What year was the club formed? 2008
What prompted the club’s formation? A group of keen local climbers meet up and formed the QCC, which is led entirely by volunteers. We aim to:
- Promote climbing in the Wakatipu region
- Provide a point of contact for members and new climbers in the Wakatipu area
- Maintain and increase public access to the climbing areas in the Wakatipu region
- Support the establishment of new climbing routes in the Wakatipu region
- Promote safe bolting and climbing practices
- Promote conservation of the natural environment around the rock climbing areas in the Wakatipu region
- Promote climbing to members and the public, and providing both information and resources for this purpose
How many members does the club currently have? 187 paid members and 1,587 Facebook members.
What areas do you regularly climb in? Local crags include Wye Creek, Hawk Wall, Gorge Road, Arawata Terrace, Remarkables, Coronet, Hero Wall, Kingston and Chinamans Bluff. Many other smaller crags lie dotted around the Wakatipu Basin.
Apart from climbing, what other activities does the club do? Tree planting and trapping at Wye Creek. The Wye Creek Conservation Area contains an incredibly diverse ecosystem that ranges from a high alpine environment (c.2000 metres) with populations of kea, karearea and alpine insects to a rich mid-level valley system with streams and ancient stands of beech forest that run all the way to lake level (310 metres). To date we have undertaken four major plantings of native bush with ongoing maintenance and put in place more than 60 predator traps, which we monitor monthly. You can assist by leaving no trace of your visit, helping out when needed (join our Facebook page for up and coming events), avoid newly planted areas, or take 15 minutes to water some of the new plantings.
The club has a website and we use our Facebook page to communicate with members and arrange events: www.queenstownclimbing.com and www.facebook.com/groups/queenstownclimbingclub
