Auckland Climbs.
Auckland Climbs.
This guidebook covers the three major rock climbing areas close to Auckland. All three are areas of volcanic rock; rhyolite at Karangahake, and basalt at both Ti point and The Quarry. The Mount Eden quarry can be reached on foot or by bus from the central city, is located close to the centre of Auckland, and offers steep sustained climbing on thin cracks. The Quarry is composed of basaltic columns which are tightly jointed. On the Long Side the cracks are generally very thin, and the climbing is often sustained steep groove and wall climbing. Since large sections of the cliff overhang and are very quick to dry because it faces the sun for most of the day, the Long Side of the Quarry is a good bet in poor weather. However the Short Side, because of its shadowed location, is much wetter and is probably best visited in the summer when afternoon sun is able to dry out the walls and cracks. Karangahake Gorge is located between Paeroa and Waihi in the Coromandel, two hours south of Auckland, and offers steep climbing on generally sound rock. The climbing at the Gorge is largely wall-climbing, often in exposed positions. This area has a number of different buttresses and cliffs, and provides the longest routes. The rock is generally sound, but may in places need to be treated with care. Ti point is located near Warkworth, an hour north of Auckland. The climbs at Ti Point are short, no more than 25 metres, and the main technique involved is jamming, because of the columnar structure and because holds when found are very rounded. The rock is of a rough texture and of good quality, although the upper regions of the cliff can be suspect. It dries very quickly after rain, making Ti Point a much wiser choice in uncertain weather than Karangahake, where the covering of red lichen causes the rock to be slow to dry. The Author hopes that this guidebook will rekindle interest in Ti Point and Karangahake Gorge. The latter in particular is far from developed. Popularity for particular areas goes through cycles, and it might be that the Gorges time will come again. The Author has written this guidebook with the intent that out-of-town climbers can find their way to and up the climbs with as little difficulty as possible.
Page created by Murray Scott. Last modified 26 June 1996.