standard booking terms and conditions apply. With the following additions:
If in your guide's opinion, you are not ready for the Guideless Route climb, another suitable full-day rock climbing objective will be provided.
If weather or conditions prohibit a safe climb we reserve the right to alter itineraries to either:
a. Offer another nearby suitable full-day climbing venue (at no extra cost), or
b. Reschedule your trip to a later, mutually agreed date.
All trips start at 13:30 on day one and finish at 5:00 PM on the final day.
Check-in at Alpine Guides office in Mount Cook Village.
Please read our booking Terms and Conditions.
A 25% deposit is required to secure your booking
