Excellent hard jamming can be had at Crystal Clearlight. A good day's outing can be had by combining classics on the two of them. The cliffs are on the west side of the spur which runs down to Diamond Harbour from Herbert Peak. The cliffs are close together, just below the top of the spur, overlooking Charteris Bay. The Fantasy Factory is the larger, more obvious cliff; Crystal Clearlight is a small overhanging cliff about 300m further south, climbers left of a faint gully. Easy access from above.
The cliffs are sheltered from easterly winds.
History
Mike Franklin contributed Black Bitch (16).
Crystal Clearlight also received attention from visitors, with Murray Judge contributing several climbs, and in 1976 Rick McGregor repeated the existing hard routes and added some more. In 1979-80, John Howard contributed the hardest routes on the cliff, *Hopping up the Mild Side (23)
Climbing Notes
Descent routes at each cliff are simply around either end of the cliff.
Permission must be granted from two sources!
1. The owner of the land the crag is on - Zac Kyle. Please text 027 604 1485, and only proceed once you have a reply.
2. The owner of the land you cross between Doris Faigan Lane and the crag - Peter Nel. Text 021 223 4478.
Please keep the traffic light!!! One car with 4 people is a lot less intrusive than 4 cars with 4 people. (Pool your cars at Diamond Harbour).
Park Considerately! Please leave enough room for a tractor to go past into the neighbouring paddock, and do not attempt to drive beyond the water tanks.
No access during September, as it is lambing season.
Walk through from the public road, don't drive.
The usual rules should be observed - leave gates as you found them, no fires or sources of ignition and leave your dogs at home!
Routes
Reference | Title | Grade | Length | Pro | Quality | Operations |
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TH | THT. Hex, 16 | 16 | 15m | |||
Climb the chimney for 4m, then traverse R beneath the nose (crux). Continue straight up. |
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GN | GNGoodbat Nightman, 17 | 17 | 17m | |||
Start at the R-hand of two cracks and climb up on jugs. Exit through the roof. Sustained. |
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Rd | RdRottcod, 20 | 20 | 17m | |||
Up the steep weakness. The crux is an awkward and committing move into the R-leaning off-width. |
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Dt | DtDaunt, 22 | 22 | 17m | |||
The L-hand of two corners in a recess. Up overhanging rock past two sets of horizontal jugs to good holds above. |
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4A | 4AThe Four Beasts of the Apocalypse, 21 | 21 | 17m | |||
The R-hand corner. Awkward moves R into the hanging groove, then traverse R to finish up Tibrogargan. |
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Tn | TnTibrogargan, 21 | 21 | 17m | |||
The steep, shallow, R-leaning crack on the small arete. Exit R from the crack then back L and up the wall. |
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Hobo's Blues, 22 | 22 | 17m | ||||
Climb Paranoia Blues for a few feet, then move out L to a groove. From the ledge finish out L up Tibrogargan. |
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PB | PBParanoia Blues, 19 | 19 | 17m | |||
The thin, overhanging crack. Most people have bridged to Bentley Jam Machine. Finish up B.J.M.. |
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BM | BMBentley Jam Machine, 17 | 17 | 18m | |||
The prominent crack. Off-width at start (crux), followed by good jamming. Exit directly through the roof (18), or to the L (may be inhabited by a rat nest). |
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DS | DSDreamtree Sequence, 16 | 16 | 18m | |||
Up a wall and shallow chimney (crux), and then the crack through the roof. |
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Gw | GwGladwrap, 15 | 15 | 18m | |||
The prominent chimney |
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Hopping up the Mild Side, 23 | 23 | 15m | ||||
This is possibly the worst name in the book. A steep fingery wall, with a good old traditional spike runner. |
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BB | BBBlack Bitch, 16 | 16 | 17m | |||
A classic route with good jamming. The steep jam crack on black rock, starting at the fence. Hardest at the top. |
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ST | STSilk Torpedo, 15 | 15 | 17m | |||
Start at a thin crack on the wall. Take care not to lift the pro out. Move R to finish, or exit directly (16). |
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Acrylic Toupee, 18 | 18 | 15m | ||||
Up the arete all the way. |
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CA | CACurved Air, 18 | 18 | 15m | |||
The jam crack through the curving bulge. Either finish L, or directly up the steep crack (18). |
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FW | FWFancy Woman, 12 | 12 | 15m | |||
Mike Franklin '75 |
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TT | TTTobias Treetime, 13 | 13 | 15m | |||
Jam up a steep crack to a sloping ledge (crux). From the ledge continue R-wards. Eats big gear. |
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Aardvark, 20 | 20 | 12m | ||||
The steep wall. Finish left. No pro, sustained. |
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Death or Glory, 20 | 20 | 18m | ||||
Up the wall between B.J.M. and Dreamtree Sequence. No pro. |
Please note access changes, above.