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  6. K3 - Whangamata Bay Heads

K3 - Whangamata Bay Heads

(4 routes)

On the very southern tip of Whangamata Bay eastern peninsula, is a large series of cliffs. The south facing lower wall, is a rhyolite crag with a multiple crack lines.

Type: 
Wall
Altitude: 
600m
Aspect: 
South
Access: 

Access is by boat only. There is no beach and you require a calm day or winds from the north. In a howling southwesterly getting onto the rocks would be fairly treacherous. Nevertheless there are a few places you can pull your small tinny (boat) out of the water and onto the rocks. Crash through the bush to the base of the cliff, 100m from the lake shore. So why bother? Well, this crag is in a fantastic location overlooking the lake and central plateau with some of the best crack lines around.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-38.699310000000, 175.904503000000
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Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Open project 25
0
 wire representing trad
Finger crack 2nd crack from the left hand end of crag. Hard.
German Lessons 19 ,17 35m
2.01
 wire representing trad
About 10m in from the left-hand end of the crag and the second obvious crack line. Climb up through broken ground then follow the crack through the steep wall above (crux). From here continue up to belay ledge at about half height. DB belay. (Pro CD, Wires, Hex)
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11925mYes
 

About 10m in from the left-hand end of the crag and the
second obvious crack line. Climb up through broken ground then follow the
crack through the steep wall above (crux). From here continue up to belay
ledge at about half height. DB belay. (Pro CD, Wires, Hex)
21710mYes
 

Step right from the belay and continue up the obvious
crack and groove. Move left at the top onto ledge and DBC belay. [Pro CD,
Wires, Hex]
Cliff Ellery & Kevin Barratt, 31-Sep-06
Finger Bridging 22,18 70m
2.01
 wire representing trad
The finger crack and right facing corner immediately right of German Lessons. Start as for G.L but move right at 2m through broken ledges and into corner and finger crack. Sustained climbing to sloping ledge, either continue to top or belay here. The first ascentionist rested on gear in upper section. (Pro CD, Wires, & Wires)
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12250mYes
 

The finger crack and right facing corner immediately right
of German Lessons. Start as for G.L but move right at 2m through broken
ledges and into corner and finger crack. Sustained climbing to sloping ledge,
either continue to top or belay here. The first ascentionist rested on gear in upper
section. (Pro CD, Wires, & Wires)
21820mYes
 

Continue up the crack through blocky ground then follow
crack as it traverses right (crux) to large ledge, DB belay, 50m abseil. (pro
CD, Hexs)

Cliff Ellery & Eric Duggan, 15-Feb-09
The Fridge Block 21
3
 wire representing trad
The centerpiece of the crag, the obvious crack line right up the middle of the face. Start up a small corner to gain the large ledge. From here just blast up the crack, no rests and few face hold makes for 25m of pure sustained jamming. At the top of the face continue up the crack for another 5m then traverse out right to the large pine tree (belay). (Pro CD, Wires, Hex). The name comes from the fridge size boulder I removed from the overhanging section just prior to leading the climb.
Cliff Ellery, Richard Knott, Bryce Martyn, Miles 23-Jan-03

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UUID: 
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