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Wild Wall

OPEN: Access is subject to conditions.
Updated 4 November 2024, by jonathan.

Whanganui Bay is open to climbers until 1 December 2024. You must register – details are below. 

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Licence
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 4.0
Access

Locate the rough track that cuts off from the Bay access road about 120m downhill from the Lobotomy Buttress. This track broadly follows the old access road up the gorge until, after about 10 minutes, it passes under the Pacifica Wall. From there it heads up the hill. The monstrous corner system of Knowledge of Angels is a clear landmark, immediately right of a rātā-covered wall.

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Routes

Reference Title Grade Length Pro Quality Alert Operations
1 1Wish You Were Here, 24 24 40m 7
0

  • P1
  • 24
  • 25m
  • 7

Scramble up the ferny bank and climb the right-hand side of the arête.


  • P2
  • 21
  • 15m
  • 3

Continue up the arête.


2 2Iron Horse, 23 23 33m
2.01

Immediately left of Knowledge of Angels is a steep wall with a giant rata vine growing up it. Left of this is a high wall sitting above the vertical jungle. Iron Horse climbs the main crack system up this wall. The top pitch can be climbed 'rap in, climb out' style. There is a double bolt rap anchor and double bolt belay anchor.


  • P1
  • 20
  • 15m
  • Trad

Access to the bottom pitch is via the vertical jungle, above where the access track joins the Wild Wall. Climb the dirty corner to a ledge. Traverse the ledge to double bolt anchor.


  • P2
  • 23
  • 18m
  • Trad

From the double bolt anchor, climb the obvious splitter. On the first ascent, Robbie McBirney placed pegs and aided the first few metres. This has been freed on small gear (ball nuts and small cams). The crack quickly widens to sinker hand jams.


3 3Hobby Horse, 25 25 18m 6
1.02

  • P1
  • 25
  • 18m
  • 6

From the same belay ledge as Iron Horse, climb the obvious arete. Funky and difficult moves lower down slowly relent to straightforward pocket cranking.


 Lace for Jonathon, 18 18 10m
1.02

The first route you come across at the top of the muddy rope climb. Climbs up the filthy overgrown corner to the left of the rata vine. Trend right and abseil from the little tanekaha on the blocky ledge. An all time classic.


  • P1
  • 18
  • 10m
  • Trad

4 4Sylvia's Arete, 20 20 18m 5
0

  • P1
  • 20
  • 18m
  • 5

Rap in and climb out the obvious hanging arete between Iron Horse and Knowledge of Angels.


5 5Knowledge of Angels, 27 27 36m 9
2.01

  • P1
  • 27
  • 36m
  • 9
  • Trad

This long corner is an obvious feature sitting right above the track. Some cunning will get you up the initial corner section and then some stemming will get you up to the crack in the left-hand wall, where the difficulty relents until you reach the roof and the crux. Gear is required in the crack and a small/medium cam can be placed in the final headwall.


 Fifty Fifty, 23 23 20m 6
0

  • P1
  • 23
  • 20m
  • 6

There's a fifty percent chance half the holds will break off, good luck. From the P2 belay of Half Life, move left along the ledge and start up the choss corner. Maybe worth it for the top half of the climb.


6 6Half Life, 25 25 38m 6
1.02

The vague corner system left of Rubber Band Man. Two distinct pitches.


  • P1
  • 24
  • 18m
  • 6

Start as for Rubber Band Man, up the scruffy wall and slab. Above the second bolt, track left into the groove via a devious sequence. Steady climbing then leads to a sloper crux just above the last bolt.


  • P2
  • 25
  • 20m
  • 3
  • Trad

From the belay ledge, scramble up to the base of the obvious corner. Small gear (wires, sliders) and technical stemming leads to a big flake at half height. From here, the crux and 3 bolts of yet more technical stemming awaits.


7 7Rubber Band Man, 25 25 18m 8
0

The obvious red arete between Knowledge of Angels and Into The Wild. Aesthetic but with some scruffy rock. Finishes about half way up the wall.


  • P1
  • 25
  • 18m
  • 8

8 8Into The Wild, 24 24 30m 8
3

  • P1
  • 24
  • 30m
  • 8

One of the very best 24s at the Bay! This route starts up a steep corner just left of a Totara tree. Once above the corner, a series of cruxy sections lead to a fantastic upper wall. And it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.


9 9A Certain Ratio, 27 27 28m 10
1.02

  • P1
  • 27
  • 28m
  • 10

Just right of Into The Wild, a scruffy looking wall leads out of the trees to the rounded buttress, which is trickier than it looks. Above the buttress, a slab offers two possible exits. The left exit is a project. The right exit is the one you want, and it has two distinct cruxes and the most outrageous pocket match move at the Bay.


 Where The Wild Things Are, 26 26 28m 8
1.02

  • P1
  • 26
  • 28m
  • 8

About 100m further up the track. Start up the overhanging corner, with long pulls on good holds. After a rest on the ledge above the corner, sneak around the arete to the left (crux) to gain the long, pocketed face (direct start up the left wall is a closed project).


 Going Blank Again, 29 29 12m 6
2.01

  • P1
  • 29
  • 12m
  • 6

Climb the blunt pillar feature using compression and a sneaky thumb press.


 The New Funk, 31 31 12m 6
3

  • P1
  • 31
  • 12m
  • 6

The funky groove on the right hand end of the wall offers a high quality technical challenge on bad holds and even worse feet.


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