The Chasm

By Paul Rogers 1997

from the NZAC magazine 'The Climber'

Over the years climbers had looked at the walls in the upper Cleddau Valley and had, no doubt, seen the flashes of white and grey granite through the trees. But it was the flanks and ridges of the great peaks that rise out of the snowfields above the valleys that have been the focus of climbers' dreams.

Development of the Chasm Crag began in 1993 when Paul Rogers and visiting Brit Steve Walker decided to take a closer look at those flashes of white seen through the Cleddau bush. The first route to be completed was High Ideals and Crazy Dreams 19,22. The quality of moves on a variety of features inspired them to try all the main features at the right hand end of the crag. One Way Ticket 24, a direct line that takes on the steep wall and finishes up the previous route was quickly added, as was Day Tripper 24, which takes the white and pink streaked corner to the right of the original routes.

The next areas to be explored were the slabs and big overhangs at the left-hand end, with the lower parts yielding some great pitches of 17 - 19. This wall soon steepens to the ugly side of vertical, offering great moves in an outrageously exposed setting. Buster Gonad with its right hand finish at 25 was the result of a couple of days skyhooking, wild jug-pulling and general panic. The following year Chris Plant onsight flashed the direct finish that Paul and Hugh Barnard had bolted at 27, completing what is probably the most exciting route at the crag to date.

Along with visiting Brits, some of the Wanaka posse have given up the wire brush and taken the drive south. Facilitators like Steve Henry and Dave Roberts have touched and feeled their way up a few climbs. Probably their best effort was to put up two more pitches which link the first two of Buster Gonad, giving the best teenage climb and a recommended first route at the crag with pitches of 17, 19, 16 and 19. Hugh Barnard's first go at bolting on lead gave us Jack the Biscuit 21. This route starts off the Chillout Ledge left of Buster Go nad, opening up yet more climbing above. Development has slowed over the past 18 months, due to chief headbanger Paul Rogers working for the Army. But after their guides course last summer Kevin Nicholas and Rogers managed to add the first of a new age of politically correct climbs. vertically Challenged 26 takes the steep dyke on the wall left of One Way Ticket.

Oh, and by the way, the climbing is only half of it. The views should blow you away. Kea and Kaka can often be seen patrolling the forest canopy, and the lofty peaks of Tutoko, Underwood and Sheerdown stand guard over the perfect U-shaped valleys and their cloak of green.

Equipment

It is recommended that double ropes be used on the crag when climbing onsight. However if all the clips are in a lO.5mm could suffice on the shorter pitches. Long abseils and the odd sharp edge also add weight to the argument for using two ropes. A general rack of natural pro along with quickdraws should be enough for most routes. If any extra bits of gear are required, a mention is made in the route desription.

How to qet there

The Chasm Crag is situated above the road to Milford Sound, on the western side of the Homer Tunnel. Approximately 500m up-valley from the Chasm carpark you will find bridge #132. Carefully park beside the bridge, or just down the road where the shoulder widens a bit (watch out for buses). Head into the bush from a cairn beside the bridge and pick up a trail which leads to a steep creek bed. Follow the creek bed straight up, for five minutes at most, to the crag. At the foot of the wall on the right a line of trees confronts you: this is the hedgerow.

The Climbs

The hedgerow has a large Totara tree in the middle. The best way to the first two climbs is through the hedge at the far right-hand end, then working your way back to the Totara.

Stoned Immaculate 23 Paul Rogers/Hugh Barnard

5 bolts, wires & small CDs
The wall. Past two bolts, then move right after rocking over into the groove above. Corner, wall and slab above. Belay/rap chain at the top.

Day Tripper 24 Paul Rogers/Steve Walker

5 bolts, small wires & CDs
The white and pink streaked corner left of Stoned Immaculate. Climb the wall past two bolts. Step left at the second bolt, then up to gain the corner. Exit the corner via the step wall on the right to a belay/rap chain. Excellent finish.

The next climbs are found by heading straight into the bush at the head of the creek bed, to a brown slab.

High Ideals and Crazy Dreams 19,22 Paul Rogers/Steve Walker

2 bolts, wires & CDs to #2.5
Pitch One 19: Up the slab and shallow corner on the right to a good jug. The wall above on small wires, then diagonally right to belay below the right hand end of the obvious flake.
Pitch Two 22: Move left, then take the flake above. Laybacks, up and left, to ledge. Finally, up steep dyke past two bolts, to belay/rap chain. (As you rap oft, you will see the next line).

One Way Ticket 24 Steve Walker/Paul Rogers

6 bolts, wires & small CDs
Start as for the previous route, moving left onto the wall and up towards the small roofs and dyke. Grunty pulls get you through the crux, then finish up High Ideals and Crazy Dreams. Pumpy and technical.

To reach the next two climbs put a short pitch in, starting up the above route to the jug above the groove. Then move left and up to a bolt belay.

Vertically Challenged 26 Kevin Nicholas/Paul Rogers

8 bolts
Superb climbing above the belay to a powerful crux and excellent finish. Move right at the second bolt, then back left to the third, then follow your desire for user4riendly grips. Belay/ rap chain.

Au Natural 23 Paul Rogers/Hugh Barnard

Wires & small CDs
The shallow corner and prow left of the above route. This pumpy head trip requires good and quick runner placement. Shares belay with VC.

To find the next established area, walk about 70m left to a tree that grows up to the crag, with a black slab to its left. These routes use the tree to start. In wet weather you can climb the first part of the tree to an alcove for shelter from all wind-driven rain!

Power Trip 17,23,25 Paul Rogers/Luke Bardsley

Wires, CDs up to #2.5, bolts
A great journey of discovery, needing a bit of "power" to get through the hard section!
Pitch one 17: Climb the tree, then move up and into the left4acing corner. Up this until moves can be made right to a ledge. Continue right off the ledge, then up and right, to belay on a long ledge (2 bolts).
Pitch two 23: At the right-hand end of the ledge a devious #5 rock protects moves right, then up to an undercling (good gear). Move right and up to a slab. A bolt protects steep climbing through the white and pink overhang, to a belay on a slab below the main roof. A camera and some hand tape are useful for the next pitch!
Pitch three 25: Short, sharp shock treatment should take you to the right, then up (crux) to rehabilitation and a 50m free rappel from the chains.

Right: the view from up on the Chasm Crag. Mt Tutoko in the distance.

No Name 18

2 bolts, natural gear
Pitch one: Start as for pitch one of Power Trip, to belay on the first ledge above the corner.
Pitch two 18: Climb the slab above, then steeply up past two bolts, finishing below the big white roofs. Belay/rap chain.

Streaks Ahead 18 Paul Rogers/Toni Bryant

2 bolts, wires, small CDs
Start at the tree, then up the corner system. Move up to a shallow rightfacing corner on a slab. Continue up this, moving left, then up a short groove. At the top of the groove, move right and up the white streaked wall, past two bolts. Belay/rap chain. (Might be a wild line above someday?)

Buster Gonad 17,19,27 Paul Rogers/Steve Walker Direct finish: Chris Plant

Full rack of wires, CDs to #3.5, bolts
Pitch one 17: As for the above routes, then head left to the crux below an obvious nose. There is a belay chain on the other side. (30m)
Pitch two 19: Up the corner, then right up past two bolts to a horizontal break. Finish up the juggy corner to the Chillout Ledge.
Pitch three 25, or 27 direct finish: This pitch is a must. The corner past two bolts, then Rocks #5 & 7 protect moves left. Up past two bolts, then right to another bolt. Up the short corner to a smalf roofcrack. Move up and right with good pro to the steep prow. Pumpy moves with CDs up to #3.5 will get you to a bolt. Diagonally right past one more to a belay/rap chain for the right hand finish (25). From the first bolt on the headwall, climb straight up past three more to a belay/rap chain for the direct finish (27). Even up to the first bolt on the headwall, which has an insitu screwgate for emergency evacuations, is exciting enough at 24.

Other climbs from the Chillout Ledge

Bus t'Milford 27 Chris Plant

6 bolts
Chris Plant redpointed this on his first go! The steep, pocketed wall i,lght of the ledge. Mega route. Belay/rap chain.

Jack the Biscuit 21 Hugh Barnard/Paul Rogers

6 bolts, wires, small CDs
Off the ledge, up and left past three bolts. The crux is moving past the third bolt. Continue up, then traverse left to belay.

Sadly, the last page of Paul's manuscript never made it into the Climber office. Look closely at the topo though, and you will see that there are four other pitches which can be climbed in various permutations to reach the iack the Biscuit belay. Hey, it's an adventure crag...

The Homer Tunnel Slabs

There is no more accessible, quality introductlon to climbing In the Darrans than these multipitch slab climbs above the Homer tunnel, created by Sam Bosshard and John Dainty in the summer of 1994-5. Taking advantage of the prime position above the Homer Tunnel, Sam and John sought to recoup some of thelr investment by leaving a dollar coin 'floater' in a cap at the tunnel entrance carpark before heading up the ledge to perform the first ascent of Rock Busking in front of the hoards of tourists disgorging from their buses. When they returnrd the floater was gone and the cap empty, but at least the climb had a name. To the right of the large water streak is Stagefright, reportedly the pick of the routes. The routes are equipped, but take natural gear to #3 Friend, and 2 x 50m ropes to abseill off.