A set of large East-facing marble cliffs housing multipitch potential for trad, mixed pro and sport climbs. These are on the climbers right side (West Side) of the valley between 'Staircase' and Granity Pass hut, on the Granity Pass track (Mt Owen). They face the established Staircase crag routes on the other (East side) of the valley.
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Walktime
2 hr 45min
Aspect
East
Lat/lon
POINT (172.538652 -41.511349)
Topo50
BR23 6329 0429
Approach
From Courthouse Flat (The Wangapeka River Roadend), take the track to Granity Pass. After descending the 'Staircase' (map name, and the access to the multipitch 'Staircase Crag' - see Mt Owen guidebook), fill your drinkbottles at the sidestream (2hrs from car) and continue another 5 minutes along the track through beech forest to the site of the old prospectors hut. Large cliffs can be seen through the trees on the West side of the valley below pt 1507 - they are your destination (the large cliff opposite, on the East side, is Staircase crag). From here, leave the track, cross the creek into the open and go up a large scree fan, easiest on the climbers right side. At the top are the Prospector Cliffs; the base of climbs can be accessed by gaining the highest grass shelf under the cliffs and sidling upwards along it (a few exposed spots; careful if wet). Routes can be descended by walking off via a scrubby gully to the North(snap a reference photo on the approach), back to an easy sidle below the cliffs / above bushline, or possibly by the central gully that splits them. There are several promising bivvy caves along the base of the cliffs but no water on-site.
Giant left-facing corner crack; would be a completely classic trad route except it is SHARP! The second pitch is shorter but much smoother. Edges will dull with traffic. For now, recommend sturdy crack/tape gloves, and doing in 3 pitches with your rope doubled, using halfrope technique - there is danger of cutting your rope on sharp prickles/edges (or lug thicker half ropes up there).
Very visible from the track from upvalley; impossible to see from downvalley, but it's up and right of a huge slanting cave at the base of the cliffs.
Gear: SR to #4(optional), doubles finger-hands size gear. Second 3 and the 4 may be useful, especially if not highly confident at the grade.
Walk off in light scrub/scree gully a few hundred meters North (climbers R), and sidle back along the base of the cliffs.
P1
20
47m
Trad
Move up and right past pockets (purple totem) to gain the corner (no crack yet, just pockets), then up a slab leading to steep crux (flaring crack/slot). Place gear - good on horns then small wire and bad cam - then up crack (or in from left, vertical face climbing on good holds) and struggle through a few bad holds to good holds just past where angle eases. Slab fall potential, gear questionable. Would be worth adding 1-3 bolts - on the bulge near start, and especially at the crux. Then up corner crack above (sharp calcite) through several steps. The steepest one can be avoided by moving left (feet on loose blocks) then back up and right in a lower angle crack (big block, hollow at bottom, don't place gear?) to rejoin main corner. Cool move on big handhold over steep top and belay
P2
15
25m
Trad
Awesome gear corner - not sharp - then avoid big roof at top by moving out right and up the vertical right wall on perfect face holds and pockets. Belay above (cracks on low angle marble).
A stellar (but SHARP) face crack (hands/fist) variation finish to There Will Be blood. Climb P1 of TWBB to gear belay at main ledge, then place a couple pieces of gear in the corner directly above the anchor (the first few meters on P2 of TWBB) then commit to moving up and left, and through a bulge into easier climbing and gear above to the top. You can finish by moving left just below the lip to avoid the sharpest final steep bit. Good belay on small cams or big slung block on slab above.
Walk off in gully to North as for TWBB (a steep descent down the gully just right/south may also be possible).
P1
20
47m
Trad
Climb P1 of TWBB to gear belay at main ledge.
P2
17
27m
Trad
Place a couple pieces of gear up the corner directly above the anchor (the first few meters of TWBB Pitch 2) then commit to moving up and left through a bulge into easier climbing up a crack (jams and gear) to the top. Finish by moving left just below the lip to avoid the sharpest final steep bit. Good belay on small cams or big slung block on slab above.
