Recomendations for Climbing in New Zealand

Hey all! It looks like I will be going to New Zealand this coming January! I have heard there is some incredible climbing out there and I was hoping to get some input from anybody on recommended climbs, etc.. I will be going with my parents who do not climb whatsoever so I am thinking I would either have to meet up with a guide or any gracious people on the forum who would want to show me around.

I'd appreciate any input and will definitely put something together to showcase my trip. This will be my first time out of the country so I am super excited to be able to visit a new place, especially climb there.

And just for clarification I mostly do sport stuff, but wouldn't mind some multi-pitch trad/alpine stuff with somebody more experienced!

Thanks all!
CJ

Where are you headed? Which island? How much time do you have? What time of year are you going? Etc.

NZ is pretty small compared to here, but it’s plenty big enough that you’re not going to be covering the entire country unless you’re there for at least a couple months. If you’re on the North Island, undoubtedly head to Wharepapa and look up Bryce. I put a bunch of info in the database and there are several threads discussing this. If you’re on the south island, most likely around Christchurch then you should check out Paynes Ford (limestone sport) and Castle Hill (I’m the last person to recommend heading out to a bouldering area, but this place is actually worth it). The south island is going to have less tolerance for weather than the north.

On the North Island try Wharepapa South (pronounced farepapa) just south east of Hamilton, about 2 hours drive south of the Auckland air-port. Contact Bryce and Wendy Martin, owners of the climber's hostel called Wharepapa Outdoor Center:

climb.co.nz/Commercial/WhaO…

The rock is an excellent quality ignimbrite laid down from one of the Taupo eruptions. It climbs like limestone. Most climbs are high quality sport routes, well bolted. Gear and ropes are available at the Martin's shop. Bryce put up many of the climbs and guides. Froggat (a for-profit crag) has some fine routes including Terror Incognito (18) with a really great arete at the top. Mr. and Mrs. American Forks was my favorite climb.

I'm not as familiar with the South Island except for bouldering at Castle Hill, a truly world class limestone bouldering area

Greg Twombly wrote: The rock is an excellent quality ignimbrite laid down from one of the Taupo eruptions. It climbs like limestone. Most climbs are high quality sport routes, well bolted. Gear and ropes are available at the Martin's shop. Bryce put up many of the climbs and guides. Froggat (a for-profit crag) has some fine routes including Terror Incognito (18) with a really great arete at the top.

Although there's probably more sport climbing in the area, it's worth pointing out that there is plenty of gear climbs, on ignimbrite that I'd say is much closer to granite than limestone. Depending on how the lava cooled (underground or above-ground) has a significant affect on the rock qualities. It's really quite amazing to know that they both come from the same source. In the Wharepapa area there's a place called Waipapa that had some spectacular rock. And all around ground zero at Lake Taupo is perfect rock, some several pitches high, complete with splitter cracks and smooth slabs.

I didn't know that Froggat's Edge is a for-profit area now. When were you there? It was just a working farm when I was there (BTW CJ - take a rope bag, that dirt you laid your rope is still pretty 'green'). There was some area down the street that was over-run by a guiding service, can't remember what it was called though. Sucked, but at least it kept them confined to one area.

Awesome thanks for the suggestions so far!

Sorry for forgetting the other details: For now I will be there for 3 weeks, though I am not sure how much of that time will be committed to climbing, I am hoping for at least a week. As far as particular island nothing is set in stone yet, I know my parents will be wanting to do the touristy stuff (and let's face it im sure I will too!). Mainly I just to get the best climbing experience I can from New Zealand packed into one area (as I dont see me being able to travel around from spot to spot too much).

Thanks so much for the help! Keep it coming =)

As you said the difference in rock texture is striking. The rock is the Pakaumanu Ignimbrites. The stuff on the west shore of Taupo at Whanganui is similar to granite, while in the Wharepapa area it's similar to limestone, being fine grained, light grey, from massive with pockets to almost vesicular in some places (not really vesicular since that implies gas bubbles and I think the surface texture in the Wharepapa area is from surface weathering). The nature of ignimbrite is that it didn't solidify from a lava melt, but was deposited from a 500 to 900 degrees celsius incandescent ash cloud called a "Nuee Ardent" by volcanologists. The advancing ash cloud vaporizes the vegetation and water before it, so it rides on a steam cushion at speeds up to hundreds of miles an hour. When it comes to rest the near-molten particles weld, and in the case of the Pakuamanu ignimbrites, dissolved silica cements the dry ash to form a 2 to 10" thick, hard grey crust over the white, dry powdery ignibrite underneath. Bolts are long stainless rods driven through the crust and epoxied in place.

Hey CJ
I'm currently living/going to school in NZ (On the North Island, in palmerston north - skip this town, it sucks balls). As others mentioned, wharapapa south is a pretty decent place, if you like sharp tiny little pockets, surrounded by sheep shit and rusting barbed wire (it's on a farm) but as far as sport climbing on the North Island goes, Mangaokewa is the best spot. It's near Te Kuiti and has grades from 14 - 27, I think (that's like 5.2 - 5.13). Great limestone, super overhanging, well bolted. If you want trad climbs on the North Island, Waipapa does have some fun stuff, as does Whanganui Bay.
If I had a choice though, I'd completely skip the north island. It's just not that good, relative to the south island, and the south island (with the exception of castle hill) is just not that good compared to lots of places in North America. If you're coming expecting "some incredible climbing", I would downgrade your expectations. Castle Hill is the only world-class climbing venue NZ has to offer - the rest could be described as anything from "fun/good" to absolutely terrible. There are several places in NZ both in the North and South Islands that I won't climb at - shit rock, bad bolting, scary access etc... Also be aware that there is very little/next to no multipitch routes in NZ.

Trad - there is some fun stuff here for sure, but it's not really worth lugging a rack around, I don't think. If you do, try to pick areas that are very popular - there are far more routes than climbers and even 3 star climbs at slightly out of the way places will have the cracks choked with dirt.

Alpine Stuff - there isn't really any alpine rock in NZ. Yes, there is the Darrans, a granitic mountain range on the south island, where there are plenty of alpine rock routes, but they get 7 METERS of rain/year. Best to pretend it doesn't exist. There are a few alpine rock routes in the Mt. Cook region, but the access is usually multi-day and the rock is rubbish. Worse than the Canadian Rubblies, I think.

Down south for sport climbing:
Payne's Ford - similar to Mangaokewa, but more routes - overhanging limestone
Chasm/Babylon - in the Darrans (near Milford Sound). Bolted granite-like rock. Good, when it's not raining (it usually is)
Wanaka - great little town, good roadside cragging
Queenstown/Wye Creek - tourist trap and so-so climbing. Some people really like it here, I find the graywacke/quartz really greasy.
Doctor's Point - near Dunedin - a good local crag, fun if you're in Dunedin for some other reason.

Get a guidebook - Rock Deluxe is the book to get, it covers all of the major crags in the south island.
www.freeclimb.co.nz - has free downloadable guidebooks for most crags in the North Island
www.mojozone.com or .co.nz - an online forum for climbers - mostly sport climbers.
www.mountainz.co.nz - forum for more alpine climbers/traddies.

My overall recommendation - Go to castle hill.

Hope that helps - send me a PM or email (graham.b.johnson at hotmail) if you want some more specific info.

Hey there CJ,
I'm also living/going to school in NZ right now (and surprised to learn that I'm not the only ex-pat still checking a US climbing forum. nice.). Graham has some really good recommendations, as do all the above. I'll only add a couple things no one else seems to have mentioned. I'll try to focus on good climbing near otherwise popular tourist areas as well since thats most likely where you'll be able to get to.
My first recommendation would be to check some of the local climbing club websites ( alpineclub.org.nz/; nzalpine.wellington.net.nz/; vuwtc.org.nz/cs/) before you come or while you're here to see if they have any climbing trips going and just email them and ask if you can tag along. That might be an easy way to get partners/rides to the crags. I can't speak for them all but the wellington section of the NZ alpine club is full of nice folks.
Ok. sweet spots:
On the North island, Whanganui Bay, and Kawa Kawa bay are both awesome crags. Lots of good sport routes and surprisingly good trad climbing as well. They are both on Lake Taupo (on opposite sides) although both are a little involved to get to (a really shitty road to one and a boat ride to the other). But if you can hook up with some climbers who are going -it could be sweet. Whanganui bay might be one of my favorite crags anywhere- its got tuff pockets (think smith rocks) but also splitter, almost granite-like cracks (popular ones aren't even too dirty), theres a cozy climbers campground and its right on a gorgeous lake perfect for an after-climb swim.
If you go down to milford sound (super popular tourist spot) theres a few pretty fantastic granite crags right off the road. Go to the bar in the lodge and ask for a couple of Americans brothers working there (I think they'll still be around), or a super hard kiwi named Paul. They'll tell you where to go, if not take you themselves. The crag called The Chasm is pretty spectacular. Sweet granite climbing. The cliff has a big overhang so you can climb there in a total downpour. In fact, I'd almost encourage that because you'll be climbing behind a waterfall on perfectly dry granite in an unbelievable location.
I'd like to now respectfully disagree with Graham, and say there is loads of good alpine rock climbing here (or at least good enough, alpine enough). The Darrans (on the South Island) are out of control, although Graham is right it rains a shit load there. However just out of Queenstown (super popular tourist town) is the Remarkables, a little range with an astoundingly easy approach and some really really fun alpine trad climbs. Just ask around the guiding companies in town for info/partners- they're very helpful.
Also on the North Island around Ruapehu (the giant volcano in the center of the island (hey sorry for all the names- they'll make sense when you get here)) theres some good alpine setting long(ish) trad climbs. In particular Mangetepopo Valley (near the start of a super super popular tourist hike) and Whakapapa gorge (near a big alpine lodge and ski field) have some good ones.
Finally, I wasn't really that big of a fan of Castle Hill, but apparently I'm the only one on the planet that feels that way, so its probably worth a look.
Let me know if you have any specific questions. I might be around too when you get here and could be keen for a climb. At the very least I can put you in touch with some nice climbers.
Cheers,
Brad

this is all i went off of. hangdogcamp.co.nz. this place is in takaka in the south island. amazing!!!some awesome deep water bouldering and deep water slacklining. just google climbing campgrounds in new zealand and that should put you in the right direction. have fun man!!!!! it is so amazing, except for the sandflies, have fun itching those bites!

JLP wrote:If you are leaving Boulder for rock climbing down there, and you have no partner, I wouldn't even bother bringing gear. Just hike around, get some photos. There are a lot of really good day hikes everywhere - Arthur's pass, Olivier near Cook, etc. I'd rather do a good hike with views than climb choss in some sheep pasture.

CJ, if you’ve developed the same dismissive nose-up mentality as is so frequently portrayed online from Boulderites then yes, don’t bother taking your gear. The climbing in NZ isn’t worthy of your time. Just go hiking, or better yet, go to the crags so you can tell people climbing there how much better it is in Boulder. However, if you just enjoy climbing and checking out new areas in new countries, then by all means take a rope and some draws, minimum. The scene isn’t as inwardly self-appreciating as Sport Park, but it’s worth lugging a bit of extra weight to get a few days of climbing on foreign soil, IMHO. I had a great time there.

JLP wrote:Ryan - it's about going to a steak joint and ordering a hot dog. I guess if you really like hot dogs, these might taste a little different and add to your international hot dog pallet. Most will consider the cragging to be crap, though, as posted above. To most, climbing in NZ is all about the Southern Alps.

Exactly my point. Unless you're a deluded climber from Boulder who thinks there isn't but a few chunks of rock on this planet outside of Colorado that are worth climbing, it's worth checking out if you're already over there.

Graham Johnson wrote: Alpine Stuff - there isn't really any alpine rock in NZ. Yes, there is the Darrans, a granitic mountain range on the south island, where there are plenty of alpine rock routes, but they get 7 METERS of rain/year. Best to pretend it doesn't exist. There are a few alpine rock routes in the Mt. Cook region, but the access is usually multi-day and the rock is rubbish. Worse than the Canadian Rubblies.

Actually, there are many high quality rock climbs on superb rock in both the Westland and Mt Cook National parks. Access can be costly if you don't have the time or inclination to carry your gear, but don't think for one minute that the quality of rock is rubbish. Sure there is plenty of "weekbix" type rock but it is incorrect to state that the rock routes in the alpine are is rubbish.

The other thing someone posted that if you are in christchurch go to paynes ford. PF is acutally at the top of the south island nowhere near Chch. The guide book south island rock would be a good purchase and allow you to make the most of your time.

Weather can be very changeable. I've had trips to the Darrens where it has rained 27 days in a row, but the days you do get perfect fine weather makes up for it.

By the way the earth quake took a major section of Castle Rock down.

Have fun.

thanks everyone for the advice...as my trip gets closer i have been looking a bit harder to figure out what i want to do.

i am contemplating just bringing some shoes and a chalk bag to boulder around a little bit...though i much prefer longer routes i dont know if it would be feasible for me to bring my rope and gear (change my mind if you think otherwise!). hopefully i could run into somebody else to link up with as well...from everyones advice it seems like that would work!

i have heard there is some deep water soloing somewhere...does anybody know more about this?

i cant wait to get there and climb some new rock...no matter how clean or dirty...its still rock!

Glad to hear it CJ, sounds like you have the right attitude about it. Again, I'd encourage you to take a rope and draws. Don't listen to the BS in this thread, especially from JLP, the guy's an idiot. Telling a climber who is going to NZ anyway not to take climbing gear because the rock is so shitty is about the dumbest thing I've ever read. There's plenty of good rock there that you can have a great time on:

their is some deep water bouldering near hangdog campground. its like a 25 foot roof five feet over water. its actually my profile pic. but seriously, i brought my rope and draws and had a blast! i suggest you stay away from Pohara though, (its right next to Takaka) the rock there will break if your pulling hard enough. enjoy man! i was there last January and i am saving to go back.

have any of you climbed tibia at Whanganui Bay? that looks like such an awesome climb...dont know how comfortable id feel leading it though...partners anybody? =)

CJ Coccia wrote:have any of you climbed tibia at Whanganui Bay? that looks like such an awesome climb...dont know how comfortable id feel leading it though...partners anybody? =)

It's not that bad, as far as scary/difficulty. It's a comfortable size squeeze chimney for most of it, and there's little divots for feet. There's a big chockstone about midway up that you can traverse past for some protection, but it'd be best not to fall on the first pitch. The panorama above (2nd to last) is the view from the top. Make sure to check out the remnants of the last failed leader at the base of the chimney before going up

hahah yeah thats some serious motivation...im getting really excited for the trip over there. hopefully i can find a partner over there willing to entertain my curiosity for dead people route.

thaanks to everyone by the way! even if i get to screw around on a few boulders ill be stoked...the area looks so beautiful there.

Do yourself a favor and bring a rope, harness and quickdraws at least. I did at the last moment (I put my rope in a purse as a second carry-on)and was VERY happy that I did so. As for reccomendations it looks like you have plenty. Paynes, castle hill, and the place Ryan Kelly poted pics from(can't remeber the name)are all alot of fun. Have a good time!