So im heading back to the homeland and there is a possiblity I could be living in Wellingtown.
Already fizzing about the riding on offer, I am now enquiring about the climbing there.

What is on offer? I know there are a couple of indoor venues, which seems to be the better option of the two, what are peoples perceptions of them?
And what of outdoor spots, many close to town or are they further afield if any.
And is the climbing community very large? As I will be in need of some companions also!

Oh and should mention, Im into sport climbing, lead up to about 25,though havent been climbing regularly so definitley a notch or two below that for sure. And I have rope and two sets of everything.

Any relevant help appreciated!
Thanks

danose wrote:

mundi wrote:So im heading back to the homeland and there is a possiblity I could be living in Wellingtown.
Already fizzing about the riding on offer, I am now enquiring about the climbing there.

lets just say there's a GOOD reason most keen wellington climbers end up relocating down to christchurch

Cannot dissagree with this. I used to climb lots (still have the kit) - but Wellington just doesnt have the same as the south island. There is a book out "Wellington Rock" (may be out of print now?) - it was quite a small book

The two indoor places i know about are fergs (on the waterfront in Wellington) and hangdog (out the hutt valley). hangdog used to be cheaper, I went twice about 4 years ago, not back since.

really must get back into it, as soon as i find the time - oh yea, thats why I dont go anymore

Apart from indoors, sport climbing doesn't have much of an offering here. Infact, neither does trad unless you don't mind a small area with short loose routes (Titahi Bay). With bouldering you have quite a few coastal rocks to keep you interested, but meh, bouldering!

Sorry to say this, but I gave up climbing when i moved back to Wellington from Chch... at least there's more motivation to get out on your bike.

unless you like crumbly shist the climbing in welli is teh suxxor

Baring head is alright if you like crimping but gets a bit boring after a while. Titahi bay is teh crumbly shist, Punk rock is teh crumbly schist, etc etc. Taupo or Ruapehu are the nearest reasonable areas, 4-5 hours drive. Otherwise canterbury is a good place to live, but sadly Christchurch isn't...

All of the above.

I love climbing. I've climbed all over the place. I live in Wellington. Prob couldn't even tie in now.

If climbing is your thing.....

Do

Not

Come

Here.

*peers*

Just as well I ride bikes then.

Welcome back to NZ Mundi.

Don't listen to the Chch haters it where all the cool kids live.

Can't help with the climbing though, I haven't been able to climb since I broke my wrist mtb 5 years ago.

Im not back just yet, couple weeks yet.
Yeah im thinking wellys even though theres no climbing, theres more than enough riding to make up for it!

If you do end up living in wellies join the wellington tramping club, there are a few keen climbers there, though most climbing trips are organised for outside wellington

danose wrote:

CrustyMTB wrote:Otherwise canterbury is a good place to live, but sadly Christchurch isn't...

well I guess I could join all the other climbers over in Lyttelton (our own version of shefield? it's certainly got the post-industrial squalor thing going for it!)

you're just jealous you don't have stuff like this in after-work cragging distance

I could live in Lyttleton and it does have its fair share of Yorkshiremen, but it's winters are a little too much like Sheffield for my liking...

no real convenient outdoor climbing here - although there are some "walls" that look like they could do with some bolts and would then make for lovely relaxing after work climbing!!!
Let me re-iterate: In other countries they would have bolts and lots of them - Te Kopahou reserve quarry; a wall near Hungerford road, Some of the rocks in Moa Point would be high enough, too (really 7m is too high to qualify for a boulder!); a wall near Scorching bay; A rock near breaker bay - and I think I saw more in different places but don't know the names at the moment... But there are several walls in the Wellington region that would make for convenient sports climbing if they would be cleaned and bolted...
(Also, the wall behind Freyberg pool has unfortunately not been maintained...)

Are these walls just not high or tough enough for true Kiwi climbers to have bolts? Not all are that crumbly, and it is not only that it costs money...
I noticed that often only walls that are really tough get bolts (one every 15m ;-) - which really does put off budding climbers. Not everyone starts off leading 20+ which seems to be the norm here. I'm a relaxed pleasure climber and am quite disappointed with the opportunities here as well as some of the attitudes... I love Wharepapa South, the right thing for my comfort levels - but it is too far away; same with Golden Bay
Somehow I feel that I might never be able to get better as there is hardly anything in the lower grades as it is not Kiwi tough enough. But in my opinion you should start in the lower grades...
As for the alpine climbs they are real adventure climbs as generally there are no abseil points like in the European Alps. You have to abseil over a rock that might not be as solid as you might like or a tree that doesn't look as trustworthy or take a strenous long walk or slide through rubble that might not be much less dangerous. Generally, the rock is quite eroded in NZ which makes it a bit more dangerous as in other place where the rock is solid.