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Punk Rock

(52 routes)

The Feb 22nd Earthquake has caused major damage at the crag! There has been major rockfall. THERE ARE LOOSE ROCKS TOTTERING ABOUT THESE CRAGS, EAGERLY WAITING TO SKANK YOU! Aftershocks are feature at the moment. USE YOUR BRAINS AND STAY CLEAR!
 

Update 28 April 2014. Crag remains very dangerous with numerous large boulders scattered down the hillside and mass destruction to all but a few climbs. This crag is likely closed forever.

Punk Rock is an interesting diversion from the mainstream of rockclimbing society. This is a small cliff at Sumner, a few miles east of Christchurch.  The climbs are mostly well defined jam cracks (exemplified by the classic New Reality Jam Session), but a few routes have been established on walls and incipient cracks. Subsequent sport routes have been added.
 
History
Considered worthless for many years, the cliff was climbed on by John McCallum and Lindsay Main in early 1979. It received little other attention throughout most of the mid-80s and 90s, with the exception of one new route by Marcus Thomas. The exceptionally hot and dry summer of 1997/1998 prompted a new wave of interest, with several new routes added.mostly well defined jam cracks (exemplified by the classic New Reality Jam Session), but a few routes have been established on walls and incipient cracks.
More routes mainly sport routes have been added 2009 as well as some exsisting routes tidyed up

Type: 
Crag
Altitude: 
100m
Aspect: 
East
Walk time: 
10min
Access: 

Sumnervale Drive is at the back of Sumner valley. The cliff is about 100m above the road end to the west, above Sumnervale Drive
Alternatively, park down by the end of the Captain Thomas Walkway and wander along this above the houses until you can cut up the hill to the crag. A little slower, but much less strenuous and less likely to annoy landowners.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-43.580481030000, 172.752232490000
NZMS260: 
M36 900363
Topo50: 
BX24 800 747
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Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Drack 22
0
>Minor and obscure; undoubtedly not repeated. A thin overhanging crack >starting above an overhang at the left end of the crag, about 20 metres >right of the pine tree. Scramble up low angle rock for five metres to >beneath the overhang; pull over and climb the crack. Difficulty is its only >merit. Rick McGregor '79
Mange Tous 17
0
/Fifty metres left of the turn in the crag is a small buttress split on its right by a crack with a narrow pod./ Start above the hawthorne, step left into the crack and follow it. Perfect jams and CDs. Alan Hill 97'
God Save The Queen 16
0
/Twenty metres right are two low overhanging noses with orange lichen and a large roof above. / Up between the two noses, traverse left under the roof and finish rightward up groove. Alan Hill 97'
Changing The Guard 13
0
Up the groove right of the right nose, skirt the large roof on the right, step back left and up. Hamish Reid '97
Heading For Sydney 16
0
Wide crack on the left end.
Hamish Reid, 1997
PND Punk's Not Dead
0
At the left hand end of the main part of the crag. Three bolts. Marcus Thomas '95
LP Low Profile
0
The right edge of the prominent red-brown buttress. Over the big blocks heading right to a ledge on the arete, left and up to a sloping ledge; then climb the wall above (crux). Adequate pro. Descend by the gully to the left. Lindsay Main '80
Manipulations 19
0
Start just left of Devo and and climb through the overhang to the ledge of Low Profile. Up and rightward along crack, and over bulge to the top.Good pro. Lower-off  Sefton Priestly '97
DEVO 14 18m
0
The right-facing chimney on the edge of the buttress. Either finish in a crack above (14); or Wriggle L to 3 bolt crack and distant anchor; or exit right via the top crack of AD. John McCallum '79
AD Arcadian Driftwood
1.02
The crack immediately right of Devo. Exit either left as for D (14), or right to finish up a steep crack (17). Rick McGregor '79
Phlebotomist 23
0
A direct line up the centre of the slab right of Arcadian Driftwood, with pro in AD. Finish anywhere. Sefton Priestly '97
Rhythm 'n' Blues 20
0
The curving crack, finishing up the steep elbow-shaped crack.Lower-off from AD  Alan Hill '97
Voodoo 19 15m
0
Start at the weakness on an arete. Climb the right wall following jugs up the steep wall to the right of the groove. Finish up the wall above on small holds.Lower-off. Lindsay Main '80
Ce Cascade
0
Climb the right-facing corner, moving left around a small bulge. Above the grassy ledge up a dirty crack. Lindsay Main '80
Left Edge 17
0
on left edge of Punktuation slab now has a third bolt of its own to cut down a run out
Solstice 16 20m
0
Start as for Cascade, but move into the incipient right crack (wires). Overcome grass and climb the deceptive crack. From the grassy sloping ledge move right to anchors. Now has 2 bolts to protect moves near some questionable blocks. Lindsay Main '80
P Punctuation
0
5 bolts and a lower-off. Stick clip the first bolt unless you have 3 arms. Good sustained climbing  Ton Snelder '83
New Wave 16 20m
0
A thin crack up a wall, then over blocks. Takes small wires well then 3 bolts to lower-off  Lindsay Main '80
D Discombobulation
0
The groove, roof and crack right of New Wave. Poorly protected.Best to finish up EA.  Alan Hill '99
EA Ecstacy Air
0
Looks OK. Lower-off
Solipsism 14 20m
0
Up a right-facing corner left of a lichen-covered slab (crux) and over blocks to steep cracks above.  Takes big cams and hexes and a bolt on the L wall saves a grovel for gear. Lower-off over top.  Lindsay Main '79
NJS New Reality Jam Session
2.01
The obvious left-leaning crack through a bulge. Start either up the wall just left of the small arete or the thin crack just right of the arete (both 18). Lower-off as for S.  Rick McGregor '79
Questioning Reality 24 22m
0
 direct finish to NRJS, 4 bolts. Sefton Priestly '99
Cw Claws
0
A right facing corner with a bulge at the top. Lower-off   Lindsay Main '79
Vulgate Revamped 18 20m
0
Wall and crack to the right. Steep finish on good holds. Details uncertain. Rick McGregor '79
Anathema 13 15m
0
The name is a hint. A wall on good holds to a wide crack. Dirty at the top.Now an extra bolt to the to the 2nd lower-off. Lindsay Main '79
P Paragon
1.02
An easy angled route following a crack up a buttress. Start at the lowest point, or move in from the left. Up the crack and step rightward around the bulge, finishing slightly left. Lindsay Main '79
Exit Strategy 18
0
Crack to overhanging bay. Well named. Good pro, finish up buttress of *Bits and Bolts* to lower-off
Bits and Bolts 19
0
Climbs tiny corner on arete R of Paragon, bolt, then wires and small cams to 2nd bolt high on arete, continue up buttress past 2 bolts to double rings for lower-off
Negative Conditioning 12
0
 1
Short right-facing corner with bridging to the right.  cleanish with anchors, but would benefit from more cleaning. Perhaps 14 for the vertically challenged. Lindsay Main '79
Positve Reinforcement 15
0
Arete with 3 bolts plus anchor bolt of next climb with a long sling for last runner. Lower-off higher up. Boulder start up arete to ledge is harder.
Go for pro 19
0
Start at toe of buttress, up flake crack avoiding stepping into Negative C, then thin crack to move R. Needs small cams near the top. Good pro. Chains
Schmeling to the Max 19
0
The blunt arete, starting from the fallen block on its right side, and past dubious flakes to the lip of the roof. Committing moves past indifferent pro from small wires. A harrowing on-sight lead. Lower-off to L  Alan Hill '97
GWH The Great White Hope
0
Climb the right-facing corner below the big roofs and out the left side on good jams and small footholds. Step across to the arete and climb the top crack. Belay anchors for these climbs are a long way back in a boulder. Can use GFP lower-off . Lindsay Main '79
Don't Look Back 22 15m
0
Up the left corner and out the left-leading roof crack on jams. Little for the feet. Rick McGregor '79
The Truest Sport 19 18m
0
Up the right corner and through the roof to the right using the wide crack.Very dirty and smelly at the start, not cleaned yet as are the 2 routes below. Too much guano. Take breathing apparatus and large cams! Rick McGregor '79
Sidestep 11
0
Start on the slab just right of TTS and move right up to a thin crack and bulge. Finish either left up a big exfoliating flake, or up the gully. Good fun. Arete and crack to lower-off. Lindsay Main '79
BB Barbarous Bolters
0
The wall left of Parlance.  Has an extra bolt and then pro - med wires will do, and a small wire protects the move through the roof. Chains. Dave Shotwell
Parlance 19 12m
0
The left of two overhanging thin cracks. A bolt now protects the bouldery start. Excellent pro and climbing in the crack. Lower-off as for SS. Rick McGregor '79  
M Maindrain
0
The right crack  Awkward straight crack, but eats small cams around the crux. Rings.  James Jenkins '80
Elbow-bender 17 20m
0
An irregular crack over a bulge, then left and up the wall. Gear in blocks and then bolts on the slab. Lower-off. James Jenkins '80
Plantagenet 14 20m
0
The left of two corners. Straightforward climbing with a move to the left at the top (crux). Excellent pro in R facing corner. Rings. Rick McGregor '79
T Treasury
0
The right corner. A broken start, then a short steep crack to the left facing corner (crux). Needs a large cam at the top. Hugh Logan '80
Lickin' Lichen 16
0
Has an extra bolt so no gear needed. Lower-off
A Clutch of Grass 17
0
Crack over bulge. Now much cleaner, takes good pro and has its own lower-off on the R
JP Jiggery Pokery 21
0
now has 4 bolts
Return of the Dinosaurs 21
0
Climb to the base of the final crack of ????  Move left on to the steep slab,  Up slab above crack of OWW. and climb straight up the centre.  2 bolts plus a chain and a ring at the top of the slab 
Alan Hill '98
Once were Worriers 18
0
Climb the obvious crack left of the large clump of ferns. Continue up the thin right trending crack/groove to a grassy ledge. Crack then sloping groove which needs RP's and micro cams, also awkward exit R. Chains or continue to the top and rings.  Alan Hill '98
Crappy Crack 17
0
As per name but cleaned to allow a turfless finish to OWW. Start up the little arete to avoid veg cracks. Chains, try to avoid blocks at the top.
Aged Arete 16
0
 3 bolts plus med wire near the top. Rings on FC or chains on CC
Fern Crack 14
0
Pro, try to avoid clipping the bolts on the next climb . Rings
Kids Arete 17
0
4 bolts contrived as very near veg and edge, but a safe lead. Lower-off rings
Attribution: 
Information courtesty of Lindsay Main, also copied from websites hosted by John Davis & Mojozone

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UUID: 
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