Welcome to Paynes Ford and the Golden Bay climbing xtravaganza. Here you will find enough hard rock to wear out a Husqvarna Jackhammer. Even Gabe Walker (Stallone/Cliffhanger) would be nanna-napping after a day on Paynes' steeps.
You have two main crag options for climbing in Golden Bay, with a few other off-track spots scattered around. However, between the bush clad limestone bluffs of Paynes Ford and the sunbaked Pohara Sea Cliffs you have over 300 climbs to keep you pumped for months on end. Route guides for the crags are available at the Hangdog office- both the fully detailed bells-and-whistles issue and the basic money-savers issue. Both issues have all of the info on finding the crags, what you will need and what you will enjoy.
The high majority of the climbs
are single pitch sport routes with fixed protection and lower offs.
Some routes can require some extra natural protection, and the very
occasional one is set up entirely for trad. A rack of 10-15 quickdraws,
some 'biners, belay devices and the other basic necessities will generally
see you right. If you were inclined, a selection of slings is always
handy for setting up anchors and applying to threads, and a small set
of pro would give you access to some of the less knowen routes.
A standard 50m dynamic will get you up and down most of the climbs,
with one or two at Paynes and a few more at the taller Sea Cliffs requiring
a 60m rope. Nearly all of the climbs have lower off/ abseil anchors
at the top, and while lowering is the easiest descent, abseiling is
recommended to preserve the anchors, your rope and the rock.
If you're worried about not having enough equipment,
all of the basics (except ropes) are available for hire at Hangdog as
well as plenty of helpful hints and tips.
Here's a rundown on what you can expect at each of the crags:
Over 220 bolted routes spread over
20 or so individual walls, ranging from cruisy slab runs to gnarly roof
grunts, from the cool bush covered short and sweets to wickedly exposed
sustained epics. Whatever you like, you will find it. The rock is a
hard limestone which will likely introduce a new climbing style to many
an experienced climber and give anyone a healthy appreciation of the
sloper.
The grades range from the sweet beginner's grade
12's, to a bunch of acclaimed 28's and 29's for the superhero's out
there. Paynes' grade forte is the early and mid 20's, having
a star-studded line up of 22's-26's available for some serious working
and grade progression. Up until the mid
'90's it was a bit limited in terms of lower grade climbs, but in the
last decade it has had a whole host of superb beginner's routes uncovered,
making it a popular spot for many outdoor rec and school groups.
All of the walls are mere minutes from the river for those summer days
when the gravity metre is up and you need a refresher. There's also
nothing like an early morning dip to get you amped for that breakfast
ascent. BACK TO TOP.
A more recent development in the climbing world, the Sea Cliffs have had a production boom in the last decade, taking the climb numbers from around 20 to nearly a hundred; thanks to the determination and insatiable curiosity of a few nameless locals and regulars. The Sea Cliffs are about 10 minutes drive from Hangdog towards the Abel Tasman National Park, just past Pohara. If you don't have your own car, biking is definately an option, or just hitch a ride with anyone else from camp heading that way. The parking is all on the side of the highway though and you have to be very careful as it is a VERY BUSY ROAD in summer.
These cliffs provide a truly superb alternative to Paynes for a few
reasons: many of the lines here will stay dry / dry faster than those
at Paynes which receive a lot more water seepage; the wall bases are
more open and sunny for lounging and socialising, and also for the simple
fact of a really nice change of scenery- especially on those days when
it seems every man, his dog, his tennis partner and his dog's tennis
partner are down at Paynes. There's nothing quite like topping out a
climb, turning around and being confronted by a brilliant blue ocean
so close it looks close enough to leap into (in some cases it is).
The rock, while still being limestone, is a bit softer than at Paynes,
and while all of these climbs were heavily cleaned, a helmet is always
a good option down here as bits and pieces coming off some of the higher
overhung roofs is always possible. There are a few longer lines here,
and if / when you pick up a guidebook, it will tell you which routes
you may need a 60m+ rope for- there aren't many but they are often the
good ones.
These cliffs have a great range of late 10's to
early 20's; if your at an intermediate level and still working on your
endurance, then these climbs with the extra length are a great option
for you. The "Bo-Peep Slab", located down here, is
the venue for the ever popular and downright loony "Bo-Peep Challenge"
annual climbing competition. Organised, run and judged locally, its
definately worth checking out or competing if your around in January.
BACK TO TOP.
There a few other less well known and less developed walls hidden around the area, and while they are most certainly worth checking out, they are a bit more off the beaten track and tougher to access. Sandhill's Creek, The Games Room, The Mussel Inn Wall and the Stardust Quarry are a few more crag names for you to keep your eyes/ ears open for while planning your trip here, and once at Hangdog the directions are a lot easier understood. BACK TO TOP.
Unfortunately there's a pretty severe lack of quality bouldering around in the Bay, and while you can usually make up a few personal problems, you must not pull out plants etc for the sake of a few moves. What bouldering there is around happens to be of the best variety: over water. The three swimming holes close to Hangdog and the beaches fronting the Sea Cliffs have some great problems to play around on, and when the going gets too tough, you're off into clean cool water. No need for shoe's, mats or spotters. The two classics at the main swimming hole near HD are "The Kool Aid Grand Traverse" and "The Acid Test", either one will give ANY climber a great project for the summer.
Remember,
"Greatness comes to those who take it."
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
