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Al Cap

Type
Sector
Part of
West Wānaka

This crag knocked a star off pretty much every route in Wānaka, though the masses haven’t let the guidebook editor actually do that yet. It is a tall (by local standards) slightly overhanging wall nestled in bush and offering continuous face climbing on excellent rock. For anyone climbing (as opposed to thugging) in the high 20s, this is a great place to be.

Rights credit
Wānaka Rock 2021
Rights
Copyright Wānaka Climbing Club and New Zealand Alpine Club
Walktime
25 min
Approach

Drive along West Wānaka Rd for 2.8km and park on grass after the bridge crossing the Matukituki River. A trail leads from right beside the bridge up the river for about 500m, then right up the steep bush track for about 250m.

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Routes

Reference Title Grade Length Pro Quality Alert Operations
 Endless Play, 28 28
0

Continues to the top if you feel the need and have a longer rope.

  • P1
  • 28
  • m
 Righteous Sunshine, 28 28
0

Links Righteous to Mainlining to Sunshine all at a relatively moderate grade.

  • P1
  • 28
  • m
1 1Foreplay, 24 24 23m 9
1.02

The left-most route on the wall. Face climb on generally positive edges, with a rest at half height.

  • P1
  • 24
  • 23m
  • 9
2 2R.T.D., 23 23 26m 10
2.01

Up the right arete of the block, then up the steepening wall on good holds.

  • P1
  • 23
  • 26m
  • 10
3 3Huffer, 27 27 30m 12
3

Start a couple of metres up the ramp/corner, climb some thin moves to the ring (25 to here) then wild moves and a big fat pump up the headwall.

  • P1
  • 27
  • 30m
  • 12
4 4Continuous Play, 27 27 30m 12
3

Apparently this has been called the best route on schist. It is doubtful however if whoever said that has ever sampled the delights of the Bendingo boat ramp crag. Tricky moves between rests lead to a ring (25 to here) then very continuously up the amazing headwall

  • P1
  • 27
  • 30m
  • 12
5 5Beardown Productions, 28 28 18m 7
2.01

Thin climbing for thin people.

  • P1
  • 28
  • 18m
  • 7
6 6Vasoconstrictor, 31 31 30m 12
3

Start as for Beardown but don’t stop when it starts getting hard. A year’s worth of climbing in one long pitch.

  • P1
  • 31
  • 30m
  • 12
7 7Tormentum Vigilae, 30 30 30m 14
3

From the start of Vasoconstrictor follow the diagonal seam across Cocaine to eventually join Righteous.

  • P1
  • 30
  • 30m
  • 14
8 8Sunshine, 31 31 35m 16
3

One of the crowning routes of the crag. Cruise (you’d better be able to) Cocaine, trip onwards into the upper reaches of Vasoconstrictor then higher again to the top of the crag at the tree.

  • P1
  • 31
  • 35m
  • 16
9 9Cocaine, 28 28 20m 9
3

Hard bouldery moves at start and finish.

  • P1
  • 28
  • 20m
  • 9
10 10Mainlining, 29 29 35m 16
3

Right-hand extension to Cocaine, first to the top of the crag and still one of the very best.

  • P1
  • 29
  • 35m
  • 16
11 11Righteous, 27 27 27m 11
3

First route off the block at far right, the obvious bolted seam.

  • P1
  • 27
  • 27m
  • 11
12 12Righteous Extension, 28 28 33m 14
2.01

Adds some more metres and moves, needs more than a 60m rope.

  • P1
  • 28
  • 33m
  • 14
13 13Fractious, 24 24 10m 5
0

The route on the wall before the big ugly crack. A feisty little thing.

  • P1
  • 24
  • 10m
  • 5
Comments
This place appears in
Wānaka Rock, 2021
Buy this guidebook
Attribution
Wānaka Climbing Club
UUID
 
9f13aa3e-1022-4391-9585-dace3e17257b