GOAT PASS - LAKE MAVIS - TARUAHUNA PASS
Climb the prominent scree slope to the east of Goat Pass, about 300m south of the hut, towards Mt Oates. The slope eventually eases to a moraine ridge, dotted with rock cairns. Where the ridge begins to climb steeply once more, sidle the grassy slopes around to Lake Mavis. This climb normally takes 1 hour from the Pass.
An obvious ridge running northeast, overlooking the Deception River headwaters, joins the North Ridge of Mt Oates. Follow this ridge northwards to a low point above the first small tarn in the Edwards / Otehake catchment. A snow / scree slope can be descended directly to the tarn (Note : There are two tarns in this vicinity, the small tarn is not normally visible from the ridge). Cross it’s outlet stream, sidling southwards under the North Ridge of Mt Oates. Slowly descend the grassy spur leading to Taruahuna Pass. A steep descent gully is met on the true left, shortly before the spur becomes bluffed. A descent of this gully leads to a stream draining the small tarn above. It is an easy descent from here to the moraine head-wall at Taruahuna Pass. Time from Lake Mavis is about 1½ hours.
TEMPLE BASIN to GOAT PASS
A well defined track leads from the Temple Basin car-park to the ski huts. Following the northern ski tow, a well defined trail runs from the top towards Page Shelter. From the shelter climb directly towards Temple Col (the obvious low saddle).
The route from here is especially difficult in poor visibility, or deep snow. Bearing slightly left drop on scree for about 150m to a boulder strewn terrace above the first line of bluffs. Descend on the left of a small stream and onto the rim of the next bluff line (300m below Temple Col). From the rim of the terrace two grassy ridges lead steeply down through the next line of bluffs. Take the better looking true left one (marked by a cairn). Where the ridge divides near the bottom, drop into the stream-bed on the true left. Follow downstream for about 15 minutes then start sidling on the true left, climbing between the river and the bluffs above, then up a series of diagonal, boulder strewn, scree guts (this route is visible from Temple Col in good visibility). Climb through the upper set of bluffs, onto the wide open ridge back. The route follows the contour northwards, crossing several shallow gullies, until directly above the Goat Pass area. Descend directly to the Goat Pass summit (DON'T DESCEND TOO EARLY!!)
In anything but good conditions, the route above could provide plenty of "epic" potential! Reversing this route (ie. ascending from Goat Pass) in poor conditions usually finds you inadvertently climbing the East Ridge of Mt Temple, not a comfortable place to be involuntarily, with numerous steep gullies falling away on both sides!
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