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  3. South Island
  4. South Canterbury
  5. Spur Road

Spur Road

(93 routes)

Spur Road is a south-facing basalt crag. It has many good natural gear lines between 10 and 15m high with reasonable protection.

Sometimes the top of the routes can be a little dirty after rain and some of the blocky rock should handled carefully.
There are also many semi-suspect branches in the pine trees at the top of the crag. We recommend you always wear a helmet at Spur Road (even at the top of the crag) and definitely stay away during high winds.
Be very wary of using any old carrot or expansion bolts, the basalt here is quite soft. The newer glue-in bolts are good to go.
The routes often have painted letters to identify them. The abbreviations are included with the route name in the guide.

Routes Are Left to Right, different to "as you approach" which is from the right. Note any climbs left of 'Lion of Judah' have probably not been climbed for years and most are in need of a good clean up. Most climbs from Lion of Judah and right are relatively clean.

Type: 
Crag
Altitude: 
120m
Aspect: 
South East
Walk time: 
10min
Access: 

Ben and Kate Johnson own the top of the crag (the trees) and carpark area, while the cliff itself and the bottom of the crag is owned by Robert & Jo Rhodes. There is no need to contact either for permission to climb but please show respect; access is a privilege. Steer clear at lambing time, leave the dog at home, leave any gates as found, and respect all farm property. This will ensure access continues.
North of Timaru, turn inland onto Washdyke Flat Rd (just before the State Highway 8 turn off to Mt Cook). This road leads to an intersection with Spur Rd. Follow Spur Rd for 4km to a sweeping corner, 100m before the turnoff to Kings Rd. Park by the deer fence.
Over the fence is a track which leads through trees. Turn slightly right and follow the deer fence line in South-west direction, keeping the deer fence to your right for a few minutes to the pine trees. This takes you to the top of the crag. Go leftwards or east to find your way to the base of the cliff. The right-most routes are about 30m from the track exit at the base of the crag.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-44.360141000000, 171.154588000000
NZMS260: 
J39629481
Topo50: 
BZ19 527 866
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Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
SA Shags's Apprentice 12
0
 wire representing trad
The corner with two large cracks.
Ian Binnie, 1986
FL Footloose 10
0
 wire representing trad
Crack up LH side of roof.
Ian Binnie, 1986
FE Fraser Eraser 10
0
 wire representing trad
The crack up RHS of roof.
Jeff Smale, 1987
SO Soft Option 18
0
 wire representing trad
Short arête.
Russell Shanks
DJ Dragons Jaws 13
0
 wire representing trad
Crank up centre of buttress.
Mark Mason, 1985
YB Young Blood 18
0
 wire representing trad
Face route with large jug at top, finishing on DJ.
MM Macho Man 17
0
 wire representing trad
Hand crack to roof, then move L, then up corner.
Slippery When Wet 12
0
 wire representing trad
Up short face, then finishing up your choice of two cracks.
Garden of Eden 13
0
 wire representing trad
Climb to hanging garden, finishing through mud.
ED Echos in the Dark 18
0
 wire representing trad
Start on ledge, and follow short corner.
John Fraser, 1986
AS Airway Spies 16
0
 wire representing trad
Jamcrack to L of FoI.
John Fraser, 1986
FoI Flight of Icarus 24
1.02
 wire representing trad
2m R of M. Climb through roof, reaching to the ledge. Mantle ledge, then up steep groove.
Russelll Shanks, 1987
M Medusa 18
0
 wire representing trad
Through bulge, finnishing in hand-crack.
Russell Shanks, 1986
BD Brain Damage 17
0
 wire representing trad
Steep, short corner.
Russell Shanks, 1986
Diamond Dogs 16
0
 wire representing trad
2m L of P. Wide crack.
P Purgatory 20
1.02
 wire representing trad
Through roof and climb wall and groove above.
Russell Shanks, 1986
WC Whose Climb 12
0
 wire representing trad
2m R of P. Crack.
ST Smale Trails 15
0
 wire representing trad
Follow groove to ledge. Easy exit.
John Fraser, 1987
JD Juvenile Decay 12
0
 wire representing trad
Dirty corner with fist-crack in it.
John Fraser, 1986
RRR Revenge of the Rectum Ranger 17
0
 wire representing trad
L of TiT. Large crack.
TiT Terrestial in Torment 21
1.02
 wire representing trad
The nose-like arête. Reach out onto the tip of the arête, carry out the crux, the up the easy ground.
Ian Binnie, 1987
Sultans of Swing 21
0
 1bolts wire representing trad
2m of BA. Move L onto arête, then climb the crest.
Luke Newnhan, 1985
BA Black Arts 20
1.02
 wire representing trad
The flared finger crack. Short.
Matt Warwick, 1985
CB C Bix 16
0
 wire representing trad
Ciimb crack to mantle (crux) ay top.
AAK Alive & Kicking 14
0
 wire representing trad
1m L of C. Slab/face route
Jeff Smale, 1987
C The Chills 16
0
 wire representing trad
A steep off-width crack.
A Crosbie, 1985
Flesh for Fantasy 20
1.02
 wire representing trad
Climb th wall, avoid the bulge on the LHS. Exit up finger crack.
Luke Newnhan
PK Psycho Killer 20
1.02
 wire representing trad
Climb onto ledge, then up through overhung jam-crack.
Russell Shanks, 1984
DR Death Row 19
0
 wire representing trad
Climb upwide crack, then jam through bulge.
Russell Shanks, 1985
TH Temporary Heroes 21
1.02
 wire representing trad
Climb up face and bulge, with finger crack above. The route ends on the ledge.
Russell Shanks, 1985
MM Magic Mushroom 16
0
 wire representing trad
Start up the slab, then move into the short corner, exit out on the clay (crux).
K Dukie, 1985
Ashes to Ashes 17
0
 wire representing trad
Mantle & bridge up the short corner.
RG Rubber Gumboot 15
0
 wire representing trad
Up the corner and mantle. Carry out L-wards traverse across ledge the diagonally up the dirty ledges.
Nightmare on Elm Street 21
0
 wire representing trad
Climb to the large scoop, move over bulge and finish on the above face.
Ian McLaren, 1987
DTE Delete the Elite 23
0
 wire representing trad
The steep flared groove, exiting on above face.
Russell Shanks, 1987
SR Sorry Rob 16
0
 wire representing trad
Jam up corner.
Russell Shanks, 1987
Moon Rocks 13
0
 wire representing trad
2m L of CT. Indistinct line that trends R.
Pete Axford, 1985
Come Together 15
0
 wire representing trad
Corner with easy angle, passing large block on R.
Charlie Hobbs, 1985
Solid Rock 18
0
 wire representing trad
Climb through short roof, the move up to exit on arête.
GN Gnome’s Nightmare 21 13m
1.02
 1bolts wire representing trad
Climb short face with 1B, mantle onto ledge exiting via steep jamming.
Russel Shanks, 1985
LA Living After 18 13m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Climb finger crack, move R then climb hand-crack.
Murray Judge, 1985
Manhole 20
0
 wire representing trad
Trough small roof.
Murray Judge
Mince Gully 17
0
 wire representing trad
A sustained route up a chossy groove.
Lindsay Main, 1985
TOD Top or Drop 18 13m
0
 wire representing trad
A hand/finger crack, then onto the crux mantle to top-out.
Lindsay Main
GB Ghostbuster 18 13m
0
 wire representing trad
Up the corner to the jugs under the lip, move L then exit upwards.
Russell Shanks, 1985
LJ Lion of Judah 16 13m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Obvious corner.
Pete Axford, 1984
T Teardrops 15 13m
0
 wire representing trad
Climb ramp up and R to link with prominent crack. Direct variant 17.
Charlie Hobbs, 1984
R Revolution 14
0
 1 wire representing trad
Climb face to ledge, move L and up fist-crack.
Russell Shanks, 1984
GF Green Fingers 15
0
 1 wire representing trad
Sustained corner.
Charlie Hobbs, 1983
Yum Yum 14
0
 1 wire representing trad
Pete Axford, 1983
FNF Fame Not Fortune 17 13m
0
 1 wire representing trad
The large crack on RHS of the arête. Start direct or from CR.
Andrew MacFarlane, 1986
CR Cavalry Road 17 13m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Use small cracks to gain ledge (crux), then up big L facing corner. Difficult to protect the crux.
Andrew McFarlane, 1984
CRD Cavalry Road Direct 19
0
 wire representing trad
Direct start to CR.
TD Two Drops 18
2.01
 wire representing trad
Up crack/corner to vague rest under roof. After arranging your gear and headspace, launch out over the roof to hand jams and freedom. Finish up off-width. Something for everyone.
Pete Axford, 1984
B Babyskins 16
0
 wire representing trad
Move past green bulge on L, then up flake and corner.
Charlie Hobbs, 1983
CC Confidence Crisis 13
0
 wire representing trad
Crank up through large blocks and jams.
Andrew McFarlane, 1984
WT Wandering Jew 22
0
 wire representing trad 1
The steep RH facing corner and slab, with hand-crack exit.
Rick McGregor, 1985
SS Shanks Sandbag 17 14m
2.01
 wire representing trad 1
After a slightly overhanging start, kicks back into a beautiful and delicate (for feet and pro) hand crack. Quality line, great for working on your footwork.
Russell Shanks, 1984
A Asylum 14
0
 wire representing trad
A loose groove line.
Russell Shanks, 1984
SR Stoneage Romeo 15 14m
0
 wire representing trad
A long corner. Loose at the top
Russell Shanks, 1984
T2OU The Two of Us 16 14m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Start in the clean hand crack. The crux is the obvious big move to get up and into the R facing corner.
Charlie Hobbs, 1984
V Victory 13 14m
0
 wire representing trad
Climb R past 5 sidded block, exiting above L.
A Crosbie, 1984
ML Mot Lot 15
0
 wire representing trad
Climb the crack through face, L around the green block, into V and back R finishing in chossy gully.
Charlie Hobbs, 1984
NB Number of the Beast 18 14m
2.01
 wire representing trad
Climb up blocks that lead through to an ever steepening hand/finger crack.
Russell Shanks, 1985
Unnamed 24
0
 4bolts wire representing trad
Right of RTM. Start up trough blocky ground and climb past 3 more bolts up the face, cleaning the route before an ascent may help traction.
RTM Room to Move 18 14m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Squeeze chimney!
Andrew McFarlane, 1985
Pickpocket 23 14m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Between RTM and E. Scramble up well protected blocky terrain before confronting the final face using a combination of edges, pockets and the obvious ramp.
Daniel Pain, 2019. (?)
E Eliminator 17 14m
2.01
 wire representing trad
Steep start on jugs (no pro) leads to a slab/face. Then launch into the fantastic hand crack which eventually widens to an off-width finish. Take off a grade if you know how to jam!
Russell Shanks, 1984
Staying Power 22 14m
2.01
 wire representing trad
Climb through bulge and into the finger crack in small L facing corner. Once you have dealt to the first crux, move over to RHS of the arête, finishing on the deceptively steep face (minimal gear on this face).
Murray Judge, 1985
Pin Ball 13 13m
0
 wire representing trad
Ascend the loose looking rock to the corner wih large crack.
Pin Ball-Rh Start 14
0
 wire representing trad
The alternative RH start to PB
AA Andy’s Arête 15 12m
0
 wire representing trad
The arête that is climbed mainly on the RHS.
Andrew McFarlane, 1985
B Bush 12 11m
0
 wire representing trad
Climb through loose blocks, the ascend the off-width crack
Andrew McFarlane, 1985
What Goes Up 11 10m
0
 wire representing trad
The double crack corner.
Eternal Legs 17 10m
0
 wire representing trad
Climb the crack through the face, bridging is useful.
M Metamorphosis 13 10m
0
 wire representing trad
The broken crack line.
Mark Mason, 1986
HTR Hot Tin Roof 17 10m
0
 wire representing trad
Up the broken crack, then through the small roof.
Andrew McFarlane, 1984
MB Magician’s Birthday 14 10m
0
 wire representing trad
Up through short roof exiting via hand-crack.
Lindsay Main, 1985
H Honbun 10 10m
0
 wire representing trad 1
Easy corner.
Charlie Hobbs, 1984
Z Zorro 17 13m
1.02
 wire representing trad 1
The Z-cracked face.
Murray Judge, 1985
WW Wee Wettle 14 13m
0
 wire representing trad
The winding hand-crack.
Charlie Hobbs, 1983
HOF House on Fire 15 13m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Up lichenous wall passing the to the L of the buge. Exiting on a jam-crack.
Russell Shanks, 1984
Toxic Shock 18
0
 wire representing trad
Climb arête to roof, pull over the large jug, and the up the above face installing pro in HoF.
Luke Newnham, 1985
PV Pleasure Victim 20 13m
2.01
 wire representing trad
Tenuous finger jams and delicate feet lead to a good rest. Then upwards into the bulging crack using a mixture of hand/fist jams and big moves. Quality moves on a quality line.
Luke Newnham, 1985
Unnamed 18
0
 1 wire representing trad
To the right of PV. Climb past three bolts and finish above with trad runners.
Space Oddity 18
0
 3bolts wire representing trad
To the right of PV. The bouldery start moves past 3 bolts, and onto the contrived ascent of the bulge and the above arête.
1SA One Sunday Afternoon 15 13m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Use jam-crack, then LH facing corner above
Pete Axford 1983
RH Rabbit Hole 14 12m
0
 wire representing trad
Follow ledges that lead to a corner with a hand-crack
Charlie Hobbs, 1983
KT Knights Title 13
0
 wire representing trad
Move R-wards past large loose block, exiting on easy ground.
Russel Shanks, 1985
ML The Meaning of Life 16
0
 wire representing trad
A small face finishing in a RH facing crack.
Ian McLaren
LB Lead or Bleed 10
0
 wire representing trad
The corner L of IfW.
John Fraser, 1986
IFW Ideas for Walls 8
0
 wire representing trad
An easy angled corner.
Russel Shanks, 1984
W Wailing Wall 11
0
 wire representing trad
A short loose wall, near the approach.

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UUID: 
4678d98c-2ce4-4c57-b854-b2fff2586b4d

Comments

Submitted by tom-p on Mon, 24/04/2023 - 09:50

Easy enough to identify the routes in real life, between the red painted initials at the bottom of some routes and route descriptions of others.
A lot of routes are quite dirty and could use a brush but quality lines with lots of good gear options (especially nuts).
Grading is quite variable ie a 10 and adjacent 17 felt the same difficulty ~14/15...but then a 17 around the corner felt ~20.
A number of routes actually have double staple/ring anchors but we found it good to take an extra rope and set up extended anchors from the trees at the top which serviced a few routes each. Worth a visit!