Seen from Pinnacles Hut this is the prominent pyramid-shaped cliff left of Christian Principles Wall – ref 798 310 Methven Map.
- Go to the point on the track where the Pinnacles Hut is first seen. Grid ref 799 317.
- Climb on to the rocky knob uphill from the track.
- Drop off knob downhill across grass to upper left-hand side where grass meets the scrub. Look for a cairn and go through scrub (semi-cut track) to dry creek bed.
- Go between two big boulders and venture up left-hand creek bed (true right).
- To avoid the bluff/waterfall leave the creek bed on the left-hand side and once above traverse back right into the creek bed.
- When the creek goes left, go straight uphill onto terrace.
- Go right into next creek under small waterfall.
There are a few flat sleeping ledges: the “Babbling Brook Biv”.
Look left to old rope and use it to navigate left under pyramid 798 310. Base of Crag.
There are also routes on the right-hand crag: Babbling Brook Right. The climbs require a reasonable selection of trad gear but also have bolts where the trad gear runs thin. Enjoy!
Routes
Reference | Title | Grade | Length | Pro | Quality | Alert | Operations |
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G&S | G&SGreg & Sharon’s Climb, 17 | 17 | 45m | ||||
Red face, tending right, straight up to belay anchor at 1st pitch of SD & TWF. Trad gear. |
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WF | WFThe Weta File, 21 | 21 | 105m | 5 | |||
From same ledge start as SD up wall past bolts to roof. Through roof, up crack to same Rap stn as SD.
Left Hand Option. Left up obvious crack back right to rap stn.
Direct Option Up past two bolts and onto crack straight to rap stn. |
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SD | SDStunt Double, 21 | 21 | 86m | 5 | |||
Start at bolt go up LH corner right at break and up arête to ledge. (As for Eco Terrorist). Rap anchors on right. Traverse left along ledge.
Wall past 3 bolts to LH bolt @ overhang. Through overhang (bolt) to RH corner, and up slabs past bolt to rap station.
Up right to RH corner, to small roof, go left to rap station. |
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ET | ETEco Terrorist, 19 | 19 | 140m | 5 | |||
Start at bolt go up LH corner right at break and up arête to ledge. Rap anchors on right.
Straight up wall under roof to RH corner past bolts. Once under roof traverse left and then up slab to single bolt belay + trad back up
RH corner until corner runs out and then up head wall to top of crag. Recommend abseiling down “Tall Order” |
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TO | TOTall Order, 18 | 18 | 130m | 3 | |||
Up middle of RH slab thin vertical crack at 2/3rds height and up to rap stn.
On to block up right follow bolts up walls and ledges past bolts, at top ledge move right to rap stn.
Up right then back left up obvious RH corner systems onto slab and rap stn.
Up to RH crack on head wall and climb to summit. |
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DoS | DoSDirty Old Slab, 17 | 17 | 45m | ||||
Start up rough looking slab left of arete. Climb up slabs to trad anchor 30 meters right of bolt anchor for Tall Order. |
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MR | MRMercury Rising, 18 | 18 | 70m | 6 | |||
Start at 3rd pitch of Tall Order. Clip 1st bolt, then ascend R-wards across slabs into the corner. Climb the corner system the move L-wards onto a small ledge, then climb the headwall past 2 bolts, then using a series of cracks for pro to the double bolt belay.
Cruise/ scramble to the top of the pyrimad to pick up the Abseil descent down. Tall Order |
A few notes from a recent visit... Babbling Brook Biv has space for a small 2-person tent and sleeping places for maybe about 3 more people. There was water when we were there (late Feb). The climbing on the Pyramid is "adventure" climbing, so expect a bit of route finding, lose rock and to climb through some scrub. It is possible to abseil off with just one rope. A standard rack is suffice.
A bit more scrub has bee cut, the access has been improved.