Stony Bay Peak
Summary
Lots of possibilities exist here for those with a gorse slasher, a brush and a bolt kit. It has excellent, compact trachyte rock and a lot of the climbs are quite long. The crag is sunny and has a panoramic view overlooking Akaroa Harbour.
How to get there
Stony Bay Peak is the prominent crag above Akaroa. Access is either from the Akaroa road (4 Km before Akaroa, take Long Bay Rd) to the junction with the Summit Rd, or via the Summit Rd itself. From this junction take the unsealed road south (Purple Peak Rd) until it ends at one of the nicest spots on the Peninsula. There is about a 20 minute walk to the crag. Map Ref. N37 105097.Ontanrito station, including Stony Bay peak is now owned by Hinewai reserve trust fund, and managed by Hugh Wilson. It is a private reserve but allows public access.
History
The first recorded visit was in 1974, resulting in *Asthmatic Hedgehog (17) by Hugh Logan. Visits in the mid-70s were sporadic and not much was done, until Rick McGregor put up *Ubique (19) in 1979. In the early 80s John Howard, Brent Davis and Brian Fish did various routes, notably *Spice (20) and ***Afterdinnermint (23), but many of these efforts were not recorded. Since then the crag seems to have been neglected.
Climbing Notes
Take a slasher, since the crag suffers from gorse around the base. Descent routes are round each end, down a gully near Anorexic Banana, or down the big gully in the middle of the crag. A few easier routes that have no particular merit a re not recorded here. There is confusion about the exact position of some route s. Be sure to visit the Akaroa fish & chip shop on your way home.
| Bootless | 19 | 14m | Joe Arts '93 |  |
Classic. First arete from the Summit Road end. Two bolts.
| * Spice | 20 | 15m | Brian Fish '82 | |
A cracked overhang on a small isolated buttress on the far L. Up the overhang, then the slab.
| Red Hot Chilli Peppers | 20 | 25m | |
Sloping overhang immediately right of Spice, over lip then up slab. CD's at the lip and large CDs at the top.
To the right of the next gully is...
| * Stepping Out | 15 | 15m | Rick McGregor (solo) '79 | |
The obvious slab with a steep wall to start. One bolt is the only pro.
| Taking Off | 15 | 10m | Rick McGregor (solo) '79 | |
The slab which begins 5m up and R of S.O.. Reach it either via Anorexic Banana or from the top. Climb the slab just inside the line of the arete on the L. No pro.
| Simple Sidle | 15 | 12m | Rick McGregor (solo) '79 | |
Also on the T.O. slab. Start up the line of holds to the R of T.O. and follow these until level with the top of the flakes. Move R, and then back L diagonally to the top (crux). Zero pro.
| Anorexic Banana | 11 | 25m | Lindsay Main (solo) '79 | |
The prominent arete to the R of the slabs. Climb the overhang at the bottom at the point of least resistance and proceed up the line of the rib.
| Big Red Arete | 18 | 25m | John Howard | |
Up A.B.. Move R across grassy slabs to spike. R to arete and up.
| The Empty Quarter | 20 | 20m | Joe Arts '93 | |
Black overhanging wall. Bolt belay off to left.
| Psychoslut | 18 | 20m | Brent Davis | |
3m L of the next rib (which is capped by a roof 15m up). Up a steep groove, past a sloping roof, and up the broken corner above. Variation start: Up the obvious crack to the dead tree, traverse L to join direct line.
| un-named | 17 | 20m | Rob Battersby '93 | |
Climb arete to single bolt belay with two old krabs.
| To Kill a Mockingbird | 24 | 25m | Joe Arts '93 | |
Climb through jumble of overhangs. Three bolts and natural pro.
| un-named | 19 | 25m | Hamish Dunn '93 | |
Up a steep wall/arete to the belay bolt on TKAM.
| Brent's Route | 18 | 20m | Brent Davis | |
Starts 4m R of rib. Up steep cracks and through the overhang.
There may be another route here of about grade 20, courtesy of Brian Fish.
| * Ubique | 19 | 40m | Rick McGregor | |
A prominent corner capped by a large overhang. Climb to below the L side of the overhang. Traverse R across the wall to the ledge at the foot of the (promine nt) crack. Climb this (crux), and continue round the arete to small bush. Then up to the belay ledge. Or finish directly up the crack (about 21, Brent Davis).
| * Nocturnal Goatsucker | 19 | 40m | Brent Davis '80 | |
A R variation start to Ubique, joining it at the ledge below the prominent exit crack.
| *** Afterdinnermint | 23 | John Howard '80 | |
A 4m 45 degree roof with a fingercrack. Belay on ledge. A second pitch goes up a black wall.
| Hypochrondria | 17 | 30m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
Up the square-cut corner (good pro at crux) to a scoop below small bulge, which is turned on the R past the vege. Finish up the rib.
There is then a short overhanging crack, (perhaps climbed at grade 18).
Somewhere around this part of the cliff is a lost 2-pitch route by Howard and John Allen, the first pitch being a big slab (Nocturnal Goatsucker could even be it).
| Astigmatism | 17 | 25m | Lindsay Main '79 | |
An indeterminant crack-line to the R of the large overhangs. Cruxes on the first and last bulges. Unreliable rock.
| Fester | 18 | Marty Beare '82 | |
Starts in L-facing corner (good pro). L onto the wall, bridge up L to a recess (poor pro), exit L off a square block.
The next routes are well to the R, past the gorse-filled gully.
| Hedonist | 11 | 30m | Andrew Smith (solo) '74 | |
R of some easy slabs, a long L-angling corner. Steep at the bottom.
| Delusions of Grandeur | 16 | 25m | Lindsay Main | |
Start up Hedonist to where it gets easy. A small flake leads across the R wall to the finish of Spunk.
| Spunk | 14 | 25m | Andrew Smith (solo) | |
3m R of H. An obvious crack in a V-groove.
| Red Rooster | 13 | 20m | |
2m R of S., a corner with a wide crack with a red R wall.
| Interjection | 13 | 20m | |
4m R of R.R.. A technical start followed by a grassy gully.
| Devil's Advocate | 10 | |
Follows a series of flakes. Steepest at the bottom.
| * Asthmatic Hedgehog | 17 | 18m | Hugh Logan '74 | |
A sharp-cut corner. Crux about 4m up.