Annalikeslenses - Sep 26, 2019 1:18 pm Date Climbed: Feb 19, 2019
Surreal prominence but oof
Completely rerouted our North Island plan to be able to climb this one in clear (rare!) weather. This is a scary-as mountain viewing it from the drive into Egmont Village! Fortunately the drive up to the visitor center shaves some elevation gain off the climb but it's still a 5000' hike/scramble and quite crowded. The scree slope between the end of the stairs and beginning of the rock scramble is probably the worst I've ever encountered, like a thin layer of ball bearings on packed dirt. I don't usually need to use my trekking poles on the uphill for terrain like that but was falling on my face otherwise. No problems on the crater ice (soft snow in February, microspikes not needed) but the final climb up past the crater was a doozy. Saw people dislodge some fairly large boulders so keep an eye out! Views from the top were surreal as I've ever seen with nothing around for miles upon miles. Castle in the clouds. Legs hurt for days afterward.
DoJo - Dec 10, 2016 11:43 pm Date Climbed: Nov 30, 2016
bad weather
I turned back down to Egmont North a little bit after Tahurangi Hut :-(
gimpilator - Mar 24, 2016 9:41 pm Date Climbed: Mar 1, 2016
apachedino - Jul 13, 2015 12:49 pm Date Climbed: Mar 7, 2015
+ phantom peak
A supposedly rare clear day for us. Some of the worst scree I have ever encountered, but great views. I really liked the nearly perfect circle of jungle around the peak. I explored in there later and it is fabulous, huge Rimu and a host of other goodies, probably some of the best left in the region as it has these fertile slopes and abundant rain to feed it.
atavist - May 14, 2012 1:41 am Date Climbed: May 10, 2012
Quick trip
Spent a night in Waitara, then hiked the 16km from Egmont Village to North Visitor Center. Bivied thru a windy night beside the comm tower on North route. Next morning I raced up the trail to the summit and back down in the rain. Not much snow and ice yet.
setrent - Mar 23, 2011 12:05 am Date Climbed: Mar 6, 2011
North Face
Excellent views!
LadyWawa - Jan 27, 2011 8:44 pm Date Climbed: May 13, 2005
A Valiant Attempt!
I so desperately wanted to climb Taranaki the entire time I was in New Zealand but alas. I went with friends, one of which got the worst vertigo I've ever seen and we needed to get her completely off the mountain. SIGH!! I'll get back up there eventually!
Climbed this great peak in Jan. 0/7 wonderful mountain, We met many people from all over the world.
ericandlucie - May 24, 2008 6:29 pm Date Climbed: Nov 17, 2007
East Ridge
Striking line, straight to the top of Sharkstooth. Really fun snow/ice climb for a one-day affair. The exposure is tremendous the whole way. Unrelenting. Don't underestimate this route in winter conditions. You may want to carry a rope and snow/ice pro just in case the exposure gets to you. See our TR and pics here.
Attila the Hun - May 18, 2007 11:40 am Date Climbed: May 14, 2007
North Route
Quite a tough slog indeed.Straight up - no kissing! The scree before the Lizard is annoying - two steps forward, one step back. Fantastic views from the top though. Cloud level at 1000m so all I could see in the distance was Ruapehu. Well worth the walk though.
boisedoc - Apr 7, 2007 2:15 am Date Climbed: Jan 20, 1995
great views
Quite a steep grunt with no particular difficulities. Pretty darn good views.
outdoors4sure37 - Dec 31, 2006 1:17 am Date Climbed: Dec 24, 2006
A Christmas Eve Ascent
Took the normal north face route up through more snow than is normally on the peak this time of year. Ice axe and crampons were advised for the summit but as the snow was soft the whole way I made it with just the crampons. Some clouds on the upper slopes of the mountain but beautiful views over them from the top. Quite a nice Christmas gift!
Juho - Jul 30, 2006 11:11 am Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2006
Route Climbed: North Egmont
Perfect weather, light winds at the top. Icy steep ridges put ice axe and crampons to good use. Great views to Mt. Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe.
Baarb - Jun 11, 2006 8:51 pm Date Climbed: Dec 25, 2014
Finally
First visited in 2002 for some lower slope traipsing then spent much more time during Crimbo 2014 all over the show. Summit on Xmas Day via the normal route, ice axe helpful, then also Fanthams Peak, the Pouakai Range and some other spots. Amazing biological and scenic diversity.
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: may 1998
A very beautiful climb, and a very direct route. View is fantastic, but conditions can change very rapidly. We encountered a very icy upper part on this mountain and weather can really chnage rapidly.
But climbing such a perfect volcano, so close to the sea and a big city is quite uncommon and definetly worth it.
Annalikeslenses - Sep 26, 2019 1:18 pm Date Climbed: Feb 19, 2019
Surreal prominence but oofCompletely rerouted our North Island plan to be able to climb this one in clear (rare!) weather. This is a scary-as mountain viewing it from the drive into Egmont Village! Fortunately the drive up to the visitor center shaves some elevation gain off the climb but it's still a 5000' hike/scramble and quite crowded. The scree slope between the end of the stairs and beginning of the rock scramble is probably the worst I've ever encountered, like a thin layer of ball bearings on packed dirt. I don't usually need to use my trekking poles on the uphill for terrain like that but was falling on my face otherwise. No problems on the crater ice (soft snow in February, microspikes not needed) but the final climb up past the crater was a doozy. Saw people dislodge some fairly large boulders so keep an eye out! Views from the top were surreal as I've ever seen with nothing around for miles upon miles. Castle in the clouds. Legs hurt for days afterward.
DoJo - Dec 10, 2016 11:43 pm Date Climbed: Nov 30, 2016
bad weatherI turned back down to Egmont North a little bit after Tahurangi Hut :-(
gimpilator - Mar 24, 2016 9:41 pm Date Climbed: Mar 1, 2016
25 Peaks in 3 weeksfull trip report
apachedino - Jul 13, 2015 12:49 pm Date Climbed: Mar 7, 2015
+ phantom peakA supposedly rare clear day for us. Some of the worst scree I have ever encountered, but great views. I really liked the nearly perfect circle of jungle around the peak. I explored in there later and it is fabulous, huge Rimu and a host of other goodies, probably some of the best left in the region as it has these fertile slopes and abundant rain to feed it.
ManyGlacierMountaineer - Feb 24, 2013 11:06 pm
Phantom Peak2011 - w/ Xenja Poljakowa, climbed the parasitic cone, Phantom Peak
atavist - May 14, 2012 1:41 am Date Climbed: May 10, 2012
Quick tripSpent a night in Waitara, then hiked the 16km from Egmont Village to North Visitor Center. Bivied thru a windy night beside the comm tower on North route. Next morning I raced up the trail to the summit and back down in the rain. Not much snow and ice yet.
setrent - Mar 23, 2011 12:05 am Date Climbed: Mar 6, 2011
North FaceExcellent views!
LadyWawa - Jan 27, 2011 8:44 pm Date Climbed: May 13, 2005
A Valiant Attempt!I so desperately wanted to climb Taranaki the entire time I was in New Zealand but alas. I went with friends, one of which got the worst vertigo I've ever seen and we needed to get her completely off the mountain. SIGH!! I'll get back up there eventually!
MaineMountainMan - Jul 30, 2009 1:02 am
TaranakiAmazing climb.
dpsiebert - Aug 21, 2008 6:03 am
North SlopeLaura and I climbed this on our honeymoon. A truly beautiful Peak.
radson - Aug 20, 2008 5:27 am Date Climbed: Feb 9, 2007
Camped in the craterClimbed this hill many times. Lots more fun in winter.
pyerger - Jul 30, 2008 10:41 pm
Normal routeClimbed this great peak in Jan. 0/7 wonderful mountain, We met many people from all over the world.
ericandlucie - May 24, 2008 6:29 pm Date Climbed: Nov 17, 2007
East RidgeStriking line, straight to the top of Sharkstooth. Really fun snow/ice climb for a one-day affair. The exposure is tremendous the whole way. Unrelenting. Don't underestimate this route in winter conditions. You may want to carry a rope and snow/ice pro just in case the exposure gets to you. See our TR and pics here.
Attila the Hun - May 18, 2007 11:40 am Date Climbed: May 14, 2007
North RouteQuite a tough slog indeed.Straight up - no kissing! The scree before the Lizard is annoying - two steps forward, one step back. Fantastic views from the top though. Cloud level at 1000m so all I could see in the distance was Ruapehu. Well worth the walk though.
boisedoc - Apr 7, 2007 2:15 am Date Climbed: Jan 20, 1995
great viewsQuite a steep grunt with no particular difficulities. Pretty darn good views.
outdoors4sure37 - Dec 31, 2006 1:17 am Date Climbed: Dec 24, 2006
A Christmas Eve AscentTook the normal north face route up through more snow than is normally on the peak this time of year. Ice axe and crampons were advised for the summit but as the snow was soft the whole way I made it with just the crampons. Some clouds on the upper slopes of the mountain but beautiful views over them from the top. Quite a nice Christmas gift!
Juho - Jul 30, 2006 11:11 am Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2006
Route Climbed: North EgmontPerfect weather, light winds at the top. Icy steep ridges put ice axe and crampons to good use. Great views to Mt. Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe.
Baarb - Jun 11, 2006 8:51 pm Date Climbed: Dec 25, 2014
FinallyFirst visited in 2002 for some lower slope traipsing then spent much more time during Crimbo 2014 all over the show. Summit on Xmas Day via the normal route, ice axe helpful, then also Fanthams Peak, the Pouakai Range and some other spots. Amazing biological and scenic diversity.
bruno baschung - Aug 18, 2005 8:21 am
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: may 1998A very beautiful climb, and a very direct route. View is fantastic, but conditions can change very rapidly. We encountered a very icy upper part on this mountain and weather can really chnage rapidly.
But climbing such a perfect volcano, so close to the sea and a big city is quite uncommon and definetly worth it.
With good weather no problem.
Bruno BASCHUNG
hhsilleck - Jan 10, 2004 7:39 pm
Route Climbed: April 2003 Date Climbed: North FaceMiserable tramp through a scree heap, but the stunning views more than compensate for the conditions.