Spur Road | ClimbNZ

Type

Altitude

120m

Part of

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.

Walktime

10min

Aspect

South East

Lat/lon

-44.360141,171.154588, NZ Topo Map

Topo50

BZ19 527 866

Approach

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.

Add Place Add Route

Routes

Reference	Title	Grade	Length	Pro	Quality
SA	SAShags's Apprentice, 12	12			0
P1 12 Trad The corner with two large cracks.
FL	FLFootloose, 10	10			0
P1 10 Trad Crack up LH side of roof.
FE	FEFraser Eraser, 10	10			0
P1 10 Trad The crack up RHS of roof.
SO	SOSoft Option, 18	18			0
P1 18 Trad Short arête.
DJ	DJDragons Jaws, 13	13			0
P1 13 Trad Crank up centre of buttress.
YB	YBYoung Blood, 18	18			0
P1 18 Trad Face route with large jug at top, finishing on DJ.
MM	MMMacho Man, 17	17			0
P1 17 Trad Hand crack to roof, then move L, then up corner.
	Slippery When Wet, 12	12			0
P1 12 Trad Up short face, then finishing up your choice of two cracks.
	Garden of Eden, 13	13			0
P1 13 Trad Climb to hanging garden, finishing through mud.
ED	EDEchos in the Dark, 18	18			0
P1 18 Trad Start on ledge, and follow short corner.
AS	ASAirway Spies, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad Jamcrack to L of FoI.
FoI	FoIFlight of Icarus, 24	24			1.02
P1 24 Trad 2m R of M. Climb through roof, reaching to the ledge. Mantle ledge, then up steep groove.
M	MMedusa, 18	18			0
P1 18 Trad Through bulge, finnishing in hand-crack.
BD	BDBrain Damage, 17	17			0
P1 17 Trad Steep, short corner.
	Diamond Dogs, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad 2m L of P. Wide crack.
P	PPurgatory, 20	20			1.02
P1 20 Trad Through roof and climb wall and groove above.
WC	WCWhose Climb, 12	12			0
P1 12 Trad 2m R of P. Crack.
ST	STSmale Trails, 15	15			0
P1 15 Trad Follow groove to ledge. Easy exit.
JD	JDJuvenile Decay, 12	12			0
P1 12 Trad Dirty corner with fist-crack in it.
RRR	RRRRevenge of the Rectum Ranger, 17	17			0
P1 17 Trad L of TiT. Large crack.
TiT	TiTTerrestial in Torment, 21	21			1.02
P1 21 Trad The nose-like arête. Reach out onto the tip of the arête, carry out the crux, the up the easy ground.
	Sultans of Swing, 21	21		1	0
P1 21 1 Trad 2m of BA. Move L onto arête, then climb the crest.
BA	BABlack Arts, 20	20			1.02
P1 20 Trad The flared finger crack. Short.
CB	CBC Bix, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad Ciimb crack to mantle (crux) ay top.
AAK	AAKAlive & Kicking, 14	14			0
P1 14 Trad 1m L of C. Slab/face route
C	CThe Chills, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad A steep off-width crack.
	Flesh for Fantasy, 20	20			1.02
P1 20 Trad Climb th wall, avoid the bulge on the LHS. Exit up finger crack.
PK	PKPsycho Killer, 20	20			1.02
P1 20 Trad Climb onto ledge, then up through overhung jam-crack.
DR	DRDeath Row, 19	19			0
P1 19 Trad Climb upwide crack, then jam through bulge.
TH	THTemporary Heroes, 21	21			1.02
P1 21 Trad Climb up face and bulge, with finger crack above. The route ends on the ledge.
MM	MMMagic Mushroom, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad Start up the slab, then move into the short corner, exit out on the clay (crux).
	Ashes to Ashes, 17	17			0
P1 17 Trad Mantle & bridge up the short corner.
RG	RGRubber Gumboot, 15	15			0
P1 15 Trad Up the corner and mantle. Carry out L-wards traverse across ledge the diagonally up the dirty ledges.
	Nightmare on Elm Street, 21	21			0
P1 21 Trad Climb to the large scoop, move over bulge and finish on the above face.
DTE	DTEDelete the Elite, 23	23			0
P1 23 Trad The steep flared groove, exiting on above face.
SR	SRSorry Rob, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad Jam up corner.
	Moon Rocks, 13	13			0
P1 13 Trad 2m L of CT. Indistinct line that trends R.
	Come Together, 15	15			0
P1 15 Trad Corner with easy angle, passing large block on R.
	Solid Rock, 18	18			0
P1 18 Trad Climb through short roof, the move up to exit on arête.
GN	GNGnome’s Nightmare, 21	21	13m	1	1.02
P1 21 13m 1 Trad Climb short face with 1B, mantle onto ledge exiting via steep jamming.
LA	LALiving After, 18	18	13m		1.02
P1 18 13m Trad Climb finger crack, move R then climb hand-crack.
	Manhole, 20	20			0
P1 20 Trad Trough small roof.
	Mince Gully, 17	17			0
P1 17 Trad A sustained route up a chossy groove.
TOD	TODTop or Drop, 18	18	13m		0
P1 18 13m Trad A hand/finger crack, then onto the crux mantle to top-out.
GB	GBGhostbuster, 18	18	13m		0
P1 18 13m Trad Up the corner to the jugs under the lip, move L then exit upwards.
LJ	LJLion of Judah, 16	16	13m		1.02
P1 16 13m Trad Obvious corner.
T	TTeardrops, 15	15	13m		0
P1 15 13m Trad Climb ramp up and R to link with prominent crack. Direct variant 17.
R	RRevolution, 14	14			0
P1 14 Trad Climb face to ledge, move L and up fist-crack.
GF	GFGreen Fingers, 15	15			0
P1 15 Trad Sustained corner.
	Yum Yum, 14	14			0
P1 14 Trad
FNF	FNFFame Not Fortune, 17	17	13m		0
P1 17 13m Trad The large crack on RHS of the arête. Start direct or from CR.
CR	CRCavalry Road, 17	17	13m		1.02
P1 17 13m Trad Use small cracks to gain ledge (crux), then up big L facing corner. Difficult to protect the crux.
CRD	CRDCavalry Road Direct, 19	19			0
P1 19 Trad Direct start to CR.
TD	TDTwo Drops, 18	18			2.01
P1 18 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.
B	BBabyskins, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad Move past green bulge on L, then up flake and corner.
CC	CCConfidence Crisis, 13	13			0
P1 13 Trad Crank up through large blocks and jams.
WT	WTWandering Jew, 22	22			0
P1 22 Trad The steep RH facing corner and slab, with hand-crack exit.
SS	SSShanks Sandbag, 17	17	14m		2.01
P1 17 14m Trad 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.
A	AAsylum, 14	14			0
P1 14 Trad A loose groove line.
SR	SRStoneage Romeo, 15	15	14m		0
P1 15 14m Trad A long corner. Loose at the top
T2OU	T2OUThe Two of Us, 16	16	14m		1.02
P1 16 14m Trad Start in the clean hand crack. The crux is the obvious big move to get up and into the R facing corner.
V	VVictory, 13	13	14m		0
P1 13 14m Trad Climb R past 5 sidded block, exiting above L.
ML	MLMot Lot, 15	15			0
P1 15 Trad Climb the crack through face, L around the green block, into V and back R finishing in chossy gully.
NB	NBNumber of the Beast, 18	18	14m		2.01
P1 18 14m Trad Climb up blocks that lead through to an ever steepening hand/finger crack.
	Unnamed, 24	24		4	0
P1 24 4 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	RTMRoom to Move, 18	18	14m		1.02
P1 18 14m Trad Squeeze chimney!
	Pickpocket, 23	23	14m		1.02
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. P1 23 14m Trad
E	EEliminator, 17	17	14m		2.01
P1 17 14m 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!
	Staying Power, 22	22	14m		2.01
P1 22 14m 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).
	Pin Ball, 13	13	13m		0
P1 13 13m Trad Ascend the loose looking rock to the corner wih large crack.
	Pin Ball-Rh Start, 14	14			0
P1 14 Trad The alternative RH start to PB
AA	AAAndy’s Arête, 15	15	12m		0
P1 15 12m Trad The arête that is climbed mainly on the RHS.
B	BBush, 12	12	11m		0
P1 12 11m Trad Climb through loose blocks, the ascend the off-width crack
	What Goes Up, 11	11	10m		0
P1 11 10m Trad The double crack corner.
	Eternal Legs, 17	17	10m		0
P1 17 10m Trad Climb the crack through the face, bridging is useful.
M	MMetamorphosis, 13	13	10m		0
P1 13 10m Trad The broken crack line.
HTR	HTRHot Tin Roof, 17	17	10m		0
P1 17 10m Trad Up the broken crack, then through the small roof.
MB	MBMagician’s Birthday, 14	14	10m		0
P1 14 10m Trad Up through short roof exiting via hand-crack.
H	HHonbun, 10	10	10m		0
P1 10 10m Trad Easy corner.
Z	ZZorro, 17	17	13m		1.02
P1 17 13m Trad The Z-cracked face.
WW	WWWee Wettle, 14	14	13m		0
P1 14 13m Trad The winding hand-crack.
HOF	HOFHouse on Fire, 15	15	13m		1.02
P1 15 13m Trad Up lichenous wall passing the to the L of the buge. Exiting on a jam-crack.
	Toxic Shock, 18	18			0
P1 18 Trad Climb arête to roof, pull over the large jug, and the up the above face installing pro in HoF.
PV	PVPleasure Victim, 20	20	13m		2.01
P1 20 13m 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.
	Unnamed, 18	18		3	0
P1 18 Trad To the right of PV. Climb past three bolts and finish above with trad runners.
	Space Oddity, 18	18		3	0
P1 18 3 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	1SAOne Sunday Afternoon, 15	15	13m		1.02
P1 15 13m Trad Use jam-crack, then LH facing corner above
RH	RHRabbit Hole, 14	14	12m		0
P1 14 12m Trad Follow ledges that lead to a corner with a hand-crack
KT	KTKnights Title, 13	13			0
P1 13 Trad Move R-wards past large loose block, exiting on easy ground.
ML	MLThe Meaning of Life, 16	16			0
P1 16 Trad A small face finishing in a RH facing crack.
LB	LBLead or Bleed, 10	10			0
P1 10 Trad The corner L of IfW.
IFW	IFWIdeas for Walls, 8	8			0
P1 8 Trad An easy angled corner.
W	WWailing Wall, 11	11			0
P1 11 Trad A short loose wall, near the approach.

Images

Comments

tom-p

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!

Mon, 24/04/2023 - 09:50 Permalink

This place appears in

Rock Deluxe South, 2014

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