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| Castle Hill 2023 |
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Eat sensibly, exercise regularly, die anyway. |
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Castle Hill 2023 Youtube Channel
Following our first climbing trip to New Zealand in 2019, another big bouldering trip to the Castle Hill basin was long in the making with several years delay due to the Covid pandemic but it finally came together in 2023 just after the lambing season had finished and despite the summer heat – it was time to explore Flock Hill and surrounds for the first time.
(Day1 flight and approach) First day was our approach and logistic day with a long list of things to get right, before the bouldering bonanza could begin. Taking a group of ten certainly brings up some logistical challenges. Janeya and Will had gone a couple of days earlier and would make their way from Queenstown to Christchurch, my New Zealand mate Kerry from our Japan days was looking after his father in hospital and would be a couple of days late – not arriving until Wednesday. In the end there were eight of us leaving Sydney together: Alex, Andrew, Cameron, Chris, Louise, Meg, Roman J. and Roman S, but in the end we would all converge at our glamping mountain chalet The Doug. I had stayed here many years ago with Jason and Mark in 2017 on one of our early sojourns to the boulder fields of Castle Hill and it was special to relive the memory and come back with the family and friends.
First thing was our trip to the airport which is never a straightforward thing, but leaving out of peak hour made a difference. The Uber booking worked flawless and Muhammed picked us up at 6:20am for a 9:20 departure. Traffic was flowing well, and the traditional peak hour traffic was a thing of the past following the Covid years. Checking in was also smooth after we had checked in online the day before, and we only needed to print our baggage tickets at the airport. While it said 1 bag with 23kg each, it was okay to bring an extra bouldering mat and the staff was kind enough to print an extra ticket for us without any trouble. Boulder mat goes to large item drop off. The three-hour flight went without hiccup. Upon arrival it was SIM cards first. 25$ for 2GB seemed expensive, or 10GB for 50$ but we needed to navigate throughout one of New Zealand’s largest boulder fields without guide via GPS coordinates so not much choice. Probably cheaper in town though. With the SIM I called the Jucy van which was already waiting but you need to be quick or they will drop of other customers first and you have to wait for the next one. It is an on-demand service. Jucy van pickup was also smooth and fast but we took the risk taker option so no crashes this time. From the Jucy hire place it is about 1km to the nearest Woolworth (Cosgrove) where we grabbed some lunch (sushi, Maccas and sandwiches available) and then it was time to organise the groceries for five days. Once you are in Castle Hill there are no supplies so you need to be organised. We did pretty well but remember toilet paper and garbage bags next time. The van was full to the hilt at this stage, but we managed to squeeze people, supplies and bouldering mats comfortably. Short 35 min drive from the airport to Springfield the last town before Arthur’s pass. We arrived there about 7pm and decided to have dinner at the Springfield hotel, where it was local’s Friday and it was busy but the beer was good and we managed to secure bouldering pads at Smylies as per usual. We got a good deal with 3 mats for two weeks costing about NSZ400. |
| I captured my first flower record at Smylies which was a monkey puzzle tree of species Araucaria, which happens to be on the endangered pine list with very unusual spiky leaves, native to South America. Once our bellies were full our last task of the day was to fit an additional 3 bouldering pads into our Jucy Van, we just made it and loaded heavily made our final approach up the steep incline up Porter’s Pass to the alpine plateau where the limestone boulders where waiting for us. The last rays of the sun guided us along the boulder fields towards Castle Hill village, where the Doug was welcoming us. It was about 9pm when we arrived after some searching for the house, but needless to say, the boulderers could not wait and went out late for a quick exploration of the Submarine boulder and returning in complete darkness high on adrenaline for the next day. Discovered Narrow-leaved Lupins near our cottage (lupinus angustufolius) with their bright purple flowers in full bloom. Cultivated for over 6000 years as fodder for livestock and also human consumption and a great nitrogen fixer for poor soil. |
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Flock Hill
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Louise Pondering the Rock |
Pub meals |
The Meg Camera |
Meg & Janeya on Dog Leg Junction |
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Roman on the Flutes |
Chris on Lady Killer |
Springfield Donut |
Will on the Flutes |
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Flock Hill Panorama |
Cracker time |
Spirited Reunion |
Roman Highballing |
Day 2 Flock Hill. Has been on our list for a very long time, but with the Annual Lambing Closure from 1st October – 25th December special care needs to be taken when planning at trip. We started the day with early drizzle as per forecast but the day cleared up quickly and by lunch time the sun was beaming and the rock was bone dry. We decided to take the long way to Flock Hill and start from Parapet rock as recommended. It seemed silly in the end and cave stream appeared the better and closer option. But after many years of unsuccessfully trying to reach this part of Castle Hill (lambing season) we were mesmerised by the potential waiting for us.
On the approach there was essentially no paths and nobody else was around so we went along the fence for some time until the angle of the hill eased and then we punched straight up along a faint ridgeline. What we saw took our breath away, boulders as far as the eye could see and once you breach the perimeter you are engulfed by a labyrinth of house sized blocks all around. Every corner revealing a new morphed rock formation of unusual shape and size. In amongst the plentitude of boulders I found the Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) hiding amidst the gaps. With its bright pink flowers it is a great pollinator but toxic to humans. We ended up at a classic highball:
- Endorphine V5*** with a hardish start to a rest followed by a serious of high pockets to the customary high mantle Roman jumped straight up it and got scared.
One step ahead V0 much better warmup with a hard highstep and a good jug rail just out of reach so you have to commit on your right food – not ease for a zero wow. Louise’s first climb.
- Amateur Assassination Association V2 great looking runnels but it is a high ball with bad landing so watch yourself. Meg, Janeya and Roman.
- Marianas V7*** first hard problem of the day with a unique style. Chris Flashed and Roman, Cameron and Alex sent.
- Rockover Practise V2 right hand hueco with bad left hand pocket hard to standup and dyno to lip. Meg and Janeya send. There is a V5 traverse into it from the left (Hueco Wall v5)
- Dog leg junction V1 great book corner slap to practise using your legs 3stars.
- Opportunistic (V1 but felt like V3) Just behind on the same block: Near Arabian Prices v6 but only V3ish with sit start on rail and throw to slopers than up on gaston arete and high left heel to rock over. Burly.
Just on the block below:
- V5 arete with very hard undercling and throw to hold on arete – super hard.
- Interstellar Overthere V6 wrongly added as V3 online. With two two-finger pockets and very bad feet to gain rail. Gaston left and throw for high good edge or nose.
Went further up the hill past a sport climbing pinnacle – looked very hard.
The boys looked at:
- Komodo V11 ** Incredible single hand dyno and swing problem. The boys worked out the cruck but summer conditions were too spoogy for this masterpiece de resistance.
- Bearded lady V3 jump start to huge hueco then massive hard reach.
There is a V6 version going right to Hueco called Bearded Dragon V6
Further down the hill I found the excellent:
- Pocket Wall V2 good pockets all the way.
- Rumble in the Tussock V5 starting from cave with a huge span – unlikely
- Glorious Buckets V3 Highball very burly to bull into the cramped sloppey huecos. Scary kniferidge downclimb Tax Return V0.
- The Flutes V4 and one of the rare 4star highballs.
- Big little Book of Calm V12 unlikey and incredile hard undercling move. Next to Big book of yarns V10
A little further donw the hill waited the next big classic line:
- Monster Society of Evil V9 only Roman sent this highball with the serious gaston business at the start and when you think you are done there is a hard mantle.
- Sharp and Burly V4 nice low traverse to snatch move with heel. Meg, Janeya and Will
Just to the side is a nice grassy bowl surrounded by lots of nice lines:
- Dark Knight V4 classic sit start to high jug then mantle.
- Kingkiller V4 highball with tough start boulder problem.
- Reshi V4 next to kingkiller also highball.
- Millenium V8 on same wall with good start hold to big right hand gaston.
- Falcon V6 classic thin wall climbing to flower jug. Glassy undercling to high lefthand crimp, raising the right foot to gain a positive edge with your right is the cruck then campus to flower jug. Cameron, Alex, Roman and Chris.
- Moebius V7 unusul nose with holds all around.
Temperatures where dropping fast now and it was after 6pm when we looked up at the clouds building on the high ranges. It did not rain all day and condisering ourselves lucky we made our long walk back to the car.
Cameron and Meg prepared a Nacho dinner from heaven for us. |
Spittle Hill
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| Roman on Sofa King |
Alex on Sofa King Highball |
Will on Let there by Malt |
The rock lounge |
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| The boulder crew |
Slabducation |
Andrew Achilles Last Stand |
Meg and Janeya WarmingUp |
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| Nasal Slippage |
The Joker |
Quantum Bouldering |
Serious Lowballing |
Day 3: Louise and Roman woke early and the sun was already beaming strongly, we raised the climbing crew gently and by 8:30 everybody was nursing a coffee. The writing in the bedroom wall says: ‘Life is not measured in the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.’ These moments just keep coming out here in the middle of nowhere surrounded by surreal rock formations left behind by the thawing period after the last ice age. Amidst the grassy meadows the ubiquity of the Viper’s Bugloss (Echium Vulgare) catches one’s eyes. It attracts honeybees with its bright blue color and is an insect magnet. We all got burned by the exposure on Flock Hill yesterday and today the sun was strong on the alpine pastures, so layers of sunscreen were required. It was time to change things up a little after the long abroach to Flock so we opted for the nearby sanctity of Spittle Hill and Quantum Fields.
Out first stop led us past the Submarine Boulder along the tourist path to one of the most iconic boulder problems in Castle Hill: Achilles last stand - a problem put up by Chris Sharma in the late 90s and unrepeated it stood ungraded and solitary for a long time. Nowadays it is a testament to the modern boulder era and has become a modern test piece clocking in at about (v12****)ish. Roman could not walk past it and went straight to work. The rest of us kept walking to find more appropriate warm-ups only hearing the occasionally screams echoing back through the ages down from Achilles. Will it go – we shall see….
- V1 warm up pockets (Spittle Hill Map 16)
- Big Cheese – rated V2 with a big move from the slot below the roof to a slopey hueco establish and throw to a high hueco with hidden pocket. Felt much harder and quite glassy.
Just to the left around the corner on a high pedestal surrounded by bushes is an excellent highball
- Big Slopey Pockets (v2) the downclimb is slightly harder then the ascent and you need a spotter at the bottom talking you down. Excellent value for the aspiring highball artist.
On the opposite side of the same block:
- Sofa King v3*** a highball slap with the crux being the start. Get established with a hard rock on move over the right foot with a sidepull and the slab your way across a blank face to the highball arete. Terrifying -we all did the start but only Roman went to the top. If you fall you will probably miss the pads here unless you have 10.
- Contrived V5 Chris’s former nemesis which he sent quickly this time. Followed by an Andrew Epic that also resulted in victory. Hard pressing on slopey rayls with hard gaston and terrible feet. Glassy as hell but has entered into Sushiclimber legendary status.
- Karmic Retribution V7** (Map17) undercling glass to reach across lip of roof. Too glassy
Just behind on the same block:
- Casual Concept V3 big moves between big holds. Meg, Janeya and Roman sent
- Shisle my Nisle V4 impossible mantle up slopey arete. I watched Will give it several tries and then walked away after feeling the holds. My shoulders said no.
- Blank Bulge (V0 in guidd) but Smoke on the water (V1) online: excellent highstep onto slopey shelf then pull of finger pocket to top and mantle. Deserves more accolades and great introductory climbing to the local style.
- V2 highstep on small edged. Probably one of my favorite problems here. Meg and Janeya sent quickly but it took me many goes to get the hip turnout right and commit to standing up on the micro jib. Left hand up to gaston in shallow pocket and find the hidden edge for your right hand. Try to stand up gingerly. Excellent and tricky.
- Tiger Eyes V8*** an old nemesis with Roman getting close on our last trip. This time Cameron gave it beans.
It was way after lunch when we decided to head across to Quantum fields to find another old nemesis.
- Snake Eyes V8** (Map 30 Project Wall)we had tried this problem last time and Roman was keen again. Two Impossible high snake eyes (shallow pockets that would make glass feel jealous) Roman kept throwing himself at it and eventually snagged the sent after firing of the lunge to the pocket several time. Chris worked out all the moves and will have to come back for the send.
- Henry Moore V1*** one of the classic warm up problems at Quantum - be ready for some humbling.
- Mantle onto Slopey Edge V3 use your feet to stem than mantle excellent and hard.
- Chuck to Hueco V3 this proofed popular – Meg and Janeya sent
- Pocks and Sloper V2 very nice problem number 85.
- Unrepeatable V6*** Cameron and Will came close and Roman snagged the sent.
After a long day cragging it was Louise and Roman’s turn to cook up a giant serving of pasta. The day finished with Meg’s yoga class. |
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"When life knocks you down, roll over and look at the stars.” |
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Quantum Fields
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| Andrew Whaling |
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Dinner Time |
Will and Janeya |
Alex Rock seat |
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| Caving? |
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Cameron on Top |
Green Hornet Boulder |
Balance power |
Day 4 (Monday 23 January): Today was going to be our rest day and we slept in a bit and enjoyed a long breakfast. The rain came late last night and lasted a good few hours so the morning was still wet and damp with fog all around the ranges but by 11am the clouds were lifting and the sun bean to beam through once again. We decided to head back to Spittle Hill for some slab work and highball projects.
- Vaseline v6** aptly named slab problem, which the boys discovered on the way up SpittleHill. Jump on left high foot to get established and smear. Jump to high sloper on arete to mantle up. Several sends by Alex and Cameron. Vaseline Chris's SEND.
- More Crafty v4** tricky book corner start with stemming move to pocket. Meg, Alex, Cameron and Will sent.
Meanwhile Roman set up two topropes on the classic highball slabs nearby:
- Let there by Malt V5*** Classic highball slab originally done with a piece of carpet for a landing. Mount the slab using a pair of heinous pockets (crux) and dance your way to a sloped top-out. Several sends by Andrew, Roman, Chris, Alex and Will.
- Sofa King V3*** After Roman’ onsight of this highball slab, everyone was keen to practise on top-rope and get it done. Crux rock on move over right foot to get established on the slab then tenuous highsteps to rest. From here take a deep breath and traverse right to soaring arete. Gain stance on high arete, tighten your undies and dance to the top. Hard to protect and spot all the way. Ascents by: Chris and Alex.
- The Letterbox V5** classic jump start of shallow pockets to letterbox. Pull like hell and reach a hidden high very good pocket. Flashed by Will.
- Nasal Slip V4*** the problem of the century – has been on our minds for years now. Flashed (retro since we have tried it years before) by Roman and Chris, nice sent by Cameron and best dismount jump from the top by Alex. Watch Chris's SEND. Cameron's Dismount.
Not a bad effort for a rest day after all with conditions improving throughout the day. By 6pm it was getting cold with the sun still strong and the wind picking up, this is probably sending time but we went back to our cottage for some more R&R. Cameron’s Schnitzel burger where Devine that night and a yoga class while watching videos of our ascents rounded off the day.
Day 5 – Return to flock Hill: After our semi-rest day we slept in a little and enjoyed our alpine chalet a little, until the testosterone levels rose again just after lunch. We decided for a late start to enjoy the cooler conditions that generally arrive at about 5pm onwards. We decided to head up the hill much earlier from the carpark at Parapet rock and found the actual approach track. We ended up hitting the rocks at around area number 14 online map.
- Beluga V5*** friction slab start to undercling and high sidepull trust your feet and gain the hump. Then sidepull and stem over it to easy finish. Excellent with repeats by everyone. Meg's Send
- Dugong V4 ** follow up two runnels with sketchy high right foothold. Landing shelf is a little sketchy – take care.
- Super Humanoid V5*** jumpstart and campus with left hand to slopey top – hard mantle topout. Only Cameron gave it a try.
- He-Man V1*** ??? project nearby looked very nice – keen to get on it.
Roman and Alex found the green room project which they send late in the afternoon. Highball V9***.We were looking for another area to climb in and ended up back at the Flute area.
- Obelisk V8*** Small overhanging fridge opposite Disconnect. Tricky start and awesome compression. Start with feet pinching small holds on main hanging boulder. Long session to work out the moves. Sends by Chris, Cameron, Andrew. Will came very close.
- All Gas No Breaks V6* I found this problem thinking it was suitable for meg. But short burly one-move lowball. Two slopers, high leftheel snatch the jug.
- V5 near dark horse. Nice high left heel rock on with right hand undercling to thin edge. Requires goo hip-turnout. Interesting technical climbing. But very high top-out.
- Komodo V11*** The cool overhanging prow downhill from Trifecta and just up from Porky. Jerry start (almost a sit, left hand on good yellow hold right on low small crimp). Cool dyno and wild swing. It took a while for the boys worked out the move at about 6pm but kept the send for another Day.
Just behind is a boulder with lots of super nice intermediate v3s.
- Becalmed V3*** nice jug hueco start with lots of shallow pockets to climb the arete.
- Hips don’t Lie V2*** easy start to tricky left undercling to gain high jug on slap.
- Hips do Lie V3*** very classy problem, start by gaining good high right hand sidepull. Right foot in bad foothold to help you get the left foot into pocket, intermediate crimp to gain hueco, then good crack to the top. Excellent.
- Shelf v1*** solitary block just up from Komodo – not as easy as V1 suggest. Opposing pinches to dynamic catch the jug with good feet.
- Monster Society of Evil V9 Andrew, Chris and Cameron went back to try this classic from day 1. Chris sent.
Meanwhile we discovered Block 14 just next to it with two amazing lines:
- Lady Killer V4** Runnels to big hole with some epic scare factors.
- 100 times slab V3*** one of the most amazing perfect slabs in SpittleHill. Starts very gentle and gets progressively harder with the crux awaiting at the exit point high above the ground.
The night air was dropping degrees fast and Janeya, Meg, Louise and Roman left early to start preparing the left-over rice curry which would be a potpourri of anything we could find.
The boys stayed on till late and kept sending. We stashed the pads that night so tomorrow we will come back for another round of rock-hugging.
Day 6 flock hill:We started late due to the heat and the amazing drop in afternoon temperatures at Flock Hill. Climbing around GREEN HORNET V9 in the morning and waiting for Kerry to arrive in the afternoon.
- Fingerboard v4 crimp rail from below the boulder cave – easily bypass crimps by lunging to good hold but feet are bad. Good warmup for this area.
- On the Grind V3 slab above windows in rock with good edges to start the technical foot work on slab above. Quite hard and a little committing.
- On the Nose (v4) seemed very hard and I used the undercling to move up straight which is more like Skye V2.
- Almost Classic V5 behind the cave boulder. Start on right hand sidepull, tension your way up. with Meg and Kerry.
Highball with rope that I want to do next time. See amazing photo.
With Kerry up the hill:
- Shelves V1 face with jugs great warmup on independent boulder
- Tiny Bulge V3 on same boulder with undercut start to slab move and jugs above.
- Just Another Runnel V1 high face with nice easy moves to complete our warmup with Kerry.
We followed the boys back to Monster Society of Evil (V9) where Andrew and Cameron continued the battle. Cameron sent shortly afterwards.
- Lady killer V4 highball runnel with sidepull moves to a far away jug – get your feet as high as possible. Amazing and committing.
- 100 times slab v3 highball slab that becomes progressively harder as you get higher. Amazing and scary.
Meanwhile Meg want to try the V6 pocket problem again from our first day
- V6 face with 2 pockets
- Space Rock V5 highstep to crimpers and committing pocket finish. Roman, Chris Direct, Will, Alex.
- M. Pterdactyl V9*** On the uphill face of the Dinosaur boulder (above Interstellar). Start on the jug and rock over to bad slopers on vague arête. Then spring either hand to good pockets. Or dyno all the way to good pocket from the starting jug, if you are that way inclined. Watch the first ascent video here: https://youtu.be/DF3SfZUnjrQ
- Captain Nemo v8 has a reputation of being easy for the grade but the start heelhock looks tough. Then slab your way through slobers to the victory jug. Cameron Flash
- Lauchpad v4 Kerry attempted this undercut start lunge to very good pocket. You just dangle there with bad feet and try to cross through to another small pocket. Then dyno to the jug, looked a lot harder then v4.
- Yellow Scoop v1 great looking problem. Balance into scoop with pinch and either reach out right and rock around on to the slab, or maneuver left onto ledge.
We headed back home in the cooling darkness, where salami and cheese took the edge off while we waited for another chilli con carn bonanza.
Day 7 Quantum Field and Spittle: The day started with a morning session with Kerry at Quantum fields until the rest of the team would catch up with us for another round at Achilles Last Stand.
- Kenny Moore v2 one more time to get Kerry proberly warmed up.
- V1 pockets
- V4 scoop to mantle. This proofed to be a very elegant establishment problem: use crimps and highstep to standup into huge scoop. Relez and mantle carefully to the top. Excellent.
- The V4 scoop problem took its toll, we were definitely ready for a little rest and the boys had just arrived in anticipation of cooler afternoon conditions. The was some unfinished business at the beginning of SpittleHill where one of Roman’s project was lying in wait.
- Achilles Last Stand (v12***) second short session of the trip. The moves were pretty much dialed in but the conditions were still too hot. A few tries later there was a break through adjustment for the right food which needs to push harder and stretch to reach the low percentage edge with little pocket. Roman was now hitting it every time but could not hold it for long enough.
- Jump to jug v3 right next to Achiless one of my favorite problems with a simple double handed high jump to a large scoop right hand up again and past your left foot in a faint scoop the mantle through the bulge above. Excellent.
- V6 mantle - and old nemesis where only Roman dared a couple of tries to warm up. Brutal.
- The Element V5*** with Meg and Kerry double reach classic but very glassy nowadays.
Up to Joker V8*** Roman Send.
- Beautiful edges v4*** Will and Cameron snagging the send.
- Up on the hill Underhanded v5 roof with sloper topout only Will mangaged the send.
Back to to
- Opium V8*** Roman sent
- Supernatural V4/5 in gully with high-speed
- Roman and Kerry Double Arete v3 arete classic
- Roman house of pain v10 for a little warmdown.
Down to springfield pub to celebrate our last day at Castle Hill with a hearty pub meal and the three wolves brew. It was great to catch up with Kerry after so many years and we shall make it sooner next time. Will, Janeya, Louise and Roman are heading home but part of the crew remains to keep on sending.
In the end, too many problems remain unsolved, places unvisited, sites unseen and mysteries unsolved and we would not have it any other way. We will just have to come back one more time or perhaps several to discover what still lies beyond. We made a lot of contingency plans: CaveStream, the Sport Climbing cave in Christchurch, and visiting the Gyms in town, but in the end we did none of them. The high plateau transfixed us there was escaping the limestone paradise. The weather was pretty much perfect albeit a little too hot during midday. Conditions in the afternoon generally improved with sending time coming after 5PM in January. Castle Hill plateau mesmerised us for the full 7 days and there was no need to go anywhere else the rock formations are beyond your wildest imagination and the solitary escapism of Flock Hill is unparalleled. All the tourist ‘flock’ to Spittle Hill and Quantum Fields and thus the rock quality of Flock Hill is perfect without glassy holds. Without a guide the discovery process remains largely intact, and you may put up your own problem or discover many of the existing ones – yours is the choice. The sprawling meadows amidst the towering limestone formations are soft and you may gently walk about barefoot to gleam what lies around the next corner. See you there…………
Resources:
Route index and maps are accessed here: https://castlehillbasin.co.nz/ |
Copyright sushiclimber 2023
Go here for more photos: HERE
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