Ascents in The Bluff by John Pitcairn

Aidan's idea, quite pleased I wasn't leading it, dirty as and very very chossy to the left. Some was sent down to terrify the belayer, much remains up there. Got harness gear well stuck in a small manuka and came off, removed it. Crux is cleanish, very balancy and possibly harder than 18. P2 anchor is a pair of surprise carrots. One strand of access hand line is getting a bit core shot. Memorable in the wrong way. Distracted ourselves with more track fairy work down below.

One long pitch. Took a while at the bolted crux bit, but got a good rest at the first belay. Trad second pitch is better, well protected, great finger crack approach to the final moves. A bit of Honnolding on the top ledge belay, then around the corner (bolt safety followed by ledge, unprotected step onto a scary wobbly plate, then solo up) for a celebratory peanut slab on top of the Bluff just before sunset. Back to camp at last light, fantastic. Can rap off on a 60m to the higher start ledge.

Great fun and a spectacular position to finish. A bit of lichen after the first belay makes things feel a bit precarious, but the rest of the pitch is clean. Getting dark, forgot to clean it on rap, sorry.

Group Sex Panther. Started up late in the day, led as one pitch with some nervy moments avoiding the loose block at midway. Settled in at sunset for a lengthy belay session bringing up three seconds, watched the moon rise, then we all had a headlamp strobe disco on the ledge. Back to camp around 8.30pm. Thanks to Matt for the extra rope.

Pitch 2 feels outrageous, steep and exposed with good gear and mentally a lot harder than Caveman P3. Worth the effort.

Great finish for the trip. Would say mega-classic if not so heavily retrobolted. 1st pitch a bit average but cave and top pitch are terrific. Led under time pressure mostly on gear with trad anchor below the chimney, used 2 bolts on P1 (still damp down low), 1st 2 on P2 (maybe some pro available), one before 1st overlap on P3 (probably pro but keen to move on). Top pitch more like fun 17-18 most of the way, engage your brain at the top overhang, sling the obvious thread then find the jugs. Wow.

Abseiled into pitch 2 from the Jugzilla anchors. It's OK, though the crack is likely to be quite dirty. Would be a good beginner lead.

Just what the world needs, more dull easy sport routes.

Warmup. Meh.

A pleasant jug haul, join the queue. Just did the first pitch then abseiled into the second pitch of ThunderGod.

A 2m sling might help manage the rope drag induced by the shared bolting at the top.

In theory just providing a P1 top rope, but had never done pitch 2, which turns out to be quite balancy with a couple of committing moves until it eases after bolt 3. Nice top out, a smidge higher than Captain Caveman. A hurried rap off and walk back to camp in low light and spots of rain.

It's definitely not 15 Martyn. Spent a fair bit of time with a nut tool and stick levering off the big loose death flake near the bottom.

We were looking for Sweet 16s. This isn't one. Couldn't get past the first bolt.

Not bad. Don't know why I found the start so hard last attempt.

Waiting for 2 parties in the queue ahead of us on Guardians. Tricky start.

Fun monkey dancing on good pockets out to the arete, crux getting onto the slab above.

The low end of 19. Always a slight sense of disappointment when the monkey jugs disappear for the crux.

Vague sense of slacking, walked up to do something before dark.

Made a hash of the pull onto the slab. Some kind of weird heel scum.

Thought we'd top rope after James led, but no sign of him so got on it with a chalk bag on feeling very sporty. A bit nervy getting first draw on and clipped, then sat on it. Went bolt-to-bolt from there, working out a good sequence among many many chalked-up sucker holds. Managed to get through bolt 5 clean. After bolt 1 it all works best as big moves between jugs.

Another go on top rope to try and link it. Forgot the holds around bolt 4, one sit. Will revisit.

Close. A bit pumped and too far left after clipping 3rd bolt, took one sit. Threw to the wrong (higher) hold after first bolt, backed down and did it again. Rain coming in but this was staying dry. Swam in the lake in the rain after. An OK early trip end.

After some evening Jugzilla hand-line fixing. Haha, nope, fell or sat on each of the first 4 bolts. Maybe should have warmed up. Lengthy top rope session followed.

An attempt at Predator but immediately got suckered off route, clipped the first bolt of this, tried to go up, fell off and lowered. Should have read the guide...

Had led before as a DHMK linkup. Bloody great jamming and bridging. Only let down by a sandy unprotected traverse in and loose topout. Started up GOTG to avoid the grot, long sling on the DHMK anchor and the bolt before it. We sent a few missiles down. Fixed up the core shot GOTG hand line then rapped down that.

An adventure, AKA "Awesome Mixed Route Vol 1" or "Honey, Ibogaed My Kowhai". The start of DHMK is dirty to the point where the crack is almost hidden. Standing on lichen while digging out a crack ain't awesome. The second pitch (Iboga) looks great and is a terrific intimidating lead, you'll want at least doubles of #2 and #3 cams (which I was well short of), but is let down by some suspect sandy rock at the initial traverse and has a dirty loose top-out. We accidentally sent a couple of sizeable missiles down toward the base of Predator. Awesome yes, but a little dangerous to others. The hand line back to DHMK is a 10m pitch in itself (stay on belay) with dirt underfoot at start and finish, which further detracts (and it's shared with Guardians of the Galaxy). The top pitch of DHMK is much easier, well protected, airy and very fun for 5m at the top while sneaking out the roof.

Really very good, nicely clean, consistent difficulty and the sloping features keep you thinking all the way. Good footwork needed. Ran out of draws and had to belay 8m short of the top of P2 (duh). It's let down only by the awkward hand line traverse and the loose belay ledge that leads to, otherwise I'd almost say 3 stars. Gareth took a plummet at the start pf P4, just kept him off the ledge, but this is why you don't want to link 3-4.

Started up at 6pm, back down just after 9 in a party of 3. Nice to lead pitch 4, veered a bit left for extra overhang stardom in front of an audience of 26 boats parked up in the bay. Would give 3 stars if not for the hand line in the middle.

Finally ... some Euro twatbag decided it was OK to throw their rope down without asking when G reached the anchor, rap past me seconding and then start to pull the ropes. If you don't like being sworn at don't be such a massive dickhead. And pad your bloody hammock cord.

Grubby start. There's more gear than bolts, and that will make it more fun. Must return for a greenpoint.

Couldn't find my rock shoes, climbed in chunky approach shoes, certainly upped the pucker factor on the moss. Gear a bit sparse at top. I never need to do this again.

Well, we went looking for Don't Hurt My Kowhai. Obviously we failed to find it. But pitches 1-2 of this go well on gear with a little digging. Clipped the bolt at the P1 crux but otherwise all gear. Pitch 3 is pretty cool. We bailed after pitch 3 because we weren't sure whether the leftward-exit line of bolts through the overhang is DHMK (it isn't, good call).

Gareth ran P1-2 together, P3 is probably the winner here. Looked speculatively at P4 but getting too hot.

Another go at the P1/2 linkup on gear, still not entirely happy, need to spend more time looking at those pockets, but doing those on gear makes it a lot more interesting. P3 is the money if you don't climb 23. Hot rock at the top of that. You can rap down from the top of P2 on a single 60m rope if you don't mind downclimbing the bottom 3m of Dirt Free.

Went up in the evening to see if there would be a link pitch on gear into The Sufferer And The Witness, allowing a full gear route to the very top of the bluff. There would be, but it would be short chossy and pretty average, probably need a hand rope, and cleaning it would rain crap on everything below. Effort best spent elsewhere. Linked P1-2, forgot Gareth's rope is now 56m and had to get down in 2 abseils.

First outdoor visit for Chris, so why not make it a multipitch? Did P1-2 on gear with one bolt at crux. Shoes still not as sensitive as I'd like for that. Loose rock at top of P2 is a bit worrying. Had thought we might be able to get across to top pitch of DHMK to finish, but that looked sketchy and hard. Hot hot hot, rapped off.

One move possibly at the grade, but is mostly easier.

Setting up a top rope on Peach Teats for Rosie. Grass, dirt, climbs OK but needs a trowel.

Wind down part 1: all five tricams and a red totem basic. Much more fun on gear. Then dropped the rope and had to scramble off the back in shame.

Setting up top rope. Actually this is pretty good for a NZ 13. There's a crux and everything.

Cleaning the anchor after Rosie's success.

Cleaning the TR anchor. Cams in pockets.

Quite interesting placements, OK climbing.

Checking out Angela's gear and extension (pretty good). We wonder if Peach Teats was around here but has been renamed and/or retrobolted?

Wind down part 2: two pink tricams, red and yellow totem basics, thread, bomber #1 C4.

Meh. Setting up short top rope for Rosie.

And removing it.

Grant took the dinghy out, we went looking for Peach Teats for Angela, who started up this until it quickly became obviously more difficult than 13. Also still fairly dirty. A bit crimpy here and there, not a lot to recommend it. Feeling pretty tired after yesterday.

Better than average but perhaps not worth a star.

Pumpy! A hard start (unless you traverse in left?) and it doesn't let up. Had a sit and shake out before the crux, knew I wouldn't make it. Fought through it from there successfully, holds are sharpish. Will return for another go.