2. NZ
  3. South Island
  4. West Coast
  5. Bullock Creek
  6. The Colosseum

The Colosseum

(5 routes)

Aptly named, the Colosseum is the gargantuan rock face that looms over the flax field as you drive up the road. Aside from immaculate rock, the crag also provides an awesome bivy site complete with its own reliable spring if you're looking to spend a few days up the creek. Full of potential, but with relatively few routes, The Colosseum is the mid-20's developers dream.

Type: 
Wall
Altitude: 
100m
Aspect: 
North
Walk time: 
20 mins
Access: 

Follow the track from the Arboretum parking (gravel pullout 4.7km from SH6 with a rock cairn). Follow the vague track through long grass and "the mangroves" to the sandy (and hopefully dry) riverbed. Walk downriver for several hundred metres past the ever-changing mess of logs where a sign stating "Fun Climbing" hung between two trees indicates the start of a marked track. When you reach a junction, turn right for the trail marked "2 Towers & Colosseum". The trail splits again 100m further on, take the right fork (signposted "Colosseum") and follow this marked trail for 10 minutes along the base of the cliff until you reach a small bivy site. The climbs start 50m right of here.

New Zealand map

Map, Topo

Lat/Lon: 
-42.096439000000, 171.380024000000
NZMS260: 
K30 760 999
Topo50: 
BS19 660 382
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Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
1 Partial Project
0
 23bolts
Equipped by Lindsay Main
2 Nelly's Nut 21 ,21 35m
2.01
 12bolts
Up through a steep featured roof to a a arete above. Finish at the HBAT DBA. Terrific route on good rock.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12120m7No
 

Up through a steep featured roof to a a arete above. Finish at the HBAT DBA.
Terrific route on good rock.

22115m5No
 

Easy climbing up and left of the belay leads to a tricky finish in a thin crack.
Neil Warrington
3 Hanging by a Thread 18 20m
2.01
 7bolts
After a bouldery start head slightly right. Delicate moves through the crux on small holds gives way to easier climbing above. Quality rock.
Neil Silverwood
4 How's Your French 19 ,18 ,23 75m
1.02
 27bolts
Starts to the right of the large vine. Climb the steep but short wall and traverse left, scamble up an easy unprotected corner. Step right to clip the 2nd bolt. Climb up past 2 more bolts and traverse right to a DBA.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
11915m4No
 

Starts to the right of the large vine.
Climb the steep but short wall and traverse left, scamble up an easy unprotected corner. Step right to clip the 2nd bolt. Climb up past 2 more bolts and traverse right to a DBA.

21830m11No
 

A long and varied pitch. Finish at a vegetated ledge and traverse right to a DBA. Classic Bullock Creek Climbing!
32330m12No
 

Easy ground to a steep, overhanging Arete and lower angled but difficult climbing above.
Neil Silverwood, 2014 (1st and 2nd pitch)
5 Pretty Little Hate Machine 20 28m
0
 4bolts wire representing trad
This route is etched with history, a true love/hate relationship whose essence oozes from the pores in the rock as you climb. Far right side of Colosseum, has 3 bolts to get you started and save your mid/large cams for the funky upper section.
Neil Warrington, 2015
Attribution: 
Additional information added from the pdf by Neil Warrington & Neil Silverwood. http://www.kiwitracks.com/paparoa/

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UUID: 
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