Kewa.... the latest.
5 June 2008 - 9:48pm
a bit of a snag has been reached re: the fantabulous new crag at mangaokewa...
Had dinner with the project manu group who run the bush restoration work in the reserve the other night and the outcomes were not all that fantastic...
first point of order. the new massive overhang that matt, ryan and crew discovered about 45min south of the main cliff system is untill further notice OUT OF BOUNDS. this means, NO exploration and deffinatly NO development. this overhang is to my understanding in very close vicinity to the burial grounds known in that area. please respect this as we don't want to upset the local iwi.
secondly, development at this stage is to please be confined to the area between the carpark wall (both tiers) and the 'bat cave' there is to be NO development any further south than the bat cave, OR on any rock found elsewhere in the reserve, no matter how tempting it looks... that means that there is easly 300m of cliff space for us to play on, and untill furthur notice this should be more than enough to keep us occupied.
these restrictions are in place for a reason and at this stage look like they will become pernament.
i hate to be ther bearer of bad news like this, but i think this group have a very valid point and i will be continuing disscussion with both project manu and DOC to get these issues sorted out...
on a lighter side, it was fantastic to see the number of people that turned up last weekend despite the weather (but it made no difference really, being and all-weather crag :wink: ) and i hope this enthusiasm for the crag continues.
any questions feel free to pm me
peace.
Oli.
- Login or register to post comments
Printer-friendly version
10 June 2008 - 11:49pm
#2
The outcome of talks may be less dire than it sounds. Project Manu at the time of the meeting were not yet aware that DoC and developers had already been talking, and that DoC had in fact been to the crag three times already to observe and discuss issues around crag development. Trav and I just had dinner last night with Dave Smith (ex-Payne's DoC) who's now the head of the Maniapoto district office. It'd be good to get him, Travis, and Elly to sit down together and hopefully assuage some of her concerns.
Cheers for posting the update Hobo
11 June 2008 - 1:12pm
#3
sweet thats fantastic limburger... i agrees, what we need is for all concerned partys (doc, project manu, climbers, other reserve users, council even :? ) to get together and nut this stuff out. we CAN make it work for everyone involved. any suggestions as to time and place and we'll get this ball rolling...
12 June 2008 - 8:43pm
#4
Hey Ryan, just a point of correction on DOC hirachy. Whilst the guy sipping beer at the end of the bar was Dave Smith who is quite high up in DOC it's Ray Scrimeouger who it the Maniapoto district manager, ex-paynes ford doc and the one who has been up to the crag a few times. Ray did take Dave up to the crag on one trip to show him around though.
But anyway, after talking to Ollie last night he said that Project Manu mainly just need reassuring that we are not a bunch of thugs that will wreck the place. So we thought it would be good to be proactive and tee up a meeting with representatives from PM, DOC and ourselves mainly just to reassure the PM people. Since DOC have seen and have no fundamental problems with what we are doing, even think it's good, they are good allies. Whilst DOC have no juristinction in the reserve I think PM still see them as the bottom line as far as conservation principals are concerned.
So by chance through work I had a meeting with the DOC heirachy today so I had a good discussion with Ray who said he would be more than happy to attend a meeting with us and PM. So once we add the new ethical type rules that Ollie mentioned to the guidebook to show PM what we are about we can tee up a meeting. Oh yeah, Ray said he's talked to the council who he said aren't overly interested so they're one less group for us to worry about.
So, all good hopefully.
12 June 2008 - 10:58pm
#5
choice :D :D :D
DOC do have juristriction in the reserve tho... council/crown owned land, DOC managed. just to clarify :wink: so having DOC on our side is a VERY good thing!
13 June 2008 - 6:14pm
#6
Oh sweet, didn't realise that. All the better!
14 June 2008 - 8:00am
#7
Keep up the good work guys... honestly, even if we only get the 300+ meters of cliff we currently have, we will still have more than enough rock to keep ourselves busy for a LONG time. I do agree that there is LOADS of other tasty looking faces in the reserve that would make a great addition to the current climbing.
Just a few weeks ago, Ryan and I headed left of the car park wall, along the river, and found a beautiful band of rock much more similar to the stereotypical Paynes limestone. The cliffs are a bit taller (15-20m?) of vertical/ slightly slabby rock with very blobby, slopey ribs going up the whole way. It will require very little trackwork (I love the track building fairies that have been at work at the reserve well before we all started developing!) and will offer a great area for beginners to go and enjoy climbing that isn't QUITE as upside down! I guess we just have to wait and see where fate takes us. Let me know about the meeting, if you think it's worth me tagging along.
17 June 2008 - 2:38pm
#8
Just a few weeks ago, Ryan and I headed left of the car park wall, along the river, and found a beautiful band of rock much more similar to the stereotypical Paynes limestone. The cliffs are a bit taller (15-20m?) of vertical/ slightly slabby rock with very blobby, slopey ribs going up the whole way. It will require very little trackwork (I love the track building fairies that have been at work at the reserve well before we all started developing!) and will offer a great area for beginners to go and enjoy climbing that isn't QUITE as upside down! I guess we just have to wait and see where fate takes us. Let me know about the meeting, if you think it's worth me tagging along.
you'l have to show me where this spot is cos depending on its location it may be outside the boundaries of the reserve itself and therefore with owners permission (whoever that may be, i think it still could be council) we may be able to look a little closer at it 8).
from memory the actual reserve boundaires don't extend very far north from the northern end of the carpark... maybe half a k at most :?
17 June 2008 - 7:03pm
#9
Are you around this weekend bro? I hope to see you up there. Any word on that new line of yours?
17 June 2008 - 7:32pm
#10
rostered on to work both days... but afternoon trips havent gone in weeks so should be down in the pm... new line is clean, need a bit of advice on anchor placement before i start bolting it tho...
17 June 2008 - 7:43pm
#11
Just place bolts every 500mm, all over the face. This totally eliminates people whinging about the bolts being in the wrong places. If they are feeling strong, they can run it out a bit... if not, safe as houses! :lol: :shock: :lol:
17 June 2008 - 8:36pm
#12
is that 500mm spacing both up and down and left to right??? in a grid fashion :wink: would a square grid or diamond grid be more efficent when it comes to placing galv'd bashies :shock: :shock: to save on costs i might not even put hangers on, people can just man up and sling nuts old school style. if they aint hard enough to put up with that, then they aint hard enough to climb at kewa! 8) :lol: :twisted:
17 June 2008 - 8:46pm
#13
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Definitely grid style.... DEFINITELY naked galv bashies!!!
17 June 2008 - 9:05pm
#14
just make sure they're big fat ones that don't take regular hangers.... :lol:
17 June 2008 - 10:24pm
#15
all i could find were 14mm coach bolts, so i've ground the ends down to 12mm to fit the holes... they've got nice big heads on them so that should make it easier to whack with the hammer :lol: :lol:
20 June 2008 - 11:57am
#16
>twitch<
20 June 2008 - 8:23pm
#17
sweet, finally got round to updating the googledoc's version of the guide which can be found at:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dc2fkmx8_45gbfg4fd2&hl=en
have also emailed cliff to get the same update put in the freeclimb version...
no trips at this stage on sunday, so will try and get down for a few hours to get my route bolted!!!!
18 July 2008 - 5:29pm
#18
***UPDATE***
Just came out of a meeting with DOC, Council, Project Manu and climbers from waitomo and taupo. outcomes were vauge but positive... accsess will continue as is but with a bit more emphasis on "parameters" as the council guy kept going at... bit of talk about getting some signage up at the crag (top of the track maybe) explain local rules, development restrictions etc, was also sugested a few new picnic tables and possibly a bit of shelter being built down in the car park but that'l probably have to happen inconjuntion with the 'reserve management plan' that the council is currenty working on, which means paperwork and not any real action in the short term probably. will reconvene in 2 weeks time when we take rep's from all groups for a walk and talk around the reserve and crag itself.
have discovered that anything involving policy and councils actually takes weeks sometimes months to even get some face time with people, let alone action. man im glad i don't work in an office :shock:
19 July 2008 - 9:17am
#19
nice one Ollie! Before the big "walk around," mabey get in touch with tomo crew and Taupo crew for a proper tidy up! I'd love to see most of the reduntant fixed lines taken down etc..
19 July 2008 - 10:35am
#20
nice one Ollie! Before the big "walk around," mabey get in touch with tomo crew and Taupo crew for a proper tidy up! I'd love to see most of the reduntant fixed lines taken down etc..
As you said you were going to do I see you are maintaining Remote Control over the place :lol:
19 July 2008 - 8:59pm
#21
Before the big "walk around," mabey get in touch with tomo crew and Taupo crew for a proper tidy up! I'd love to see most of the reduntant fixed lines taken down etc..
copy that red leader... taupo crew are over as we speak so will mention it to them tonight... the viaduct ain't the same with only one dij to go with the beers :wink:
21 July 2008 - 3:32pm
#22
Hello Hobo,
Is the crag dry at the moment or is seepage still a problem.
Cheers
kristen
21 July 2008 - 3:59pm
#23
Climbed there last weekend with the Auckland crew...
Wasn't to bad (was even raining in the morning)
Alot of water coming off the top and to the left of the colo was all wet (so anything left of dogmatix was wet)
21 July 2008 - 4:04pm
#24
didn't get up there in the weekend, but word from the crew that was up there is that the crag is seeping pretty hard. even the bat cave is wet. they ended up bailing to oto to pull on the plastic :shock: it rained pretty hard all weekend! today its been lovely and sunny all, but i doubt its done much to dry things out really. i'd say the bottom of the coloseium wouldn't be to bad just humid really.
crag's closed for the next week anyhu with the pig erradication program going on... the hunters are swarming :twisted:
21 July 2008 - 7:21pm
#25
:roll: So not quite the winter paradise some predicted it was going to be. Never mind it is limestone so it was pretty obvious that it was going to be wet. I think the extra dry summer has given some newbies to limestone false expectations.
Back in Yorkshire crags like Malham and Kilnsey could be seeping/dripping in high summer with some wet weather. Wait for the warmer drier weather and meantime get back to the ignimbrite & rhyolite.
21 July 2008 - 7:54pm
#26
So not quite the winter paradise some predicted it was going to be
waitomo has never been, and never will be a winter paradise... not when the annual rainfall rivals that of milford :wink: yes the crag is wet in places (most places really) but there is still pockets of climbable rock floating around. infact the wet weather has opened our eyes to exactly which areas actually stay dry and therefore this is where we are now putting up lines :D it doesn't tend to be the rain that stops us from climbing up here, (that only happens when it buckets down accompanied by northerly's driving the rain into the cliffs), its the humidity that kills... cool rock combined with warm moist air equals condensation that no amount of massive roof can protect against.
Wait for the warmer drier weather and meantime get back to the ignimbrite
agreed! the iggy at frog does dry out wicked fast... but come summer, i know where i'll be climbing/hanging out 8)
23 July 2008 - 2:53pm
#27
Hmm, sadly, with all the rain that has fallen here over the last three weeks, even the air is wet. Ignimbrite, rhyolite, basalt--it's all satched, either through seepage or (at Kewa) condensation. What a drag.
23 July 2008 - 3:33pm
#28
Ice anybody?
23 July 2008 - 4:22pm
#30
yes I had read that
7 August 2008 - 9:55am
#31
***Latest Update***
Sorry haven't got round to this earlier but a half marathon then three days of team building with work (aka playing) has taken priority.
Had a "walk and talk" around the crag with PM, council, DOC, climbers last friday afternoon which I felt went really well. Main concerns raised were, council liability/ standard of bolting etc... and the impact the track at the base of the cliffs was having on seedlings etc...
I think (hope) we managed to alleviate the councils concerns over the bolting standards by explaining that there was set nationwide standards in place (NZAC bolting policy) and that we were following those guidelines.
As to the impact on the base of the cliffs, we aggreed that the "environmental policy" in the guidebook needs to be tightened up and expanded a little, will be working on that over the following weeks.
Signage will be going up at the top of the accsess track (where it hits the colloseium) explaning local rules, environmental stuff and development restrictions. and also at the bat cave denoting the restriction on development past that point. not sure when this will go in but hopefully before the summer hordes start arriving :shock: 8)
7 August 2008 - 11:55am
#32
cheers for the update.
Be good to get a report on latest development and access news for the upcoming issue of The Climber.
I'd like to run a feature on Kewa in the mag too. Any writer/photographers up that way keen to work on something for us? Could be a photo essay, or the story of the rapid development of this area (seems like it went from 0-100 very fast!) Very open to ideas if anyone out there is keen.
2 October 2008 - 4:56pm
#33
Summer's here!! Kewa is bone dry again from one end of the crag to the other, and the conditions are prime for sending. Kaitlin and I had a great day of climbing/bolting, despite occasional bouts of heavy rain. Quite chilly until midafternoon on both tiers, as well.
However, the stash cave we used turned out to be more of a stash swamp over the winter, leaving the majority of tools, rope, etc. mouldy and rusted out. Stink. If you want to develop, you'll need to bring your own drill.
3 October 2008 - 8:10am
#34
Cheers for the update,
I have been hanging out to get back up for some three day weekends.
Cher
Kristen
3 October 2008 - 10:20pm
#35
Oh no! :shock: Screw the drill.... how's the coffee maker!?! :lol:
26 November 2008 - 9:25pm
#36
1 drill, coffee maker, and quite a bit of hardware have been salvaged (thanks Brad!) There's a caving ladder for access up to the second tier of the Colosseum temporarily, as well, until some redirects for the handlines can be put in to stop them rubbing (or until we can get some industrial cable.)
So...anybody got the updates on the new routes and projects from last weekend for the guidebook?
27 November 2008 - 9:46am
#37
on the first tier:
two new route to the left of 'gorillas in the mist' not sure of names but the one on the arete is 17-18 ish (hard start) and the one to the far left (crack) is 17.
on the second tier:
My new project is the line of tru bolts (1 glue-in) to the right of 'angry american' and is a CLOSED project!
Kristen sent his line up beside (well on really :wink: ) the big grey stal to the right of 'AA' it is unnamed as of yet but goes at about 23? and has a very wicked move to get onto the stal 8) . He also finished bolting his project on the blank face to the left of 'dirty little tripped out spaceship". this is still a CLOSED project!
Kester bolted anchors for two CLOSED projects in between Kristen's stal route and face route.
all in all it was quite a productive weekend with the only mishap being Kesters tent being blown into the river and being 'picked up' by the locals :shock: (we think).
1 February 2009 - 7:10pm
#38
Just a few new updates from a brief burst of development over January. If you have any more details on the ascents, please let me know so that we can update the google guidebook.
Matt Natti decided that the crag needed some more easy-moderate lines, so went and bolted three slab routes just past the waterfall. There's now a 15, a 16, and an 18, not to mention a new 17 just past them that now provides easy access to the wicked climbing up on Carpark Wall. Kaitlin also sent Abi's project left of Neglected Monos, which goes at 16, as well as bolting herself another hard project or two.
Tom's old project out the roof right when you get to the crag at the top of the track has gone, and so has the project right of Chimera and Power of the Pink, both at 25. Jame's Colwill's abandoned arete left of Sanjuro has been rather fittingly by Stephen King on his return tour to Aotearoa. It's a funky 26. Grades are, as always, up for contention.
And if you haven't heard already, Kristen Foley sent his line to the right of the massive stals on the second tier. It's one of the coolest climbs around, and goes at 23.
Happy climbing!
8 February 2009 - 12:39pm
#39
Kaitlyn's new line is right of h r puffin stuff and left of Hare atu in the cheap seats area. It starts on the ledge and goes up 2 staples and a hanger to double chains. It is called Mattza Pooh Head and goes at a stiff 19.
2 March 2009 - 8:50pm
#40
Is there an updated guid floating around anywhere?? the one on freeclimb might be a little out of date
Cheers
5 March 2009 - 10:28am
#41
Ryan has been doing a pretty good job of keeping "his version" of the guide up to date. it's at http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dc2fkmx8_45gbfg4fd2&hl=en
It is best to use it WITH the other guide... to fill in gaps.
5 April 2009 - 5:13pm
#42
Correction, the URL is apparently
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dc2fkmx8_45gbfg4fd2
Several new routes have been added over the last month, and quite a bit of fixing up has been done to the guide. It's pretty damn current at the moment.
5 April 2009 - 8:42pm
#43
Some thoughts on a weekend at the 'kewa: definitely worth a visit from any north island climbers.
Commendations to Matt and Ryan for their labors of love - route development, paths and access. Very tempting to jump on your proj, there Matt!
The setting is sweet, and there are a few choice lines. Bit dusty and short, but plenty of lines and a welcome addition to CNI desitnations.
Comments on some lines we got on:
Prokarstination is a very cool roof with some exposure. Steep but very straight forward for 22. **
Toenanactl has some wicked varied climbing, and no easy tick at 23. **
Stalactitis has a truly wild stali move, but loses a star for rock quality up top. 23 *
..Rattlesnake Mountain would get a couple of stars at Paynes; candidate for best in show at kewa. Actually tops out! 20 ***
Kristen's proj will be a sweet sustained 27(?) up one of the very best lines at the crag.
Possibly the best night of stars I have ever seen. Quality drunken a capella from the Te Kuiti cultural group at 4:45am in the carpark.
24 April 2009 - 11:52am
#44
Goodbye guys, have fun out at 'Kewa!
Send new route information to Travis Cross (or to me and I'll pass them on), or just post the details on Mojo.
For those that are keen, there is now an open project (~28 ) just left of Fond Memories of Rattlesnake Mountain. A back injury means there's no chance I'll climb it before I'm outta here on Wednesday. Suggestion for would-be ascentionists--an additional bolt between the 3rd and 4th bolt would be a good addition to prevent possible ankle-rolling dicky ledge falls through the start of the business section of the climb. Aesthetically, I would recommend moving the 4th bolt ten centimeters left as well, as the original clipping hold is on the ground somewhere. :oops: It's stylistically pretty atypical for 'Kewa in that it's not cruxy; it's just consistent power-endurance climbing. Josh will probably flash it. :roll:
All the best,
Ryan
27 April 2009 - 8:03am
#45
Where are you going Ryan?
Kristen
27 April 2009 - 11:56am
#46
I'm heading to the States for Valley season with Philippa and Tom, though not sure where to after that. Pretty over spending valuable climbing time shuffling papers for immigration, so I'm thinking about checking out Euro climbing properly afterwards. Really looking forward to it!
27 April 2009 - 2:56pm
#47
Happy climbing over there...
27 April 2009 - 5:03pm
#48
HAve a good time Ryan!
I'm looking forward to getting on all your new routes.
Tried Major General last weekend. Awesome moves. Onsighted to one move from the chains and then spent the next hour on the bolt trying to do the last move! lol Tough boulder finish! Eventually worked it out but was too sapped on the next shot to send. Should go first go next time. Nice work!
28 April 2009 - 8:51pm
#49
Cheers bro! You should get on Barabbas just to the left of it next time--it's heaps of fun. Probably best avoided if it's seeping, though, as the holds in the colonette get brittle when wet, like Chimera.
And the project next to F.M. of Rattlesnake Mountain has had another bolt added, and is no longer a project as of today (unless someone got there first?) It's called Ahl-i-Najasa (the Filthy Ones). Conditions for it are crap at the moment, though, with condensation on several of the key holds. Get on it in the sunshine and have fun!
[And Regan/Rich, keep me posted about where you think the grades are at, 'cause my estimates are just a shot in the dark, particularly with Rikki Tikki Timbo and this one.]
28 April 2009 - 10:15pm
#50
You animal! And I had to put up with all of that "oh, this will be an open project, I could NEVER send this line" bull sh*t!!! Good on ya Ry-guy.... way to crush! It sounds like little Kaitlin is doing pretty good on "Learning to Fly" as well.
Thanks for passing that out to the masses who may not be in the know. :lol: sad but at least everyone is talking
Flickr
Paynes Ford Blog