Cwag W

(21 routes)

This is the large orange lichen-covered cliff above the path 50m west of Crag X.
A band of poor rock low down corrupt the otherwise good solid rock with adventurous climbing and at over twenty metres, the routes are of reasonable length. There are now top belay bolts.
The short steep wall left of Gorgeous Groove will produce a couple of problems which will be low on pro.
There has been a number of climbs described below, some have disappeared in the earthquakes.
Allan Hill and friends put in trad routes in the late 90s, since then the crag has been abandoned, currently the crag is getting modernised, with routes that carry on through the the length of the crag.

Type: 
Crag
Altitude: 
300m
Aspect: 
South
Walk time: 
10 mins
Access: 

Approaches
The simplest approach is from the Summit Road at the Major Hornbrook Track, as for Lyttelton Rock, and walking along the bluffs track. However this is quite long. The fastest approach is to park on the Summit Road about at the macrocarpa trees and walk south across Richmond Hill Farm, Southwards along the vehicle track to the gun implacements, go to the right hand end (west) and pick up and follow, the track that drops downwards over the crest of the ridge, (towards Lyttleton Rock).

Lat/Lon: 
-43.590556000000, 172.733643000000
NZMS260: 
M36 885 352
Topo50: 
BX24 785 736
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Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Gnarly Stools 16
0
wire representing trad
Climbs the left arête of the wall to the left of Gorgeous Groove, gained from the blind crack in the lower tier (starting around to the R makes the grade a more consistent 14).
Norman Ragg, 1999.
Three Blind Mice 19
0
wire representing trad
Climbs the wall just L of Gorgeous Groove, past a small shrub. The headwall is much steeper than it looks, with fairly good gear improving towards the top.
Hamish Reid 2000.
PJ Peanut Butter & Jam 19 25m
0
6bolts wire representing trad
Found on the quake scar. Starts on a ramp of porous rock, go up the corner then onto the traditional splitter crack to the top of the climb
Bernie Frankpitt 2018
RH Right Hexit 19 25m
0
3bolts wire representing trad
Climb Welease Woderwick past the first two bolts, move up past a third bolt and cross the arete on your left at the large overhanging pocket. Exit right up the crack system to a DBA.
Bernie Frankpitt 2018
WW Welease Woderiwick 22 25m
1.02
8bolts
At the left end of the main face. Start at staple and gain the ledge. Veer rightwards going to left facing corner, when capped by the roof go rightwards onto the face, then through the overlap and on the band of pocks. Carry on up to the overhung right facing corner the exit out left to finish the last 5 metres of Right Hexit, to gain the anchors. Powerful moves.
Dave Van der Krabben, Grant Piper 2018
PL Plum Line 21 25m
2.01
7bolts wire representing trad
Excellent sustained climbing. Uses a portion of the original Quail route (done by Allan Hill 1999) Start up directly to the fuchsia past the 1st staple . Move L and up left of a large flake, then slightly R and bridge over a void, to a bulge. Over this, and through notch to knobbly wall. Up to corner system, (2x 15-20mm cams) follow L-wards onto slopping ledge then negotiate the head wall via small corner, finishing at the double rap station in the LH facing corner
Dave Van der Krabben 2018
FC Flying Circus 22 25m
2.01
7bolts wire representing trad
Goes through sections of the Quaker route. "And now for something completely different. " 3 cruxes of entertainment. Start left of the 1st staple, veer right to the traditional corner. Aim leftwards and up though the overlap under the split roof. Make your way through the roof, onto the ramp, then up the left facing corner onto the ledge. Clip the 6th staple, place a #8 wire above and to the left. Hit the lay back and onto the roll over to the rap station.
Grant Piper 2018
Qk Quaker 22
0
wire representing trad
Superb climbing on good rock. Start just R of Quail at the fused block behind a bush. Up to OH at 4m, move R into corner (bomber wires). Climb up and step L to slab (cams), then layback the OH via the arête. Move L to OH below bush, over the bulge, move R and finish up the overhanging corner.
Alan Hill 1999.
PB Peaky Blinders Orders 18 25m
0
8bolts
Start up the grey wall, past 3 staples. where the climb steepens up veer rightwards to haul on the positive holds, then work your way into base of the gully. From there exit out the left wall of the gully, then up the series of steps to the rap station.
Jonathon Tye 2018
HB Heavy Boson 20 25m
0
5bolts wire representing trad
Start underneath the bulbous growth, up short overhanging wall followed by a pull onto a slab. After clipping the 3rd bolt on PEAKY BLINDERS ORDERS traverse right into a deep crack which ends in an overhanging wall. Trad gear - small to large cams & wires - are required for the top and middle of the route.
Steve Moore 2019
Sc Scorpion 18 25m
0
wire representing trad
Go to the grassy ledge above where the track goes downhill. Start on the huge chickenhead low in the wall and squirm up onto the slab. Move R into the cleft then straight up. Mantle up through the ledge/wall system at the top. Spaced pro.
Phil Stuart-Jones '95
Gg Gwabingo 18 18m
0
4bolts wire representing trad
Goes up a short wall past 3 staples intoa small crack to gain a ledge. Clip the 4th staple, then move leftwards on the ledge, and then up the left facing corner and onto the right side of the pillar, using the crack for wires. Finishing up the ramps to the rap station
Grant Piper 2018
OP Orange Peel 16
0
wire representing trad
Start up and L 10m, before vegetated gully. Up by orange steak, then up and LW through small notch to base of wide slanting crack. Avoid this on the R, then past tree to top.
Matt Bennett 2000
FGD I fart in your genewal diwection 15 20m
0
7bolts 1
Share the 3 first bolts of Gwabingo, then traverse rightward. Climb centre/left of the 6th bolt, then finish on the prow. The belayer can use a sling to safe himself to a prominent horn as the bottom of the crag is steep and bushy. Takes at least 1 day and 1/2 to dry, the red lichen is very slippery when wet.
Robin Jodon, December 2018
CM Coconuts Migwation 16 20m
0
8bolts
Same as FGD, climb right of the 6th bolt, then steep finish on a small depression and roof. Good holds though.
Robin Jodon, December 2018
Flamin’ Glory 15
0
wire representing trad
The separate buttress some 15m to the R and lower down. Undercut start below the incut square hole, trending up and leftwards to finish left of pointed block. Large sling for block, and wires.
Hamish Reid 1999.
No Future 16 22m
0
1 wire representing trad
Start on the short steep knobbly white wall about 5m R of GG then up into the R-facing corner with two bushes and up onto the ledge. Move R up the wall and crack and exit on the arete. Good pro where it's needed. Phil Stuart-Jones '95
Storeman Norman 20
1.02
1
Start just R of the foot of Gorgeous Groove. Through a roof to slab below large hole (bomber wires #2-4 on right). Traverse R a few moves, then up the arête. Move back L to climb the LH OH. (A direct version goes straight past the hole to the OH on good holds, but poor protection).
Alan Hill, 1999.
Death By Apathy 19
0
1 wire representing trad
Start 4m to the R by red incut. Over bulge to ledge, up wall to gear placements in L-facing corner above shrub. Traverse up and L to join and finish as for No Future.
Alan Hill 2000.
Gorgeous Groove
0
1
Attribution: 
Lindsay Main, Allan Hill (guide that has surfaced after nearly 20 years.)

Places

Type Title Link to edit content
Wall Crag V (1 route)
UUID: 
c70a8172-d8cf-44a8-8c4c-339ca930321f

Comments

Less of it fell down than I expected. Good to see you tying it together with bolts Grubbie