Mangorewa Gorge

(28 routes)

Mangorewa Gorge is currently closed to climbing. See www.acat.org.nz for updates.
Mangorewa Gorge is a beautiful place to climb, with relatively long routes for ignimbrite, which is of relatively good quality here. The climbs are well protected with glued in stainless steel bolts.These are new climbs done since the publication of the Rock Delux North guidebook (NZAC 2015), and are referenced to the climb numbers in that guide, and those original climbs are not included here. It catches the sun but often wet in winter.

Type: 
Crag
Aspect: 
North
Walk time: 
20 mins
Access: 

See Rock Delux North Guide. Access from SH36 road, between Tauranga and Rotorua. Park at the bottom of the Mangorewa Gorge Scenic Reserve area at the carpark or other pull outs. Walk towards Tauranga, to just before a bridge crossing a subsidiary stream. Between two 35 speed signs walk down the right side of the stream on a defined track through scrub towards the river. At the river level cross this stream and walk down the river for 20 mins or 1.5km. Be careful of slippery rock, and only if it has been fairly dry (not usually good access in winter). The crags are obvious at river level on the right. Preferably a Track has now added through the bush so you can avoid the river walk. Cross the river above the stream and onto a rock ledge. Currently from the down stream end of the ledge wooden stairs lead to a Track marked with tape all the way to the Bush Wall. About two thirds of the way to Bush Wall the track reaches just below the left end of the Wonder Wall (by Appetite for Destruction). Follow the wall to the right to access the Wall of Cheese.

Lat/Lon: 
-37.958310000000, 176.174481300000
NZMS260: 
U15 891 556
Topo50: 
Ngongataha
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Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
River Wall Left Hand End Beers & Occasional Climbing Club 21 20m
1.02
9bolts
Left of Springbok Sushi. Start in the right facing corner, follow the line of bolts through the heavily featured face to a ledge. Turn the bulge on the left then finish.
James Wuu 1/3/20
Minus 1 Springbok Sushi 19
0
Left of Wingsuit is a line of bolts to a lower off.
Owen Keet and Kerry Crawford
6a Too Good Foot 18 20m
0
8bolts
Line of bolts right of top pitch of Chuffa Chuffa, off the access chain. Climb the wall and bulge.
Kerry Crawford and Owen Keet
6b La Petit Feet 18 20m
0
8bolts
Next right line of bolts. Start up a groove and then a series of bulges, to lower off.
Kerry Crawford and Owen Keet
6c Fluffy Pink Unicorn 18 28m
0
12bolts
the line of bolts left of Potomania. A hard start up a bulge to crack line, or move across from Potomania. Climb up into the left facing corner and over a bulge on the right to finish. Lower off.
Kerry Crawford and Owen Keet
9a Dadda got Stuck 22 28m
0
9bolts
Left of the Chickenator. Start above the chain and climb though easy ground to the roof. Look for bolt over the roof to the left. Climb up towards the overhanging prow (crux) finish right at the shared anchor as the Chickenator extension. You can clip the Chickenator anchor and avoid the top moves for a grade 20, but you will miss the fun...
Kerry Crawford
15a Double Happy 17 25m
0
10bolts
Starts 2m round the corner to the right of Breezeblock. Climb the lower wall into the cave feature and up the right side of a sharp ridge to the overhang. Climb leftwards through this along the handrail, then up to anchor.
Kerry Crawford and Owen Keet (14/11/15)
15b Gunpowder, Treason and Plot 17 27m
0
13bolts
About six meters right of Breeze Block, accessed by following a track from the terrace and right through the bush (looking in) to a cleaned and bolted groove line. Climb the groove (faces right), moving left to another groove and onto a balanced block. Climb the slabby wall then follow the featured rock up the right edge of the cave and then up to steeper ground to the chains. To improve rope drag on this route extend the ninth bolts with a 60cm sling, and 30cm on the seventh.
Andrew Wilkinson, Christian Richardson and Dave Offner (5/11/15)
15c At The Going Down of the Sun 18 28m
0
11bolts
Start up the face a couple of metres right of GTP, and up the scooped groove and over the bulge to a slab and ledge. Then climb the featured rock rightwards, and then back left through featureless bulges (crux), to the chains. The first ascentionists exited with a head torch up the river on Remembrance Day. Original start shared with GTP.
Andrew Wilkinson, Dave Offner, Christian Richardson (11/11/15)
16a The Understanding 17
0
an access route, bolted
Kerry Crawford and Owen Keet
18a The Outstanding 24 18m
0
10bolts
A bolted line right of Sexual Camping, with hard moves through the initial overhangs.
Kerry Crawford and Owen Keet
18b Tower of Babel 26 25m
0
Bolted line right of Sexual Camping. Burly moves through the hanging block in the roof.
Kerry Crawford
20a Ming King 27 35m
0
A direct line to Drag Queen.
Daniel Krippner 2016/7
Wonder Wall 1 War Pigs 26 20m
0
7bolts
The left arete. Delicate start to burly middle and cunning top
Kerry Crawford 2018
Wonder Wall 2 Appetite For Destruction 22 20m
3
8bolts
Brilliant line with technical start and then over bulge. Easier groove leads to brilliant climbing to the chains with sting in the tail.
Kerry Crawford 2017
Wonder Wall3 Out of the Blue 23 12m
0
4bolts
Start right of the prow right of AoD, to chains on ledge two thirds up. Hard project above.
Kerry Crawford 2018
Wonder Wall 4 Rattle and Hum 16 12m
0
4bolts
Climb groove line right of OotB to the same belay, with move left to the rib and tricky mantle to finish
Kerry Crawford 2018
Wonder Wall 5 Ground Control 25 10m
2.01
8bolts
Right hand bolted line from the ground. Start standing on the small stump, Chains at mid height.
Kerry Crawford
Wonder Wall 6 Major Tom 27 15m
3
5bolts
Second pitch above Rattle and Hum ledge. Clip anchor as a runner and climb to your right. Follow line of bolts up the steep face. Powerful boulder style moves on good sized holds.
Owen Keet
Sector Sang, or Blood Buttress 1 Blood and Chocolate 18 17m
0
9bolts
This area is 30m right of Wonder Wall, through the bush. Start up dirty roots for a couple of meters. Climb left to tricky reddish groove, to easier ground, then the final steepening groove to DBCB. The rock degenerates above. Climb left of first few bolts and right of the last few.
Andrew Wilkinson
Sector Sang, or Blood Buttress 2 Under a Blood Red Sky 17 20m
0
9bolts
Start as BaC, up the access rope, and up the right hand groove. Traverse left then the crux is moving back right onto the headwall, leads to DBCB. Wonderful sunset.
Andrew Wilkinson, David Offner
Wall of Cheese Death From Above 17 12m
0
6bolts
Left hand end of The Wall of Cheese. Nice climbing up blocky terrain to mid height anchors. Crux near the top.
Max Warren, Dion Clapperton
The Wall of Cheese, Left Hand End. Burnt Chops 21 12m
2.01
6bolts
Boulder start through the bulge towards a steep top section. Packs in a lot of climbing for a short climb. Finish on Double bolt and Ring.
Max Warren, Dion Clapperton.
Wall of Cheese Chez Royale 24 20m
2.01
8bolts
In the middle of the wall, snakes from right to left up the blank looking slab to a steep headwall. Great variety of moves.
Kerry Crawford, Owen Keet
Wall of Cheese Sticky Fingers 25 20m
2.01
9bolts 2
Right of Chez Royal, easy start to a steep face full of interesting holds. Perma-draw near the top to help cleaning. Suits those with strong fingers and fresh skin.
David Hood FFA. Owen Keet Botled
The Wall of Cheese Right Hand End Bavarian Blue 17 12m
0
7bolts
Right hand side of the Wall of Cheese. Follow the right trending line of bolts through heavily featured face to a Ring Anchor under the roof.
Max Warren, Dion Clapperton.
Wall of Cheese Gene Therapy 19 13m
0
6bolts
Right of Bavarian Blue, climb the right strand of the chromosome like feature in the wall, with increasing difficulty.
Andrew Wilkinson, Dave Offner 12/07/20
Wall of Cheese The Laughing Cow 19 12m
0
7bolts
Right of Gene Therapy, climbs up the slab to the DBB anchor under the roof. Crux at the top.
Kerry Crawford

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