2. NZ
  3. South Island
  4. Fiordland
  5. Darran Mountains
  6. Mt Talbot
  7. Crag of Misfit Mascots

Crag of Misfit Mascots

(5 routes)

An exceptional quality trad climbing crag with routes up to 60m on immaculate rock. Predominately crack/flake climbing with outstanding rock features and unbeatable ambience (views of Tutoko, Milford Sound, the Central Darrans etc). Superlatives abound. Crackheads will delight in the laybacks, jamming and bomber gear of this lovely block of rock. 3/3 climbers agree, Sexual Harassment Panda (20, ***) is well worth the walk from Homer.

Let's keep the crag clean please, there is plenty of gear available and bolts aren't needed. All established routes have in-situ trad anchors but take your own cord and use discretion when abseiling off this gear.

Type: 
Crag
Altitude: 
1800m
Aspect: 
North East
Walk time: 
2 hours
Access: 

Walk up Gertrude Valley, cross outlet Black Lake. Head towards Talbot East Ridge, fastest route being a ledge system between the Sickle Crag and the Bog Farmer slabs. Then head up easy slabs and then snow to a point 1/3 up the East Ridge. The crag is centred on a prominent immaculate block of rock, that happens to be the usual abseil spot for those climbing the full East Ridge of Talbot. Needs a few hours to dry out after rain, some routes may need more.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-44.752061000000, 168.000677000000
NZMS260: 
D40 144 942
Topo50: 
CB09 043 324
Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Edit link
1 Phoebe the Phobia Ferret 19 30m
1.02
 wire representing trad
Crack system takes you to a ledge - tricky moves lead up and into a right facing corner. At the top move right 5 m on easy ground to find fixed wires and carabiners and rap as for Woodsy. Named for the first ascentionist's fear of insects, which nearly resulted in a large whipper when a key hold revealed a family of alpine weta.
Pete Harris 2014
2 Woodsy the Drug Owl 22 30m
2.01
 wire representing trad
22 free or 18 A0. Up the immaculate layback to undercling, one offwidth move to big ledge then committing rock-over left into corner. Fixed abseil gear at top. Needs time to dry or will have slugs.
Jaz Morris (18 A0) 2014,
3 Terms of Enrampagement 18 ,14 60m
2.01
 wire representing trad
A wandering pitch with great hand traverses and a fantastic hanging belay on the RHS of the obvious roof.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11830mYes
 A wandering pitch with great hand traverses and a fantastic hanging belay on the RHS of the obvious roof.
21430mYes
 Follow the line of weakness all the way to the notch in the East Ridge, initially up broken ground then easy offwidth. Fixed hex for abseiling at notch (replace sling on hex, 60m rope preferable)
Jaz Morris, Peter Ram(p)age 2014
4 Sexual Harassment Panda 20 55m
3
 wire representing trad
A stellar pitch of climbing with a great top out on the East Ridge of Talbot. The must-do pitch at the crag. Follow line of weakness tending right before rocking over onto the face, aiming for an obvious } shaped flake. Up immaculate layback to ledge. Then, finger crack follows the obvious corner L into a slightly overhanging hand-jam crack. Top out on ridge and look for assorted slings on boulder (carabiners in situ, please leave these). 60m ropes get you to the ground. Could be split into 2 pitches at ledge, P1 17, 40m, P2 20, 15 m.
Jaz Morris 2014
Direct Start to Sexual Harassment Panda 20
0
 wire representing trad
Straight up into SHP. Small cams and wires. Warning serious ground fall potential during hard moves before reaching gear in R facing seam. P3 in photo above.
FFA Jimmy Finlayson 02/2019
Attribution: 
Jaz Morris