2. NZ
  3. North Island
  4. Waikato
  5. Taupo
  6. Kawakawa Bay
  7. The Tombstone Area

The Tombstone Area

(8 routes)

Past Elephant Buttress and around a big corner is an area dominated by a huge rock
resembling a Tombstone.

Type: 
Wall
Access: 

To get to these routes, take the track to The Point. Follow the track through the rock ravine
and onto a small beach. Once you leave the shoreline, the track winds through blocky
ground until you come to a flat area where there is a rock cairn that leads up the hill.
Follow more rock cairns up and right to a blank wall. Continue following the cairns up and
left for another few minutes until you come to a massive body crack; this is Fibula.

Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Edit link
A The Prow 19 32m
1.02
 12bolts
The big prow down toward the lake from Fibula. V1 boulder start gives access to ledges before the arête of The Prow is gained and climbed on the left hand side to the top.
Andrew Scott, Rob Addis Jan 2013
B Closed Project
0
Project directly on the right hand side of The Prow, top cleaned.
2 Fibula 15 18m
0
 wire representing trad
Adventure caving experience similar to Tibia but shorter. Climb the yawning body crack\ chimney splitting the face. There is some loose rock.
Rob Addis, Dan Head Feb. 2011
3 Closed Project
0
Project follows bolts on the left arête of Fibula to the top.
C Snake Charmer 17 ,19 30m
0
 4bolts wire representing trad
Just before you reach Fibula you should see a clean section of rock with a horizontal tree to belay off five meters up. A pleasant little climb in a great location.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11730mYes
 Follow wandering crack systems up and right, traverse the slab up to the D.B.C. belay.
2190m4Yes
 From the belay stance, traverse left onto the buttress, then climb the crack onto the head wall. Climb the head wall (crux) to a D.B.C. belay.
Pitch 1 Dan Head, Ruth Sayger, Myke Bakker Jun. 2012. Pitch 2 Stephen Burrows, Cliff Ellery 19-11-06
D The Tombstone 21 ,17 ,16 ,20 35m
2.01
 wire representing trad
Adventurous climbing in a nice location with some of the best finger crack climbing at Kawakawa. Climb the first pitch of Snake Charmer to walk to the start of The Tombstone or bush-bash up approximately twenty meters right from the start. There are three alternative second pitches
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12125mYes
 Follow the series of hand cracks up to a small ledge and continue five meters right into the traversing finger crack. Trad belay (big sling) and small to med cams on the arête ten meters below the next ledge to avoid bad rope drag.
21710mYes
 Pitch 2.a (17) 10m Short pitch two meters right of the arête.
3160mYes
 Pitch 2.b (16) 10m Five meters right of the arête is a corner this is the easier, original finish.
4200mYes
 Pitch 2.c (20) 15m We we nugu mi mi apana
F.A. Dan Head solo in trainers at dusk (with tree aid at crux) Jan. 2011 F.F.A: Dan Head, Ruth Sayger. March 2012.
E We we Nugu Mi mi apana 20 15m
1.02
 wire representing trad
From the arête belay on The Tombstone, traverse right into the rightmost crack systems that lead to the top of Pride Rock. Has some fun off-width moves midway or some exposed arête climbing instead to spice things up. Interesting, varied climbing.
Dan Head, Myke Bakker. June 2012
F Rafiki 18 20m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Start as for The Tombstone. After gaining the small ledge approximately seven meters up, continue up the left hand finger crack following the path of least resistance. A wandering, fun adventurous line. D.B.C. anchor at top.
Dan Head, Myke Bakker. June 2012