Skip to main content

Punk Rock

Type
Altitude
100m
Part of

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

Image
Walktime
10min
Aspect
East
Lat/lon
POINT (172.75223249 -43.58048103)
Topo50
BX24 800 747
Approach

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.

Add Place Add Route

Routes

Reference Title Grade Length Pro Quality Alert Operations
 Drack, 22 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 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 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 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


  • P1
  • 13

 Heading For Sydney, 16 16
0

  • P1
  • 16

Wide crack on the left end.


PND PNDPunk's Not Dead
0

At the left hand end of the main part of the crag. Three bolts. Marcus Thomas
'95

LP LPLow 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 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 14
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 ADArcadian 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 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 20
0

The curving crack, finishing up the steep elbow-shaped crack.Lower-off from
AD  Alan Hill '97

 Voodoo, 19 19
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 CeCascade
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 17 3
0

  • P1
  • 17
  • 3

on left edge of Punktuation slab now has a third bolt of its own to cut down a run out


 Solstice, 16 16
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 PPunctuation
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 16
0

A thin crack up a wall, then over blocks. Takes small wires well then 3 bolts
to lower-off  Lindsay Main '80

D DDiscombobulation
0

The groove, roof and crack right of New Wave. Poorly protected.Best to finish
up EA.  Alan Hill '99

EA EAEcstacy Air
0

Looks OK. Lower-off

 Solipsism, 14 14
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 NJSNew 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 24
0

 direct finish to NRJS, 4 bolts. Sefton Priestly '99

Cw CwClaws
0

A right facing corner with a bulge at the top. Lower-off   Lindsay Main '79

 Vulgate Revamped, 18 18
0

Wall and crack to the right. Steep finish on good holds. Details uncertain.
Rick McGregor '79

 Anathema, 13 13
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 PParagon
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 18
0

Crack to overhanging bay. Well named. Good pro, finish up buttress of Bits
and Bolts
to lower-off

 Bits and Bolts, 19 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 12
0

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 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.


  • P1
  • 15

Has an extra low bolt to protect the move off the ledge


 Go for pro, 19 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 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 GWHThe 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 22
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 19
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 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 BBBarbarous 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 19
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 MMaindrain
0

The right crack  Awkward straight crack, but eats small cams around the
crux. Rings.  James Jenkins '80

 Elbow-bender, 17 17
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 14
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 TTreasury
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 16
0

Has an extra bolt so no gear needed. Lower-off

 A Clutch of Grass, 17 17
0

Crack over bulge. Now much cleaner, takes good pro and has its own lower-off
on the R

JP JPJiggery Pokery, 21 21
0

now has 4 bolts


  • P1
  • 21

3 metres right of treasury


 Return of the Dinosaurs, 21 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 


  • P1
  • 21

 Once were Worriers, 18 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 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 16
0

 3 bolts plus med wire near the top. Rings on FC or chains on CC

 Fern Crack, 14 14
0

Pro, try to avoid clipping the bolts on the next climb . Rings

 Kids Arete, 17 17
0

4 bolts contrived as very near veg and edge, but a safe lead. Lower-off rings

Comments
Attribution
Information courtesty of Lindsay Main, also copied from websites hosted by John Davis & Mojozone
UUID
 
79a07cb1-2e4c-48ea-b731-e9717f8277c8