Best city in NZ for climbing?
12 June 2010 - 12:57pm
Hi
I'm hoping to move to NZ in a year. Looking for some help please. I was wondering which city would be the best to live for climbing both rock and alpine? But where the city is not too quiet?
Thanks
Tom
13 June 2010 - 4:23pm
#2
Christchurch has by far the best combination of accessibility to rock, mountains and potential employment.
It's not really a city, but if you come to New Zealand expecting a big city experience you've got your wires crossed somewhere!
13 June 2010 - 4:37pm
#3
Nelson, Christchurch, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin anything down the east coast is going to offer better employment opportunities as well as some climbing options. The potential for climbing in most areas is only limited by the locals persistance and imagination for the sport. There is some kind of rock to climb within 30mins of most of the eastern south island cities. (Ashburton might be an exception)
13 June 2010 - 6:03pm
#4
dont go ashburton there are no crags there but chch would be my choice
17 June 2010 - 12:47pm
#5
If you want both sport and alpine, then I would recommend Christchurch and Queenstown. Wanaka, Dunedin, and Taupo are also good options.
17 June 2010 - 7:56pm
#6
Taupo?
19 June 2010 - 11:00am
#7
Well, Ruapehu/Ngaruhoe/Tongariro/Taranaki aren't great for alpine, but at least you've got Whanganui Bay, Kinloch 1-2-3-4, Kawakawa, Reporoa, Mangatepopo, Whakapapa, and other random crags all within day cragging distance. ;-)
23 June 2010 - 11:20pm
#8
Yeah I agree taupo is way underated, wish I was more into climbing when i lived there. Aparently Ruapehu has good climbing, lots of really accessable ice to climb, still gotta get down there for a look
27 June 2010 - 7:06pm
#9
If you want rock climbing and skiing then Taupo is the best location in the North Island without doubt. Gets a bit quiet in winter though if you are after "city stuff".
I live here so might be biased though......
6 July 2010 - 1:31pm
#12
Is Wellington any good for climbing?
Bouldering Yes, Climbing No, unless climbing trad on choss appeals to you
5 August 2010 - 5:48pm
#13
Is Wellington any good for climbing?
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Seriously though, most of New Zealand's best climbers used to live in Wellington.
10 July 2010 - 12:04pm
#14
Best city in New Zealand. Also, the furthest from climbing. Tough call, that.
22 July 2010 - 9:58pm
#15
Christchurch, You got port hills at your doorstep that will keep even the most active climbers pretty occupied, castle hill is less than a hour away, paynes ford is a great weekend destination, the cave, Christchurch is a pretty sweet spot and some pretty good indoor climbing gyms too for those cold wet days
23 July 2010 - 8:19pm
#16
Invercargill - Darran's!!
26 July 2010 - 5:43pm
#17
Yes but city life is student, not a sophisticated place. Invercargil is Like Other towns 15-20 years ago
Christchurch or Queenstown
Queenstown is small But the tourist trade means it has some city things Like bars and Restaurants. But lacks others like theatre etc
Christchurch is a City and has an active climbing community and Alpine club meetings as a way to start meeting people.
Lots of people like Dunedin but It does nothing for me.
10 August 2010 - 11:11pm
#18
come to Golden Bay! We need some more locals... only 5 keen climbers that live here. No work, great weather, great crag.
12 August 2010 - 4:44pm
#19
Only 5?
It's not yet a city though
26 August 2010 - 5:10pm
#20
Every places has its own roses and thorns...
Christchurch has lots of climbing but no multipitch (more than 3 pitches), rock and routes mainly the same. However still it offers enjoyement for a few years and social life is good, castle hill is only 1 hour away but real mountains at least 1:30 to 2 hours drive.
Dunedin, cool scene and nice athmosphere, climbing like christchurch is only on mostly single pitch and mountains are far-ish. Weather....is Dunedin weather...
Queenstown not a city (lack of entertainment: no big museums...) but loads of climbing from single to long multipitch, trad to sport and all only 15 min drive from town, bouldering and it is central Otago weather...dry and sunny! Wanaka good too like queenstown but fewer jobs available.
Golden bay: awesome! however lack of jobs...unless you are a fruit picker by trade...
Invercargill: cheap place, jobs available, Darrans fairly close...but weather dependent...
Wellington: more a bouldering city, mountains far, very few sport crags but cool people.
29 September 2010 - 8:46pm
#21
I'd stay away from the North Island (and I live here) - anybody who thinks it offers any sort of reasonable alpine climbing or skiing is completly nuts. They're not even comparable. Wellington is really far from anything worth climbing (except for some bouldering) and the access between the north and south islands is rediculiously expensive The south island is your only option, in my opinion, and Christchurch or Dunedin are your best options.
Christchurch is a little more spread out, Dunedin is a nicer, but smaller city I think.
Queenstown is a tourist trap, with good access to climbing, but I get tired of the town after a couple days.
You'd be a fool to come to the north island - there is some good climbing around taupo, but just rock and it's not that great. Go south.
Graham
30 September 2010 - 4:16pm
#22
I agree with Graham, to a point. The snow and alpine in the south island is incomparable, if that's what you're into. However, if you like climbing rock year round, you're better off in the North Island (apart from some kick-arse snowy winter bouldering at the Hill).
Those are mutually exclusive...
Personally I would say if you want to go Alpine Climbing then your options need to be South Island based. How big a city? My choice would be ChCh, then Dunedin but Queenstown is a pretty good base....
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