At First, We Were Intimidated.
Known for steep alpine peaks and hardcore mountaineering adventures, New Zealand rock climbing culture is intimidating—especially for a couple of unremarkable climber girls looking for moderate sport climbs around Ewbank (Australian) grade 18 (5.9-5.10a YDS).
My good friend Lindsay had been traveling the country in her van for almost four months when I arrived for my two weeks of adventuring with only a backpack, an open mind, and a couple of friends’ recommendations. First off, this was not a climbing-specific trip, but we climbed rocks wherever we could between our other numerous adventures. In the end, we managed to explore six different sport crags up and down the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island as we worked our way south from Christchurch to Queenstown! Check out our full two-week itinerary in a separate post (coming soon).
For some New Zealand sport climbing beta, stick around and discover which climbs we did, which crags were our favorite, and which ones we’d probably pass on next time!
New Zealand Rock Climbing: Is it Worth it?
Yes!
Even though Lindsay and I don’t climb at an elite level, we had so much fun exploring New Zealand rock climbing crags all over the South Island!
Rock climbing in New Zealand feels so different than rock climbing in California! I could count on one hand the number of other climbing parties we encountered across the entire trip. If we were at any crag in southern California, let alone highly rated crags with outstanding views and short approaches, we’d be surrounded by other climbers on all sides. The climbing vibe in New Zealand is definitely chill compared to California climbing culture.
Consequently, there aren’t huge comment sections with beta on various climbs and current conditions, which makes New Zealand rock climbing a bit more adventurous than in the States. I’d recommend doing research and talking to local climbers to get the most up-to-date information.
Additionally, the style of climbing at each crag was so different even among the same rock types. The climbing was so diverse that we never got bored, and wished we had more time to keep exploring!
If you enjoy sport climbing, bring your gear and give it a go! I lugged my gear halfway across the world with me and I’m so glad I did.
Building a New Zealand Rock Climbing Itinerary
Since we are from the States, we primarily use Mountain Project to find information on local crags before investing in a guidebook for an area. At first glance, sport climbing crags seemed few and far between. What climbs are on Mountain Project seemed to be either traditional or alpine style or extremely difficult.
We quickly discovered that New Zealand uses theCrag.com almost exclusively, with additional information found in the country’s climbing database https://climbnz.org.nz/ and shortly the options began flooding in!
Our preplanned route was south from Christchurch to Queenstown along the west coast. After pinpointing our various sport climbing destinations on the route, we used the Rock Deluxe South guidebook. This guidebook had almost all the crags we went to, though some of the grading has been updated, and new routes and crags have been established since its publication.
The order of the New Zealand rock climbing crags below is the order we climbed them, so you could essentially follow them like a road trip. We weren’t able to climb every crag on the route but we definitely tried to sample each area while doing our best to avoid making this mistake. As I mentioned before, we were trying to stick to the Ewbanks 14-19 range (YDS 5.7-5.10b), but its easy to find harder climbs in the same areas if that’s what you’re after!
In order, we climbed:
- Wonder Wall, Charleston
- Weka Wall, Punakaiki
- The Bakehouse, Hospital Flat, Wanaka
- The Chasm, Milford Sound
- Bob Marley’s Corner, Kingston
- Main Wall, Wye Creek
Necessary Gear for our New Zealand Rock Climbing Trip
With limited space in my checked baggage, I managed to fit all the gear needed for a sport multi-pitch. Between the two of us, we brought:
- Harnesses
- Chalkbags
- Shoes
- 12 Quickdraws
- 3 Single Length Alpine Draws
- 1 Double Length Alpine Draw
- 2 ATC Guides
- 2 Grigris
- 2 Sport Anchor Setups Including:
- 1 double length sling
- 1 20ft cordalette
- 8 locking biners
- 2 Personal Anchors
- Autoblock
- Helmet
- 80M Rope**
**A 60m would be sufficient for everything we did if you are short on space, but if I had more space, I’d like to have had a 2nd 60M rope to open up more possibilities. Some fun-looking multi-pitch routes required two 60M ropes for the rappel.
Keep in mind not all of this gear is required for every route. Research your routes and use your own discretion for what you should bring. For our itinerary, this list was all we needed!
Crag #1: Wonder Wall, Charleston
Top Rope + Trad + A Few Sport Routes
When you ask kiwi climbers for the top crags for New Zealand rock climbing, Charleston always seems to fall in the top three! Known as a traditional climbing area, we weren’t sure we’d find anything we could safely climb there. Luckily, most of the routes have both top and bottom access, and many have 2-point bolted anchors. We decided to begin our New Zealand rock climbing adventure on top-rope. As mundane as this may seem, the dramatic swells crashing just behind the belay and periodic waves of sea spray in addition to a rainstorm chasing us out made for an exciting enough day. Besides, the approach only took 10 minutes!
Approach
From the car park, we walked for about 5 minutes along a well-defined trail before short social trails began branching off towards the sea for various crags. Some trails access the top and some provide access to the base of the sea cliffs. We chose to explore Wonder Wall for the moderate grades and bolted anchor access which was only 10 minutes from the car. It helps to compare a GPS map and aerial photo to identify which crag you pop out at.
Type of Climbing
The rock is very featured and cracked volcanic gneiss which makes for a very fun and vertical style of climbing. The climbs were a tad pumpy at times and had fun crack features. Maybe it was the looming swell at our backs or the sea-spray-soaked gneiss, but the climbs seemed a tad challenging for the grade.
What We Climbed
- Racing in the Streets (16)
- Stinger (17)
- Wild Horses in the Sun (19)
- Rocks in the Head (18 sport)
We top-roped all of these climbs because they required trad gear, though the anchors were bolted. Unfortunately, we couldn’t identify the sport climb until afterwards because it didn’t appear in our guidebook, so we top-roped that one too in the interest of time. I definitely want to lead it next time!
Other Things to Note
- Check the tide before going. Know if its rising or falling.
- The swells get huge, so wait for a big set to pass through before you decide it’s safe to stand at the base of the cliff.
- Most anchor points are two bolts without any additional gear and can be set back over 10 feet from the ledge. Plan appropriately.
Overall Impression: Tied for 2nd Place in our New Zealand Rock Climbing Ratings
We loved the wild and exposed vibe of climbing Charleston, coupled with a quick and easy approach. Charleston is a small town with few climbers, and there are numerous crags to choose from, so your crag will most likely never be packed. Many of the climbs are long and varied, so I can see how it’s a trad climber’s playground, but you definitely need to be situationally aware with the sea crashing at your back. Overall, Charleston tied The Chasm for second place when we rated our favorite New Zealand rock climbing crags.
Crag #2: Weka Wall, Punakaiki
Sport Climbing
Located on Punakaiki River just around the corner from the famous Pancake Rocks, Weka Wall itself embodies some of that pancake-y limestone. However, I wouldn’t go as far as to call Weka Wall a New Zealand rock climbing destination per se, but we had a good time on the unique layed (albeit sandy) rock and climbed all seven routes on the wall within a few hours! The climbs are relatively short, but the approach is even shorter. Additionally, there is usually no one else around except for the occasional mountain biker or hiker.
Approach
Park your car in a pullout 20m from the base of the climbs. It’s very visible from the road and very easy to find—probably my favorite approach in NZ.
Type of Climbing
Most of the climbs were short and sweet on layered limestone. The two on the left were longer, including my favorite: View to Sea (16). The longer climbs feature a view of the ocean in the distance (hence the name). The climbing style was interesting. Picture small mantles up sandy shelf after sandy shelf with some more featured blocky holds towards the top. It wasn’t anything to write home about, but it made for a fun day.
What We Climbed
- Gretel (13)
- Hansel (15)
- Weka Watch (15)
- Max (14)
- Eehaw (14)
- View to Sea (16)
- The End of Motion (17 or 21… depending who you ask)
I onsighted each of these climbs with the exception of the last one where I had to hang and figure out the committing mantle move. That being said, I think the ratings are fairly accurate with the exception of the first two moves on Gretel through Max, and the roof move on The End of Motion.
I managed to climb Gretel (13) in trail runners. However, although the climbing is easy after the first bolt, the right half of the wall has some bouldery and slightly overhung moves with poor feet to get to the first bolt which I would rate somewhere between 16 and 17, so they aren’t great first leads.
The most exciting part was my confusion while leading the final route The End of Motion labelled as 17 in the guidebook. I had to hang three times to figure out a cruxy move over a total roof which is out of the ordinary for me on 17s. Thinking that I was either getting weak or this climb was in no way a 17, I managed to mantle up over the roof successfully on my 4th attempt. Later, upon referencing theCrag.com, it turns out the climb has been upgraded to a 21 (5.11a). Whoops. I made sure to reference theCrag after that.
Other Things to Note
- This wall is protected from light rain by a roof.
- There are an alarming number of loose bolts. Not just hangers, but bolts that wiggle. I found three: one on Weka Watch, one on View to Sea, and even one anchor bolt on Eehaw.
- As of March 2023 anchor points are two bolts with rap rings.
- The sandflies weren’t bad when we were climbing even though we were getting attacked on the coast.
- There are restrooms available just a bit further up the road.
- There are a few other small crags with harder climbs in the same area.
Overall Impression: 6th Place in our New Zealand Rock Climbing Ratings
There were definitely some pros and cons. I think the first few moves of almost every climb were harder than the grade, the wall was super sandy, and I found three loose bolts—one of which was an anchor bolt (yikes!). Fortunately, most of the climbing was pretty cruiser for me and the blocky holds were fun and intriguing. The best parts of this crag were the 30 second approach and shady belay, as well as the protection from rain and lack of other climbers. The ocean view was pretty awesome too!
However, despite the fun we had, the quality of rock, unexpectedly difficult moves, and sketchy bolt situation made this wall last (6th place) on our rating. I’d definitely climb here again if I’m in the area, but wouldn’t go out of my way.
Crag #3: The Bakehouse, Hospital Flat, Wanaka
Sport Climbing
Hospital Flat is a wonderland of schist sport climbing crags spread out through a valley of pastures. Some crags are more clifflike and others are more like giant boulders. Only 15 minutes from Wanaka, this is a “popular” (saw two other climbers?) and convenient sport climbing area. With hundreds of routes and boulders to choose from, you could spend weeks at Hospital Flat alone and still not climb every route
Approach
The approaches range from 10 seconds to 20 minutes or more depending on the crag, but we decided to climb The Bakehouse. The approach was 5 minutes and there were lots of moderate sport climbs to choose from, including those perfect for a new leader. There was also some shade to hide out in which was perfect for the hot day.
Type of Climbing
The rock quality was pretty good overall and the schist offered a selection of climbing styles from slab to overhang with varied steepness. I thoroughly enjoyed each climb, and I could definitely spend more time here!
What We Climbed
In order, we climbed:
- Monkey Toes (13)
- Milk and Cookies (13)
- Stealing Candy From a Baby (17)
- Curiously Sheepish (14)
All of the climbs were super fun! I led Monkey Toes barefoot which was an experience that I’m not sure I enjoyed I especially enjoyed Stealing Candy From a Baby, which has a super committing roof sequence on good holds (when you finally find them). I could argue it was a bit tougher than a 17, but I’d definitely climb it again!
Other Things to Note
- Watch out for livestock droppings as you cross the paddock.
- Most anchor points are offset, which makes setting an anchor a bit tricky if you only have draws.
- The anchor points are connected (not necessarily equalized) to a single rap ring.
Overall Impression: 4th Place in our New Zealand Rock Climbing Ratings
Overall, Hospital Flat is an awesome place to spend a day (or week) sport climbing! The climbs are plentiful, the crowds are minimal since there are so many crags to choose from, the approaches are quick and easy, and the climbing is fun! The only reason it didn’t place higher was because the views from the top of other crags were on another level, which goes to show how epic New Zealand rock climbing is! Regardless, Hospital Flat is definitely a place worth checking out.
Crag #4: The Chasm, Milford Sound
Sport Climbing + Trad Climbing
Hidden just five minutes into the bush off Highway 94, The Chasm is a 300-foot overhanging diorite cliff which can be climbed during rain or shine in three to four pitches. It is the perfect rainy-day crag as you can stay dry under the giant roof as dozens of waterfalls cascade down the mountains behind you!
We’ve heard how epic this place is for years from some close climbing friends. We were a bit disheartened to find that the easiest climbs began around grade 19 and seemed to increase exponentially. All of the good quality climbs seemed far out of reach. However, we were advised by some local climbers that the first few pitches of some super hard climbs go at 17, so off we went! We were not disappointed.
Approach
We had a tough time finding the parking location on the side of Highway 94 using the guidebook alone and passed it three times before eliciting help from a local climber. There is only really space for three cars to park here, but The Chasm is rarely crowded. There is also a giant rock cairn marking the approach trail, which disappears into the bush just off the side of the highway. Although the trail only takes 5-10 minutes, it’s steep, slippery, and can be hard to follow, so be sure to look for subsequent cairns.
The best part of this crag is that it stays *mostly* dry. With the exception of the first three bolts, the crag is completely protected by a giant roof—the third pitch of most of the climbs. By the time we arrived, it was raining pretty good, but I managed to climb above the wet rock with closely spaced bolts pretty easily. However, there is a rung ladder to access a primary belay on the dry rock as well. Make sure to rope up for that too because the rungs run out before the belay.
Type of Climbing
The diorite rock at The Chasm is a good-quality volcanic rock similar to granite, but with more features. The texture of the rock changed multiple times throughout the route and graced us with everything from overhung jugs to low-angle slab to vertical crimps. We climbed a roof and traversed horizontally. This climb was a wild ride and we loved it!
What We Climbed
Our objective for the day was the first two pitches of Contact Neurosis (28). Luckily, the first two pitches go at 17-18 and made for an awesome rainy-day adventure. I think rainy days might be the best (and busiest) days at the crag because of the panoramic waterfall views. It was quite an experience! The final pitch went at 28, so we decided to skip that one… In terms of the descent, we were able to make it to the ground in one rap with feet to spare with our 80m rope, but you’d need two raps for any shorter length rope.
Other Things to Note
- Follow cairns closely on the approach.
- You can easily spend an entire rainy day climbing around on dry rock under the roof between belays.
- Don’t pee from belays. It will never get washed away.
Overall Impression: Tied for 2nd Place in our New Zealand Rock Climbing Ratings
This was my second favorite crag on our trip (Lindsay’s third), only because I was suffering from hardcore FOMO and drooling over all the climbs literally just out of reach. This crag is ideal if you thrive on grades 25-30 (5.12-5.13) sport climbs. The third roof pitch looks incredible, just currently about eight grades too difficult. The diorite quality is fantastic and the features and moves keep you thinking the whole time. Additionally, the view is unbeatable! Plus, the ability to stay dry during the frequent Fiordland rain squalls makes this the perfect sport crag. I would highly recommend climbing here if you’re up for an adventure!
Crag #5 (Our Favorite): Bob Marley's Corner, Kingston
Multi-Pitch Sport Climbing
To be honest, this crag was an afterthought. It happened to be a quick detour on the way to our next destination, so we gave it a go and we are SO glad we did! It ended up being our favorite climb of all of the New Zealand rock climbs we did over the two week road trip!
Overlooking the small town of Kingston located on the south end of Lake Wakatipu, Bob Marley’s Corner is one of three small moderate multi-pitch sport crags. The approach is uphill but short and the vibe is super chill. We had the crag to ourselves and took our time climbing the schist arete overlooking the lake.
Approach
From the parking at the Te Kere Haka reserve gate, it only took us 15 minutes to get on the wall. Although steep, the approach is relatively short and shaded. Most of it is a slow climb up a designated trail. After the somewhat sketchy creek crossing, it took two minutes to get to Bob Marley’s Corner and the base of our route.
Type of Climbing
The schist was diverse and super solid. There were both roof sections and slabby sections, aretes and corners. We both thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!
What We Climbed
We chose to climb a three pitch 16 called Get Up, Stand Up. This cruiser climb made for three pitches of fun, varied schist climbing with no one else around and a killer view of Lake Wakatipu.
We were able to descend in two rappels with our 80m rope, stopping only at the top of the first pitch, but you might need to alter that with a 60m rope.
Funny story! While descending, a very peculiar thing happened to us. As my partner Lindsay was rappelling, she accidentally startled two mice on a ledge about halfway down. One mouse ran up the wall, the other chose a leap of faith at least 15m down to the first belay ledge right next to where I was standing. We couldn’t believe it! Even more unbelievable was that after a minute of being stunned, the mouse hopped up and scampered off into the bush. Even more unbelievable still was that fact I got it all on video. I guess there’s a first time for everything! What an unexpected end to a rad climb!
Other Things to Note
- The anchor points at the 1st and 3rd belays are close together, but the 2nd belay’s anchor points are quite offset, so I needed my longer cordalette to properly build an equalized anchor there.
- Part of the rappel is free-hanging, so an autoblock back-up was nice to have.
- The top of the third pitch is pretty run-out, but over easy (grade 12ish) terrain.
Overall Impression: Our Favorite New Zealand Rock Climb! 1st Place!
Climbing at Bob Marley Corner was our favorite New Zealand rock climbing experience on the trip for a few reasons. First of all, the only thing better than topping out a climb is topping out with a friend! The crag is visible from the entire town of Kingston, so it’s pretty easy to find. The approach is relatively short and straightforward, the climbing was fun and interesting, and the view was unbeatable. Additionally, we were in the shade almost the whole time which made the climb all the more enjoyable!
Crag #6: Main Wall, Wye Creek
Sport Climbing
Wye Creek is the primary rock climbing area near Queenstown. Hosting a wide range of climbs, there’s something there for everyone no matter the skill level! I found the approach pretty brutal, but the climbing was fun. Additionally, both the belayer and climber get to enjoy incredible views over Lake Wakatipu.
Approach
Main Wall is essentially the furthest crag from the parking lot. If you have a 4WD vehicle, the approach consists of a challenging 20+ minute slog up a steep single track trail before walking along a large water pipe to cross the falls. if you have a normal vehicle (like us), add 15 minutes of super steep switchbacks up a dirt road to the beginning of the approach.
Although challenging, the approach is straightforward and the closer crags are only five minutes from the start of the single track trail.
Type of Climbing
Like much of the climbing around Queenstown, the rock was good quality schist with lots of features. Many crags are steep and overhanging, though we chose to climb a vertical arete.
What We Climbed
We chose to start on The Mission (16), a high rated climb definitely worth doing! We both really loved that climb and the view from the top! I guess it’s similar to the view from the bottom, but with an added sense of accomplishment. Kudos to Lindsay for her first lead at that grade!
The second route we climbed was Bigger Than Big (17/18). The guidebook said 17, but theCrag calls it 18. I agree with the 18 rating. The moves are overhung and challenging right off the deck before even clipping the first bolt, and don’t ease up until you get to the second. The climb eases up in difficulty for the top half (13ish), but the rock is so ridiculously featured and the bolts are so far spaced that I found it challenging to stay on route and locate the next bolt. We still had fun, but we much preferred The Mission.
Although both routes are only a few feet apart, the style of climbing and types of holds couldn’t be more different. It’s hard to explain, but what a unique type of rock!
Other Things to Note
- The anchor points on the routes we climbed were not level, so draws might not be the best anchor choice.
- There is minimal shade so bring lots of sun protection and water on hot days.
Overall Impression: 5th Place in our New Zealand Rock Climbing Ratings
For everything I’ve heard about Wye Creek, I wish I enjoyed it a bit more, but we went on a pretty hot day and weren’t expecting to hike straight uphill for 40 minutes prior to climbing. Without access to a 4WD vehicle, we had to park in the lower lot which added 15 extra minutes of hiking uphill. I know I’m a wimp, but I’d gotten used to all the nice short approaches!
The climbing and views from the top were similar to Kingston (our favorite climbing location), but the approach was three times longer. However, there are significantly more routes than Kingston, including a lot of difficult routes, so I see the appeal, especially if you’re local.
The type of rock and styles of climbing were super interesting and fun and we really liked the two routes we climbed! However, with the minimal shade and hot black rock, we were pretty drained after only two climbs and proceeded to call it a day and go swim in the lake. Maybe Wye Creek is best explored on a cooler day.
The Ratings are In!
After returning home, Lindsay and I rated our favorite crags from 1-6. I took the average and voila! We agreed on the entire list with the exception of second and third place, which we’d swapped (hence the tie).
- Bob Marley’s Corner, Kingston
- The Chasm, Milford Sound and Wonder Wall, Charleston (tie)
- The Chasm, Milford Sound and Wonder Wall, Charleston (tie)
- The Bakehouse, Hospital Flat, Wanaka
- Main Wall, Wye Creek
- Weka Wall, Punakaiki
Last Words of Advice
Before you set out, I just want to leave you with a few tips I learned along the journey, that might make yours go more smoothly.
Sport climbing is not as big in New Zealand as the States. The population is much smaller, so routes don’t see as much traffic, especially in rural areas. Enjoying crags to yourself is both a blessing and a curse. After finding so many loose bolts on the first day, I was definitely on higher alert when inspecting fixed gear. Also, with no one around, be sure to come up with a plan in the event of emergency.
When you do encounter local climbers, make friends and learn about the places you’re climbing. Which places are best for rainy days? What are the local ethics? They might know who put up the routes, or be that person themselves! They might even point you to new routes that haven’t been included in a guidebook yet.
A great place to find said local climbers is at Homer Hut by Milford Sound. For those looking to get into mountaineering or alpine style climbing, stay a night (or a week) and make friends. Homer Hut is a hotspot for all the best climbers the South Island has to offer. With easy access to nearby alpine adventures, making friends there will get you following on some pristine alpine granite in no time!
New Zealand is an incredible place and the rock climbing there is no exception. I doesn’t matter if you are unremarkable sport climbers like us, or hardcore winter mountaineers. If you are a climber and plan to explore the South Island, definitely bring your gear along. You’ll be glad you did!
More Adventures to Explore
Your adventure doesn’t have to stop here! Looking to explore more rock climbing destinations? Check out these posts!
Rock Climbing in Ojai, California: A 3 Day Travel Guide
Rock Climbing in Malibu, California: A 3 Day Travel Guide
3 Days in Big Bear Lake, California: An Adventure Guide
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