Borland Bluffs and Satellites

Reference

Title

Grade

Length

Quality

Bolts

Gone

Natural pro

Link to edit content

The Finger

This climb ascend the obvious crack systems on the low angled face of The Finger. It can be done in one long pitch or broken in two below the true summit. It's an adventurous route with good gear. Crack climbing skills are required or up the grade by 2.

Steve Skelton, Shana Payne, Keith Brown, 2012, Ground Up

Stone Road

16,13

40m

This striking quartz ladder hides around the corner, on Falcons Nook crag, 5-10 min up and left of Kea Dome (just below the ridge and Eldrig 'beach'). First climbed on all gear by John McCartney and Andy Macfarlane in the 90's, but unrecorded, it was rediscovered by Paula and Ruari Macfarlane in 2020. Believing it was unclimbed, they cleaned, climbed and named it, including the P2 crack, and added three bolts to keep pro reasonable enough to encourage climbing, unaware of it's history! Less than a month later, an old slide was unearthed that showed John McCartney leading the dyke many years prior, labelled "Stone Road, 16". John was contacted and suggested the bolts stay in. Grade is old school. Gear to hand size plus a big cam for the first pod

#	Ewbank	Length	Bolts	Trad
1	16	25m	3	Yes
	Up obvious white dike then cracks to DBA on tussock ledge.
2	13	15m		Yes
	Optional, only a short section of technical climbing. Scramble up right, then up short, sharp but inviting fist crack. Continue up to build a gear anchor at ledge below the ridge. Walk off to left. Optional finish via the cracked prow to right.

John McCartney, Andy Macfarlane, mid-1990's

The Beak Project

Open Project. The obvious flake feature on the arete of Eagle Rock has had several attempts. Good gear throughout. Very physical climbing!

Cuz, It's Fuzzy

50m

Fuzz Wall is around and up from Feature Face. It's the first, aptly named, fuzzy face with several crack lines. Cuz, It's Fuzzy attacks the clean, white face crack visible from the ground. From the ground, the upper climbing appears to go through a vertical lawn of lichen, but once on the wall is enjoyable. Continue out right to a grassy ledge and rings. A full value pitch.

Steve Skelton, Danny Murphy, 2015 : Ground Up.

Furry Little Critters

20 ,18

61m

P1, 30m, Grade 20. 15mtrs to the left of Feature Face. Climb broken face to gain obvious hand crack. Step right to next crack. Save big gear to the end. DBA

#	Ewbank	Length	Bolts	Trad
1	20	30m		Yes
	P1, 30m, Grade 20. 15mtrs to the left of Feature Face. Climb broken face to gain obvious hand crack. Step right to next crack. Save big gear to the end. DBA
2	18	31m	6	No
	P2, 31m, Grade 18, 6Bolts plus gear. From anchor step left and climb through dihedral and then up the prow to DBA.

Jimmy Finlayson 1.11.2015

Shaggy

35m

Located on Fuzz Wall. Just right of 'Cuz, its Fuzzy' is a steep, L facing corner. Climb up towards this, clipping first bolt of "Cuz...". Before entering the corner, step right and up crack through series of small steppy roofs through steep ground, disappearing over the lip to the right of a bush. Follow your nose up buttress with less gear above, to the DBA of "Cuz..." on a ledge near the arete directly above.

Ruari Macfarlane, Steve Skelton, Ground up, Jan 2020

Fearless Fantasies

50m

Classic trad test piece, bold runouts, solid gear. Beware of placements with weak surface layer, get em in deep and hard. Double ropes, double rack of cams to hand size. lots of large wires, small cams and RPs. Start 10m left of Feature Face. Climb past 4 bolts, continue straight up o R leaning crack, punch to large under cling (Dont place behind it). Continue up and left to orange rock below R end of rooflet, then weave straight up to anchors above lip. A memorable 50m. Can climb FLC or FF to to top.

Jimmy Finlayson FFA Feb 2020

Feature Face

3 Pitches. Feature Faceoffers sustained, technical face climbing on awesome features up to the highest point of the wall. Now fully bolted, the route originally climbed a flake which has since fallen off. Subsequently there are two starts, the left is up an awkward crack, the right is one face move at grade 24. P1: 17. For a good warm up, lie back the wide crack past two bolts before gaining good feet out right at the third bolt. continue through nice features to a ring anchor below the roof flake. Otherwise start the face direct past three bolts and a 24 crux (FFA Troy Mattingly, Feb 2014). P2: Awesome, sustained face climbing! Make a long, delicate move past the first bolt to gain the roof flake. Crank on through past crimps and slopers, through continuously interesting and delicate climbing. Keep your cool to the belay at a tussocky ledge. 21. P3: Easier climbing past several bolts to cruxy move (18). A single bolt exists on top of the formation for belay. (18). Descent: Rap from the second pitch. Otherwise, to access the upper bluffs walk down to the north, then west across tussocky terrain to the westerly ridge. A good sport link is to continue up equilibrium. Follow the gully down to the east, climbers left to base.

Steve Skelton, Shana Payne, 2012.

The Bishop

19 ,19

50m

Obvious zigzag crack left of Roaring Forties. Apparently there are some face holds. Rings.

#	Ewbank	Length	Bolts	Trad
1	19	0m		Yes
	Obvious zigzag crack left of Roaring Forties. Apparently there are some face holds. Rings.
2	19	50m	1	No
	Clip first bolt off the belay. Then it's an adventure climb following discontinuous cracks, generally tending rightward to chain anchor. Double set of cams and a #5.

Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 : Ground Up.

Roaring Forties

Can be climbed in two long pitches. Both pitches probably grade 20/21 P1: ~40m Climb straight up face left of Myriad (mix of bolts and gear) near the top of the pitch tend left to bolted anchors. P2: 50m Sublime climbing with great variation. Step left and climb through small roof then work your way up the face till you gain the arete. Climb the arete or the face just to the left of the arete to the DBA at top You can rap off these bolts straight down First Blood

Murray Judge, Andy Macfarlane, Circa 1990's

Myriad

50m

Amazing climbing on solid rock with varied styles. Originally climbed up the crack, then out to Roaring Forties, the FA team returned to continue up the continuing corner, ground up drill in hand. A single rack of cams is required. Climb fixed line to belay in a tree at the base of a wide crack. P1 : Belay off tree, atop stripped rock below obvious corner crack. Follow off-width crack to small rooflet, then into finger crack. Soak it up through stunning moves until crack angles out left. Here you can bail out left to rings for a stunning grad 17 pitch. Otherwise, continue up corner feature, bridging past bolts and a few gear placements. Move out R onto face and paste yourself to the rock through the delicate crux. Hang on till the rings. 22. P2 : Take the crack directly above. When the crack ends, load it up with gear and step L to a runnel and a bolt. Continue up to ledge and a trad anchor. 21. P3 : (First Dud) Moderate climbing past a few pitons to summit. 14.

Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 Ground Up

Invol2ver

28m

Superb techy climbing on wall between Involver and First Blood.

Troy Mattingley, Feb 2014

Involver

28m

The arete between Myriad and First Blood. Sustained technical, [involved] granite wall climbing at its finest! Note that this route really is 28m long. You need a 60m rope to get down, don't try with a 50.

Kester Brown, Feb 2014

First Blood

P1 : Up crack, through overlap to bolt, then run it out to 2BB. 18 P2 : Excellent face climbing past several bolts to Rings. 21 P3 : Easier climbing past 1 bolt to summit. 15

Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 : Ground Up.

Diagnolator

P1 : L tending crack to soft white flake. Then get into the DIAGNOLATOR! Trad belay. 20 P2 : Up R tending flake, to weakness. Follow R facing crack to half way, then step L to orange patina face. Run it out to the chains! 20 R.

Steve Skelton, Keith Brown, 2012

FB PII

First Blood Part II

P1 : Climb the obvious crack to trad anchor in cave. P2 : Up R past 1 Bolt. Stay true to ridge past some beautiful wind polished rock.

Steve Skelton, Reese Doyle, 2010 : Ground Up.

Joyride

20m

Climbs cracks in beautiful orange rock to rings. A must do! cams to #1 and doubles in finger sizes would be handy.

Steve Skelton, Keith Brown, March 2014

Esoteric

40m

adjective : intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest. Starts on loose ground to gain first bolt. The climbing then weaves its way across dykes and patinas to the top. Rings.

Steve Skelton, Keith Brown, March 2014

Sweet Fist Crack

20m

Walk down track from Bivi for 5 minutes. Just before you veer right down a slippery slope, turn left instead. Follow orange tape west on rough track, cross stream. Walk up hill for 50mtrs or so. Climb past 1 bolt to gain sweet gain fist crack. Rap off tree at top.

Jimmy Finlayson. 31.10.2015. Ground up.

Equilibrium

25m

Located in the Upper Bluffs, below a roof capped wall is this gem of a sport climb. To the left of Diagnolator, find a large pillar leaning against the wall. Chimney up this on climbers right to grassy belay. Start climbing to the right of the bolts, then follow your equilibrium to the left. Rings are on good ledge below the orange rock. Second pitch to come...

Steve Skelton, Ben Dare, April 2016

DNA

14,15

78m

Old school lives, on this somewhat adventurous route across the slabs of Kea Dome. Flaring cracks spit out nuts; for a reasonable experience bring a full set of cams.

#	Ewbank	Length	Bolts	Trad
1	14	33m		Yes
	Start on the slabs to the right of the toe of Kea Dome. Wander up and left (sparse gear) to a steeper crux above gear. Enjoy (and sling?) the chickenheads, and the final left trending groove to DBA just right of the broad arete. Note: If abseiling/lowering, knot end(s) of your rope and trend diagonally for the higher ground to climbers right (alternately, easily downclimb the bottom of the slab).
2	15	45m	1	Yes
	Follow crack left to steep wall (1b), and continue up cracks left; then right, to their end on a low angle slab. Walk left across a foot ledge to excavate a gear belay in a crack by the tussock spur to the left. Descent: scramble steeply off down spur then right across a gully.

Ruari Macfarlane, Paula Macfarlane, March 2020

Tender is the Night

25m

Starts up pinnacle to steep crack, from left side of treed ledge. Tree anchor for belayer. Access via P1 Sidewinder, or by scrambling up to ledge from left. Crack to face climb, with steep burly laybacking and big moves, giving way to beautiful, delicate face climbing past 3 bolts to the DBA (shared with Sidewinder).. Cams to BD #3, doubles finger sizes (optional second #2).

Ruari Macfarlane, May 2020

Tender is the Night

25m

Ruari Macfarlane, May 2020

Tender is the Night

25m

Ruari Macfarlane, May 2020

Jumarnji

32m

To the left of Equilibrium on the upper bluffs. Start from tree at top of fixed line. Rightwards trad crack into face climbing with bolted protection. Shared DBA with equilibrium.

Mark Lewis April 2022

Jibberjabber

30m

Starts 3m right of the Equilibrium boulder. Climb the wide left leaning crack on trad until it peters out. Save a medium cam or two for the upper face between first two bolts.

FA Graham Dawson and Shona Logue, 30/4/22

Sidewinder

17,16,16

67m

The arete forming the right edge of Puke wall. Approach as for Esoteric, then turn right and walk down along the base of the walls. The start is 5m past the base of the butress. Scramble 5 m P2: carry a thick rack to #2 (doubles or triples of finger-hand) P3: carry a thin rack

#	Ewbank	Length	Bolts	Trad
1	17	17m	4	No
	scramble 5m up a tussock gully then start climbing.
2	16	30m	2	Yes
	Up and right past bolt, then around arete to hidden bolt, then up/just right of crest to DBA on ledge on arete.
3	16	20m		Yes
	Up crack then easily along arete to Esoteric DBA.

Lochie Bellerby, Ruari Macfarlane, Peter Thurlow, 2020

Feature Fin

On Feature face crag, along the wall to the right of Feature Face route (maybe 15-20m). This modern route takes a steep first pitch with some memorable moves, and a more laid back second pitch up cracks and face (but with a sting at the end), on nice rock throughout. Starts with some steep bouldery moves at a crack/block feature, then arcs up left towards a roof. Two pitches, mixed pro (P1 keep few large-ish cams for above the roof), double bolt ring anchors. (rap route). There is an optional right-hand finish to P2. There is a tree in close proximity to P1 crux... a pain or a blessing, depending on your ideation, as it's tempting to take a perch/rest.

Ruari Macfarlane, Petrouchka Steiner-Grierson, March 2021

Places

Type	Title	Link to edit content
Face (Alpine)	Puke Wall (0 routes)
Face (Alpine)	Lower Bluff (0 routes)
Face (Alpine)	Feature Wall (0 routes)

UUID:

f6a37c5b-344b-40a9-b14e-356bdaa70c99

Borland Bluffs and Satellites

(28 routes)

Places