CLOSED: Closed until further notice. Please do not climb here.Access to Transmitter Crag is currently closed. While the landowner has forestry operations under way and/or planned in the area around the crag, safe access is compromised.
Sport crag near the Sign of the Kiwi with about 89 bolted routes 8–15m high (six are 23m). There are a number of climbs set up for multipitch practice with double ring bolts installed mid point.
The crag gets sun from the morning to mid afternoon.
History
In the summer of 1999-2000, Alex Palman and friends, (Mary Butler, Ivan Vostinar, Karen Ashbury, Max Farr, Kate Finnerty, Jon Sedon & Daniel Jenkins) were the first to develop and climb at Transmitter.
Through the rest of 2000, new routes were added in by, Tony Burnell, Jason Tweedie, Lindsay Main, Stu Allan & Marcus Thomas.
In 2001 Andrew Buist & John Iseli followed up by developing a few more new routes, setting up nearly 50 climbs at Transmitter.
In the summer of 2012–13 the Canterbury/Westland section of the NZAC cleaned up some easy terrain and installed a few easier sport climbs. At the same time a few of the harder gaps and other outlying crags were plugged by the usual suspects from around the district.
In April 2016 the Christchurch Adventure Park leased the valley for development of a mountain bike park, and the area was closed to the public while this was being developed. In February 2017, two months after the park opened, the Port Hills fire burned through the area, destroying the forest in much of the valley.
Just a heads up that might save some time. When you register to access the crag you should be given a radio and hi-vis vest to take with you. Some staff don't seem to know this is the case so you might want to check before you get to the chair lift or you may end up waiting for these to be delivered after you get to the top. The path at the moment is pretty overgrown - nothing that a few extra people trampling down wouldn't solve though. :)
In case anyone was wondering, as of the 7th of January 2017 Transmitter is still closed according to Adventure Park.
Transmitter Crag will be CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC from 4th April 2016 to approximately October / November 2016 while the development and completion of the Christchurch Adventure Park is under way. The new owners, Select Evolution appreciate your understanding and patience while this work is undertaken and is considered a health and safety issue with tree felling, heavy machinery in use and an overall construction area. Once the work is complete, Transmitter crag will once again be open to the public.