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Last Min Darrans Advice (New Zealand). |
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16-Dec-2012 6:57:01 PM
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So a few quick question before we fly off on Tuesday to 2 weeks of climbing in the Darrans of NZ.
1) should we pack a #5? Pretty heavy but in 400m of crack systems may well come in handy.
2) whats the frequency of finding carrot bolts, I read they exist over there. We have packed 8 between us.
3) triples of number #0.75, or #1 would be overkill right? Again 45+ m pitches over 400 m total could suggest it be useful, but I suspect we'll just have to harden up and run it out some more?
4) what do we do about 'number 2's'? is it alpine enough in the bivy sites to require a pootube?
over and out.
ps sorry for new thread but seems the old thread was removed somehow...?
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16-Dec-2012 9:41:37 PM
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Have fun with your trip.
re: your qns
1) I wouldn't bother with large gear unless you were specifically aiming for something, which on your first trip you won't be.
2) I never bother bringing bolt hangers to NZ. The modern routes have proper bolts.
3) triples almost certainly overkill - you don't tend to be on long, splitter crack pitches.
4) if you are planning on using the main bivvies (Turner's, Phil's) you might want to think about a pootube. Hopefully you can avoid it being an issue on day-trips.
I didn''t get around to replying to your first thread. Odds are that on your first trip to the area you will climb mostly around Homer Hut rather going anywhere very remote.
There is good sport/semi sport climbing around the road, ranging from moderate slab climbing to ferocious projects & including a lot of stuff that stays dry even in the downpours.
On Moir, Moir's Mate & the little brother there is lots of really fun climbing (generally 4-6 pitches) ranging from old and frightening fun to very modern fun. This is all usually done as a day trip from Homer - you can do a couple of routes in a day pretty comfortably if all goes smoothly. The recent routes like Lucky Strike & Vindication enable you to take a really light pack for the hike & are exceptionally well prepared climbs.
The ridges provide awesome semi-alpine scrambling (usually needs boots & axe).
More alpiney undertakings such as the East Ridge of Talbot & the North Buttress of Sabre are great fun routes at about 17 (mostly much easier). Take a standard rack and a willingness to get on with it a bit. I think that both routes are exceptional and harder variants exist around both of them if you are keen on that.
This will probably occupy most of a two week trip for most people & be lots of fun.
There are lots of newer & harder things to do & huge amounts of unclimbed rock. The higher you get the better the crack systems tend to be & so the less you need to drill.
Most stuff is described to an extent in the current guide book, but the best information is in Homer Hut. The hut book has topos of all the new routes - take a digital camera.
good luck
take care
s
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16-Dec-2012 10:41:40 PM
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Thanks Stuart!
That's incredibly helpful info! Just 2 more sleeps!
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17-Dec-2012 9:25:38 AM
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Thanks Stuart- and sorry to bug you with further paranoia- I can imagine that the slabs are all shiny and bolty, but what about some of these older school ones where a natural anchor might be required- still no triples?:
+ MOIR'S MATE- Diamond Face: Bowan Allan, Garden Trowel, Strobe Light (no splitters?)
+ MT MOIR- North Face- Denz Hudson (described as a dominant corner?)
+ TALBOT- Sphinx (more corners), East Ridge
+ MT BARRIER- Danger Will Robinson
+ SABRE PEAK- Black Doris, TV Route, Sabre rattling (still no triples?), Natural Progression, Fisher McLeod
+ NORTH BUTTRESS- NW FACE- Direct Start, Sarkasmos
+ BARRIER KNOB (all bolted slabs with the odd cam?)
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17-Dec-2012 4:05:44 PM
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Be careful on slabs expecting bolts. Bolts can be damaged by rockfall and avalanches and may not be there. Bowen Allan didnt need triples of anything. I think I recall a piton but that was it. (I dont think I even had doubles of much when I did it, except ropes. One of them got stuck on rappel). I did use RPs a bit on a route we did on the Sentinel.
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17-Dec-2012 8:03:35 PM
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Great to have people excited about visiting such an amazing area.
I have not climbed lots in the Darrans, but on all the routes that I have done I have only had a single set of cams and a single set of nuts. I don't carry gear bigger than a fist (3 camalot) but I have been glad to have tips size cams. A few extras doesn't do any harm - if you have the strength and enthusiasm to carry stuff, you can usually find a way to use it, but you could probably climb most of these routes without extra gear. You can solve most problems by climbing on or belaying early.
Have fun.
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18-Dec-2012 8:08:22 AM
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You'll have a much more enjoyable time if you climb a couple of grades below your limit and take a reduced rack I reckon. Darrens isn't Yosemite splitters.
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18-Dec-2012 11:56:10 AM
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Cheers again Stuart/Vanessa/Neil. Sound advice about climbing within limits and 'solving' problems rather than just throwing gear at them.
Now let's just hope they let me leave the country with my passport to expire one day before I get back.
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19-Dec-2012 11:12:11 AM
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They'll let you leave, but you might have trouble arriving in NZ.
http://www.customs.govt.nz/inprivate/traveltonz/immigration/Pages/default.aspx
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19-Dec-2012 11:39:02 AM
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On 19/12/2012 Will_P wrote:
>They'll let you leave, but you might have trouble arriving in NZ.
>
>http://www.customs.govt.nz/inprivate/traveltonz/immigration/Pages/default.aspx
Yeah, they can be real sticklers about the 3 month thing.
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19-Dec-2012 2:14:30 PM
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I cant remember how long was left on the passport (maybe 1 month?), but we got more hassle from the airline (blocked from checking-in online) than from the kiwis.
You would certainly need a return ticket.
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