Club members Dave Bolger and Rupert Gardiner climbed a new route on the north face of Talbot a few weeks ago. A stunning route on perfect granite all done onsite. 5 solid pitch's of Darren's grade 18, both Rupert and Dave think it's so good it certainly could be worthy of 3 stars!! We named it "walking the dog" completed in a day from Hommer just before the rain set in! Attached is a picture on the second pitch of Rupert.
"After 2 months in China, 2 weeks in vietnam and 3 in Greece, our Frog/Kiwi couple is heading to France. Check their website: www.guillaume78.wordpress.com "
If you would like one there will be some at the Event Centre Wall or email sally@spelean.co.nz with your name and Postal address . Put magazine in the topic!
You can down load the pdf to save paper athttp://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/catalog
Cheers
Sally
Wye Creek Long Drop Toilet Update Looks like a working bee coming up. The following is from the lovely Melanie Heather
Queenstown Climbing Club has been approved two grants from Central Lakes Trust (CLT) and the Community Trust of Southland (CTOS) to install a long drop toilet at Wye Creek. So a big thanks to both CLT and CTOS. The Department of Conservation (DOC) Management Agreement is in place that will allow us to install the toilet on DOC land. The Club is currently working on getting a building consent for the project and works should follow in the near future. A working bee will be organised to install the toilet at the top of the zig zag track soon so watch this space! If any members have any building experience or have installed long drops in the past, please contact Melanie at queenstownclimbing (at) gmail.com we would appreciate any help that is available. Melanie
Since we are lucky enough to have a good number of youth members.If you are 15-18 and want to Mountaineer the NZAC has a youth mountaineering course on so Check out their website
This weekend April 2 is the Wedding of local climbers Christina Correia and Thomas Van den Burg.Also in Melbourne Nick Lindsay to Anai De Jesus Al the best for your special day guys may your lives together be full of joy!
New route at Hawk wall :Dave Bolger sent his project and has called it Muzzled (28..I think)
G man and Estelle have left the country and are climbing and having fun for 6 months. In the meantime I (Sally)will be looking after the club page. I would like to know about your adventures, events, anouncements, articles, anything of interest. e mail me on the adress below
qtclimbing (at) yahoo.co.nz
Cheers
Sally
South Wye Action: South Wye residents: Aaron and Sally have been climbing some new lines up both sides of the valley featuring a mixture of trad and bolt:
The Guntel / 17 / 2 pitch (see picture) Big Mama Crack / 17 / 1 pitch / 20m bold pro (1 bolt) (see picture) They are also working on longer routes on the Main Wall.
Sam and Alison headed to the south facing side of he South Wye valley to climb a two pitch grade 15/16 climb (Entente Cordiale) (see picture)
Wye Creek news:
Niall Muller added a missing hanger that vanished on one of the cruxes of Eat Yourself Fitter (25) on Project Wall.
Aaron and Sally did a link up from Chimney Sweep (Harold's Wall) to Fata Morgan (see picture)
Guillaume and Estelle put up Antipodes (21) on the Upper Tier, above Main Wall (check out the wee video and picture).
Click on the Video: Antipodes wye creek
Remarks mission:
Keith and Reese did a new route on the west face of remarks on the first day of the year. It is on a new wall it is the prominate triangle wall down and right from wall of the eveining light. It was done ground up and with no bolts. Defo a adventure all around. Decend the gully from the shadow saddle for close to an hour aiming for a prominate tussuck spur on the left. weave on tussock and snowgrass around drops in the gully move left to tussock saddle, and scramble on side of wall down to nearly the lowest part of wall. look for the weakness, some serious adventure awaits. climb the weakness to the top over 200ms rock, tussock (Adventure right...) and more rock. Rock quality is exciting on the bottom pitch but improves after that. once the top is gained follow ridge and ledges around gerndarmes. We are callin it Up In Smoke (16). By no means three star but super fun adventure that takes you to some pretty unlikly places in the remarks.
Kingston...not in Jamaica...although...
Joyeux Noel on Christmas wall saw some re-bolting action and 1 extra (much needed!) bolt was added to the first pitch and 2 to the second pitch. It is now a much less cheese grater climb and quite user friendly. (see picture).
Club News: there are about 80 members in the club! Climbing Wall: The climbing wall will be closed from the 25th Jan – 30th Jan, resuming as usual from Monday 31st, due to 2 events back to back.
If you notice any routes with spinning nuts or hangers hanging on just a few threads please send us an email with the name of the route and which bolt. You may need to tighten the nut with a spanner and use your discretion to climb or not climb the route (check picture underneath taken by Sal/Aaron).
Feeling like on-sighting a new route so there you go: Mr Grumpy - 21/22 - left line on sleeping Giant Wall (Wye Creek) - Dave Bolger Clownerie- 17- 2nd left climb at Hero Wall - Estelle Poiron/Guillaume Charton Cranium- 18 - 2nd left climb at The Boneyard - Guillaume Charton Niall's Climb- 19- upper Harold's Wall (Wye Creek) (far right end of static line: watch out for rocks as people climbing underneath)- Niall Muller Seduction- 22- Last pitch of Indian Summer: obvious steep crack finish right of the Telecom Tower - Reese Doyle.
Othwerwise some quickdraws have been taken off on a project on Homage Wall (Twist of Fate route). Please leave the quickdraws where there are. Let us know if you know anything about the whereabouts of these draws.
The Events Centre climbing wall is closed at least until Friday 31st January due to a special Event. There will be no instructed climbing until the 10th January so climbers need to present a valid belay licence card if they want to climb. Climb hard!
On the third week of December Matt Mcleod, Ken McIntyre and Jo Martindale had a 7 day trip to access the Olivine Ice Plateau via the Dart Valley.
The three 'mousquetaires' had spent two days of pleasant snow travel followed by an in depth native bush experience.
Check out the map underneath and a few pictures related to their mission. All pictures courtesy of Matt McLeod
Video:
Climbing in Wye Creek: Upper Harold's Wall / Lost in translation.
Click the link underneath:
Kek-kek-kek-kek-kek-kek…..Huston we have a human target at 6 o’clock !!! even better it’s a clumsy climber…impact in 5 seconds…full throttle requested to reach top speed of 200km/h to deliver final stroke with little chance of survival !
Commencing count-down: 5-4-3-2-1 and .... impact ! Bingo ! climber’s down…I repeat : climber’s down !
Yes ! Falcons are part of our landscape here around the Lake Wakatipu and even in town you could sometimes hear their screams around Gorge Road.
This fearless predator nest on cliffs edges and forests and with its near perfect eyesight can fly up to 230km/h thanks to its lightweight body and excellent flying skills. Note that the male (300gms) being more agile and fierce is the one more likely to hunt.
During breeding season: from mid spring to start of summer these birds of prey will become even more territorial. The falcons will tolerate nobody hundred of metres from their nest and will attack animals much bigger till death to defend their territory. The trademark of this hunter is the ‘stoop’ or most commonly know as the ‘dive-bomb’.
Check this link on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3mTPEuFcWk
So far falcons have been reported by climbers around the Remarkables Range, the Dart Valley, Southern tip of Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown Hill…so about everywhere!
Next time that you hear the piercing scream of terror coming from the sky that just means that someone is getting irritated…
Not to mention that they are protected birds and although they may harm you more than you may harm them you should keep away from them.
From a falcon paranoid clumsy climber….
Thursday 16 December, 9am: 5 keen young climbers aged from 13 to 15 years old (Whitney, Megan, Stephen, Jared and Andres) met at Gorge Road commercial park to later on climb on Gorge Road Crag. For most of them this was their first ever outdoor climbing experience and thanks to Mike, Rupert, Henrique and Guillaume they scale about 5 routes each within just a few hours. Rupert gave the students some sound instructions about tying a double figure eight knot, belaying and safety.An excellent and very promising first outdoor climbing experience for these climbing enthusiasts~ Bravo!
On Thursday 16th December around 7pm, Josh Greer showed us what he got up to this year: an impressive mission to travel by motorbike from Alaska to Patagonia. Cheers to him, his anecdotal stories and cool pictures which impressed everyone throughout his slideshow.
You could check his website: www.ridefortheirlives.co.nz
A priceless thank you to Josh!
Climbing Tip of the Week by Rupert Gardiner: Belaying a top rope.
In this short video Rupert explains how to belay safely a top roping climber. P-BUS: Pull Break Under Slide Belay Top Rope Video
The rock is getting hot this start of summer with long sunny spells!
This Thursday 16th December we will gather at Revolver at 6:30pm to check out what Josh Greer has been up to this year through a talk/slideshow: going from Alaska to Patagonia on his motorbike. So all welcome to share a drink and this great adventure!
There has been lots lots of keen rockers out there enjoying the schist around Lake Wakatipu.
Reese Doyle reported:
'Trans pacific alien from squamish lurking under the telecom towers!!! from the third pitch of indian summer (the ledge) instead of heading right into the corner system look to the ovious steep sexy crack on the left. climb to the base and let the battle begin. steep hands finish on bouldery moves to more hands. the meat is probably about 15-20 meter and is well worth the attention of anyone in the area. Maybe it has been climbed, maybe not, but i'm certain one thing more people should. If it is nameless i reckon to call it seduction crack, 22, three stars a superb finish to indian summer.
Dave McLeod (a.k.a Spoon) did a few new routes on the left of the upper tier of Arawata Terrace Crag so go and check them out!
Aaron Ford spent his spare time up South Wye....more info soon!
Stanley Costa and Danny Murphy (Dart hermits) had quite a few days up Mount Chaos and are getting slowly but surely up this massive face:-)
136 students spent the last twelve days up Branches station with Wakatipu High School learning about the outdoors through kayaking, rafting, tramping up to Lake Lochnagar and Abseiling/climbing. Here are a few pics of this outdoor experience.
Be aware of fire danger as the bush/grass is very dry.
Please email info to our club email address and many thanks for the great comments!
Gman.
Kingston...New Zealand... The legend says that Bob Marley used to climb around the area a few decades ago and left behind some choice climbs...'I shot the Sheriff' and 'Get up Stand up'. This is where a group of six of us headed Saturday 13th November to retrace Bob Marley's life...on the rock! Jess, Keith, Manisha, Dave & Dave, and Guillaume had a social time on the Kingston schist and finished with a cold (sandfly free) proper beer at the train station pub. For Big Dave it was his first top roping climb outside on the real stuff and for Manisha her first multi-pitch on Get up Stand up. Keith on-sighted I shot the Sheriff which is a 3 pitch climb with a cruxy overhang on the second pitch graded 20.
Next Friday do not forget to turn up at Revolver (NOT at the High School anymore) to check what Niall and Rupert have been up to overseas: Big Wall Climbing and Base Jumping. Cool Pictures and videos and some social times. Meet at Revolver at the back room in between 7 and 7:30 Friday 19th November and if we are enough members we may get a deal on drinks too.
In November the club will have a few meetings and gatherings:- Kingston Beginners Day: Friday 12 Saturday 13 November. Leaving Friday evening 12th November 6:30pm and camping in Kingston. (Camping at Anna an LP's place: $5 per person for the night.) Climbing Saturday on Kingston Crag. Let us know if you are keen to join asap and if you have your own gear and transport and your level of climbing.
- Niall Muller and Rupert Gardiner Talk/Slideshow: Friday 19 November/7:30pm Room D14 Wakatipu High School. Niall and Rupert just came back from their overseas trips, Niall went basejumping and sport climbing in Europe while Rupert went climbing big walls in Yosemite (El Cap and Half Dome). Come along to be amazed by their performances through pictures and short movies.
- Bouldering Gathering at Kelvin Heights : End of November: time and location unknow yet...we are working on it...
- Leading workshop: End of November / start of December: time and location unknow yet... we are working on it...
Otherwise it looks like Jardines is getting quite busy thanks to the summery weather. Please let people know: not to drive on the grass and keep to the rutted tracks and park in the designated areas.
See you and happy climbing.
Sally and Aaron Ford were busy re-bolting classic climbs in need around Queenstown.
Therefore the pair spent some time in Wye Creek and thanks to the club's re-bolting fund replaced all the bolts on The Mission while making sure that the old bolts would remain near invisible...you really have to look for the old bolts if you want find them!
Aaron also changed old top anchors that used to use chains to ring hangers making it safer and less intrusive.
During the second week of October Danny Murphy and Anna Ruotsi sent the Clearances Direct: a steep mixed line on the West Face of the Remarkables.
Thomas Van Den Berg was able to climb the Eye of Sauron a near grade 30 on Rastus Burn boulders.
Guillaume and Estelle did some track work on the Hawk Wall track.
Note Jardines Boulders remain close until the 21st October....just a few days away.
Happy merry climbing.
A few words from Henrique: Hello crazy members, locals, climbers anp people who have the mountain as its favorite enviroment! I colected a few best pics from our trips this winter and would like to share with all some of the coooooolll moments we had up there! The focus of these expeditions was to explore the back country and it happened mainly at the Remarkables, Dulans Valley and Wye Creeck. If you have been up the moutain where there is no one around, most of the terrain is untouched and mysterious you have your idea of what its like! The freedom, the fear, the challenge and the climax after every trip are the elements that make these trips so especial to me. It is my first season and its been such an awesome time! New friendships and older friendships getting stronger! The outdoors has a lot to offer when it comes to friendship. One rely its life on the hands of its mates and the respect for each other is mutual and grows in every deep step on the white sttuf! Grand Couloir, East Face of Single Cone, Faulty Towers and many others became our targets and on our days off we went on mission to conquer these beautifull lines! The back country has so many natural features like the ones man trys to "create" with its massive machines leaving polution on the moutain!!! good quality beautifull snow is more often present in the back country, so if you are tired of waiting on queues for lifts, ugly jumps and hard snow and have started thinking of whats around the corner I hope this material will inspire you to have a go over the ridges next season. A valuable reminder: The back country is Gods enviroment, no snowpatrol goes up there to make any avalanches for you! GET TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO DO BEFORE YOU DO IT. People in the back country have take care of themselves!
Far right of Gorge Road Crag ( very bottom). Short new climb. Top anchors have yet to be set up. Should be around 18. Name: Holly Schist hits the fan
