Crystal Clearlight

Type

Altitude

350m

Part of

Excellent hard jamming can be had at Crystal Clearlight. A good day's outing can be had by combining classics on the two of them. The cliffs are on the west side of the spur which runs down to Diamond Harbour from Herbert Peak. The cliffs are close together, just below the top of the spur, overlooking Charteris Bay. The Fantasy Factory is the larger, more obvious cliff; Crystal Clearlight is a small overhanging cliff about 300m further south, climbers left of a faint gully. Easy access from above.

The cliffs are sheltered from easterly winds.

History

Mike Franklin contributed Black Bitch (16).

Crystal Clearlight also received attention from visitors, with Murray Judge contributing several climbs, and in 1976 Rick McGregor repeated the existing hard routes and added some more. In 1979-80, John Howard contributed the hardest routes on the cliff, *Hopping up the Mild Side (23)

Climbing Notes

Descent routes at each cliff are simply around either end of the cliff.

Walktime

25 min

Aspect

West

Lat/lon

-43.65629,172.72539, NZ Topo Map

Topo50

BX24 778 667

Approach

Permission must be granted from two sources!
1. The owner of the land the crag is on - Zac Kyle. Please text 027 604 1485, and only proceed once you have a reply.
2. The owner of the land you cross between Doris Faigan Lane and the crag - Peter Nel. Text 021 223 4478.

Please keep the traffic light!!! One car with 4 people is a lot less intrusive than 4 cars with 4 people. (Pool your cars at Diamond Harbour).
Park Considerately! Please leave enough room for a tractor to go past into the neighbouring paddock, and do not attempt to drive beyond the water tanks.

No access during September, as it is lambing season.

Walk through from the public road, don't drive.

The usual rules should be observed - leave gates as you found them, no fires or sources of ignition and leave your dogs at home!

Add Place Add Route

Routes

Reference	Title	Grade	Length	Quality
TH	THT. Hex, 16	16	15m	0
P1 16 15m Trad Climb the chimney for 4m, then traverse R beneath the nose (crux). Continue straight up.
GN	GNGoodbat Nightman, 17	17	17m	1.02
P1 17 17m Trad Start at the R-hand of two cracks and climb up on jugs. Exit through the roof. Sustained.
Rd	RdRottcod, 20	20	17m	1.02
P1 20 17m Trad Up the steep weakness. The crux is an awkward and committing move into the R-leaning off-width.
Dt	DtDaunt, 22	22	17m	1.02
P1 22 17m Trad The L-hand of two corners in a recess. Up overhanging rock past two sets of horizontal jugs to good holds above.
4A	4AThe Four Beasts of the Apocalypse, 21	21	17m	1.02
P1 21 17m Trad The R-hand corner. Awkward moves R into the hanging groove, then traverse R to finish up Tibrogargan.
Tn	TnTibrogargan, 21	21	17m	1.02
P1 21 17m Trad The steep, shallow, R-leaning crack on the small arete. Exit R from the crack then back L and up the wall.
	Hobo's Blues, 22	22	17m	0
P1 22 17m Trad Climb Paranoia Blues for a few feet, then move out L to a groove. From the ledge finish out L up Tibrogargan.
PB	PBParanoia Blues, 19	19	17m	1.02
P1 19 17m Trad The thin, overhanging crack. Most people have bridged to Bentley Jam Machine. Finish up B.J.M..
BM	BMBentley Jam Machine, 17	17	18m	2.01
P1 17 18m Trad The prominent crack. Off-width at start (crux), followed by good jamming. Exit directly through the roof (18), or to the L (may be inhabited by a rat nest).
DS	DSDreamtree Sequence, 16	16	18m	1.02
P1 16 18m Trad Up a wall and shallow chimney (crux), and then the crack through the roof.
Gw	GwGladwrap, 15	15	18m	2.01
P1 15 18m Trad The prominent chimney
	Hopping up the Mild Side, 23	23	15m	1.02
P1 23 15m Trad This is possibly the worst name in the book. A steep fingery wall, with a good old traditional spike runner.
BB	BBBlack Bitch, 16	16	17m	3
P1 16 17m Trad A classic route with good jamming. The steep jam crack on black rock, starting at the fence. Hardest at the top.
ST	STSilk Torpedo, 15	15	17m	1.02
P1 15 17m Trad Start at a thin crack on the wall. Take care not to lift the pro out. Move R to finish, or exit directly (16).
	Acrylic Toupee, 18	18	15m	0
P1 18 15m Trad Up the arete all the way.
CA	CACurved Air, 18	18	15m	1.02
P1 18 15m Trad The jam crack through the curving bulge. Either finish L, or directly up the steep crack (18).
FW	FWFancy Woman, 12	12	15m	0
P1 12 15m Trad Mike Franklin '75
TT	TTTobias Treetime, 13	13	15m	0
P1 13 15m Trad Jam up a steep crack to a sloping ledge (crux). From the ledge continue R-wards. Eats big gear.
	Aardvark, 20	20	12m	1.02
P1 20 12m Trad The steep wall. Finish left. No pro, sustained.
	Death or Glory, 20	20	18m	0
P1 20 18m Trad Up the wall between B.J.M. and Dreamtree Sequence. No pro.