2. NZ
  3. South Island
  4. Fiordland
  5. Darran Mountains
  6. Cleddau River
  7. Babylon
  8. The Left-hand Wall

The Left-hand Wall

(17 routes)

To the right of the base of Leftism is a dry cave complete with seating (the Boardroom) and a ledge leading right (the Boardwalk) from where the routes right of the Groper are accessed.
It is Possible to traverse from the third pitch of Leftism all the way to the Fire setion of the wall along "The Path" (grade 10) at 3/4 hieght, givig access to the other routes and descent options.

Type: 
Wall
Aspect: 
West
Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Leftism 18 ,22 ,15 ,23 70m
2.01
 7bolts wire representing trad
In fine weather the afternoon breeze blows the waterfall across the first two pitches so it’s best to get onto this early. Take a rack. Begins at an overhanging corner beneath steep rock in the bush right of the waterfall. Up this to bushy left-trending ramp past bolt then up clean wall on gear and a bolt to ledge under roof.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11820m1Yes
 In fine weather the afternoon breeze blows the waterfall across the first two pitches so it’s best to get onto this early. Take a rack. Begins at an overhanging corner beneath steep rock in the bush right of the waterfall. Up this to bushy left-trending ramp past bolt then up clean wall on gear and a bolt to ledge under roof.
22225m1Yes
 Left to bolt, up crack (wires) then onto face past three bolts and into obvious crack (gear) to natural pro belay in corner behind Totara tree.
31510mYes
 Continue up crack.
42315m5Yes
 Move left up slab then up corner past five bolts. To descend from top rap down and right to DBB 20m (top of Tufa Dub) then 55m to the ground.
Bruce Dowrick, Jon Sedon, 2005.
Surface Tension 30m
0
 10bolts
Begin at the belay of the 2nd pitch of Leftism; directly up past ten bolts to belay. To escape, climb across the slab to the rap at the top of Leftism (one bolt and easy).
Bruce Dowrick, Oct 2005.
Babbleon 23 ,25
2.01
 6bolts wire representing trad 1
Start halfway up first pitch of Leftism at the belay ring on ledge. Move left 3m to bolt then up past six bolts to small roof and onto belay.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
1230m6Yes
 Start halfway up first pitch of Leftism at the belay ring on ledge. Move left 3m to bolt then up past six bolts to small roof and onto belay.
2250mYes
 Continue up steep country to belay.
Bruce Dowrick, Troy Mattingley 2nd pitch Sep 2005.
Tufa Dub 23 ,24 50m
3
Possibly the best route on the cliff. Start halfway up first pitch of Leftism at the belay ring on ledge. Straight up from the belay, following the line of bolts. Pumpy.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12325mNo
 Possibly the best route on the cliff. Start halfway up first pitch of Leftism at the belay ring on ledge. Straight up from the belay, following the line of bolts. Pumpy.
22425mNo
 More of the same fantastic climbing. From the top there is an easy scramble left past a bolt to the top of the 3rd pitch of Leftism.
Jon Sedon, Sep 2005.
Epifright 21 ,23 ,20 ,26 71m
0
 wire representing trad
Start up Tufa Dub for three bolts then move right along break, cams and wires, before heading up to belay.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12116mYes
 Start up Tufa Dub for three bolts then move right along break, cams and wires, before heading up to belay.
22315mYes
 Climb the tree to the very top, placing cams and wires. Swing onto the rock and climb roof crack!
32015mYes
 weave up face to belay on natural gear.
42625mYes
 Fantastic face climbing all the way to the top of the crag.
Bruce Dowrick, Jon Sedon, Sep 2006
The Groper 17 ,24 40m
1.02
Start at the first bolt along the ledge. Move up on good holds to a small overlap. Tend left before stepping onto the Ledge-end.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11712mNo
 Start at the first bolt along the ledge. Move up on good holds to a small overlap. Tend left before stepping onto the Ledge-end.
22428mNo
 Traverse left up into the white corner, tackling the steep bulges as they move left. A no-hands rest awaits at half height before a devious top-out. Belay out right.
Craig Jefferies, 2004.
PSI 21 ,25 ,23 53m
3
 1
Move right from belay bolt on solid holds to flake and overlap. Tend right before straightening on slopers to the Ledge-end.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12112mNo
 Move right from belay bolt on solid holds to flake and overlap. Tend right before straightening on slopers to the Ledge-end.
22526mNo
 Climb directly up the overhanging groove.
32315mNo
 . Move left and up on massive holds through the roof then straight through the headwall.
Jon Sedon, 2005.
Project Aqua 23 ,25 , 60m
3
The next route right of Lodge Loafers; start at the small right-facing corner/alcove 20m right of the cave under the Rimu tree. Up and right to a bolt then follow four more to the ledge.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12320mNo
 The next route right of Lodge Loafers; start at the small right-facing corner/alcove 20m right of the cave under the Rimu tree. Up and right to a bolt then follow four more to the ledge.
22520mNo
 Tricky, then pumpy.
320mNo
 More of the same; rap off.
Bruce Dowrick, Lionel Clay, 2004.
Nature’s Melody 21 ,23
0
 9bolts
Starts about ten metres left of Birdsong. Starts on a ledge with a large hanging block above. A couple of cams protect moves up to the first bolt. Climb past the second bolt then traverse out left to the double bolt belay.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
1210m2No
 Starts about ten metres left of Birdsong. Starts on a ledge with a large hanging block above. A couple of cams protect moves up to the first bolt. Climb past the second bolt then traverse out left to the double bolt belay.
2230m7No
 Straight up groove then pull through the overhang to belay.
Sally Carter, Aaron Ford, 2005.
The Right Groove 24
0
 7bolts
A variation to the second pitch of Nature’s Melody. After clipping the third bolt of NM follow the right-tending groove on fat slopers to belay.
Sally Carter, Aaron Ford, 2005.
Birdsong 19 ,23 ,26 55m
2.01
 3bolts wire representing trad
Take some extra wires for the first pitch. Starting beneath the prominent rata tree, climb initial bulge onto slab then up corner system left of the buttress.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11920mYes
 Take some extra wires for the first pitch. Starting beneath the prominent rata tree, climb initial bulge onto slab then up corner system left of the buttress.
22315m3No
 . From belay climb past 3 bolts, then over bulge; quick moves will see you to the top.
32620mNo
 Climb rightwards, following your nose (and the bolts). A 55m rap will get you to the ground.
Bruce Dowrick, Gwilym Griffiths-Jones, 2002.
Twotogo 22 ,25 ,23 58m
2.01
 7bolts wire representing trad
Take some extra wires for the first pitch. . Starting from slab right of Birdsong, move up face past 4 bolts to the top end of the large left-tending crack; clip the bolt over the bulge before cranking to the belay.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12222m5Yes
 Take some extra wires for the first pitch. . Starting from slab right of Birdsong, move up face past 4 bolts to the top end of the large left-tending crack; clip the bolt over the bulge before cranking to the belay.
22520mNo
 Continue straight up to below the roof and then move left and up steep corner on good holds.
32316m2No
 A devious move right after the second bolt then up through the corner.
Bruce Dowrick, Swenja Stellfeld, Jan 2003.
Dream Liberator 16 ,22 ,24 44m
2.01
 3bolts wire representing trad
Starting on the slabs below the main corner system tend up and left to single bolt and belay
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11616m1Yes
 Starting on the slabs below the main corner system tend up and left to single bolt and belay
22216m2Yes
 Move up past two bolts to overlap. Pull through overlap then tend left into small alcove below roof section.
32412mNo
 Powerful moves on good holds through overhanging corner lead to steep face climbing and belay out to the right.
Murray Ball, Paul Rogers, Apr 2003.
Fading Grail 16 ,25 47m
0
. Starting on slabs below the main corner
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11615mNo
 . Starting on slabs below the main corner
22532mNo
 Head straight up the steepening wall before a short slabby move leads to a dyno finish.
Paul Rogers, Jon Sedon, May 2003
Monsoon 19
2.01
 3bolts
Starting on slab below the main corner climb a slab past three bolts to small overlap. Cut loose through the overlaps then directly up to the top.
Craig Jefferies, Jon Sedon, Jan 2006.
The Obvious Weakness 17 ,26 36m
3
. Directly off the ledge, just right of the corner.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11718mNo
 . Directly off the ledge, just right of the corner.
22618mNo
 Right-tending diagonal corner and roof; big holds and pumpy. A 35m rap to the ground..
Bruce Dowrick, 2004.
The Fire Escape 21 25m
1.02
From belay at the top of The Obvious Weakness scramble left to continuation of corner above; bolted.
Bruce Dowrick, Jon Sedon, Sep 2005.
Attribution: 
Craig Jefferies

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