Description

Mt Aspiring via the Shipowner Ridge is a fantastic and varied day out involving exposed ridge scrambling, interesting route finding and a stunning summit.

It may take up to an hour longer than the ordinary or West ridge route. From the Colin Todd hut follow your nose up the ridge behind the hut.

After about thirty minutes of scrambling, the climbing begins to get more sustained and leads to a short 20m abseil from the end of the ridge onto the north facing Therma Glacier.

Traverse below the rocky ridge for several hundred metres before regaining a technical and sustained section of ridge with the occasional peg leading to the Kangaroo Step. The Kangaroo Step is ascended on its left side weaving a route up some loose terrain before regaining the ridge near its top.

From here a relatively straightforward ascent leads up to ever steepening snow and the summit. You can return via the same route however many teams in early season will choose to descend the Ramp (steep snow slopes) above Kangaroo Step, or later season down the snow slopes from the base of Kangaroo Step.