Taranaki Via East Ridge

East ridge is becoming my favourite summer route for climbing Taranaki now that the North Egmont summer route has become so crowded. The route up East Ridge from the Stratford Plateau is poorly marked but if you know the way it is a great route to take. Great views out over central Taranaki, relatively undisturbed moss slopes and then a long climb up the old lava flows taking you up onto the top of Sharkstooth.

To get down into the crater from sharkstooth, you go down through a narrow chute in the rocks known as the chimney. THis only opens up in late summer. On my climb on Saturday the bottom of the chminey was still covered in ice making it too damgerous to attempt. The alternative route is not for teh faint hearted as you have to climb down over the short bluff to get onto surrey ridge and enter the crater from the Surrey Ridge entrance. SInce the east ridge route is quite steep in places it's much easier and safer to descend via the North Egmont route and then take the round the mountain track to get back to the Stratford Plateau.

I climbed this route on Saturday setting off at five in order to get up onto the summit before the heat of the day had set in and also of course, to see the sun rise over the center of the island.

Sunrise From High Up On The East Ridge Moss Slopes.

Warwick Castle Lit Up By The Morning Sun.

One Of The Last Remnants Of Last Seasons Snow. Looking down over East Ridge towards Ruapehu on the horizon.

New Plymouth & The Sugarloaf Islands On The North Taranaki Coastline.

The View From Sharkstooth Looking Down Over The Crater Towards The Pouakai and Kaitaki Ranges.

A 360+ panorama from the top of Sharkstooth (the rocky top of Sharkstooth is to the right) looking over to the summit to the west and the sun to the east.