2. NZ
  3. North Island
  4. Taranaki
  5. Taranaki Mt Egmont
  6. Bobs Bluff

Bobs Bluff

(5 routes)

This is the most distant of all the crags in this guide from any of the road ends.

Ice Climbing.
The Nose, a magnificent crag in winter garb, wouldn’t be out of place in the Cairngorms! As you approach from the Rangitoto Flat the 1km long Bobs Bluff faces you. The right end of this wall is marked by a broad funnel-shaped couloir, just left of that is a narrow gully, the line of Jalapeno. The left skyline gives the line of approach up the lower icefalls. The adventure potential elsewhere is obvious!

Type: 
Crag
Altitude: 
1900m
Access: 

It is as accessed from any of the three road ends. To get to this crag climb to the top of Fanthams Peak, the subsidiary peak of Egmont on the south side. Looking to the west, the very large east face of Bobs Bluff can be seen. Move across to the upper end of the face over easy scoria slopes. It is not recommended to traverse the slopes when snow is covering them, unless suitably equipped and experienced.
Looking at Bobs Bluff from the east side the Nose Route almost follows the left (south) end skyline for most of its height. Looking along the wall to the right, just over half way along, a conical gully is visible in the top of the wall. Vagabond finishes in this gully.
Descent is by climbing upwards along the spine of the bluff, and descending scoria slopes.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-39.304616000000, 174.052277000000
NZMS260: 
P20 008 106
Topo50: 
BJ29 907 489
Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Edit link
Nose Route 15 55m
0
 wire representing trad
Climb lower buttress (variety of routes possible) for full rope length belaying near the bottom of the obvious upper corner. Then either traverse left round the nose and move to top on slabs (original route) or finish direct via the upper corner moving over a chockstone (15).
M Andrews, P Boomen, 1976. Direct finish: Andy Harris, Stuart Skene, 1981
Vagabond 16 , 58m
0
 wire representing trad
At the base of the wall (below the gully described previously) there is a thin vertical area of red rock. Climb the crack systems just left of this red rock to a small ledge (in the thin horizontal band of poorer rock which runs the whole length of the cliff). Move up off this for several metres to a belay at the right end of a slab which runs leftwards under the bulging overhangs to the base of the gully.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11658mYes
 At the base of the wall (below the gully described previously) there is a thin vertical area of red rock. Climb the crack systems just left of this red rock to a small ledge (in the thin horizontal band of poorer rock which runs the whole length of the cliff). Move up off this for several metres to a belay at the right end of a slab which runs leftwards under the bulging overhangs to the base of the gully.
20mNo
 ) Traverse the slabs and move up into the gully to where a final belay can be found. This is a nice climb if anyone ever goes back to repeat it!
Stuart Skene, Andy Harris, 18/03/81.
Funnel Gully WI1
0
A straightforward, steep snow climb makes for a convenient descent after a route.
Jalapeno WI5
1.02
So called since it’s a spicy little number and was done with ‘The Mexican’ on the first ascent. The first (contrived) pitch ascends steep snow and easy ice to a poor rock belay at the start of the steep section. The gully is then followed over three successively easier steps to the top. May become much easier after very heavy snow.
Iain Young, T Viets and Alec Heilbron, July 1996.
Nose Direct WI4
0
This is a winter ascent of the summer route. A first pitch with a steep start was manufactured to steep icefalls on the lower bands, then two pitches lead up the crest and via a magnificent finishing groove to the top of the bluff. Good ice for climbing, but an appalling belay and stance at mid-height made for a psychologically demanding first ascent.
Iain Young, Greg Banks and S Miller, Aug. 1995.