I miss New Zealand

Post by **haas** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:33 pm

pawilkes wrote: If anyone has contacts in Christchurch that could hook me up with a climbing person let me know.

I climbed Denali with a guy who's from New Zealand and now lives back in Christchurch. I'll dig up his info and see if he'll be around. If he is, he'd be a good person to climb with for a bit and he would definitely hook you up with a place to crash.

Post by **pawilkes** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 12:15 am

sweet, any help would be greatly appreciated. i lived in NZ for a year in HS so i have connections in the NI but not the south.

Post by **pawilkes** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:46 am

managed to get a day of climbing in yesterday at Paynes Ford. I was crapping myself on 5.9's that were super thin and run out but did pretty good on the other routes i got on. its funny how the "easy" climbs scared me the most. i'll be climbing full time in a week and a half starting at Castle Hill. i'll be sure to post some updates

Post by **bazoqop** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:29 am

Good on ya mate!

Post by **Jerry Bargo** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:23 am

I'm been living in Auckland for four months and I'm ready to send my trad rack home with my next visitor for three reasons:

1) I certainly don't foresee having use for it here
2) It would just end up getting stolen when the apartment gets burglarized (everyone here seems to get robbed over and over)
3) I don't want to be burdened with it if we get around the world tickets when we leave NZ
4) The excess baggage fees charged by the airlines (much lower baggage weight limitations than in the US) would be rediculous

Can anyone (who has actually climbed in NZ and knows the NI geography) convince me that it would be worth my while to hang onto the rack?

Post by **pawilkes** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:30 am

Jerry,
I could put you in touch with people in Auckland who know the climbing scene pretty well. There is a place out on Coromandal right on the beach that is trad only and it looks pretty sweet. Also, down at the Bay which is somewhere on lake Taupo theres a bit of trad. Did you go to the Mt. Eden Quary? I've only climbed there a few times but its my old stomping ground, sadly I was a Grammer Boy for a year. How long you going to be in Auckland? I'll be up there in March for a few weeks to go climbing and hang out with old friends. I know Quantis allows two0 70 lbs bags per customer, thats who I am flying back with. oh yeah, and get the hell out of Auckland and you'll start enjoying NZ some more. damn JAFA's
phil

Post by **bazoqop** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:24 am

Yea, Auckland ain't the best place to own a trad rack. But the Bay ( Whanganui Bay ) Is supposed to be the best rock on the north island. Loads of trad lines.
The south island has tons more rock but most of it is only one pitch or less.
Long stuff in the mountains but it's choss. Except the Darrens, but it always rains in the darrens.

Post by **Jerry Bargo** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:24 am

Will be here for at least another 8 months or so. Drop me a note when you have your travel dates. Would be cool to hook up. Would also appreciate some local contacts.

I've checked out the Quarry and even bouldered a bit, but couldn't get myself excited enough to rope up. Did one route at Sheridan's Wall at Wharapapa South and felt the tendonitis warnings so bagged it and went home. I might go back to Wharapapa, but there seems to be little use for a trad rack there.

I've heard that Whanganui Bay has some multi-pitch trad, but I somehow managed to pass right by the road to Whanganui on a rainy day, and again just couldn't motivate myself to turn the car around for another look. The place you mentioned on the Coromandal sounds cool.

Probably my biggest motivational problem is the lack of a climbing partner. Though my wife volunteers to be a belay slave, it just isn't her cup of tea. I definitely need to put some effort into getting tapped into the local climbing community. We are getting settled enough that I've got the time an energy for that now.

Post by **dipsi** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:54 pm

Once they meet you, Jerry, I'm sure you will be in!

I wondered where you ran off to!

Post by **pawilkes** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:03 am

I've been climbing at Paynes Ford in Takaka for about the last four weeks. I spent a day up at Castle Hill but the place was dead which ment no transport to the boulders and no crashpad. My knee was killing me after a day of bouldering so I took off hitching, heading to the north west of the South Island. Lots of good climbing down at Payne's and, while there isn't much hard stuff (13 and up), theres all kinds of stuff in my range. Hangdog Campground is great and literally a 5 minute walk from the crag. There are two great swimming holes including one with a huge rope swing. Oh yeah, and there are nice water bouldering problems. The community down here is wierd, probably 75% foreign travelers. I met a guy from Belgium named Tim who spent a few months of the fall season at the Red. It was great to remenis about the Red. I'm leaving in a week to head north to Wharapapa and Frogett to do some more sport. Hope everyone back home is getting excited for the spring season!