New Zealand 2017 14 July - 28 Aug.2017

"What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare."

It was our third tour of duty to Queenstown, New Zealand for the yearly climb-as-much-as you can in as many styles as you can event. Our assemblage included an eclectic mix of specialists from all walks of life: Jason, Mark, Roman and Will, who basically wanted to climb as much as possible. Once again we completed our ten day trip without a single rest day and despite the weather chasing us from one climbing discipline outdoors to quite another indoors we persisted and ticked as many crags and styles as possible. This year we even managed to squeeze in a Hata Yoga class for bonus points.
Initially, we planned to take the helicopter to Wye Creek like in the previous year but a storm warning with record breaking precipitation stalled out plans. Day one was spent consulting with the helicopter company Over-The-Tope, who were very friendly and talked us through the approaching storm front with heavy rain and strong winds. In the afternoon we decided to hit our first crag at lakeWakatipu near Kingston.

Kingston Crag

Gear Porn	Kingston Bob Marley Wall	Mark, Jason, Will, Roman
Will heading up the roof of Getup Standup	Mark hanging out	Will on Kingston Main Wall
Roman last pitch Getup Standup	Jason with Full Rack Pork Rips	Mark on top of Getup Standup

Main Wall

• Dj Da Generous (18***) sharp exposed arête with sparse protection made for a scary warm-up.

• The Spell of the Barking Spider (19) tough start, cruxy moves and run out bolts make for a heady first bitch in cold weather with toes and fingers numbing fast. I joined Will on the same belay because I ran out of bolts above and could not find the belay.
  

Bob Marley Corner

• Getup Standup (16 *** three pitches) slab, face, roof, arête. Will completed the entire route in a single pitch in one solid push.

• I shot the Sheriff (18* first pitch only)

Kingston was cold in winter, and we climbed in the shade while watching the sun bathe the other side of the lake.  Eagle Rock would have been a better choice but we were thirsty for a new crag experience. The classic three pitch routes at Kingston were excellent and prepared us well for harder things to come. However the wind quickly froze us to the core and by late afternoon the pub was beckoning for our reward.

	Mark leading Alta Ego	Alta Ice Fall panorama	Jason on Alta Ego
	Roman Alta Ego left varient	Mark attempting the Death Gully	Will with hanging ice belay
	Jason and Will with Douple and Single Cone	Salami cheers	Will high on the second pitch of Alta Ego

“If you're too lazy to start anything, you may get a reputation for patience”

Day two brought even worse forecasts for the weather but the storm was delayed by a day and we had our window of opportunity for a full day of ice-climbing at Lake Alta hig in the Remarkable range. We started early and headed up to the Remarkables ski field in our rental car. The ski field was still closed and there was no chance of getting a ride from the lifties so we made our way slowly up through the snow: Jason and Mark on snowshoes, Will and Roman on alpine touring skies. It took us a steady hour up the slopes to Lake Alta framed by the Remarkables, which we traversed last year. From here we saw the ice glistening in the early morning sun high above the lake just to the side of the Grand Couloir deviding the Double from the Single Cone. It took us another hour of traversing up the steep slope to reach the base of the ice-fall. Alta ice is divided into four sections:

1. Descent Gully (WI2) with moderate slopes good for practice but the ice here was too thin for us because of the warm condition.

2. Alta Ego (WI3)  a narrow slot filled with steep ice. Mark began climbing this slot with mixed gear and found a piton at the lower section, but the amount and size of the rocks coming down on us from his drytooling scared his belayers almost to death! And we stopped because of the lack of ice.

3. Altered states (WI3) this was the main fall fully formed with multible steps and several pitches. We spent most of our day playing on this formidable icefall and establishing a left and right variant.

4. White Jism (WI4) scary two pitch route with little ice and mostly drytooling this year. Very steep and imposing.

After Mark and Jason left on their snowshoes thinking that they would take a little longer on the return trip to the skifield, Will lead the second pitch up Altered States in exposed style. By that time the sun was shining strongly on the face and we heard water gushing down behind the ice curtain. We bailed as quickly as we could but it was almost dark by the time we started skiing. The soft deep snow had frozen again on the surface and the steep descent on skies with heavy packs proofed to be tricky terrain. Every turn our packs would swing wide and the skies would break through the icy surface, we fell hard got up ungracefully and fell harder and so it went on until we reached the lake. Finally the ground eased into cross-country and we traversed the lake to the skifield in the approaching darkness. Meanwhile Mark and Jason had alerted the ski patrol who were looking for us casually. It could have been a lot worse but we made it to the pub again in one piece.

"Yes our minds still make contracts that our bodies can't keep."

The forecast was dire again for the next day but we no longer believed in the fickle predictions. After a leisurely breakfast at our favorite Odeley café we headed for the hills in search of some serious rock. Will chose South Wye Creek with its sun facing aspect alas it was cold and overcast. The hike past several smaller crags was imposing and we ended up high above lake Wakatipu on the main wall of Wye Creek Rock. The specialty of this crag was that most routes were 32 meters long in a single pitch and you had to watch your rope length on the perfect basalt.  It was cold at first but after warming up on two classics the sun started appeared for us once again.

• The Mission (16***) this 28 meter arête has full exposure of the lake below and must have been carved by the best craftsman in town.

• Lucalucki (18***) this 32 meter face climb made me ponder that I had just done four climbs in one go at my local climbing gym.

• La Submission (20***) short but cruxy steep arête

• La Belle Vie (23 ***) steep cranking over a crux bulge.

It was time to have lunch now in nearly perfect sunny conditions and it was getting rather hot and we moved over to the iconic Proud Monkey Roof with one of the most exposed roofs in the country.  While we were marveling at the view Guillaume (Giom) Charton – the author of the Queenstown guidebook and route developer turned up for our private tour of the mountains.

• Dream Thing (21 ***) most direct line across a massive roof overhanging the entire lake (slight exaggeration here) includes an optional Katchung one hand hang off a massive jug right on the lip. Probably the most photogenic route in the country.

After a quick lap on Dream Thing, Guillaume joined us for an afternoon session and pointed us to the best long routes at South Wye Creek:

• Bigger than Big (18 ***) 32 meter long jugs with cruxy bulge to long exposed face with quartzite handle bars.

• 88 Chocolate Treats (19***) 31 meters long balancy face climbing to tricky bulge leading left. Followed by immaculate exposed long face climbing.

• Almi (18 ***) 31 meters long headwall capped by technical overhang right at the end.

It was getting dark again and the temperatures plummeted quickly. We could smell the pork rips, chicken parmigiana and hot burger from the grills in Queenstown and the chocolate ale was fastening our pace home.

South Wye Creek

	Jason high on Chocolate Treats	The team with Guillaume	Proud Monkey Roof vista with lake Wakatipu
	Will on La Submission	Mark La Submission	Jason and Will with Main Wall South Wye creek
	Will on Dream Thing	Dream Thing crux lip crossing	Roman Dream Thing

The storm finally arrived the next day after much delay, although it was relatively mild in Queenstown with gusty gales and light rain, it wreaked havoc in Christchurch with 200-250mm of rain flooding the state highway and isolating entire townships. We got the mild end of the deal, but it was miserable outside. There were muted calls for a sleep in but had to keep up the pace so we went shopping again to our favorite Small Planet outdoor retail shop.  We also had to move accommodation from our AIRBNB to Anto’s place at Quail rise. The rest of the rainy day was spent at the local Event Centre Climbing Gym which we basically had all to ourselves. It was cold in the massive hall with kids playing basketball while we kept climbing all afternoon. Not bad for a rest day we thought and headed back to the pub.

Queenstown Event Centre

“Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

The next day was ski day at Treble Cone near Wanaka and we divided into two parties: Will and Roman would ski while Jason and Mark would climb the Treble Cone mountain proper ground up. The storm didn’t last long and the next day was picture perfect once again with temperatures soaring. Great for skiing but bad for the ice falls at Wye Creek. We had caught up with friends from Sydney: Anthony and Merrick who we meant to join at Wye Creek but the weather was not playing along.  Treble Cone near Wanaka was perfect and we meet Mark and Jason on their way to the top of the mountain, shooting photos and basking in the sun. It was a tough training day with cappuccinos, muffins and pizza for lunch.

Treble Cone Summit panorama with Mark and Jason

The weather gods were angry again the next day with overcast light drizzle and freezing temperatures so it was time to check out another crag close to Queenstown. Gorge Road Crag was our choice and only a short drive from the breakfast places downtown. Once again Will picked the spot and headed straight for the Main Wall with Panoramic views of Queenstown. Mark and Roman warmed up on Magnum Wall after somebody misplaced the second rope (sorry!)

• Suicide Possum (18***) slopey traverse to juggy brow.

• Dog in Town (18***) place a friend and pull through the roof, followed by technical slab.

• Bungfinger (19***) classic 28 meter long line that has it all: crimpy start, bulge, slab, final overhang.

• Andy’s Arete (23**) exposed soaring arête, slightly scary moves to start lead to overhanging steep arête with tricky crux.

• Mr. Green Finale (22***) crimpy technical face climbing with final roof. By this time we had very little light left but Will was keen on one more classic

• Sand Storm (20**) 32 meters long with tricky access. Meanwhile Roman completed:    

• Carrottophrenia (18**) at the Leonardo’s Wall. 

Jason the selfie climber	Mark on Andy's Arete	Jason on Suicide Possum
Roman on Andy's Arete	Will on Mr. Green Finale	Gorge Road Crag Main Wall

Once again temperatures and darkness beckoned us back to the Irish pub in Queenstown. It was time to farewell Will, change cars and get ready to start the overland trip from Queenstown to Christchurch, where we hoped to escape the weather and perhaps scale one more peak.  It was dark when we arrived at Unwin Hut and we arrived after DOCs had closed so we bedded down for the night hoping to scale Mount Edgar Thomson the following day. Conditions worsened overnight and we decided to abandon our project because of safety concerns. Conditions were rainy and warm overnight with cold gusts in the morning so we opted to send an old project instead. Last time we climbed at the nearby Sebastopol Crag we were drive out by the rain so we decided to give it another shot. It was freezing cold when we started to climb early in the morning. But the three pitches of the classic Red Arête (16***) were dry and while Mark and Jason simul-climbed the pitches we made quick progress and added a fourth pitch at the end with some new bolts we found. The wind was biting cold now and we rappelled as quickly as possible. 

Mark and Jason on pitch 3 Red Arete	Mark and Jason simul-climbing Red Arete	Jason and Roman Red Arete panorama
Sebastopol bluff	Roadkill	Yosemite pose

We finished just before lunch and were wondering if we could make it across to Castle Hill for a late afternoon session at the best limestone boulders in town. Jason but on his racing hat and drove us across the country in record time. Salami and Cheese on the go in the car so we would not waste time. We made it just before 4pm with the sun low on the horizon, but still strong enough to eliminate an old project.

• Bongo (V3***) classic slab cum mantle move problem that can be deceptively hard to unravel. Mark wanted this slab-monster badly and after unlocking the right foot sequence sent in style. Tick. We bruised our egos a little longer on the nearby problems at Spittle hill before the chilly winds send us down to the pub in Springfield. We slept at the local YHA and hired bouldering mats for the next day. It was game on for a full session.

Jason with Spittle Hill panorama	Cyclops Boulder	Beautiful Edges V4***
Jason with the super steak	Mark on Connect 4	Jason and Mark on The Fickle finger of fate

We were in luck again with sunny conditions and the boulder fields of Quantum fields and Flock Hill were smiling at us viciously.  Straight past the submarine boulder we launched ourselves at anything that looked feasible:

Map 17

• Divination (V1**)

• El Indio (V1**)  both boulders were supposed to warm us up for the day but once we got half way up on perfect pockets the top out slab moves were just too much for our weary minds. We decided to bail and look for a lowball warm up instead, phew!

Map 11 (behind the Cyclops Boulder was the perfect place for a warm up)

• V2 (problem 29 **) slopers for both hands high step and heave your body over the top.

• V1 (problem 22*) arête with pockets.

• V2 (the chalice ***) hidden hold and into the chalice.

• V3 and V4 (Connect 4***) classic pocket face with high mantle. The sit start is V4. Mark came ever so close to finish this classic but alas his foot slipped after all the hard moves.

• V5 (The Element ***) Roman spent most of his skin on this gem. It went on serious shot number three after two big tumbles from the last pocket. Tricky sequence.

• V3 (The Fickle finger of fate **) unorthodox mantle on a rock finger. Unfortunately Mark busted his rips on the mantle here.

• V4 (Nasal Slip ***) the classic mantle problem. Mark was super keen on this one but he hit his bruised rips hard on the initial jump to the pocket and it was game over. He vowed to come back for this monster highball slab.

There was just enough time left before the bad weather returned to have a look at the classic Joker (v9***) and have a few attempts at Beautiful Edges V4*** but the power was gone and after a few high falls it was time to pack it in and head to Christchurch for the last leg of our long climbing journey.

We checked into the YMCA in Christchurch that night, and managed to squeeze in a quick yoga class before collapsing into bed. We also discovered that our last climbing stop - the YMCA gym - had been relocated to a dedicated facility that combines Clip &Climb and a huge rock climbing gym. Needless to say we spent our last day at the gym when the driving rain caught up with us again. We left what little juice and mojo we had left in our soar limps on the steep roofs of an immense arch that spanned the entire gym. The grades felt incredible hard here, 13, 14, 16, 18 and twenty all felt much harder or was it all but a figment of our imagination. Who knows we will just have to wait until next time when we come back younger, stronger, fitter and hopefully a little wiser.

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,”—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

Thanks for a great trip and a couple more for take away magic moments:

Will Perfectly Poised	Mark's discovery of the bus pub
New YMCA climbing gym- awesome	Will with Possum Trap

Roman 29 July 2017

Copyright 2005 Dr.Roman Rosenbaum. All Rights Reserved.