Get our newsletter!
PROFILED PARTNERS:
EXPEDITION DISCOUNTS:
“Addictions can be very, very bad but addiction itself is not bad.
It’s a case of what you’re addicted to.
You better live each day like it’s your last, ‘cos one day you’re going to be right”.
Ray Charles.
Link tip a friend
Drew and Trudie founded Base Alpine to support bouldering adventures and to share their love of climbing with other like-minded people.
Drew started climbing in the mid 90’s and has climbed and bouldered throughout Australia, Wales, Spain, France and NZ; he first climbed at Castle Hill in the summer of 03-04 and immediately fell in love with the beauty of the place but has observed the impact climbers and tourists have at the Hill and he’s motivated to encourage and educate people to enjoy the area in a low impact way.
Trudie has been a climber for a number of years and was especially taken by the sport of bouldering when visiting Fontainebleau and she’s highly motivated by the fun and satisfaction she finds in bouldering.
Info, local knowledge, gear hire and more – say hi to Drew and Trudie here
The place:
The outer 2mm of limestone is hard and crusty with good friction. If a hold breaks it will be soft, yellow and crumbly. It will take several years to harden if left unclimbed.
Castle Hill is a high country station in New Zealand's South Island and is located at an altitude of 700 metres and rock consists of tertiary limestone, mudstone, sandstone and tuffs.
The area was once under a large, shallow inland sea that began to infill some 30 million years ago and thrust up from their origin, the limestone rock was eroded by water creating these distinctive sculptured landforms, called a karst landscape.
This general area has seen more visitors to it recently as nearby Flock Hill station was used for the filming of the climactic battle scenes of the 2005 movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
The climbing:
Castle Hill is accurately described as one of New Zealand's best climbing and bouldering locations and happily it's also one of the most accessible. Only about 60 minutes drive from Christchurch, Castle Hill is in fact actually 5 separate areas featuring about 250 climbs and over 5000 boulder problems and what’s better still is that the weather is so good there you can climb virtually every day of the year.
The individual climbing areas are:
* Spittle Hill
* Wuthering Heights
* Lime Quarry Scarp
* Dark Castle
* Quantum Field
Getting there:
From Christchurch travel for about 100km on State Highway 73 to Author's Pass and then a further 10km past Porter's Pass. Park on the left near the trees and don’t park across the gate.
The guide:
The following is from The Comprehensive Castle Hill Climbing Guide, 2008, by Matt Pierson and Alan Davison and it is in their own words ……
“Painstakingly researched and designed, this authoritative 252 page publication presents a detailed description to every climb ever established within Castle Hill’s two most popular areas: Quantum Field and Spittle Hill.
Also contained are three comprehensive mini-guides to the excellent climbs of Rambandit Gully and the lower and upper areas of Cave Stream. All seven remaining areas are introduced providing essential information regarding access and approach together with an overview of each area’s most worthwhile climbs.
* 70 detailed topos covering 203 routes and over 5,300 boulder problems New and improved navigation tools include birds-eye topos, map-side satellite photos, map overspill and orientation symbols
* Illustrated directly from satellite imagery, maps indicate features such as overhangs, cracks, huecos, runnels and bushes
* All climbs are thoughtfully described, graded and star-rated for quality
* Route descriptions contain essential safety information such as length, number of bolts and lower-off method
* All maps have compass bearings and are to a scale which is standard throughout
* Featuring an extensive collection from NZ’s award-winning climbing photographers
* 252 pages, black and white photos and all for $47.00”.
