Elephant Buttress

Type

Sector

Part of

Kawakawa Bay

The large buttress between Lower Bluff and the Tombstone area.

Aspect

West

Approach

Either walk along the base of the cliff 100m right of the Predator boulder, or take the path to the Point and just before the split rock passage is a rock marked Elephant. Follow a cairned path up to the base of Elephant Hunting (also marked by a painted rock).

Add Place Add Route

Routes

Reference	Title	Grade	Length	Pro	Quality
36	36Taniwha Crackdown, 17	17	30m		1.02
P1 17 30m Trad This discontinuous crack system is 10m left of Elephant Hunting. Start on the left-leaning slab and then head straight up through steepish rock to join Elephant Hunting at its middle (tree) belay.
37	37Elephant Hunting, 19	19	35m		2.01
An overwrought expedition into the darkest depths of the unknown. This long outing can easily be done as one pitch if you do the easier left-hand finish (otherwise the rope-drag is horrendous). P1 19 25m Trad Climb the aesthetic slab with a left-slanting seam into a flaring chimney corner. From the top of the corner, climb up and right to belay at the mānuka tree. Spaced but adequate protection. P2 15 10m Trad Traverse right to a ledge then follow either a crack on the left up to a flax bush (13) or finish right up a right-facing corner crack (15).
	Nogasang, 17	17	30m	6	0
P1 17 30m 6 Trad
	Pet Shop Shark Attack 1981 , 17	17	30m	3	0
P1 17 30m 3 Trad
	The Nose, 15	15	30m	9	0
P1 15 30m 9
	Trunk Line, 16	16	30m		2.01
P1 16 30m Trad Climb the big dihedral right of Elephant Hunting. Take plenty of slings for the stumps and tree trunk and a set each of cams, wires and hexes. Climb a few metres past the big tree to end on the ledge next to the access gully and rope. Belay off the same tree and back up with trad if you wish.
38	38Flight of the Pachyderm, 23	23	40m	8	1.02
P1 23 30m 8 An impressive line through two overhangs and a great airy outing. P2 14 10m 1 Scramble past a bolt to gain a big ledge and anchor.
	Claim Jumper, 16	16	30m		2.01
P1 16 30m Trad The corner and crack system right of 'Flight of the Pachyderms'. You can use a full range of Cams,Hexes and Wires. Finish at the 30m double chain belay on 'Flight of the Pachyderms'(traverse a couple of metres left). Bryce wonders if it has been done as some of the trees were chopped some time ago.
O	OIrrelephant, 15	15	8m		0
P1 15 8m Trad Flaring chimney up and left of the top of Elephant Hunting, access route to the top tier.
P	PHooptedoodle Slab, 10	10	7m		0
P1 10 7m Trad The low angle slab is gained by a mantle (crux) off the ledge, Some protection at the top.
Q	QElephant’s Revenge, 17	17	15m		1.02
P1 17 15m Trad Ten meters right on top of Irrelephant is a lay back off width splitter to left facing corner on excellent rock.
R	RCicada Death March, 22	22	22m		2.01
P1 22 22m Trad Five meters right of Elephant’s Revenge. Snaking crack through three slightly steep bulges. Gear-at-waist cruxes.
	Lions, Tigers & Bears, 21	21	17m		0
P1 21 17m Trad Two meters right of Cicada Death March. Traverse in from the right to a manuka tree at one third height, then up a funky steep hand crack corner / flake.

Images

Taniwha Crackdown, Elephant Buttress, 2014

Elephant Hunting, Elephant Buttress, 2014

Flight of the Pachyderm, Elephant Buttress, 2014

Comments

This place appears in

Kawakawa Bay: a guide for rock climbers, 2019

Free download of this guide

Rock Deluxe North, 2013

Buy this guidebook

UUID

1078188f-3a9a-409a-83a5-c6e2dc28c40a