Austerity - Std Route

Note - There’s about 4500 vertical ft of climbing from Fairy Meadow to the summit, the “1100 ft / 8 pitches” is my approximation of the "technical" climbing starting at the bergshrund below the steep snow/ ice slope leading to the Austerity-Ironman col.

This route involves some serious glacial travel once you get above about the 8000-8500 ft level, I.e. gaining, and climbing through, the glaciated basin between the northwest ridge of Austerity and the north ridge of Ironman. ( That being said, the only crevasse I’ve ever fallen into was in the lower, “flatter” part of the glacier returning to Fairy Meadow on this route.) 

The final snow/ice slope up to the Ironman-Austerity col is steep. A friend of mine measured it at 45-degrees.Be aware of its avalanche potential, especially “saturation slides” in the afternoon if it has been in the sun all day while you climb up, and down, the rock ridge to the summit. 

Most parties will take the whole, long (10 - 14 hrs) day for a round trip from Fairy Meadow to the summit of Austerity, especially if they are route-finding through the crevasses in the Austerity-Ironman basin. (vs following tracks)

History - The FA party (1911) took a convoluted route from Sir Sandford area (where they were camped) to the Ironman-Austerity col. Jones describes it well on page 287 if for any reason you might want to repeat it. (It doesn't sound too inviting, and I doubt its had a second ascent.)  In 1948 Hendricks, camped at Fairy Meadow, pioneered the current route to the col. Both variants climb the last section of West ridge from the col to the summit.

On a personal note, the first time I was on this route was in 1967 when we climbed the East Face of Austerity and were to descend this "std" route.  Two of our party had climbed up it just a few days before, but as the wind and cloud howled on the summit they didn't know which way to start down! I had just led the team up 5-7 pitches of previously unclimbed rock (from the top of the East snowfield to the ridge, then up the ridge) and, to put it mildly, these "memory lapses" were "not in the plan". In due time, after several conferences, we started down.

Route - From Fairy Meadow, take the path up the moraine to the Granite Glacier. Pass below Pioneer and Adamant on the relatively flat ( but not without crevasses ! ) glacier.  Pass below the lower reaches of the northeast ridge of Austerity, and somewhere below the northwest ridge start picking your way through crevasses (photos) to gain the basin formed by the northwest ridge of Austerity and the north ridge of Ironman.

Climb up the basin.  Most will probably establish a belay at/just above the bergshrund ( ice screws) Climb the steep slope above the ‘shrund. I can’t remember how long the slope is, but think it’s two long (50m) pitches to where one can establish a rock belay, then another easy pitch of snow or ice to the col.

From the col the usual route is first a bit to the left (north) of the ridge crest, climbing back to West ridge proper via snow, easy ice, or rock depending on conditions, (see photo) and climb easy rock ( 5.0 - 5.4 ) to the summit. Again, I forget exactly how many pitches, and we simul-climbed some. I’d guess 4-5 pitches.

Decent- A short ( 100 - 120 ft ) rope might be useful for quick raps over the short ( 20 - 40 ft) steeper “steps” where you might not want to downclimb. The rock on the ridge is generally too low an angle, and too broken up, to rap any distance. ( and to pull the ropes without their catching on something! ) Mostly downclimb the rock.

  The steep snow/ ice slope can be rapped or down- climbed, depending on experience. It is also possible to (simul ?)-downclimb along the snow-rock interface of the north ridge of Ironman. When I did this in 1979 we found good nut placements per “pitch”. The only drawback is that to get back into the basin you have to cross the bergshrund from above without being able to scout it from below.
     

see description 

an alpine rack of a few long ice screws and rock gear. Disposable cord for possible rap anchors