Albert Terrace

By Ross Cullen

Located at the end of Albert Terrace in St Martins, Christchurch. Drive to the end of the street, and there it is 200m across the paddock, nestled at the end of a ravine in the west corner of Mt Vemon Park, just 600m from the home of one of the authors of Canterbury Rock. Pine trees, and a post and wire fence, provide good belay anchors at the top of the climbs for the main cliff on the west side of the ravine. Recent work by a local volunteers group has cleared vegetation from the approach and at the terrace at the base of the crag. Volunteers we steadily extending the track further up the ravine to link with the track up to the Summit Road mid beyond. A bit of tidying up by the crag developers has revealed the climbing possibilities on the faces for numerous short routes. The rock is the ubiquitous Banks Peninsula basalt, but of variable quality due to weathering. Maximum height is about 15 m.

Before the Ravine

Four boulders on the walk to the crags. Two or three reasonable scrambles:

Potato 12 Ross Cullen '97

Climb up the right side of the spud shaped rock.

Cave 1

On the cast side of the Ravine, at the large cave visible from the roadend.

Pigeon Dance 17 Ross Cullen '97

Step carefully to avoid the pigeon droppings, reach up to the ballroom ceiling, and climb out over the roof at the right side. Move up, cheek to cheek, with hands on either side of the dark marked pillar, and pull over the top. A tallish solo, but protection is available on the pillar.

Cave 2

Eighty metres further up the ravine, and just before a large cave, is a 14m x 10m crag with room for four routes. There are large boulders on top providing solid anchors for toproping. The cave just beyond, has room for a couple of short routes, and the bluffs continue in 20-30 m sections as you travel up the ravine.

Routes from left to right

No Secateurs 15 Ross Cullen '97

Begin from the track at the lower left corner of the rock and follow the prow to the top. Good protection, and excellent moves on solid jugs at two thirds height.

Oasis 17 Rob Blackburne '97

Climb the crack on left centre of the face, place large piece of protection below mid-height, then bold climbing to the top.

It's a Date 16 Ross Cullen '97

Begin at the crack line on the right of the centre on the face, two wires en route, layaway to the left, use the protruding block near top for left hand and foot and palm onto the top.

Non Sequitur 14 Ross Cullen '97

Begin at the base of It's a Date, but veer right, and climb the right hand profile to the top.

Mrs Brown Goes Left 15 Geoff Gabites '97

Start at the base of the slab, and climb the pillar, good protection in the diagonal crack, move left and up on excellent rock.

Victoria 15 Ross Cullen '97

The straight version of Mrs Brown. Good juggy holds on top.

Lemming Polka 17 Ross Cullen '97

Cross the ravine, to climb the prow at the east end. A Moac can be placed after 2 metres, and further gear higher up in the crack. The mixed quality rack, and the verticality, makes this a thoughtful challenge.

Radiata 12 Ross Cullen '98

Near the top end of the plantation, climb just left of the arete without using the pine tree for assistance.

Party Starter 16 Ross Cullen '98

3 metres right of Radiata, climb through the bulge and follow crack line up to crest. Plenty of gear placements.

Bouldering further up the ravine

Four boulder areas/problems along the way, three of them fairly bold and up to 13m high, about grade 15. Terrace 2

Across the ravine from Cave 2 and about 40m up the ravine from the main cliff is a small crag about 8m high which provides some short climbs and some bouldering opportunities.

Ducks on Stilts 18 Ross Cullen '97

The obvious left - trending line. Start from a block lying beside the track, stem for a metre then layback up to place first protection under the roof. Traverse left, place some gear then ascend the corner to the top.

Gumboot Nonsense 19 Ross Cullen '97 (toprope)

Climb near the left edge on the continuous overhanging section. Excellent moves, solid jugs at key points, but strenuous and no pro! (Now has two bolts, May 1998)

Clean and Jerk 18 Rob Blackburne '97 (toprope)

Climb the centre of the continuous overhang. Excellent moves, solid jugs at key points, but strenuous and no pro! (can now use same two bolts as above)

Main Cliff

The obvious rock visible from the carpark. Climbs from left to right:

Small Boys 13 Ross Cullen '97

A short climb at the left end of the crag. Climb up over the first roof, and around left side of second roof.

Pygmy 16 Ross Cullen '97

A short grunt of a climb. Mantle over the first bulge, two gear placements near the roof, muscle through the notch, and onto palming holds.

Black Mamba 13 Ross Cullen '97

Use the doorstop to reach holds on the roof, swing up and over, then follow the snake diagonally upwards and exit via the big fissure.

Baboon 17 Ross Cullen '97

Begin just right of the doorstop, pull over the roof, and climb up underneath the second roof. A # 7 wire can be inserted into the deep pock, and a # 2.5 camming device goes into the depths of the channel 3m above. Superb hand-holds for the moves over the roof and to the top.

Panther 13 Ross Cullen '97

Muscle up over a bulge, climb up and past the shallow cave, and mantle over the top just to the right of the big fissure.

Black & White 14 Ross Cullen '97

Climb diagonally leftward on the black-white boundary, and underneath the duck's cave. A sling on the natural hook, and a wire up higher provide useful protection. Finish to the left of, or up, the smallish fissure.

The Glimmerman 17 Rob Blackburne '97

The mid area of this climb joins Rongbuk. Follow the crescent shaped crack line up to the roof, then a nice move to break left up the gully.

Rongbuk 17 Ross Cullen '97

Begin at left edge of lighter coloured face, and climb on good ledges up to and through a small roof, to finish on spike. Some good gear placements in upper 10m.

Naked Ape 21 Paul Roberts '97

Climb just left of the triangle on the face, with first protection in a pocket. Bold moves over bulge to reach upper section. Good protection in top gully. Excellent climbing.

Peggy Peggy Phew 18 Paul Roberts '97

The climb deviates a little to the right of the perpendicular from the headwall, sliding around the bulge. Two pitons en route, and solid moves to finish.

Quacker 14 Ross Cullen '97

Climb obvious natural breaks 3m left of Defenced. One piton, and 3 gear placements make this an attractive leader climb.

Defenced 13 Ross Cullen '97

Obvious central gully line, two gear placements. The old wooden post from the remnant fence lies at the bottom of the climb.

Kinny 14 Ross Cullen '97

Three metres right of Defenced. Glide up the apron on incut holds to reach a good stance at the top. Nice right hmdhold for the mantle over the lump to the right of the gully.

itbcekonstan 16 Ross Cullen '97

Two metres right of Kinny, climb up past the left edge of the giant paua shell then slightly left to reach the top stance. Two so-so wire placements en route. Ascend the bulge, place good protection in the gully and exit.

Ramahana Road 15 Ross Cullen '97

Just right of big cave, nice moves, sparse pro at top, but a # 2 Friend out high at left does the trick.

50 Cents Worth 15 Ross Cullen '97

Up and over small overhang to reach left edge of C crack, pro in crack, then straight up to the top.

In Tim's Backyard 16 Ross Cullen '97

Good juggy holds to reach a ledge and slip a sling around the box-thorn stem. Good holds en route to the positive top edge.

Dirty Washing 16 Rob Blackburne '97

Climb the blocky rock, staying 3m right of the box-thorn bush.

Leone 16 Ross Cullen '97

Bridge up the corner, reasonable pro placements at small roof, but test the holds before surmounting the roof.

Kopus Edge 14 Rob Blackburne '97

Good incut holds up the left edge of the attractive buff coloured block. A balanced solo climb.

Chinese Ladder 14 Ross Cullen '97

Nice incuts up the centre of the buff coloured block to merge with Kopus Edge near top. Solo, or possible shaky gear placement at mid height.