攀登 in Kawakawa Bay by John Pitcairn

Harder than I remember. Could have protected the lower bit better. Stephen didn't like the crux much. Maybe we were just shit.

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).

Walked in with heavy trad packs after lots of rain and wind. Achieved nothing else for the day.

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.

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?

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.

Fun and not as straightfoward as thought. One small cam and lots of nuts, gear needed plenty of extension to manage rope drag, belayed at Elephant Hunting chains (shade) but could have continued. Angela led the short 13 to the top then we soloed (me in liner socks only).

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.

Nice adventure. A good bridge and jam fight up the start (#5 BD cam would have been useful, a #4 is a bit tipped out), then a big but easy runout to gear and a sitting rest. Finish is well protected and not difficult. A great way to approach Sex Panther.

Get on the damn sharp end. Really good. Fun start with a bit of thought, good jamming, another crux about halfway. Top is easier and there is adequate gear if you have small cams.

Easy enough when you know how the crux goes. Nice flash from Grant.

Was going to setup a top rope on Rohan's Arete, got up there and couldn't be arsed.

A bit tired and dispirited after the fail yesterday. Wasp nest below the crux, fairly benign while cool. Had another go at the Great Scott crux while retrieving the draw of shame, that's considerably easier in cooler conditions.

Hot rock, really sweaty hands, a few spots of rain. Balancy as. Got through the crux crimp but kept greasing off the ledge pull-up after. One of the few times I've wanted chalk. Bailed off a draw, then it bucketed down.

Probably the hardest thing I have seconded, probably just as hard to second as to lead. Tape gloves would have helped. Terrific onsight fight from Grant.

Nobody else in the bay, wow. Good fun and exposure but not a soft touch at the grade.

Rather better than it looks. Belayed Grant's onsight first. Hands a bit chewed afterwards but.

Relaxing warmup after the dicey dinghy ride in against a stiff chop thinking all our gear was destined for the lake bottom.

Misread the initial moves up to the arete and made it harder than it really is, ha. Angela definitely out of her comfort zone seconding pitch 1.

Absolutely outstanding, a must-do. Had been saving the onsight attempt for a couple of visits now, stoked to get it. Not as hard as I expected, there are a number of no-hands rests and face holds apart from the crack. Taping up is a good idea to take full advantage of the many great fist and hand jams. Eats hexes!

Ran into Gerard Tarr on the way down, who had been up completing new pitches above, Hecklers multipitch, woo!

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.

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

Sandbagged Allan into leading this as his first trad in ages, bloody good job mate. 3 climbers and double-rope abseil to avoid the ridiculous traffic jam at the halfway anchors next door. Back to camp just after sunset.

Really fun, nice thoughtful crux. Extend the gear below the roof and around to the bulge to manage rope drag.

Scary. Attempted as described in the guide, with no protection for the balancy moves up the slab until established in the corner 10m or so up. That was a bit tense, would probably clip the first 2 bolts on Great Scott next time. Thereafter through the corner the gear is smallish, stances quite spaced and not all of it is ideal. Got quite run out bridging and laybacking.

Quite good. Decent protection is tricky to manage at the crux due to the shattered uneven rock, but pulling through the crux is very juggy.

Tricams are great. Then Angela led it!

Used to bypass damp first pitch of Mellow Yellow. Had no trad gear but dismantled draws to sling tree and spikes, adequate

Multipitch anchor practice. First pitch mossy and damp so snuck up Yellow Submarine instead with no gear, dismantling draws to sling the tree and spikes...

With big gear this time ;-)

Really good slab moves reminiscent of Arapiles, quite small gear and a bit run out in places. Mossy at the top. 15 might be a slight sandbag. Would do again.

Place gear in layback? Sure ;-)

Really rather good

Enjoyable 3D climbing. Got about 8-10m runout through the centre section - doubles or triples in medium cams would be useful. Take long slings to manage rope drag at top.

Don't bother with pitch 2. And maybe pitch 1...

Didn't have any big gear for the top and had to improvise with funky cammed small hexes and tricams in fissures in the crack. "Tree" belay is optimistic, it's a small wobbly bush - back it up with gear in the top of the crack or traverse to better anchors.

Nice easy trad, decent gear, a good beginners' lead

It really is brilliant, but it's still a sport clip-up.

Crux is the overhangs down low. Really good gear. Don't miss the halfway anchors on the way down!

A grubby little route before breakfast. F'nar f'nar.

Interesting and delicate. Was coached through the gear placement before the crux by Matthias, thanks.