Showing all 87 ascents.
Grade | Route | Gear style | Quality | |||
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Sat 13th Feb 2021 - Te Ahi-a-Tamatea / Rāpaki Rock | ||||||
13 | ★ Monkee Poop | 18m | ★ Good | |||
Traversed in from the right using the seam, that felt maybe 16-17 with small spaced gear and balancy stances, but fun. Much easier when back on route. Rap cleaned, and that's it for the trip.
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12 | ★ Ratlines - with Grant Johnston | 14m | ★ Good | |||
Bomber pro, easier than Scurvy.
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17 | ★ Face Variation - with Grant Johnston | 16m | ★ Good | |||
Very easy most of the way. The top mantel is very well protected (2 cams), the moves before it less so. Calling it 17 is overly generous.
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12 | ★ Scurvy - with Grant Johnston | 18m | ★ Good | |||
Nice jams.
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Fri 12th Feb 2021 - Ōtepatotu | ||||||
Main Cliff | ||||||
17 | ★★ Voie Classique - with Grant Johnston | 22m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Excellent varied climbing, keeps you thinking. Protection is fine but you need to be able to place it. Harder than The Ultimate Horror, 16 would be a sandbag. My favourite so far. Stepped left to finish up the Oblivion dihedral and got off just before sunset.
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16 | ★★★ The Ultimate Horror | 20m, 2 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Back after the rain. Left before the second bolt felt much more secure. Went straight up on the headwall this time as prescribed, good climbing and gear and very marginally harder than the other way. Topped out but there is no anchor there, downclimbed the top block (looks hard, isn't) and traversed right to the anchor. Rap cleaned.
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16 | ★★ Paradise Regained - with Grant Johnston, Angela Hewlett | 15m, 1 | ★ Good | |||
Crux is the start to the bolt, but there is decent gear. Got mildly pumped which made the top more exciting. Got off just before the rain hit, bailed for Akaroa.
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Thu 11th Feb 2021 - Ōtepatotu | ||||||
Main Cliff | ||||||
16 | ★★★ The Ultimate Horror - with Grant Johnston, Angela Hewlett | 20m, 2 | ★★ Very Good | |||
A bit nervy getting from bolt 1 to bolt 2, possibly stayed too far right. There is a good cam out right after the start before the bolt. Took the hand traverse crack right and up over the blocks/ledges directly to the anchor. Fun but not classic, the bolts detract somewhat (though I was thankful for them).
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13 | ★ Step To The Right - with Angela Hewlett, Grant Johnston | 25m | ★ Good | |||
Grassy finish a bit annoying.
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12 | ★★ Diploma - with Grant Johnston, Angela Hewlett | 20m | ★ Good | |||
Crux is probably getting established in the V groove, or the top crack exit. Well protected.
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14 | ★★ N. S. U. - with Grant Johnston, Angela Hewlett | 20m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Great crack climbing with friendly optional jams. Dicked around for an age at the top finding a marginal brass offset, then the mantel turned out to be committing but easy.
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Wed 10th Feb 2021 - Ōtepatotu | ||||||
Main Cliff | ||||||
14 | ★★ The Psychedelic Era - with Grant Johnston | 20m | ★★ Very Good | |||
A first taste of Otepatotu in the evening. Good climbing and excellent protection. Turned the top block on the left.
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Tue 9th Feb 2021 - Spur Road | ||||||
18 | ★★ Number of the Beast - with Angela Hewlett, Grant Johnston | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Memorable and sustained, some funky positions. Can be tricky placing gear down low where the blocks are dubious, and at top where the rock seems soft. Not really any harder than Calvary Road.
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13 | ★ Victory - with Angela Hewlett, Grant Johnston | 15m | ★ Good | |||
Harder than it looks. Nice lead Angela.
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17 | ★★ Calvary Road - with Angela Hewlett | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Solid, with good gear. Not sure what the direct is? Presumably I wasn't on it.
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14 | ★★ Magician's Birthday - with Angela Hewlett, Grant Johnston, Colin | 12m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Good but goey at the crux, wouldn't be a pretty fall, a bit of a sandbag I'd say. You could call it 16 with a straight face. I jammed, Angela found some easier layback beta, but still...
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Mon 8th Feb 2021 - Spur Road | ||||||
17 | ★★ Shanks' Sandbag - with Grant Johnston | 14m | ★ Good | |||
Good but not 2 stars. Shitty unprotected start, dirty crack detracts up top. The rest is great.
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15 | ★ The Two of Us - with Grant Johnston | 15m | ★ Good | |||
Made it harder for myself by fist jamming the crack at the "bouldery" bit. But also more fun.
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Sun 7th Feb 2021 - Gorge Road | ||||||
Leonardo's Wall | ||||||
18 | ★★ Carrottophrena | 17m, 7 | Average | |||
Deserves no stars. Crimps and high-steps again. Not as good as Heart of Darkness, just harder but more repetitive and ultimately more boring. Got off just as the sun hit like a bomb. Lots of choss above these routes just waiting to come off, wear your helmet!
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17 | ★ Heart of Darkness - with Grant Johnston | 25m, 10 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Pretty good, not just crimpy face climbing for a change.
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17 |
★ Cliptomania
- with
Grant Johnston
| 27m, 12 | Average | |||
Some confusing bolting on P1. P2 has a potential ledge fall with the lowered first bolt, but felt soft for 17.
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Sat 6th Feb 2021 - Arawata Terrace | ||||||
Lower Tier | ||||||
16 | ★ Procrastination - with Angela Hewlett | 15m, 4 | Average | |||
Made the first clip harder than it needed to be. It's all over after bolt 2.
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16 | Spoonerism - with Grant Johnston | 8m, 2 | Don't Bother | |||
Draws on to roof. Can't see how you'd pull the roof at the grade, turned it on the left. No small amount of loose choss under it and dirty above it.
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14 | Patch the Dog - with Angela Hewlett, Grant Johnston | 10m, 4 | Average | |||
Thu 4th Feb 2021 - Hospital Flat | ||||||
Tombstone Boulders The Tombstone | ||||||
17 | ★ Fingers Columbia - with Grant Johnston | 15m, 5 | ★ Good | |||
Hardish start and balancy clipping, keeps you working.
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17 | ★★ The Crack - with Grant Johnston | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
A few dicky moves at 1/3 height but otherwise straightforward and fun. Don't put your gear in the finger locks. Friendly jams up top.
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Thu 4th Feb 2021 - Hospital Flat | ||||||
Tombstone Boulders The Engine Block | ||||||
12 | ★ The Radiator - with Grant Johnston | 15m, 4 | Average | |||
Meh.
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Thu 4th Feb 2021 - Hospital Flat | ||||||
The Main Cliff | ||||||
14 | ★★ The Big Corner - with Grant Johnston | 20m | ★★★ Classic | |||
One of the best grade 14 trad lines I have ever climbed. Good rock, excellent pro, compares very favourably to Arapiles.
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17 | ★★ Headbangers Arete - with Grant Johnston | 20m, 5 | ★ Good | |||
Oops. Cocked up the moves off the pedestal and found myself back on it without weighting the rope. Counting that as a fall.
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17 | ★★ Headbangers Arete - with Grant Johnston | 20m, 5 | ★ Good | |||
Much better. Managed to bang my head too. Thank you helmet.
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Wed 3rd Feb 2021 - Gorge Road | ||||||
Magnum Wall | ||||||
18 | ★ Teen Wolf | 6m, 2 | ★ Good | |||
Wouldn't be good if you came off above the second bolt. Strayed too far left, hand traversed right.
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16 | ★ Magnum - with Grant Johnston | 12m, 4 | Average | |||
May have made it harder by not starting around the corner, went straight up. Draws on.
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19 | ★ RD | 6m, 2 | ★ Good | |||
Good short fun, some kind of slappy nonsense at the top arete.
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15 | ★ Wrong Way - with Grant Johnston | 6m, 2 | Average | |||
Short evening session at the end of a rest day. Did it the wrong way, straight up the arete until 2nd bolt then right. Draws on.
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Tue 2nd Feb 2021 - Hospital Flat | ||||||
Kai Whaka Pai | ||||||
15 16 | ★ Chardonnay Bob (Unknown 2) - with Grant Johnston | 15m, 6 | Average | |||
Think this is new, not in the 2014 guide. Somebody is being cheap, could use another bolt or 2 at the grade. There is another new route to the right starting on the stepped ledges.
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18 | ★ Kai Time - with Grant Johnston | 18m, 6 | ★ Good | |||
Not sure whether we were on this or Climb Into The Unknown. A hard start and some decent climbing after, but very poor bolting means you are looking at a groundfall from the crux between bolts 1 and 2, be careful, do not high clip bolt 2, belayer pay close attention. Grant came off...
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17 | ★★ Nice & Sleazy Does it All the Time - with Grant Johnston | 18m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Easier than it looks, good bridging, plenty of gear. The 2 bolts at the top are totally unneccesary and should be chopped, there is adequate gear right next to them.
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16 | ★★ Friction In The Kitchen - with Grant Johnston | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Aesthetic thin crack that screams "climb me". Small but bomber gear, and the top is not runout if you have the right gear.
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16 | ★ Unknown - with Grant Johnston | 16m, 6 | ★ Good | |||
There's perfectly decent gear all the way with a miniscule runout to the anchor. Crux getting out of the crack and over the lip. Solid 16 or soft 17?
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16 | ★ Unknown - with Grant Johnston | 16m, 6 | ★ Good | |||
Not sure on the grade so top roped it first. Shouldn't have.
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15 | ★★ Under The Moonlight - with Grant Johnston | 16m, 8 | Average | |||
Draws on. Unmemorable.
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Mon 1st Feb 2021 - Wye Creek | ||||||
North Side Eweniverse Wall | ||||||
15 | ★ Foiled Again - with Grant Johnston | 18m | ★ Good | |||
Shade! Gear at the start is spaced and less than ideal, then you get to yard up on a large detached block, oo-er. Top crack protects well and leads to an amusing beached whale topout and ledge crawl to the anchor.
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Mon 1st Feb 2021 - Wye Creek | ||||||
South Side Main Wall | ||||||
16 | ★ Alien Resurrection | 30m | ★ Good | |||
Stupidly hot and demoralised after a 1.5 hour belay-only session in the sun on Fata Morgana. Good crack that doesn't need anything bigger than a #2. Managed to get the rope semi-trapped in 2 notches behind me, to finish up the excellent headwall crack with stonking rope drag. Would give it an extra star if I wasn't so hot.
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Sun 31st Jan 2021 - Coronet Crag | ||||||
Right Side | ||||||
14 | Liquid Smoke - with Grant Johnston | 12m, 5 | Crap | |||
Awful awful wet weetbix.
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12 | ★ Mall Rats - with Grant Johnston | 10m, 4 | Average | |||
Ok I guess. Anchors a long way back, hangers only. Traffic noise makes this crag unpleasant.
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Sun 31st Jan 2021 - Kingston | ||||||
Main Wall | ||||||
19 |
★★ The Spell of the Barking Spider (The Spell of the Barking Spider P1)
- with
Grant Johnston
| 28m, 20 | ★★ Very Good | |||
P1 only. Crux gave no trouble this time, just a bit crimpy. Grant didn't want to go through the roof so we didn't do P2.
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18 |
★ Crackatoa (Crackatoa linkup Bon Anniversaire)
- with
Grant Johnston
| 58m, 4 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Nice broken crack line with good pro. Skipped the first 2 bolts at the top, there is gear nearby. Linked into P2 of Bon Anniversaire.
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Sun 31st Jan 2021 - Kingston | ||||||
Christmas Wall | ||||||
17 | ★★ Shadows On My Face - with Grant Johnston | 26m, 9 | ★ Good | |||
Quite good and absorbing for a face climb.
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Sat 30th Jan 2021 - Arawata Terrace | ||||||
Upper Tier | ||||||
18 | ★★ 59 - with Grant Johnston | 14m, 7 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Bloody great! Slick right wall makes for some fun alternative moves. A bit of jamming goes a long way.
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17 | ★ Priapism - with Grant Johnston | 18m, 5 | Average | |||
Meh, face climbing. Fun move right at the top.
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17 | ★ Biggles Wiggles - with Grant Johnston | 20m, 7 | Average | |||
Hardish start then nothing to get excited about.
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Sat 27th Jan 2018 - Sebastapol Bluffs | ||||||
Javelin Wall | ||||||
17 | ★★ Javelin - with Grant Johnston | 30m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Really good and worth the approach (we came in left). A dicky but adequately protected move or two on finger locks across an exfoliating slab to get established in the crack (crux), then interesting features, a wide range of gear and some good jamming. Possible dodgy block at the top overlap, make up your own mind. Recommended. Ran out of evening but will come back for Five Ring Circus which looks fun.
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Fri 26th Jan 2018 - Sebastapol Bluffs | ||||||
Red Wall | ||||||
16 |
★★ Mako
- with
Grant Johnston
| 63m, 16 | ★★ Very Good | |||
More varied and better than Shark Attack, with a fun overlap on the second pitch. Watch out for ropes getting stuck in the bushes when you pull them, we nearly dislodged a head-sized block just nestled there onto ourselves.
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16 |
★★ Shark Attack
- with
Grant Johnston
| 87m, 20 | Average | |||
Top pitch a bit repetitive, didn't really float my boat.
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Fri 26th Jan 2018 - Sebastapol Bluffs | ||||||
Twin Cracks | ||||||
21 | ★★ Ethical Debate - with Grant Johnston | 18m, 4 | ★ Good | |||
The name perhaps refers to it being a squeeze route, easily escapable into the routes either side. Pretty crimpy, tiny feet and smears, really hot rock by late morning, considerable ooze required. Surprised I got it clean.
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19 | ★ Balls - with Grant Johnston | 18m, 3 | ★ Good | |||
Should have just led it ... not quite as tidy this time, probably overthinking it. At least 3 good nuts available in the runout between bolts, placed a bomber brass offset from a good stance.
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19 | ★ Balls - with Grant Johnston | 18m, 3 | ★ Good | |||
Nice thin sequence at the crux, eases considerably after that.
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16 | ★★ Twin Cracks - with Grant Johnston | 20m | ★★ Very Good | |||
A nice fun crack climb, good gear, not as straightforward as it looks from the ground.
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Thu 25th Jan 2018 - Sebastapol Bluffs | ||||||
Red Wall | ||||||
14 |
★★ Red Arete
- with
Grant Johnston
| 73m, 28 | ★ Good | |||
Forgot my rock shoes so done in chunky approach shoes which made it a bit more interesting. Nice position on the arete, finished at the Shark Attack top anchors. Note there is a 3rd pitch continuing up the bulge and arete at grade 15.
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Tue 23rd Jan 2018 - Twin Stream | ||||||
Central Buttress Lower Wall | ||||||
16 |
★★ El Nino (El Nino Linkup Central Buttress)
- with
Grant Johnston
| 85m, 2 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Back for another attempt. P1 quite nervy with sparse gear, then we headed straight up into the hand crack linkup as one 55m pitch. Very nice hand crack at about grade 16, considerable rope drag by the end. At the terrace we contemplated continuing up the El Nino arete, but it was becoming very blowy and route finding a little uncertain, decided not to have an epic with the rope pull from the top. Got one rope stuck on the rap from the terrace anyway, luckily our combined bodyweight freed it before having to reascend on the other. Don't thread your rope though the old maillons.
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Mon 22nd Jan 2018 - Twin Stream | ||||||
Central Buttress Lower Wall | ||||||
17 |
★★ Central Buttress
- with
Grant Johnston
| 50m, 8 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Spotty weather. Got as far as the top of the bolts on P2 before it began to rain again. Escaped to the El Nino P1 bolted anchor about 5m left, brought Grant up and waited for Dave on El Nino, then we bailed.
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Sun 21st Jan 2018 - Twin Stream | ||||||
Half Moon Slab | ||||||
17 | ★★★ Moon Struck | 80m, 5 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Great crack followed by slightly wandery run out slabbing, the latter not being my comfort zone. Some bloody tough moves for 17.
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Sat 3rd Sep 2016 - Fantasy Factory | ||||||
16 | ★★ Bitterfingers | 28m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Good finger, hand, fist jams and some thoughtful moves for the grade, bloody good, would do it again. Supposed to be a warmup but we were late there, I pissed around at the top chains and ran out of time. Stunning view of the harbour.
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Fri 1st Jan 2016 - Hospital Flat | ||||||
Little Big Wall | ||||||
16 | ★★ Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out | 45m, 17 | ★★ Very Good | |||
First pitch is a fun trad crack, just clip the first bolt to protect the start. The other bolts in reach are for other routes. P2/3 fully bolted, Allen ran them together. Third pitch easy and rather exposed. A grand new years day outing with Allen and Graham.
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Sat 26th Dec 2015 - Cattlestop Crag | ||||||
Shimmering Jelly Wall | ||||||
12 | ★ Gift Horse | 12m | ★ Good | |||
Retrieving the anchor. Strayed right into Shimmering Jelly for a few meters of very nice moves, will definitely return for a lead of that. Would have had a go but my belayer hadn't eaten enough Xmas pudding.
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12 | ★ Gift Horse | 12m | ★ Good | |||
Left the cams on the ground, my funky angled hex in the hole might have held. Quite nice thoughtful climbing for 12 but gear a little tricky in places. Belay by Rosie.
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Wed 23rd Dec 2015 - Cattlestop Crag | ||||||
Surgical Strike Wall | ||||||
20 | ★ Satanic Verses - with Anna | 15m, 3 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Oh dear. Forgot the rock shoes and helmet and we thought this was 17 for some reason. Climbed bouldery first 3 bolts of Surgical Strike, left to first bolt, unclipped last SS bolt then up. Great overhang jugs. On the top bulge above last bolt the lack of suitable shoes became apparent, took a good long fall into space. Eventually clawed my way up. Not a bad effort for approach shoes. Keen to revisit.
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Wed 23rd Dec 2015 - Cattlestop Crag | ||||||
Footwear Wall | ||||||
16 | ★ Fast Forward - with Anna | 8m, 2 | Average | |||
Should have been climbing more direct but shoes made it harder than it looked.
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15 | ★ Sensible Shoes - with Anna | 6m, 2 | Average | |||
Appropriately in approach shoes. Easy. Most guides give it as 14.
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Thu 7th May 2015 - Te Ahi-a-Tamatea / Rāpaki Rock | ||||||
13 | ★ Monkee Poop - with Anna | 18m | ★ Good | |||
Think this is what I was on, though possibly Scurvy to start? Thought it fairly stiff for 13.
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12 | ★ Crows Nest - with Anna | 16m | Average | |||
Meh. Probably better solo.
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Sat 9th Feb 2013 - Kingston | ||||||
Main Wall | ||||||
18 |
★★ Smashing Crack (Smashing Crack P1)
- with
Terry McCarthy
| 54m, 11 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Most of the bolts have been removed (good stuff Guillaume), making this a great single pitch trad line. There is pro near the bolt in the upper quarter, if you have brass offsets...
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19 | ★★ The Spell of the Barking Spider () - with Terry McCarthy | 74m, 20 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Tricky start leads to fun moves through the roof. Terry pulled a jug off seconding through the roof, I hadn't discovered it on the way up anyway.
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Fri 8th Feb 2013 - Kingston | ||||||
Bob Marley’s Corner | ||||||
16 | ★★ Get Up, Stand Up - with Terry McCarthy, Colin Megson | 49m, 17 | ★ Good | |||
Fri 8th Feb 2013 - Kingston | ||||||
Main Wall | ||||||
18 |
★★ DJ Da Generous
- with
Colin Megson
1
17
lead by
Colin Megson
| 78m, 23 | ★ Good | |||
First pitch great, second pitch runs over a few ledges. Grades may be incorrect?
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Wed 6th Feb 2013 - The Remarkables | ||||||
Double Cone East Face | ||||||
17 | ★★ DB Eh? - with John Pitcairn | 350m | ||||
We asked Guillaume where we should be going and he indicated straight up, but he was further up the boulder field and parallax was in play. What James started up was definitely not DB Eh, it was somewhere well left of that. After some desperate runout slabbing, not much pro, a #5 cam in a creek, and a sketchy directional-only anchor at about 50m, I climbed up 20m while still belaying and taking in so I could lower James through gear, then we downclimbed to lick wounds. Dodgy-as. Must revisit.
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Wed 6th Feb 2013 - The Remarkables | ||||||
Double Cone Alta Slabs | ||||||
16 |
★★ The Fat Lady Sings At The Circus (The Fat Lady Sings At The Circus P1-2)
- with
James Mitchell
| 140m, 6 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Nicely run out. Demoralised and running out of daylight after a horrendously and hilariously off-route FAIL on DB Eh?, had to bail without doing the top pitch. Rats.
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Tue 5th Feb 2013 - Motatapu Valley | ||||||
Roadside Area Roadside Attraction | ||||||
16 | ★ Judge’s Wine - with Grant Johnston | 15m | ★ Good | |||
Enjoyable enough. Grant led it first.
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18 | ★★ The Ramp - with James Mitchell | 13m | ★ Good | |||
A bit of a sit at the 2nd or 3rd piece before angling right. Should have toughed it out. There is plenty of gear low down.
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15 | ★ Strawberry - with Grant Johnston | 16m, 8 | Average | |||
Was aiming for Self Directed Learning Tool, placing gear, but took the (somewhat) cleaner exit. Really grubby at the top.
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17 | ★★★ Shortcut to Exposure - with Grant Johnston | 30m, 14 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Nice bridging in the chimney until halfway. Exit before the roof and move right then up, whereupon it starts to feel like some old Arapiles classic.
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Mon 4th Feb 2013 - Wye Creek | ||||||
South Side Main Wall | ||||||
15 | ★ Indecent Exposure | 15m, 7 | ★ Good | |||
I think this is the 15 we did.
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18 | ★★ Bigger Than Big | 28m, 8 | ★ Good | |||
Accidentally attempted a direct start, straight up out of of La Belle Vie. Ha.
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18 | ★★ Lucalucki - with James Mitchell | 32m, 13 | ★ Good | |||
16 | ★★★ The Mission - with Colin, Dave, Terry, James, Grant Johnston | 28m, 9 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Mon 4th Feb 2013 - Wye Creek | ||||||
North Side Eweniverse Wall | ||||||
17 | ★ The Fugitive (Fugitive) - with Grant Johnston | 15m | ★ Good | |||
Current guide claims it's 17
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Sat 2nd Feb 2013 - Kingston | ||||||
Christmas Wall | ||||||
17 |
★ Summer Solstice
- with
Colin Megson, Terry McCarthy, James Mitchell
2
17
lead by
James Mitchell
| 51m, 13 | Average | |||
First climb of the trip after flying into Queenstown. Details a bit hazy. Grant forgot his rock shoes and climbed Get Up, Stand Up in Dave's approach shoes.
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Showing all 87 ascents.