A fantastic half day and accessible ski mountaineering loop

Statistics

1 - 2

hrs

254

m

257

m

53

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Severe

Description

From the either the Tasmin Saddle Hut or the Kelman Hut, it is possible to make a very nice roundtrip by traversing Mt.

Abel and skiing its attractive North Couloir.

This is a good half day route and a quick hit from the Kelman Hut.

The North Couloir provides 300 meters vertical of 40-45 degree skiing and can either be climbed or skied onsight in a round trip.

Don’t forget since it’s in the Southern Hemisphere and faces north, this line gets a lot of direct sun and can be a good option for finding transformed spring snow if timed right.

The best way to ski this line is via a loop and by skinning up the north-west side of Mt.

Abel until under a very narrow 50 degree couloir.

Change to crampons and climb up this couloir (two ice axes might be helpful for short and easy ice steps) and onto a beautiful ridgeline leading to the summit of Mt.

Abel.

While this ridgeline is not technical, it is quite exposed and it may be prudent to put on a rope briefly.

Although its not a major peak in itself, this summit provides a fantastic panorama of the surrounding area.

Down climb the easy ridge a short ways in a north-easterly direction until above the couloir which is more of a large ramp trending skier’s left.

After exiting the couloir it is necessary to skin back up around a 100 meters vertical to the scenic Tasmin Saddle col which separates two major glacial basins, the Tasmin and the Murchison.