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Maungarei Springs

  • Grade context: AU
  • Photos: 29
  • Ascents: 7,248
  • Aka: Stonefields
  • Aka: Mt Wellington Quarry

Seasonality

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Summary

Urban basalt quarry climbing beside a small lake in the Maungarei Springs Wetland reserve.

Description

Mix of sport and trad routes. Many original climbs were dry-tooling routes, though all have been freed at this point.

Access issues

Please be sensible, respectable and safe, wear a helmet whether you're climbing, belaying or just watching (falling rocks, hardware etc. aren't picky who they hit). Be considerate to other park users and residents of the area. Dogs are not allowed in the wetlands as per council rules.

Please park considerately to maximise cars parked in the marked carparks on Barbarich Dr or Tephra Blvd, do not park in the turn around area or up on the grass. It’s a short walking distance to the climbs and there is an access road round the right side of the lake. There is a toilet and drinking fountain in the reserve by Tephra Blvd.

All climbs are on reserve land, Maungarei Springs Wetland is classified as Open Space – Informal Recreation Zone in the Auckland Unitary Plan. The original route developers have been joined by NZAC & ACAT for managing the crag for recreational climbing in the reserve.

Approach

Walk around behind the pumphouse for the first few routes. Continue down beside the cliff to the back of the lake for the rest. Watch out for broken bottles in the rocky descent.

Ethic

Routes are a mix of sport, mixed and trad, was originally developed for dry tooling but all routes have been free climbed. No retro bolting of trad climbs without first ascent confirmation. Since it was a working quarry there are still loose rocks from blasting, but a solid wall is slowly emerging.

History

History timeline chart

A few routes were developed in 2009, then the area mostly languished until early 2016, when a lot of cleaning and bolting was done. Then AGS closed and development really took off.

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Fri 2 Jun
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