UKC

Do I buy South Island Rock or Rock Deluxe?

I will be spending December and January Climbing the southern half of the South Island with a 60m rope, 12 quickdraws and a bunch of medium wires.

Mostly keen on big mountain days (remarks traverse) and easy(ish) sport climbing up to 24

plus whatever bolted multipitch there is (Sebastapol Bluffs?)

thoughts please and recommendations of placed to go and climb.

In reply to LittleJoe:

I quite like the newer South Island Rock, but Rock Deluxe is also go so it's take your pick really.

Not too sure about best places to go (everyone will point you to Paynes Ford I guess) but with December and January you should have great weather.

enjoy.

In reply to LittleJoe: If you are just going for a visit, I would get Rock Deluxe. Better topos, maps, directions etc than SIR. We bought RD and borrowed SIR when we went and we used RD a lot more. We did some nice sport around Wanaka (Hospital Flats) and at Payne's Ford, which although good is not any better than European limestone (IMO). Hope you are bouldering too?

Rock Deluxe is by far the more user friendly guide - and should be more than enough for a 3 month trip.

For big mountain days (esp rock ridges etc) I'd go to the Darrans. (NZAC has a guidebook). It's the best place for alpine rock in NZ by far. Awesome sport climbing there too.

In reply to LittleJoe:

Rock Deluxe is the way to go.

In reply to LittleJoe: Sorry to jump on your thread.. But... Does anyone know the extent of climbing in the north island, and where i can get a guide?

dan

In reply to Braintax: guide book that is!

In reply to Braintax:

have a look at www.alpineclub.org.nz

Thanks to everyone else Rock Deluxe it is (and yes bouldering too!)

In reply to LittleJoe: hey, I have rock deluxe, most of the independent crag guides for the South Island and a few of the Alpine Club guides too. they are in a box at a mates in Christchurch, If you don't want to buy then there could be an option to 'borrow' them for your trip.

I'm back in the UK so they aren't getting used.

Off the top of my head, places i'd recommend would be Chinamans Bluff (amazing mixed routes, multi pitch sport and trad). Wye Creek for more sport. Go further past Hospital Flats for more sport (literally hundreds of routes in the Wanaka area).

You can hire bouldering pads in Christchurch if you're thinking of going to Castle Hill (highly recommend)

PM me for details about the guide books etc

In reply to LittleJoe:
Both are Quite old and only cover some climbs and crags- but do give a bit of an overveiw
If you are staying somewhere for a while get the local guide.

Updates- Wye creek, Queenstown- it is not( and never has been) OK to camp there.
Access to Flock hill has changed- There is info on www,mojozone.co.nz in the access section.

You will have a good time with that gear.

In reply to KiwiPrincess:

There is GREAT Mountain scrambling and Hiking in the Darran Mountains! ( Milford sound area)

The Alpine club has mountain huts and1 at Milford and 1 at Fox that are Base huts. Half price for members in Huts and Deals on the guide books. only $100 to join for a year or 150 per couple But you get1 set of Quartly mags and 1 year book.

In reply to Braintax:

North Island has lots of climbing

Taranaki looks good
Central there is Bryces lodge Near Wharepapa( castle rock, Froggatt , I hr from Kinloch, Whanganui bay.
It is all volcanic Ignambrite to rhyolite

There is no North Island climbing guide but Freeclimb Has downloads I believe
check out
Rockclimb.co.nz
Mojozone.co.nz- Might have the link to freeclimb on there

In reply to LittleJoe: For NI try here http://www.freeclimb.co.nz/
Lots of sport at Froggatt/Wharepapa/Sheridan.
Te Ananui Bay is a lovely spot and has some good trad (as well as snorkelling).
Bouldering at Waitomo is pretty good.
Whanganui Bay is another great place to visit with good camping and some great climbing, both Trad and sport.

Hey, I recommend the Rock Deluxe guide as not only is it the best guide but it is written by an absolute legend, and i would have no problems giving him my money, The R.D is just a newer version of the south island guidebook although I do remember there being another guidebook which had alot of advertisements in (of the christchurch rock's gym) which just seemed a total rip of the rock deluxe book.

In the north island I would say the best crags are whangaunui bay (lake taupo) and Mangaokewa(Te kuiti)...