The Monument
The Monument is the prominent rocky peak at the head of the Purau Valley. It is easily seen from the Port Hills. It gives a great day's climbing for a middle -grade climber. Some really high-quality routes in the 17-20 range are here, plus a pleasant setting and reasonable access. Generally the climbs follow well-developed finger/hand-size crack systems, and are free from loose rock and vegetation. The climbing style is varied, and the harder climbs tend to be the better quality ones.
The cliff is sheltered from the NE winds, and dries out quickly after rain.
How to get there
Access is through Diamond Harbour and along the Purau/Port Levy Road. Park at the pass at the top. Walk along a track to a low rocky saddle, then go up throug h paddocks to the northeast end of the cliff. As this cliff is in a popular walking area, it is not necessary to ask the farmer's permission to climb. Map Ref : N36 915255From the corner of Matipo Street and Blenheim Road, travelling to Teddington via Taitapu is nearly 15 kms longer than going by the Sign of the Kiwi, and although the driving is faster, it still takes about ten minutes longer.
History
Development of the cliff probably started in the mid sixties, and in this period Don Hutton may have led the classic wall climb *Quicksilver (17). Very little e lse was done until late 1977 and 1978, when most of the routes were climbed by Lindsay Main and others. At the end of 1978 visiting American Tom Bauman climbed *Supernova (21), which was one of the hardest climbs in Canterbury at the time. In 1979 Lindsay Main and Marty Beare did the fine cluster of cracks on the Andromeda Buttress.
Climbing Notes
The rock is a fine-grained basalt, with a strongly developed vertical joint pattern. There are hexagonal columns at the base of the Greenhouse Wall part of th e cliff which provide excellent finger/hand jamming practice. There are two in-situ pegs, and no bolts have been used here. Some easy routes of little interes t have not been described here. Two routes have also been climbed on the heavily vegetated "Dark Side" (of the Moon?), but it is not clear why.To descend from routes on the left of the crag, go to the summit marker and down the track to the NE, or scramble around blocks and bushes to try to find your way down Green Flash. From routes right of Andromeda Buttress go down through scrub and down a small wall just north of the south-west arete. From Andromeda Buttress routes, either scramble on to the top and use any of the previous descents, or traverse north (12) and down a gully, or (quickest) sacrifice a sling to rap from a thread in the alcove above Solar Flare and Red Shift.
The Gully Area
Up and around the corner to the L of Quicksilver Buttress. Here the crag is broken and vegetated.| Monumental Masons | 20 | 10m | Joe Arts '96 |  |
The lefthand-most clean wall. Up the bottom crack (L of centre), then swing R to gain the upper crack. Two bolts.
| Vulcan | 16 | 10m | Lindsay Main '77 | |
A thin crack with a flax bush on the L wall of the recessed corner.
| Kryptic Krack | 14 | 10m | Murray Judge | |
Jam crack on the R of the corner. Hardest at the top.
| Gerrycan | 21 | 15m | Jonathon Gandy '90 | |
The arete L of G.F.. Crux at the top, good fall potential.
| Green Flash | 9 | 18 m | |
A gully with trees. One of the descent routes.
Quicksilver Buttress
The classic area. The prominent buttress at the north-east end of the cliff.
| Corporate Caterpillars | 19 | 6m | Joe Arts '93 | |
Thin bridging and jamming to pedestal halfway up Quicksilver. Natural pro.
| Retrograde Motion | 16 | 22m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
Start up a short R-facing corner in the centre of the buttress, to a ledge. Go L on to a large block, then straight up a crack above (crux at start). There is also a direct start (16) on the wall.
| * Quicksilver | 17 | 25m | |
An excellent climb, well-protected apart from the moves off the ledge to the first peg. Start as for R.M., but continue straight up the slab past two fixed p egs. Finish up a steep groove on the R.
| * Supernova | 21 | 25 m | Tom Bauman '78 | |
Just to the R is a shallow groove with a thin crack. Bridging, friction, and side-holds enable the groove to be climbed. From the ledge step L and climb a crack L of the small arete to the top groove of Quicksilver.
| Moonshine | 15 | 25m | |
This route goes up a series of three corners separated by ledges R of S. The third corner, with two bushes, leads to ledges below an open groove R of the pro w of the buttress. On up this, with a step R just below the top. Pro is sparse but adequate.
Greenhouse Wall
The routes in this area tend to be steep and loose, and though the climbs are not hard, they should be treated cautiously.
| Ecliptic | 19 | 25m | Lindsay Main '80 | |
Climb columns and a short steep wall to the steep groove just R of the top groove of Moonshine. Balance delicately up (crux - well above the pro), moving L a nd then back R and up onto the Moonshine exit slab.
| Greenhouse | 14 | 25m | |
Start in a jam crack in the trees leading to the large sloping platform. Jam up a thin crack in a R-facing corner, then climb the wide groove (crux). Up and R.
| Meteor | 13 | 20m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
This route takes a prominent overhang with a crack. Layback up a steep crack above the platform to a ledge with loose blocks and vegetation (crux). Move L an d then R into the groove, and climb straight over the overhang. Up a steep wall and R into a corner to exit.
| Darth Vader | 12 | 20m | John Barnett | |
The open, broken, steep gully. Straight up for about 12m, then step L where the gully steepens. Exit in the same corner as for M..
| Big Dipper | 14 | 25m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
Climb two steep cracks to an overhang with two cracks, and jam up through the L crack (crux). From the ledge above climb the low angle wall, tending to the R to finish.
| Hokey Pokey | 14 | 25m | Pete Tocker '78 | |
A steep, broken gully which splits a prominent buttress. A move to the R around a small overhang is the crux. Finish up the low angle wall above.
| Space Race | 19 | 10m | Lindsay Main '80 | |
The line on the wall just R of Hokey Pokey. From the gully move R following the diagonal crack, then straight up (crux - #2 CD).
Galactic Wall
This is the high, recessed wall which lacks obvious lines.
| Star Trek | 17 | 35m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
Takes the R-leaning corner and wall above. Near a small tree, climb a groove to a ledge, and step round R into the corner. From a grassy ledge move straight up over a small bulge (crux) and into a groove. Through another small overhang on to the top wall, tending L and then R.
| Pulsar | 19 | 25m | Lindsay Main '83 | |
The overhanging R-leaning groove. Swing in from the L, then up on jugs. Up over blocks. Step L to finish.
| Terminator | 18 | 20m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
On the R hand side of Galactic Wall. Start at the weakness in the roof. Continue over loose blocks tending L. Move R and climb the steep wall. Tend R up the wall exiting onto a grassy ledge. Pro is available when most needed.
| Klingons on the Starbard Bow | 17 | 15m | Joe Arts '95 | |
The wall to the R of Terminator. Two bolts.
Andromeda Buttress
This prominent buttress has many of the best climbs of the cliff.
| The Tardis | 18 | 15m | Joe Arts '95 | |
The arete left of Space Oddity.
| Space Oddity | 12 | 20m | |
The gully to the L of Andromeda Buttress. Start up either one of the two grooves (R is easier) to the grassy ledge. Continue up the steep corner above, climbing mainly on the R wall. A pretty stiff 12!
| Flailing Whales | 17 | 10m | Joe Arts '94 | |
The wall left of Cardiac Arete. Two bolts.
| Cardiac Arete | 18 | 20m | John Barnett/Lindsay Main | |
Start on an undercut arete just L of a corner. Climb the small overhang then up the rounded arete and a short steep wall onto a ledge. Move R and climb the o verhang (crux) and wall above. Reasonable pro. Originally climbed as a meandering route by John Barnett, straightened out by Lindsay Main.
| Quasar | 18 | 10m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
Up the capped corner and move R at the roof (crux) to the top of Solar Flare.
| * Solar Flare | 19 | 10m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
A popular climb. Starts in the black corner behind a bush. Awkward to protect until established in the crack, which will succumb to strong surging moves.
| ** Red Shift | 18 | 8 m | Marty Beare '79 | |
The clean finger crack in the wall L of Andromeda. Sustained.
| Red Shift 2 | 18 | 8m | Joe Arts '94 | |
The wall above Red Shift. Two bolts.
| ** Andromeda | 20 | 8m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
The L-facing corner. Technical and strenuous. Belay from a crack higher up.
| * Giant Space Bunnies From Jupiter | 20 | 10m | John Howard (solo) '79 | |
Nice moves on the rounded buttress R of Andromeda. Small wires for pro where most needed.
| * Steady State | 17 | 12m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
The R-facing corner. Move out to the arete at the top.
| Milky Way | 17 | 12m | John Howard '79 | |
The arete to the R of S.S.. Overhanging start without pro, but higher up the climb can be protected from Steady State.
| Sunspot | 16 | 10m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
A short steep jam crack just to the R of Milky Way. Climb the crack on jams and positive holds, then bridge up the easy gully above.
The Big Bang Area
A motley collection of routes between Andromeda Buttress and the South West arete.
| Clostridium | 13 | 18m | Tim Wethey '78 | |
The knobbly wall and gully above. The start is undercut and strenuous. Then climb the groove, with a move R at about 5m. Take a central line to finish.
| Extraterrestial Crack | 14 | 10m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
The undercut crack. Technical and strenuous start, followed by bridging and jamming.
| Orion | 14 | 12m | Lindsay Main '80 | |
Start on the wall R of Zodiac and move onto the arete. Delicate climbing with adequate pro.
| Zodiac | 18 | 15m | Lindsay Main '80 | |
The wall with a flaring crack. Straight up with dubious pro, moving L below the headwall, and then R to the sloping ledge and exit overhang. Sustained.
| Big Bang | 16 | 18m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
Start up the clean-cut L-facing roofed corner (bridging), and move out to the R under the square roof, which is more intimidating than difficult. Finish straight up or abseil off a bush.
| Southern Cross | 14 | 12m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
Climb the undercut arete just L of the black cave on reasonable holds. Step across to the corner to finish.
| Black Hole | 18 | 12m | John Howard (solo) '79 | |
Start in the black cave and bridge out until the crack on the R can be reached. Climb this to the top.
| Houdini's Nightmare | 19 | 12m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
Start on the L side and trend R to a small ledge and pro. Then L and up to reach the crack. Finish up this or on the wall.
| Cosmic Debris | 16 | 12m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
Two steep thin cracks lead to a ledge 4m up, and a wide curving crack. A technical start.
| Pickin' The Nose | 22 | 12m | Joe Arts '96 | |
Up the hand/fist crack right of the steep brown wall (and left of the Aurora corner) for a couple of metres then swing across to the arete via sharp ledges. Up the arete then right at the overhang. Run it out up the arete. Two bolts plus other pro.
| Challenger | 21 | 12m | Phil Stuart-Jones '97 | |
Try not to explode before you top out! Stay out of Aurora and go up the surprisingly steep straight line just to the left. Follow the deep fist/hand crack (as for PTN) as it thins to slopers then finger locks. A little loose on the top wall. Pro adequate(?), if a bit spaced. Save a #1 Friend or two for the top overhang.
| Aurora | 14 | 12m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
The R-leaning, overhanging, broken corner. Bridging with good holds and jams, sustained. Often wet.
| Tab A | 17 | 8m | Phil Stuart-Jones '93 | |
First crack right of Aurora. Climb the overhang and grovel onto the `tab'. Finish up slab.
| Slot B | 16 | 8m | Phil Stuart-Jones '93 | |
Second crack right of Aurora. Climb the overhang to the crack. Finish up slab. Beware of loose jugs at the bottom.
| Skinny Bastards Revenge | 11 | 9m | John Davis '93 | |
Just left of the big flake of the south-west arete is an off-width. Climb one of the two cracks at the bottom (left is easier) to the ledge then post yourself in the slot... Not for the claustrophobic.
| Gallileo | 22 | 9m | Joe Arts '96 | |
The RH skyline. Up the crack or bulge. Stand up in the break left of the arete, clip the bolt, and start flapping. One bolt and other pro.
| White Dwarf | 11 | 8m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
The deep corner on the south west arete.
| Lunatic Fringe | 13 | 8m | Lindsay Main '78 | |
Just R of W.D.. The arete, bulge and jam crack.