New Zealand Nort hland Ngahere Drive

Ngahere Drive 43 rout es: 20 sport sclimb, 23 t radit ional,  120 m

Descript ion: Out side of Auckland Quarry and T i Point , t his is probably t he next most climbed crag in t he nort hern region. First checked out by Phil Giles and
Noel Herman in t he 1970s, it wasn’t t ill t he early 1980s t hat Ngahere Drive developed int o Whangarei’s number one climbing spot . Gavin Cox, Gavin Harrison,
Glen Hawke and Rex Wit hers worked on new lines and a number of challenging boulder problems. T he first bolt s were t ent at ively placed, result ing in Lop at
t he T op Rocks and Madonna at t he Main Crag. T he 1990s saw Paul Hersey, Hugh Nicholson, Simon Bruce and lat er Hamish Pirie add t o t he new rout e list ,
along wit h int roducing more out -of-t own climbers t o t he crag. Climbing not es Visit ing Wellingt onian Neil Parker described t he area as a mini Paynes Ford,
wit h st eep limest one faces and a sunny locat ion. Some of t he rock low down can get mossy in wint er, so a brush is a good idea. T here is heaps of
pot ent ial for new rout es. T he Island consist s of short boulder problems, wit h not hing recommended. T he T op Rocks have a number of qualit y short
climbs of varying difficult y and some t est ing boulder problems. Please st ay on t he reserve side of any fences and respect resident s’ privacy. T he Main
Crag has climbs as high as 35m, wit h a great airy feel on t he main face. Descent is by abseil or walk off . Alt hough t he area has recent ly (2009) been given a
cleanup by Ray Dixon and ot hers from Whangarei climbing wall Vert ical Playground, no bolt s have yet been replaced. All bolt s should t herefore be t reat ed
wit h ext reme caut ion, and all single bolt belays should be backed up.

Access: Ngahere Drive is wit hin t he boundary of Whangarei Cit y and can be reached by t aking Maunu Road from t he cit y cent re. T o reach t he Main Crag,
t urn left down Hospit al Road. Park your vehicle at t he end of t he road and walk up t he privat e driveway past some houses. About 150 m up (when you can
see t he last house) t here is a small grass area wit h a scallop-shaped boulder on your left . Ent er t he t rack on t he lower side of t he boulder, coming out
behind and east of Groove Wall. T he t rack crosses Hect or Grant ’s propert y. Permission is not required but please observe t he usual court esies – no
rubbish or offensive language please!Climbers should be aware t hat even t hough t hey are climbing in a reserve, t he bush direct ly above t he climbs is on
privat e land. T he t rack t hat leads over t he t op of Groove Wall, t he Main Face and St arlight Wall is largely onHect or Grant ’s propert y. T here is a small bridge
across a st eep bit t hat is falling apart , use wit h care. Mr Grant does not want it repaired. T o reach t he Island and T op Rocks, cont inue past t he hospit al
and t urn left int o Ngahere Drive at t he st art of Maunu Hill. T he Island is on an obvious large t raffic island (yes!) part way up t he hill. Carry on t o a small
parking alcove at t he t op of t he hill, where a short t rack t o t he T op Rocks leads int o t he bush on your left (nort h). T ake care t o st ay on t he reserve and out
of t he privat e propert ies t hat surround it . T here is no wat er or camping at any of t he out crops.

At t ribut ion: Paul Hersey

Ngahere Drive The Top Rocks 23 rout es: 16 sport sclimb, 7 t radit ional,
Descript ion: T he T op Rocks have a number of qualit y short climbs of varying difficult y and some t est ing boulder problems. Please st ay on t he reserve side
of any fences and respect resident s’ privacy. Boulder Problems Goliat h, St art left of Creaky T ree, t raverse right , keeping low, t o BOG and ascend. Creaky
T ree, Climb up t o bolt . T he Spit , T raverse left from Lop t o finish just past Old Man Of Hoy. Sloping Shinney, T raverse left t o fi nish past Epiphyt e Massacre.
Bob, Ascend t he overhanging aret e just left of Bob. Old Man of Hoy, Climb t o first bolt . Also, t he boulders near t he ent rance t rack offer various short
problems.

At t ribut ion: PaulHersey

1 Creaky T ree 21 1
T he ro unded arete with o ne hangerless bo lt. Crux is getting o ff the
gro und. T ree belay. 8m

2 Pump Loonies 21 1
Just right o f Creaky T ree. Originally so lo ed, but a bo lt was later put in
fo r sanity reaso ns. Fingery. 8m

3 Madness and Mayhem 22 2

T echnical and sustained mo ves past 2 bo lts and o ver a bulge. Belay
chain. 8m

4 I Hate S piders 14
A shallo w sco o p at the right-hand end o f the same face. Mo re o f a
bo ulder pro blem, but listed because it is an easy access ro ute. 5m

5 BOG 15
T he bulgy arete with no pro tectio n. Has a go o d sequence o f heel
ho o ks to avo id any dyno s. Usually started with butt o n gro und (B O
G). 5m

6 T he Friend 14
Starts next to the fence, climb past a ho rizo ntal break and shallo w
vertical gro o ves to the ledge. Chain belay. 6m

7 S weet 16 15
Obvio us crack left o f T he Friend. Natural pro tectio n. Finishes at
same ledge. 6m

8 Lop 16 1
Go o d fo o two rk needed to get to and past single bo lt, and o nto the
 ledge. T o ugh if yo u’re sho rt. 6m

9 Old Man of Hoy 22 2

T he ro unded arete with two bo lts. Small but po sitive ho lds.
Belay/abseil chain. 9m

10 S loping S hinney 14
A slabby bo ulder pro blem, just right o f the tree. T o p-ro pe bo lt. 4m

11 Epiphyte Massacre 16
Just left o f the tree o n the same slab. Nut placements if needed,
step right at to p to find belay bo lt. 5m

12 Hugh’s Hump 15 2
Hugh lo ved this grubby bridging pro blem so much he so lo ed it. Since
had two bo lts and belay chain added. Hump up bo th walls to gain the
to p. 8m

13 Killer Prawns 14
T he shallo w gro o ve with natural pro tectio n and an abseil chain. 7m

14 Poopsy’s Climb 17 3
Just left o f Killer Prawns, climb the wee edge-arete thingee with 3
bo lts (o ne witho ut hanger). Use Killer Prawns abseil chain. 8m

15 Killapaul 23 2
Start as fo r Po o psy’s Climb, but swing left up the pro minent
o verhanging arete. First ascent invo lved a gro in ho ld at the crux, so
co uld be a go o d idea to pre-clip the bo lt. Finishes at the seco nd bo lt.
Pretty pumpy. 7m

16 Living on a Razor Edge 20 2

Layback the wide crack to gain the ro unded arete. Climb past 2 bo lts,
sliding left to a shallo w ledge. T hreaded sling fo r pro , then straight
up the vertical gro o ves. T ree belay well back. 8m

17 Mosquito Eating Man 14

Just left o f Living On A Razo r Edge, bridge up past bulbo us ledge to
chain belay. Use the same threaded sling as previo us climb fo r pro .
8m

18 Bob 15
Left o f Mo squito Eating Man, step o ff the small ro ck, and fo llo w
shallo w gro o ves up arete to same belay po int. Natural pro tectio n
(hexes and nuts). 9m

19 Pervert 14
Starts o n the o ppo site side o f the arete, bridge up gro o ve to arete
and finish as same fo r Bo b. Nut placements near to p. 8m

20 S unrise S lab 15
A co uple o f so lo /to pro pe o ptio ns o n this slab to reach the ledge.
Belay bo lt. 5m

S unshine Daydream 23

Nga Madness 17

Bro Cracked It Bro 24

Ngahere Drive The Main Crag 20 rout es: 4 sport sclimb, 16 t radit ional,

Descript ion: T he Main Crag has climbs as high as 35m, wit h a great airy feel on t he main face. Descent is by abseil or walk off . Bouldering St arlight Wall,
T raverse low down from Might y T went y Foot er t o finish opposit e Crinkle Slab. T he Lay Back, Low-level t raverse. Crinkle Slab, Boulder/solo up eit her aret e.
Mosquit os On St eriods, Climb t o t he ledge. Waves of Mot ion, T raverse from t he left aret e t o finish on t he block past I Don’t Want A Job.

At t ribut ion: Paul Hersey

1 T he Lay Back 15
T he o bvio us layback crack at the right-hand end o f the blo ck. A bit
clo se to the ho use this o ne, so climb with discretio n. 8m

2 Waves of Motion 19 2
Up the middle o f the laid back face, past two bo lts to chain belay.
9m

3 I Don’t Want a Job 24 1

T he steep arete just right o f Waves Of Mo tio n, with two bo lts. A fine
sequence o f mo ves with an undercling rest past the seco nd bo lt.
Optio nal natural pro near the to p, but all the hard stuff is at the start.
First bo lt is usually pre-clipped, belay bo lt at to p. 9m

4 Gripless 16 1
T he gro o vy slab (Crinkle Slab) is climbed direct, witho ut using either
arete. One bo lt, and tree belay. 9m

5 Wild S ide of Lif e 16

Just do wn fro m Crinkle Slab is the Starlight Wall. On the co rner is a
slab capped by a wide crack and arete. Natural pro and belay bo lt.
10m

6 Instinct 15
Further right is a wide crack to a ledge. Exit right to to p. Belay bo lt.
10m

7 Don’t T ry S uicide 15
T he left slanting crack in the middle o f the wall. Same finish as fo r
previo us climb. Natural pro . 10m

8 Choss Route 15
 A series o f bro ken ledges and cracks, with so me lo o se blo cks. No t a
classic. Belay bo lt. 10m

9 Mosquitos on S teroids 16 1
Starts up the o bvio us layback by the huge hanging vine. Mo ve o ver
lo o se blo cks to ledge, co ntinue up angled face past o ne bo lt to
chain belay. Plenty o f natural pro where needed. 25m

10 T wo Chockstones 15
Just right o f Mo squito s On Stero ids, the o ff width with 2 large
blo cks. Natural pro . 25m

11 S uburban Reptile 17 3
Oppo site Mo squito s On Stero ids, bridge up ro unded gro o ve past 1
peg and 2 bo lts to ho rizo ntal break. Straight up face abo ve past third
bo lt to belay chain. 25m

12 Mighty T wenty Footer 15

Start as fo r Suburban Reptile, but at the peg traverse right to ledge
and aro und co rner. Climb straight up past ho rizo ntal breaks to to p.
T hree pegs and natural pro . A nice ro ute. 30m

13 Groovy Green T hing 17 2

Do wnhill fro m Starlight Wall is this strange and co mmitting climb o n
an o therwise blank face. Easy gro und leads to a right slanting crack
and two bo lts. Ascend with increasing difficulty (leave the next bo lt
o n the right) till 2 bo lts clo se to gether are reached. Mo ve o nto arete
with nice mo ves past ano ther bo lt and peg. Belay chain. 30m

14 S ticky’s Web 19 3
T he steep arete do wnhill fro m previo us climb. Climb past 2 bo lts o n
the right o f arete, mo ve left at seco nd bo lt to knee bar and threaded
sling. A lo ng sling at the po o rly situated third bo lt aro und co rner will
reduce ro pe drag. Finish up the arete as fo r Gro o vy Green T hing.
30m

15 Madonna 17 2
Gain the large ledge just right o f Sticky’s Web, either by sidling in
fro m the left o r climbing the layback crack direct. T end slightly right
and up to a large crack. Ascend this, step left to the bo lt, then finish
up the arete as fo r previo us 2 ro utes. Natural pro (nuts and friends),
bo lts and pegs. 30m

16 T he Crow 22 8
T his is an airy sustained climb with crux mo ves near the to p. Gain
the same ledge as fo r Mado nna, but tend right (steep climbing) past
two bo lts to a large vertical crack. Fo llo w this till a balancy step can
be made left . Hardish face mo ves lead up to and thro ugh a bulge to
the to p. 7 o r 8 bo lts and belay chain. 30m

17 S piritwalker 17
A large steep crack (by a tree) leads to a slab to p-o ut. Crux is mo ving
fro m the crack to the slab. Heaps o f natural pro thro ugh the who le
ro ute. T ree belay/abseil. Pleasant line that will impro ve with traffic.
35m

Deeply S uperf icial 16 2

T he crack immediately right o f Spiritwalker. Crux is gaining the
sco o p. Bo lts and natural pro . 20m

T hat’ll Do 19 1
Starts o n to p o f the blo ck left o f Spiritwalker. Fo llo w cracks up
(natural pro ) to o verhang (bo lt). Pull o ver into sco o p (crux), then up
the ramp to finish up sharp left -hand arete. Chain belay. 15m
18 A Nalp Assage 14
Sho rt bridging ro ute do ne to get to the to p o f the Gro o ve Wall. No
pro . 6m

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