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climbing in NZ

SCWA

25-Oct-2006
8:57:44 PM

Just wondering if anyone can give any info on the best climbing areas in NZ

I'm aware of Castle hill, Paynes and the mountains and alpine rock. I looking for info on the other lesser known Trad/Sport crags..If they exist??

Any Advice would be greatly appreciated

vwills

25-Oct-2006
9:16:24 PM

Try looking at Rock Deluxe or South Island Rock, there are some guides on the NZAC website with links to other NZ climbing sites.
Heaps of routes around Queenstown (Wye Creek, Chinamans Bluff) and Wanaka, Port Hills round Christchurch and Seacliffs around Dunedin.

Andrew_M

25-Oct-2006
10:22:04 PM

There's heaps. Get Rock Deluxe. Also, the DVD Southern Faces which is basically a tour of the best climbing areas (and characters ) in the south Island.

cruze

26-Oct-2006
8:54:02 AM

I wrote a trip reoprt on our trip there earlier on in the year. Rock Deluxe is great. My favourite areas were the Chasm and, of course, Castle Hill.

CanBeDone

26-Oct-2006
3:47:36 PM

There's loads of little places that you wouldn’t find unless you’re told about or see them in the Rock Deluxe.

Paynes Ford is a must, great sport climbing in a very special part of New Zealand. Castel Hill is magic so don’t miss it!

Then there’s quiet a bit of Tard climbing on the Port Hills. This is above and around Christchurch in the South Island. I’m sure you could climb here for a few weeks and not get board, plenty to do.

As you travel south there’s some little but very classy places like, Hanging Rock and Beautiful Valley. These’s two cliffs have some very nice climbing to be had on limestone. There are grades to suit anyone’s needs form 15 – 30. Do yourself a favor and check this part of NZ out wicked stuff and wicked rock!

Elephant Rocks & Hock Hogan’s Wall have some mad bouldering more then enough for a few days. Again on limestone, with little digit pockets sloppers and sloppy top outs.

Wanaka Has some well established sport climbing on some very interesting rock. Loads of areas and grades.

Milford sound is very adventurous. Big lines and loads more to go. Again just go see the place its unreal even if you don’t climb.

The list can go on and on…

Jarden Boulders in Queenstown
Red Cliffs Canterbury
Mt horrible South Canterbury

Have fun…

Oh and that's only the South Island

cruze

26-Oct-2006
4:02:00 PM

I would second Elephant rocks - sheep crap makes for really soft landings. Also I would go to Wye Creek again in a flash - I preferred it to Wanaka area. V. pretty. Bouldering at Long Beach great as well. When we were travelling around we thought how cool it would be to live in NZ. As Southern Faces points out - so much exposure to so many different rock types/styles. Fairly epic drives though for weekend trips I'd reckon.

skink

26-Oct-2006
7:16:38 PM

No comments above on NZ North Island rock - so here goes:

Best is Whanganui Bay in my opinion - awesome ambience climbing above the big lake, sport and trad side by side in some places, cracks, faces, pockets, some slabs - very mellow campsite... all good
New area nearby called KawaKawa Bay is getting good reviews, tho I haven't been there

If you want quantity and ease of access Wharepapa has hundreds of sport routes, some very good, but some very average - climbing is mostly on pockets in soft rock - an acquired taste. Nearby is an awesome little crag called Waipapa - rock is harder, lines more soaring, a few trad lines if you are keen.

For adventurous multipitch (well 2 to 3 pitches) limestone, mainly trad but with bolts where the cracks are too wide, try Mangaotaki - seldom visited but gaining popularity now that the routes are more advertised.

For some really adventurous trad climbing in an awesome alpine setting, Taranaki has some real gems - Warwicks Castle, the Little Eiger and especially Eiger Wall are mint - only hitch is you need to pick the weather, and the walk-in is not for wimps (600 to 700m elevation gain from the carpark).... but there is a nice mountain lodge near the crags.

See www.freeclimb.co.nz for up to date route guides to many of the above, and see the dinosaur site http://www.climb.co.nz for pics of some of the above areas.

If you want more specific info, go lurk on http://www.mojozone.co.nz - NZ's chockstone equivalent.

South Island - not mentioned above - Mt Somers, crack lines in volcanic rock, bit of a walk-in to the nearby hut, but it is on my must visit list.

AZ.Steve

29-Oct-2006
11:18:14 AM

Like Cracks? go to Mt Sommers. You'll find it in the guide. Give Beautiful Valley a miss. Check out Lovers Leap in Dunedin. Don't neglict Elephant Rocks. The Port Hills SUCK!

cragrat

1-Nov-2006
4:44:33 PM

On 29/10/2006 AZ.Steve wrote:
>Like Cracks? go to Mt Sommers. You'll find it in the guide. Give Beautiful
>Valley a miss. Check out Lovers Leap in Dunedin. Don't neglict Elephant
>Rocks. The Port Hills SUCK!

The Port Hills Suck? If the Jane Fonda Workout Wall sucks then I really wasted quite a few days of my life...

Beautiful Valley is probably still closed, access to Hanging Rock is no longer as described through the farm but up the river.

Flock Hill closed till Dec 25th.

Mt Somers is great and covered best in Rock deluxe.

The new NZAC Darrans Guide will be out in a few weeks - it is bigger than the Mt Cook Guide

If you are climbing in Wanaka you will need the local guidebook.

For other access things and news/updates:

Castle Hill http://castlehillbouldering.blogspot.com/

Flock Hill http://flockhill.blogspot.com/

Paynes Ford http://paynesford.blogspot.com/

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