Routes as trad in Te Ika-a-Māui / The North Island

The right hand crack system 3 meters left of the arete. Save your big gear for the top section. An excellent climb.

The obvious corner crack and roof system. Climb the finger crack around two roofs to the double bolt belay.

Follow the corner and crack immediately left of "Shooting in the Dark" to shared anchors.

Up blocks and ledges to gain the small roof block, then jam straight up the crack.

The crack immediately left of The Gecko Groove. 17 if climbed using only the thin crack and face to start.

Climb the low arete to reach the overhanging finger crack, continue up this to the ledge. Watch out for loose rock below the anchor. Once graded 20, this is now a fairly pumpy 18. Another anagram...

Climb the crack past a flare to a broken ledge (crux), then up past another to the top of the large flake, finishing rightwards through a notch. A well protected classic - gym climbers note it helps if you can jam!

Follow the obvious flared crack to the left of slab wall. Leads to easy run out scramble. limited protection once you get to the scramble. Double chain anchor.

Head up a thinning crack then step across right to access another thin crack. Possible earlier FA unknown.

The controversial and contrived direct finish on the slabby face has been chopped.

Start up crack to the right of the slab face. First piece can be placed from the ground, second piece from first stable stance . Then go left up the slab face via bolt to place piece in horizontal crack to second bolt and DBC anchor finish.

From the pointy block, climb the left-leaning thin crack and jam the notch to reach the shattered ledge, then proceed up the slab with the crack at left. Apparently you do a "bigglesworth" somewhere but nobody has any idea what that means...

Value for money, with 3 cruxes. Climb the low groove to the ledge (crux 1). From the ledge, jam or bridge over the slight bulge (crux 2) and continue up the easier angle slab/crack/groove combination above. Then climb through the bulge and crack (crux 3) to the top. Deserves a star.

Right facing corner crack from hand to fist to offwidth.

Climb to the ledge at the bottom of the corner and crack. Proceed up past the blast hole on the left, then tend right onto the arete and face, up to the ledge. This route has also been climbed entirely using the arete, with the crack for protection only (22). It is possible to traverse carefully to the anchors of Bad Behaviour or Silver Surfer / Orangutang from the top of this, but beware of loose rock above.

Climb the deep groove to good stances, then straight up and exit through the gap between the blocks at top.

The right-facing corner and crack system.

Follow the crack over a small roof then finish at the anchor of Morning Coffee.

The obvious hand crack, take a few #3 cams. Probably quite a hard scary lead if you can't jam.

The fist crack right of "C.J.D Arete", climb the crack direct - awkward at the bottom. Alternatively start as for Mihna and traverse in to the crack.

Steep hand crack with a good start, cruxy centre and widening top to ram's horns belay.

The long flake/crack with a small roof low down. Move right around the roof and step up the ledges, then balancy but well protected moves onto the face. Continue more easily up the crack to the DBC belay.

Either: traverse in to the ledge from the right (16, see start of Smash And Grab), climb the right-hand groove (17, see start of Rebuilding Oscar), climb the face (17, shown) or climb the left-hand groove (21). From the ledge bridge up the main groove, past a drill hole (a triple sling will protect this nicely), and over the blocks at the top.

A broken hand crack on the left of a slabby wall. Climb past a small tree up to a large one and double Ram's horns belay.

The deep fire-blackened corner and crack, to the anchor on top of the ledge at halfway. For an extension, continue upwards and right from there at about grade 15 to the rap rings above, or up and left to the anchor above Load It For Me.

Climb the inwards corner to the right of "Shooting in The Dark" and left of "Climbing Cracks in the Sun". Some subtle cracks for protection down lower open to a nice wide hex size crack as you get to the crux of mantling before easier ground above. Climb moves right up the easy blocks to the anchors of "Climbing Cracks in the Sun".

Gianna and I managed to dodge the rain and climb "Shooting in The Dark" but the rain returned with a vengeance so we cleaned this route instead of climbing. Named after the a-ha version of Crying in The Rain which I heard the weekend before.

Climb the corner between Carpe Diem & Tuatara on gear placed in the crack. Continue up Tuatara climbing the smooth face either to the right or left of top bolt.

The obvious long arete visible from the Tongariro Crossing track. Start at the toe of the arete.

1. 30m (14): Straight up the arete following hand and fist cracks until you reach a bulge, then make a delicate move left. Continue up to good belay ledge.

2. 20m (16): Up and slightly left into a shallow corner split by a finger crack. Pull straight up through the middle of this then up through slabby ground to a belay.

3. 60m (10): Up through very broken and sometimes loose terrain, tending left around a large block, then rightwards to finish up the gully at a full 60m rope length. Continue to scramble up and eastwards (toward the head of the Mangatepopo valley) to find the steep grassy gully you can scramble down (it's not the first gully). Be careful not to get bluffed.

Climb the face until you reach the crack on the left side of the pillar. Climb the crack to a bolted belay on top of the pillar.

Start to the left of "My Foot Slipped". Climb the steep crack on the left side of the pillar. Continue directly up for a few meters then step left onto a ledge below a smooth concave face. Climb a few moves up the left side of the face to reach the handrail then traverse right just above the bolt to the nose.

A bridging classic that saw some long falls before the single piton at half height was replaced by 3 bolts. Not quite a sport climb - a good wire protects the moves up to the first bolt.

Up the groove, finish easily by escaping left past the small tree to the anchors of "Shooting in the Dark".

Don't know if this has previously been climbed?

A bit of everything. Bridge and layback start, hand jam middle, face climb top. Take some small gear for the top.

Steep bouldering start to the ledge around grade 18. Alternatively start 3m from the right then walk across the ledge around grade 16. Follow the right facing crack behind the block then climb the face to the anchor.

The long clean right-facing corner hand and fist crack with a small roof halfway. Classic, sustained and very well protected. Abseil to the anchors on Sunset Ledge.

Climb the slabby arete to the right of "I Do My Cleaning in the Rain", leads to a great crack on the left with plenty of placement options. Mantle onto the large ledges and protect the widening crack above to head up to the anchors. You can either stay mostly in this crack, or bridge out left so you can use the juggy edges above.

Spotted the great crack and had already cleaned the widening crack at the top so it was match made in the heavenly sun.

The short corner just before the grassy bank, there is a chain link hanger on the left face at about half height. Climb the crack or face on the left until the chockstone, over and then the left face or squeeze up the crack.

P1: (19) Go up near the right hand arete, moving left at the second bolt then continuing through the bulge to the anchor (6 bolts).

P2: (18) Continue to the obvious finger crack and up to the final anchor. Rappel off or traverse around the exposed arete. No bolts.

Up the groove as for Zag, finish right past two bolts to the anchor of 'I Like Arêtes and I Cannot Lie'.

First bolt installed by unknown, climbed to anchors of dochawi by Mario Hernandez, later extended by running out to the top by Phil Higgins and Dave Ackery, Before finally having an extra bolt and anchors installed. You figure out who the FA is.

The left-facing corner near a Kanuka tree. Bridge and pull through the easy roof, then up and traverse right near the top (don't go between the trees), finishing up The Slot Machine.

Climb the crack on the left side of the pillar of 'Ogopogo Strikes Back' (17). Good nut placeable from the ground saves your ankles, juggy but somewhat powerful start leads to easier ground above. Plenty of options for cams/nuts, enjoy mantling up at the top.

Climb the left-facing corner and crack to the bolted belay on the ledge below the bulge. A great trad lead for beginners.

Climb the large blocks to the boulder and crack. Protection goes in the crack, you go to the left of the boulder - hexes and nuts work well. Traverse right to the anchors of "Sylvie’s Blast Hole".

This line is permanently closed to all climbers

Climb the face to the right until you reach the crack on the right side of the BB pillar. Same anchors as BB.

Start is between Fingertip Face and MV6.Follow the crack,groove,drillhole,up to the MV6 anchors. Good stances for gear placements but a little run out at the top.

The short crack facing the sea, Crux is the second section of the crack proper, tree belay back from the top.

Climb to the black shattered ledge, then up the crack with a knuckle-fucking flare through the bulge above. Continue up, moving right toward Silver Airman at the top.

Hard start direct into the groove (the ledge on the right is out). Climb the crack to the hanging block then exit left to the anchor above Silver Surfer. Alternately, move right and up the top groove and bulge of Badfinger.

Starts on the face to the right of the waterfall (the slabby jutting out pieces where birds hang around, look for the guano), traverse left under the waterfall and then steel yourself for the big haul up and over!

Top half is a breeze and fun to climb up where the water flows after heavy rain.

Classic, and not as easy as it looks. Jam the crack or go for the somewhat more desparate layback approach. As for surrounding routes, the start is now considerably easier.

Climb the blocks then pull through the steeper section to the right of the tree. Easy slab finish to the anchor. Stay left of the arête to avoid the choss and place gear in the thin crack on the left.

Easy slab on small wires, leads to a bulge with a small cam to protect the crux. Named after a mythological creature the Potarta that tickles feet and eats heads, which seemed kind of analogous to a climb with dubious gear and a slab to fall on.

Several metres back on the shelf you top out onto is the anchor to lower off.

finger crack

Climbs the face up to the first bolt of "Blood Sweat and Sunblock" then traverses left to a diagonal rail. Some big moves lead to the horizontal crack with a bomber placement, then a big move to the lip.

Climbs the blocks to the right of 'The South Face', follow the blast hole line towards the anchors of 'Fingertip Face'. Some good placements on the first half, the bolts can be used for a mixed route or there's a small crack with a couple of placements leading up to the anchor.

Start as for Go Up The Waterfall but instead of traversing leftwards under the overhang go straight up to the same anchor. Possible earlier FA unknown.

The serrated finger crack and bridge corner on the face left of Rohan's Little Sister, topping out above its anchors. A good first trad lead, extremely well protected on cams or nuts and hexes. At some point you need to commit to moving across, if you do so at the slot lower down (as per the ground-up first ascent) and just use the crack the grade is about 17.

Start either on the left or right of the pillar (left is 18), follow the main flaring corner up & right to a very cool blast hole. Continue upwards and left to the DBC anchor (shared with Atomic Rooster).

P1: (20) Steep and juggy climbing through the obvious overhang followed by much easier climbing on the slab above. DBB. (7 bolts)

P2: (19) Continues upwards on trad gear for 5 meters before another steep section at the first bolt, followed by easier climbing to the top. DBB. (4 bolts)

Wide groove just inside the end fence of Lakeside Wall. Technical start leads to quality jugs and good placements.

Delicate mantle and traverse right on the ledge to clip the one bolt. Climb diagonally right up to the anchor of Go up the waterfall.

Pronounced KOO-kee-lee-KOO. Climb the wide flaring chimney/crack left of Jug Addiction, continue through the cave (runout) and a steeper layback finish. Tree or gear belay, and easy walk up to the bottom of Sex Panther.

The overhanging wide crack/corner. Rappel / lower as far right as you can to avoid your rope getting caught in the crack.

The deep black V groove. Dalrymple is Rick McGregor's middle name...

Climb the corner crack system at about grade 14 to the large intermediate ledge. Then continue out left round the arching roof crack. A secret hold provides salvation. DRB belay. (Pro, CD, Hex, Wires)

Climb either of the grooves to the ledge (right hand groove is easiest), bridge up and pull onto the lip above the roof, then balancy moves up the face, arete and shallow right hand groove.

Climb the thin crack and slab. It will help to have skinny fingers.

Start 5m R of ‘A Carp Died for this Climb’ Climb the corner with a thin crack at the back of it. Alternatively climb the corner 2m to the R. Continue directly up easier rock to the corner with yellow rock on its right. Start in the corner then move up left and continue trending slightly leftwards up the face and corner until a bolt can be seen on a smooth face to the right. Traverse past the bolt and continue upward to the anchor point below a large overhang near the top of the crag.

Climb to the anchors between "Swan Lake" and "Canadian Summer (M5)". Trad gear all the way, bouldery finish either up the crack (which is protectable with large cam/s) or the arete.

I'm still investigating a possible sport route on the left face to the anchors, needs some cleaning of the choss, don't climb this section in the meantime!

Named after Maungarei and the mokomoko (Māori for skink), there are many around the crag and the two first climbers looked like mokomoko clambering up through the crack or over the arete.

The long open book corner and thin crack. Start up the unprotected slab to gain the corner. Clip the first 2 bolts of Great Scott further right if you aren't game for that. Spaced stances and small gear make this a solid proposition at the grade.

Step left onto a steep slab below the only bolt. Straight up into the crack to the top. Belay off blocks at the top or continue up the gully to anchors.

An awkward mantle leads to easier climbing up the groove and crack.

The straight crack, hardest towards the top.

The thin crack, gained by climbing the steep wall on big pockets. From ledges ascend the crack straight up. The third bolt on "J.E.M." helps with otherwise lean protection.

Boulder direct to the ledge, or traverse in from the left (16). Then up the blocky groove and exit to a chain hidden in the bushes above. Looks easy but the top can be tricky and this is perhaps not ideal as your first lead on gear at the long side if you are not solid at the grade.

Classy and absorbing, and recently cleaned. The thin seam and slab 2m left of The Hecklers. Small gear, has a reputation for being a bit run out at the balancy crux but there is enough gear if you take the time to look for it. Abseil to halfway anchors on the arete.

Pumpy face and crack climbing following up the snaking crack left of the arete. Has 2 bolts before and after the crack.

A great way to practice trad. walk along the top of meads wall, starting from the left, there are a few anchors you can clip in the first half. A few technical down climbs, but mostly easy as. The crux is around the large block near the top of 50 metre roof crack, climb down the crack on the right of the boulder, make sure your second is protected, then belay in the obvious crack a few metres along. Bring lots of size 2 cams.

P1: (17) Sneak through the step in the overhangs trending left (passed a thread) and once on the face head up and rightish following the line of weakness. Belay in the middle of the shield like wall.

P2: (17) Heads up through the obvious line of weakness finishing with jams as a great finale.

Can be combined into one pitch with rope drag management.

Enticing corner crack with small overlap at ~12m. Great gear.

To the right of "A Carp Died for This Climb", follow the line of weakness to the anchors.

Climb up the corner between shooting in the dark and zag, traversing left under the chossy ledge and finishing at the former's anchors. Slinging the tree while amusing, is not advised. If (and when) it goes, it will pull down most of the climb. The crack in the corner offers excellent protection, although the chossy ledge above provides food for thought. First ascent done with two offsets and a 0.5 C4 that a certain leader forgot on the ground.

Starting from the low alcove, bridge the corner and crack and pull over the small roof (crux). Continue more easily up the crack with a wall at left and over a ledge then up to reach the bolted belay. Abseil off and move left to reach the Sunset Ledge anchor (don't miss it).

One of the best multi-pitch trad climbs in the North Island, some say it is even the best.

Pitch 1: (17) Start from the ledge just right of the big pinnacle from the fixed rope. Climb through the above bulges before moving left under a small roof and through the groove. Belay in the cave (Trad belay)

Pitch 2: (18) Climb through the roof of the cave to a ledge system. Begin the traverse left to a lower ledge system. Continue traversing to a v groove with a crack in the roof above you (Trad belay)

Pitch 3: (22) The money pitch. Blast through the roof crack to easier ground. Follow the finger crack and the corner to the easy head wall and bolted belay. This pitch can be easily aided.

Up the obvious crack in the middle of the face, then climbs parallel to Curious Kiwi, placing some good & some average gear (especially at the crux), instead of using the C.K. Bolts out left. Not recommended unless you have triple 0.5's (large finger size) and feel very comfortable at the grade.

Start below as for "Sylvie's Blast Hole", then traverse diagonally up to the anchors of A Carp Died for this.

Loose blocks have been removed, but there may still be a few more until it sees more traffic.

A bouldery start gets you up into the groove, moving left at the block. Continue leftwards and up over ledges to the Sheerlux anchors. An alternate finish (21) moves right at the top of the groove, up to the Load It For Me anchors.

Up the groove to the big blast hole and wobbly block, then move right into the upper groove.

Start at the lowest point of the chimney and climb easy ground into the chimney proper. Up the chimney to easy ledges, then the rib above.

Shares ram's horns anchors with 'Slap and Tickle'.

Climb the line of weakness on the left hand side of "The South Face" ledge. Curves it's way up to the anchors of that climb. Plenty of small placements in the crack and very obvious line now that the gorse bush and choss is gone.

Heading up the offwidth crack, following it as it trends right to the top.

The obvious crack line less than a meter left of Ignimbrite which nastily retrobolted it. Watch the rock quality down low. The FA is contentious.

Start as for "J.E.M.", and then climb the crack to the large rubbly ledges. Scramble to the first groove on the left wall and get established in the crack. At the top of the crack there is a crack that leads diagonally up to the right to the anchors of "Fight or Slight". While airy it is easily protected to get up to use these anchors to abseil off.

Originally either used a tree tree belay or exited to the left to the anchors of J.E.M. which created drag with an up and over redirect.

1: Start 5m right and up from Captain Caveman, up the fully bolted wall to a ledge and anchor. 2: Head left over the bush to reach the wild exposed finger crack up the edge of the cave, protected on gear. Continue to a bolt-protected arete and slab then anchor. You can top out by heading up into the top pitch of Captain Caveman or Cave Boy.

Climb the arete and face. The cracks either side are out. Take a cam or tricam to protect the break below the top block, or just run it out.

Slightly awkward but rewarding.