[Bonjoy]

The most amazing setting of any crag i've ever visited, shapely grey boulders in green flowery alpine meadow surounded on all sides by snow-capped peaks.
 Various boulderfields all within a 5km square. Each with a vast amount of bouldering. Some very well developed and documented (Quantum Field and Spital Hill) others less so with loads of new stuff to go at but local knowledge needed to work out where the existing probs live(lots of potential for top notch highball action with perfect landings).
 Very odd technical climbing, those who like simple grab and pull probs will hate it. Lots of very technical slabs, scoops, walls many of which end with crazy mantles. Many probs have two cruxes, one on the up bit and one on the topout. Not many steep probs. Lots of run jumps and dynos. Landings are usually perfect soft grass.
 Boulders usually very quiet mid-week. Quantum field can get quite busy at weekend but won't feel it due to vast area.
 Cheap basic bunkhouse right next to crag. No shops/pub for 45km. Free campsite 5km up road.

[Fiend]

Yes yes, big up Castle Hill    :rocker2:

[screwyouI'mfromderby]

I'm there at the moment and I must say that it really is all that it's supposed to be. The thing is is can get hard trying to climb in such a strange place.

If you make it over here, come prepared to walk around in a daze. There really is just so much to do. I will have to disagree with a couple of things though. The landings can be very bad in places, as you would expect as the rocks are lined up on the side of a hill. Many landings can include a bounce down terraces, or a slide on some sheep crap for forty feet. A bouldering mat isn't really essential but a good spotter is priceless.

The bunkhouse over the road has got to be the worst place I have ever stayed in. There was rubbish and crap all over the place. The bathroom wasn't working or even finished and we only managed to find one mattress in the whole 20+ bed building that wasn't wet. The kitchen looked like everyone from the last six weeks had brought their own plates and pans, cooked and left them there rather than washing them up. In a word it was filthy and while I don't mind a bit of dirt I don't want to pay for the pleasure of it. It's only an hour in the car from Christchurch so I'd recommend taking the drive and listening to the new Spears CD or summat.

Still worth the effort, overwhelming, mostly hard, slippy and odd. You'll never look back.

[Bonjoy]

Shame about the bunkhouse! It was a touch shabby when we stayed but sounds like a shithole now. Some brightspark needs to buy that place off the farmer and do it out as youth hostel style accomadation with camping at the rear, they'd make a good living out of it i reckon, skiers in winter climbers in spring and autumn.

[Fiend]

Mmmmm pity. Early 2003 the farmer was starting to do up the shearer's ranch and turn it into a proper bunkhouse, it was then crude but cosy and the showers were great. Sounds like it's been abandoned for winter or something.

The landings in Quantum and Spittle are pretty good, surely!?

[hongkongstuey]

I'm in need of a Oct/Nov week long bouldering trip destination and this is starting to sound like a prime contender.......

only worry, i'm guessing all these slopey mantles / presses could reek havoc on a sub-lux prone shoulder?

[Bonjoy]

Before going over there I tried to get in a few sessions of pressups and dips to build up some strength and stability for the mantle muscles/joints. Wrists seemed to give me more grief than any other bit of limbage.

[AndyR]

Before going over there I tried to get in a few sessions of pressups and dips to build up some strength and stability for the mantle muscles/joints. Wrists seemed to give me more grief than any other bit of limbage.

Yeah - I got a dose of font elbow - lots of weird pressing and pulling.

[Pantontino]

Perhaps it was 'Wire brushers' elbow' -  a physical expression of the deep guilt and shame felt by all frantic rock scratchers. :wink:

[screwyouI'mfromderby]

The landings in Quantum and Spittle are pretty good, surely!?

well, if you take a problem like Old School, which is halfway up the hill at Spittle Hill, then the landings pretty bad. It's got a flat platform but if you bowl off that you're on your arse for about 10 minutes before you get to the bottom, and that's through the gorse and sheep crap. Other areas like Nasal Slip have got better landings, but the grass isn't too deep there, so any fall means your feet skid the top layer off pretty quickly and then you're off again, down the hill.

That isn't to say that the landings are terrible, it's just that after a few big skids you do start to think twice about some problems. It isn't the height, it's the joint shocks you get trying to keep yourself upright, so I'd recommend a spotter and magic carpet before a bouldering mat. It's not like you'll be stuck for stuff to do if you really need that pad you didn't bring along, just move next door and do something else.

[Bonjoy]

It is often worth getting someone to foot your pad on slippy grass slopes eg under Short Black at Quantum

[AndyR]

Perhaps it was 'Wire brushers' elbow' -  a physical expression of the deep guilt and shame felt by all frantic rock scratchers. :wink:

No, I don't get that anymore - my 'blowtorching' elbow seems to counteract it - which is nice.

[AndyR]

Perhaps it was 'Wire brushers' elbow' -  a physical expression of the deep guilt and shame felt by all frantic rock scratchers. :wink:

By the way, how's that 'High Horse' vertigo condition of yours coming on? :wink:

[Bonjoy]

Here be a couple of dodgy scanned in Castle hill pics, complete with crease marks:

[mark]

In the end, is CH worth travelling half-way round the world to visit? Looks like the most gorgeous venue on the planet but have heard from more then one person that it looks better than it climbs. Opinions from those who have actually visited?

[Johnny Brown]

mostly hard, slippy and odd.

its limestone right? I also heard the climbing wasn't pleasant, but then I like wierdness and hate grab-n-pull shizzle, so maybe I'd like it :?

[AndyR]

In the end, is CH worth travelling half-way round the world to visit? Looks like the most gorgeous venue on the planet but have heard from more then one person that it looks better than it climbs. Opinions from those who have actually visited?

I was there just over a month ago - have to say I rated it - took a while to get used to but there's some nice climbing - much of it quite subtle. We were there during good conditions which helped - can't imagine it would be much fun if it were humid and slippery as the friction's crap at the best of times.....

We were only there a few days - looks like there's quite a bit to go at.......don't know if I'd make a special trip to go there though, like you say, it's a long bleedin way.

BTW, when we were there, one of the locals told me that Tim Clifford was there and that he was 'sick strong' - does anyone know if he did any impressive stuff??

[Bubba]

Tim Clifford was there and that he was 'sick strong'

think that's just the norm for Tim.

[AndyR]

Tim Clifford was there and that he was 'sick strong'

think that's just the norm for Tim.

You're quite correct I'm sure - it's just that the local guy was pretty handy (and about 15 feet tall) - he seemed to give the impression that he'd done some new stuff/made some impressive repeats.

[Fiend]

In the end, is CH worth travelling half-way round the world to visit? Looks like the most gorgeous venue on the planet but have heard from more then one person that it looks better than it climbs. Opinions from those who have actually visited?

Yes. But best combine it with a general trip around NZ if only because it's a nice country and the journey to it is a hell of a long way. But I found CH was special, the combination of the setting, the openness, the purity (there's nothing else there), and the completely fucking bonkers climbing - it's got a magic to it, you can lose yourself in it. Having said all that, I haven't visited Font or Hueco or anywhere else that's highly reputed, so this is a rather "inexperienced" view on it.

but then I like wierdness and hate grab-n-pull shizzle, so maybe I'd like it

I'd expect you'd love it, spread your buttcheeks for it, and offer to have it's babies and live in wedded bliss forever. It's the weirdest stuff I've come across.

it's just that the local guy was pretty handy (and about 15 feet tall)

That would be Seb then.... Watching him flash a 25 at Jane Fonda Wall was well impressive.

[screwyouI'mfromderby]

CH probably isn't worth the trip on it's own, but combined with a trip around the rest of NZ it's a definite highlight. I haven't got on with it all that well as some of the climbing seems contrived, some deadly, while most is getting close to perfectio. The friction is terrible most of the time and can change within minutes if cloud rolls over; it rarely stays there for long.

As a rough itinerary, flying into Auckland, going through Northland, down through the middle into the South Island and then onto Christchurch via some of the more southerly areas would be ideal. Taking in a bit of alpine action and even a mountain or two would spice things up. There's no point travelling for over a day to get here when you can get to Font from the Peak in 8 hours, however there are things here to make your toes curl and hardly a guidebook in sight. If you want packed campsites and everyfucker in leggings and a down jacket then go to Aux Sabots, but if you want to get away from absolutely everyone and climb stuff that no-ones even seen before then get to NZ.

[hongkongstuey]

BTW, when we were there, one of the locals told me that Tim Clifford was there and that he was 'sick strong' - does anyone know if he did any impressive stuff??

check out the powerband website - in the links i think - seem to recall he's tearing the place apart, repeated anything that was considered hard and added some even harder stuff to boot....

[hongkongstuey]

ok - just checked the links page and its not there (or maybe i've justgone blind) so here's the link:
http://powerband.cactusclimbing.co.nz/index.html

25/05/04 - Castle Hill

Tim Clifford has continued his rampage through Quantum Field by dispatching the pre-named Rocket Science project (just right of Rocket Pants v6). The problem now known as Cold Fusion was first cleaned by Chunky Farmer back when men were men but he didn't have a hope of doing it. Seb Loewensteijn got oh so close numerous times but it took the shear power of a world class climber to nail this short but testing...er...slap. Apparently the problem is somewhere in the v12 range.

Oh, and the sit start to Legion gets v11.

19/05/04 - Castle Hill

Tim Clifford, world class Yorkshire crimp master, is in town and has made light work of House of Pain v10, When Animals Attack v10 and, more impressively, the sit start to Legion v12/13/14????

[AndyR]

Cool - cheers for that Stu.

BTW, did you know that we're meeting El Spark in llanberis this evening - he's been muttering about right wall - fancy a sweepstake on what excuse he'll use not to do it?

Wonder if he'll get the first pint in....... :roll:

[Bonjoy]

I spent three months there, loved it and would happily go again. It is a gamble however as some people hate it. Imagine the most rounded of grit, take away 70% of the friction (skin loss isnot an issue which i think is a major plus point), throw in some big heucos, tiny crimps and the odd small pocket and you start to get the idea. It is all extremely technically demanding and hence punters tend to get feck all done. Local knowledge is almost essential to find the really good probs in such a vast area.

[hongkongstuey]

Cool - cheers for that Stu.

BTW, did you know that we're meeting El Spark in llanberis this evening - he's been muttering about right wall - fancy a sweepstake on what excuse he'll use not to do it?

Wonder if he'll get the first pint in....... :roll:

keep me posted on that one - he was mumbling about Positron too before he left HK but my moneys on him getting up nothing above E3 (he's a complete and utter coward at the best of times - and thats on bolted climbs................)

[ben]

In the end, is CH worth travelling half-way round the world to visit? Looks like the most gorgeous venue on the planet but have heard from more then one person that it looks better than it climbs. Opinions from those who have actually visited?

personally i wouldnt go half way round the world just to boulder there..
however if you combine it with cragging at paynes,twin stream, charleston + some partying in queenstown, surfing/snowboarding and general exploring round NZ then i reckon well worthwhile. in fact i've been twice now...

[Bonjoy]

Andy Crome on probably my favourite CH problem Ocean V6

 Totally mad prob, starting up blank scoop on dinks then requiring a strange rolling exit onto a delicate slab, pure joy.

[AndyR]

Where's that problem then - looks excellent!

[Bonjoy]

At the top of one of the gullies on the road facing edge of Quantum field. It's in the south island guide.

[AndyR]

At the top of one of the gullies on the road facing edge of Quantum field. It's in the south island guide.

Ah yes - I recognise it now - didn't try it though.

Like the flowers in the grass - were you there in spring? I can imagine it's a very pretty place (even more stunning!) when all the spring meadow flowers are out.

[Bonjoy]

Yes, was there in southern spring Oct-Dec, snowy peak and daisy filled meadows :D .