[J.P]

Finally off to New Zealand in march/april and looking for some quality problems to do.
Anyone been who can recommend some gems within the region of V-easy to V10ish?

[SA Chris]

For starters

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,3278.0.html

[J.P]

Thanks!
 

[Fiend]

They all are

[Andy B]

i agree with Fiend. i can't think of any problems that aren't excellent at Castle Hill. make sure you don't walk past problems that look chest high but turn out to be brilliant.

This is a good starting point for a tick list:

http://www.tota.co.nz/castlehill/bch.doc

[Bonjoy]

This is the link for the original Castle Hill thread. I think I put all my favourites on there back when the knowledge was fresh. http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,2422.0.html

[Iesu]

um, so many problems and my memory for names is terrible! Also never bothered buying the Quantum guide proper (made do with the slim Spittle Hill guide and beg/borrow/stealing quantum guides off others at the Craigieburn campsite), so am not au fait with all of the names/grades of stuff over there.

Sorcerer's Apprentice, Oceans, Phoenix(?) - Quantum Field

Nasal Slip, Some V5 on the back of the "Nasal Slip" boulder, Tuppi Master - Spittle Hill

Man i have totally forgotten the names of half the problems there, in fact most of them don't have names - d'oh. Will check Spittle guide when i get home. Would it be wrong to post scanned images of the guide for the benefit of anyone planning a trip there?

generally speaking there are no "bad" problems!

would definitely recommend searchin Flickr for this stuff as there is tons on there. not sure of good info as to problems on the web.

[n_man]

A new guide was due to come out to bouldering at Castle Hill. It was due to launch on the 13th Nov. Had a quick look on the net but couldn't find anything. I'm sure they will be avaliable from most of the outdoor shops when you get here. Certainly you will be able to get one from the Roxx climbing centre in Christchurch.

[J.P]

Thanks for the info guys! Yeah, been looking through Flickr, lots of pics there. Really looking forward to the trip!
I´d appreciate if anyone in the know would give a shout if/when the new guide is out.

[slackline]

Thanks for the info guys! Yeah, been looking through Flickr, lots of pics there.

You may well have found his stream already, but if not check out Derek Thatcher's photos.

[n_man]

Another thouhght. Buy the Big Game DVD so when you get up to Flock Hill you will be able to recognise some problems. Bear in mind that the access has changed, so when you walk to the field most of the bouldering is not at the logical point you would expect. It's at the far end of the field where the access point used to be. There won't be much (I think) in the new guide about Flock Hill as there is no real desire from the locals to document lots of stuff. Although I think there will be access descriptions.

[wMickey]

Hey,
I'm looking to get to Christchurch around Christmas time and I'm told theres not much really goes on in NZ over xmas so was thinking of just hiring a car and heading to Castle Hill. Has anyone stayed in the backpackers place mentioned on the tota site? Or is there a better place to stay? 

[BenF]

Everyone will be at the beach or somewhere, camping with the family.  NZ is very chilled for about two weeks over Christmas and New Year, many businesses (like garages etc) shut down for at least a week.  It will be hot up at the Hill but if you get out very early and climb until dark, you will get shit done.  Listen to the advice re Flock Hill, get hold of any guides that you can for the other areas and expect to be overwhelmed for your first day/week/month/whatever.  Don't be afraid to ask other climbers for suggestions/a spot/directions when you're there as at first it's a maze of identical, blank looking boulders.

As for the best problems, what Bonjoy said... they're all great.

[SA Chris]

I found the satellite photo topo in Rock Deluxe fairly for Quantum Fields fairly  easy to navigate with, once you find the big muddy / sandy bit in the middle. I recall Curvature at V4  being a good problem.

[Iesu]

ah, sweet friday morning reminiscences.

just scanned a couple of pages of the spittle guide for general interest and was reminded of a few quality problems (strictly in my grade range), like:

Cop pr0n V4

Slab V5

Blue V4

Acme V4

The Element V5

Self Arete V4

The Letter Box V5

happy days! would recommend camping at or lodging at flock hill station if you like/need creature comforts such as t'interweb (for a price), lounge w/ DVD player, hot showers, flushing toilets and a restaurant/bar

edit: should add that i'm not sure if the Castle hill backpackers exists, and the flock hill station is only a couple of km down the road from Craigieburn campsite, which is free, has no running water except for the stream, has a long drop, has boulder mat eating Kea's (no joke) but is full of climbers so get there for the "scene".

also that comment it "Ethics" about toproping is class.

also the recommendation of driving the "necky gravel roads" of the Banks peninsula as a rest-day option is a top tip. don't recommend horrific hangovers and attempted hand-brake turns though...

[n_man]

Hey,
I'm looking to get to Christchurch around Christmas time and I'm told theres not much really goes on in NZ over xmas so was thinking of just hiring a car and heading to Castle Hill. Has anyone stayed in the backpackers place mentioned on the tota site? Or is there a better place to stay? 

The backpackers in Springfield is OK, as in pretty cheap but not fantastic facilities, they are OK but basic. About a 20 min drive to Castle Hill and a LOT less bad weather prone. Not that this should be a problem as it will be hot. Mornings and evenings will be in order.

Alternatively the campsite at Craigeburn is free as Iesu said. Good place to find other people with pads and spotters as you are going to need them. Also lots of other places where you can free camp and you have the right to do so, don't piss farmers off.

Your right in terms of not much going on. Its a genuine family time and folks are camping or at their batch and lots of places will be shut.

In answer to the original question my favourites areas are the valley at the back of Castle Hill near Dark Castle and Wuthering Heights up the hillside. Loads and loads of potential there. Check out Brutus Rufus V9.

Spittle Hill now has a fence round it and lots of keep out working farm signs. Having talked to locals who know the farmers just don't fuck up their fences or chase sheep and they will be fine. I reckon its just to cut down on tourists wandering in their as it was starting to get a bit worn on some tracks. Puts more pressure on Quantum Field though.

[Iesu]

how did they manage to fence off Spittle Hill, the main path from the road to Quantum goes right through it doesn't it?

[cofe]

when is the castle hill season? (Yes I know i could have searched for this.)

[BenF]

Conditions start to get good day round from mid-May onwards and deteriorate from late October I'd say.  Best months I found were July - September, however its still damn good in the middle of summer once you know where to climb and which problems to go for.  Parts of Flock hill can still be great in the middle of summer on a breezy overcast day.

[n_man]

how did they manage to fence off Spittle Hill, the main path from the road to Quantum goes right through it doesn't it?

A new fence runs parallel to the fence that was to your right as you walked towards the rocks. Its about a 20 foot wide piece of land and has a very distinctive gravel path slowly meandering towards the rocks. At the end of it the old footpath widens considerably and has much bigger wider tracks leading from it. Also occupied by people with prams looking bemused as to why the track has stopped. Still New Zealand makes a fortune from tourism 1 in 10 employed by it.

PS The old path has largely grown over and much of Spittle Hill has now also greened over.

[Iesu]

that's definitely new since March then! I noticed that there had been attempts to stabilise the path (as you come past the stand of trees just off the road) but putting up a 2nd fence seems a bit "extreme". so is access officially a no-go to spittle hill presently?

[n_man]

The farmers just don't want their fences or sheep f**ked with. Access is tolerted with the usual rules applying. I think its more to do with keeping tourists out as its now on the tourist trail.

A bit extreme possibly but its one of those tricky situations. Do you fence it off and keep the farmers happy and have a bit of an eyesore and make it tourist friendly or let the situatiuon deteriorate slowly/use lots of negotiation or goodwill with the farmers?

[Iesu]

The farmers just don't want their sheep f**ked with.

look mate i might be welsh but there's no need for national stereotyping on here!

[n_man]

Some words appear to be missing from the quote!
 

[J.P]

A new guide was due to come out to bouldering at Castle Hill. It was due to launch on the 13th Nov. Had a quick look on the net but couldn't find anything. I'm sure they will be avaliable from most of the outdoor shops when you get here. Certainly you will be able to get one from the Roxx climbing centre in Christchurch.

Just received my copy of "The comprehensive Castle Hill Climbing guide" and must say it looks very promising. Well laid out birds eye maps with photo reference to each one at the bottom of the page. It covers 5300 problems and over 200 routes at Quantum and Spittle.
As mention earlier it doesn´t cover Flock Hill in detail, but gives a description to access etc...."go explore" kind of style, wich i like.

Lots of info in general and good layout/design. Looking forward to put it to the test soon

Got it from the New Zealand Alpine Club if anyone´s interrested:

http://alpineclub.org.nz/news/2008/the-comprehensive-castle-hill-climbing-guide