Ascensions dans Te Ika-a-Māui / The North Island comme Flash par John Pitcairn

Trickyish start. Didn't float my boat.

Really pleasant route, good gear. Walked 30km to get here.

Nice lead from Jonno. Great route, reminiscent of Arapiles watchtower slabbing. Left the anchor in place for convenience.

Think Jonno strayed too far right, missed the spike, exited right instead of left. Getting hot and blowy, time to leave. Keen to return and lead it.

In approach shoes to clean the Stargazer anchor. Might as well have soloed due to the extreme pendulum potential...

Easy. But none of us were any better than this...

Not bad. A bit slimy down the bottom right now so the start is harder than 14, will be an easy clean next summer. Perfect fists for me, take a couple of #4s. The remainder was mostly hexes. Linked into Dog's Breakfast.

Nervy balancy wee number in places, sketchy top out. Maybe we were too far left but the arete was pretty green in the first half.

Balancy to the first bolt.

Balancy start, neato face climbing thereafter. The feature on the upper face resembles a bee if you have good drugs.

How have I managed to avoid this for 10 years? It's pretty damn good. Looks like you could once keep going after the anchor but bolt on arete has been flattened.

A bit grubby

Yup, overgraded. Retrieving Magnus' draws.

Draws on. Straight up to first bolt, nice right hand jams around midway, then head left.

Draws on. In for the 5th ascent, after Greg. Start is probably the crux, once you're on the arete it's plainer sailing and good fun. Nice moves to be had. Also, according to the crag, my 666th unique ascent...

May possibly have done this a long time ago, not sure. Really nice thoughtful slab moves, highly recommended but perhaps not if 16 is your limit.

Seems I've never been on this. I'd remember. Bastard hard start, very thankful for the stick clipped first bolt. Missed the good holds over the bulge to arrive on the slab surprised I was still on. High left foot rock up and right palm down over the top lip, worked well. Vague sense of accomplishment.

Warmup. Best I can say is it's short.

Draws on. After gorse working bee and in need of shade. Better than it looks.

Draws on. Started a smidge right of the bolts in the shallow scoop, crossed left at break and bulge with a little pocket beta from Jonno. Maybe that's not how it's supposed to go, but pretty soft for 21? 20 at most, maybe even hard 19.

Draws on. Grubby but climbable, monkeying around on a juggy overhang. Fun enough but feels a bit gym, and short. Would probably be more pleasing if cleaner. And not 21.

Draws on to crux after Amy had a go. Spent considerable time getting up, feeling around, getting down, repeat. In the end it was really only one or two tricky moves, and 4 people all found different beta. Mine kept the feet on and the body mostly upright. Quite fun.

Pleasant enough apart from lichen.

Never thought this looked all that good, but it is. Don't get sucked left too early in the scoop, and save some oomph for the final layback in the enticing high dihedral.

A long long belay session while Gareth worked it, so had a fair bit of pocket beta. Felt soft for 20, foot placement starting the crux is crucial.

Probably the pick of the litter today.

The pocket-bingo at the top-out is a bit typically tedious.

Surprised myself a bit by sailing up it without much thought. Lead might be different.

Large drumming flake...

Done properly this time, through the right end of the roof. Quite fun, but that's the only worthwhile move on it.

Quite good but mossy at bottom. Bring a brush next time ... clipped the anchor and straight into Tiger by the Tail.

Pretty damn good, keeps you thinking a bit. Seems I read the moves through the middle section better than Phil, found it not too pumpy. Runout above the roof but much easier climbing.

Draws on. Pulled straight through the roof rather than left. I think solid 17. Finish might be a bit nervy if pumped.

Really good, pumpy through middle.

The huge detached block is a bit worrying. 15R for the belayer.

Hey yeah, a jam in a hole, the obvious move...

OK, but just a bit short.

Nice cleaning job Gareth. LH start, good moves on the arete, similar feeling to P1 of After The Sunset. 19 is a bit of a stretch I think, LH is 18. Incoming rain drove us back to camp.

Also bloody good. Started in a post-lunch coma but woke up pretty fast. Great slabby moves, fairly sustained at 20+ most of the way. Possibly 3 stars if it was cleaner, though it's clean enough if you trust the occasional lichen smear. Should have led it dammit, will be back for that.

Nowhere near 18.

Draws on. A valiant near miss on the onsight by Grant. Crux is through the first 2-3 bolts, then it's all over.

About time I climbed this. Yup it's 15 not 16, and pretty good but fairly straightforward slab climbing. Had a play on the top of Curious Kiwi on the way down, that seems reasonably solid 19.

Back for a proper go. Bouldery start then delicate moves up to meet Rohan's Little Sister. Think it's probably 18 unless you're supposed to crank straight up over the nose, which would be an eliminate. Adds a very worthwhile few metres.

Interesting and delicate. Was coached through the gear placement before the crux by Matthias, thanks.

Really rather good

Rather better than it looks. Belayed Grant's onsight first. Hands a bit chewed afterwards but.

Draws on. Felt a bit awkward, maybe not the best warmup. One star at most.

Draws on. Dodging showers. Probably went a little far left at the crux, but that's what squeeze routes get you.