Breadknife

Whilst this narrow edge reaches only about 70 metres in height, it has become something of a true national identity figure. It actually represents the cast of a great dyke within the volcanic ash of the cone of Crater Bluff. In order that it's character be preserved from erosion and that passers-by be protected from falling stones, Breadknife climbing is PROHIBITED, either roped or uproped. For historical purposes and completeness, all known climbing routes are included in a purposively much abbreviated form. With so many neat bluffs close by around here it is indeed surprising that the peak and its $$$ fine receive so much attention. Oh, the subtle intrigue of climbers! Descent: Double ropes from north summit (bolt), chock or slings on South Summit.

East Face	19	64m
A soaring, overhanging face line. Start: Obvious. 1. 8m. Up on large boulder for 5m then traverse left 3m. 2. 18m. Step down and traverse left 6m. Up over a bulging rock, then the wall via the 'V' shaped groove plys 2m to bolt. Up. 3. 9m. Right on a rising ledge to corner; overhanging mantle, bolt runner, corner belay. 4. 21m. Up wall slightly left to 'Eagle's Nest'-bolt in roof. Up corner 5m (crux) then 2m to recess. 5. 9m. Right around corner, up crack 2m then right to yellow rock (bolt runner). Left and onto top.
Bryden Allen, Ted Batty, April 1964. FFA Probably Dewhirst and Treby 1974

South East Ramp	14	33m
Pleasant, good rock with a technical well protected crux. Start: Directly below the first belay of the south arete. 1. 14m. Wall to peg belay as for South Arete. 2. 19m (crux). Right onto steep ramp. Up to below overhanging step, peg. Over the step, then up ramp.
John Ewbank, John Worrall, Dec 1966

*	South Arete	11	33m
	A fine original route, good rock. Exposed. Start: The gap between the Bread and Butter Knives. Scramble along ridge for 15m to base of Arete. Peg on eastern side. 1. 12m. Two little walls to mantleshelf, then up to the pinnacle. 2. 21m. Drop down a bit, then left, around the Arete to west face. Up diagonally left (peg), then easily to ridge. From here, the southern 'tip', it is only a scramble to the north summit.
	Russ Kippax, Bill Peascord, 1954

Minor Route	12	120m
Very pleasant. Start: On the west face right of the gap; obvious break in the initial overhang, just left of small tree about 4m off the ground. 1. 6m. Up then right to tree. 2. 28m. Terrific rock, through vertical to easier angle. Easily left. 3. 33m. Left, bush runner and peg. 4. 35m. Right and up, to belay before 'curve'. 5. 18m. Easily up gully.
Bryden Allen, Chris Regan, Oct 1963

* *	Heartstopper	17	189m
	Brilliant routefinding. Start: Low down at northern end of the west face. 1. 21m. Exceedingly rotten rock, peg, to block. 2. 21m. Right, across yellow wall (delicate), pegs. 3. 21m. Better rock following beneath overhang. 4. 15m. Right until one looks down into the central scoop. Back slightly left to where grey rock makes a break in the yellow overhang. 3m up to belay. 5. 24m. Fearfully up overhang. 3 pegs, to good stance. 6. 18m. Right, good rock and with difficulty to peg. 7. 15m. Down and right. 8. 15m. Right, past the chimney that comes out of the dip between the two summits. 9. 24m. Stenously up the right wall, then back left into and up gully. 10. 15m. Up gully to summit on left.
	Bryden Allen, Chris Regan, Oct 1963

* *	Broadsword	16	315m
	A 'dinner set girdle' of both the west sides of the Bread and Butter Knives. N.B. Details from memory, pitch lengths approximate. START: As for North Arete. 1. 75m. Traverse right at the same level as the start of North Arete. There is a short section of about 4m on smoothish grey rock at some stage! A couple of bolts were used on these three pitches. Small stance just before the rock becomes very steep, and changes colour from grey to red-brown. There is possibly a bolt or peg here for a belay. 2. 30m (crux). Diagonally up and right, steep good rock, to a narrow horizontal ledge (I think)! 3. 60m. Keep going right and at some point it becomes easier to go diagonally downward, over some slabby rock, smooth and lichenous. Narrow horizontal ledge. 4. 45m. Traverse right, trending up slightly. Broadsword crosses Minor Route about here. Belay under the gap between the Bread and Butter Knives, and 30m below - on the assumption that you are not completely lost, (or well on the way to Gilgandra), and gripped up on the crux of Heartstopper!! 5. 105m. Across the steep juggy wall of the Butterknife, crossing all its routes at about half height, to the South Arete. Pleasant pitch to top.
	John Ewbank/John Davis, April '64

Major Route	13/14	150m
Supposedly good value. Start: Ten metres lower than North Arete. There are seven pitches crossing Heartstopper and finishing up Minor Route, four bolts and four pitons were left.
Dick Smith, John Davis, March 1965

*	North Arete	13	138m
	Inspiring situation, first class rock. Classic. Start: Behind and up 5m from the "No climbing on the Breadknife'' sign. 1. 9m. Left 3m, up slight ramp, right back under overhang. Blocks. 2. 9m. Left onto the east face, up a corner, right onto nose. Blocks. 3. 24m. Up broken arete to ledge. 4. 6m. Up wall. 5. 6m. (crux) Onto block, then bulging grey rock above. 6. 39m. Exposed, easy traverse onto east face, thence up ramp leading to the gap between north and south summits. 7. 12m. To north summit. 8. 33m. Along ridge to abseil point.
	R. Kippax/D. Roots/P. Hardy/J. Field, 1956

* *	Skyline Traverse	14	153m
	Spectacular and aesthetic crossing. Start: As for North Arete. 1. 18m. Follow arete to east-side belay. 2. 24m. West side, up to large blocks at base of steep waIl. 3. 36m. (crux) Up wall then awkwardly tu~n overhang. Traverse delicately around te ''ramp'' on east face - bollards and/or pegs. 4. 18m. Ramp to saddle, to block. To north summit and return. 5. 12m. To south summit via west face. 6. 45m. Along ridge - loose rock, to bolt atop of South Arete. Abseil.
	R. Kippax/D. Roots/P. Hardy/J. Field, 1956.