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  4. Banks Peninsula
  5. Stony Bay Peak

Stony Bay Peak

(27 routes)

Stony Bay Peak is the prominent crag above Akaroa. Lots of possibilities exist here for those with a gorse slasher and a brush ! It has excellent, compact trachyte rock and a lot of the climbs are quite long. The crag is sunny and has a panoramic view overlooking Akaroa Harbour.
History
The first recorded visit was in 1974, resulting in *Asthmatic Hedgehog (17) by Hugh Logan. Visits in the mid-70s were sporadic and not much was done, until Rick McGregor put up *Ubique (19) in 1979. In the early 80s John Howard, Brent Davis and Brian Fish did various routes, notably *Spice (20) and ***Afterdinnermint (23), but many of these efforts were not recorded. Since then the crag seems to have been neglected.
Climbing Notes
Take a slasher, since the crag suffers from gorse around the base. Descent routes are round each end, down a gully near Anorexic Banana, or down the big gully in the middle of the crag.
Another stratagey for climbing here is to walk to the summit[45 mins], abseil into the base of the climbs then climb out. There are two in situ bolt belays situated roughly 20m NE of the summit. Due to the current thickness of gorse this seems to be the only current feasible access point to the base of the crag without a slasher.

A few easier routes that have no particular merit a re not recorded here. There is confusion about the exact position of some routes. Be sure to visit the Akaroa fish & chip shop on your way home.

Type: 
Crag
Altitude: 
500m
Aspect: 
West
Walk time: 
45min
Access: 

Access is either from the low road to Akaroa by turning off on Long Bay Road and following this to the junction with the Summit Road, or via the Summit Road itself from Hilltop. From the junction with Long Bay Road, take the unsealed road south (Purple Peak Road) until it ends at one of the nicest spots on the peninsula.
From the carpark follow the track towards the crag, at the saddle there is the Summit Track, turn left and follow the slightly overgrown track up the hil to the summit of Stoney Bay Peak, you are now directly above the climbs on the right hand side of the crag.
There is about a 45 minute walk to the crag.
Ontanrito Station, including Stony Bay Peak, is now owned by Hinewai Reserve Trust and managed by Hugh Wilson. It is a private reserve but public access is allowed.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-43.820137820000, 173.006068020000
NZMS260: 
N37 105097
Topo50: 
BY25 005 481
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Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Bootless 19 14m
0
 2bolts wire representing trad
Classic. First arete from the Summit Road end. Two bolts.
Joe Arts '93
Spice 20 15m
1.02
 wire representing trad
A cracked overhang on a small isolated buttress on the far L. Up the overhang, then the slab.
Brian Fish '82
Red Hot Chilli Peppers 20 25m
0
 wire representing trad
Sloping overhang immediately right of Spice, over lip then up slab. CD's at the lip and large CDs at the top.
SO Stepping Out 15 15m
1.02
 1bolts
To the right of the next gully. The obvious slab with a steep wall to start. One bolt is the only pro.
Rick McGregor (solo) '79
Taking Off 15 10m
0
The slab which begins 5m up and R of S.O.. Reach it either via Anorexic Banana or from the top. Climb the slab just inside the line of the arete on the L. No pro.
Rick McGregor (solo) '79
Simple Sidle 15 12m
0
Also on the T.O. slab. Start up the line of holds to the R of T.O. and follow these until level with the top of the flakes. Move R, and then back L diagonally to the top (crux). Zero pro.
Rick McGregor (solo) '79
AB Anorexic Banana 11 25m
0
 wire representing trad
The prominent arete to the R of the slabs. Climb the overhang at the bottom at the point of least resistance and proceed up the line of the rib.
Lindsay Main (solo) '79
RA Big Red Arete 18 25m
0
 wire representing trad
Up A.B.. Move R across grassy slabs to spike. R to arete and up.
John Howard
The Empty Quarter 20 20m
0
 wire representing trad
Black overhanging wall. Bolt belay off to left.
Joe Arts '93
Ps Psychoslut 18 20m
0
 wire representing trad
3m L of the next rib (which is capped by a roof 15m up). Up a steep groove, past a sloping roof, and up the broken corner above. Variation start: Up the obvious crack to the dead tree, traverse L to join direct line.
Brent Davis
un-named 17 20m
0
 wire representing trad
Climb arete to single bolt belay with two old krabs.
Rob Battersby '93
KM To Kill a Mockingbird 24 25m
0
 3bolts wire representing trad
Climb through jumble of overhangs. Three bolts and natural pro.
Joe Arts '93
un-named 19 25m
0
 wire representing trad
Up a steep wall/arete to the belay bolt on TKAM.
Hamish Dunn '93
Brent's Route 18 20m
0
 wire representing trad
Starts 4m R of rib. Up steep cracks and through the overhang.
Brent Davis
Ub Ubique 19 40m
1.02
 wire representing trad
A prominent corner capped by a large overhang. Climb to below the L side of the overhang. Traverse R across the wall to the ledge at the foot of the (promine nt) crack. Climb this (crux), and continue round the arete to small bush. Then up to the belay ledge. Or finish directly up the crack (about 21, Brent Davis).
Rick McGregor
NG Nocturnal Goatsucker 19 40m
1.02
 wire representing trad
A R variation start to Ubique, joining it at the ledge below the prominent exit crack.
Brent Davis '80
Ad Afterdinnermint 23
3
 wire representing trad
A 4m 45 degree roof with a fingercrack. Belay on ledge. A second pitch goes up a black wall.
John Howard '80
Hypochrondria 17 30m
0
 wire representing trad
Up the square-cut corner (good pro at crux) to a scoop below small bulge, which is turned on the R past the vege. Finish up the rib.
Lindsay Main '79
Astigmatism 17 25m
0
 wire representing trad
An indeterminant crack-line to the R of the large overhangs. Cruxes on the first and last bulges. Unreliable rock.
Lindsay Main '79
Fester 18
0
 wire representing trad
Starts in L-facing corner (good pro). L onto the wall, bridge up L to a recess (poor pro), exit L off a square block.
Hedonist 11 30m
0
 wire representing trad
The next routes are well to the R, past the gorse-filled gully. R of some easy slabs, a long L-angling corner. Steep at the bottom.
Andrew Smith (solo) '74
Delusions of Grandeur 16 25m
0
 wire representing trad
Start up Hedonist to where it gets easy. A small flake leads across the R wall to the finish of Spunk.
Lindsay Main
Spunk 14 25m
0
 wire representing trad
3m R of H. An obvious crack in a V-groove.
Andrew Smith (solo)
Red Rooster 13 20m
0
 wire representing trad
2m R of S., a corner with a wide crack with a red R wall.
Interjection 13 20m
0
 wire representing trad
4m R of R.R.. A technical start followed by a grassy gully.
Devil's Advocate 10
0
Follows a series of flakes. Steepest at the bottom.
Asthmatic Hedgehog 17 18m
1.02
 wire representing trad
A sharp-cut corner. Crux about 4m up.
Hugh Logan '74
Attribution: 
By Lindsay Main Previously hosted on a website by John Davis Copied on by Grant Piper
UUID: 
8a112fac-2838-4949-b340-c6f351a87647

Comments

Submitted by kimparker66 on Tue, 27/11/2012 - 13:05

Now is the time to go to check out this crag, a fire has recently been trough here and burnt the gorse leaving a surreal scorched forest which breaks easy and a trail can quickly be trodden, just don't wear your Sunday best. So a good time to go and blaze a trail before the gorse comes back hard and fast. Excellent place for a day out on the rock, this place need traffic people! Go get some.