Coke Ovens Lower
|
Generally shady in the morning and sunny in the afternoon. Routes left of The Passionate Pilgrims face more NE and may receive more sun in the morning/shade in the afternoon.
|
|
|
Climbs are described from left to right.
There is a cool, narrow gully (Fern Gully) at the extreme left end of the Coke Ovens. Access up this gully is hindered by cliffs and a small waterfall. There are no recorded climbs on the good looking cliffs to the left of Fern Gully.
|
|
F Flat
|
15
|
48m
|
|
|
Start on a small wall 75m or so right of Fern Gully. The exit is dirty so it's better to finish up F Sharp instead.
1. 42m Up wall to tree. Up crack, hard move onto ledge and up right facing corner to tree anchor.
2. 6m Scramble up chimney to top. Tree anchor.
|
|
Keith Royce, Sue Royce 13-7-69
|
|
*
|
F Sharp
|
14
|
45m
|
|
|
A fine and worthy companion to F Flat, but a long walk to get to it. Start in the corner 5m right of F Flat.
1. 18m Up corner to ledge. Small tree anchor.
2. 18m Up rest of crack to roof and hand traverse right to ledge. Tree anchor.
3. 9m Up wall to top. Tree anchor.
|
|
David Massam, Don Klees (alt) 13-7-69
|
|
*
|
Elegantly Waisted
|
22
|
35m
|
|
|
Sustained. Start 12m right of F Sharp.
Up to BR. Left and up through waisted section (7 BRs, large cam) to narrow ledge. Tree anchor. Rap off.
|
|
Brett Miller, Jeff Allwood 5-98
|
|
*
|
Decadent
|
16
|
92m
|
|
|
Start at a blocky corner 45m right of F Sharp.
1. 41m (16*) Up the blocky section and into the right facing corner (large cams, #4 camalot) to ledge. Rap possible.
2. 11m Up small wall crack to boulder-strewn, large ledge. Thread anchor.
3. 40m Traverse right to base of cracks. Up final cracks, chimneys and corners to top. Tree anchor.
|
|
David Massam, Keith Royce (alt), Don Klees 12-7-69
|
|
|
Decadent Variant Start
|
16
|
12m
|
|
|
Up crack 7m right of Decadent (marked 'DV') to ledge to join Decadent.
|
|
Mike Law 8-7-76
|
|
|
Earthquake
|
16
|
95m
|
|
|
Vegetated above the tree at 10m. Apparently has a fabulous first pitch that leads to easier climbing when clean. Start 25m right of Decadent Variant in a clean corner.
1. 15m Straight up corner and layback the tree to belay.
2. 40m Up corner and left-hand crack. Continue up and left to large tree.
3. 40m Up easy corner system behind to top.
|
|
Mike Law, Pete Taylor (alt) 8-7-76
|
|
|
T3
|
18
|
100m
|
|
|
Absolutely desperate! The grade 3 tree is terminally anorexic, but the upper pitches are supposed to be good.
Start 25m right of Earthquake at a desperate looking roof crack. Start at the closest of two flimsy trees growing up to the lip of the overhang. The start is marked on a rock at foot level 5m before the tree.
1. 25m (18) Shimmy up the thin tree, swaying all the way. Swing onto rock and jamb the thin crack past an old peg to a stance in the corner above the wide section.
2. 25m Easy corner and over the double roofs.
3. 25m Up thin crack into corner, over roof and right to tree anchor.
4. 25m Easy arete to top.
|
|
Mike Law, Glenn Tempest (alt) 21-5-76
|
|
* *
|
In the Name of Morality
|
21
|
65m
|
|
|
A great route up a rocketing line. Most parties rap off at the top of pitch 2 (BYO tat).
Start 100m right of T3 in a right facing corner sweeping up in a huge arc (marked 'INM').
1. 18m (18) Layback up crack to small cave recess then up crack to ledge.
2. 20m (21) Finger crack (many #0.5 cams) to belay on ledge below double roofs. 2BB.
3. 18m (20) Out over roofs, up the sweeping arc to where the cracks run out. Up carefully onto ledge then traverse left to cave recess. An unprotected pitch.
4. 9m Up easy wall above and slightly right of cave.
|
|
FA (15M3) Keith Royce, Howard Bevan (alt) 18-6-71; FFA (P1 & P2) Chris Peisker, Keith Bell 5-75; FFA Roland Pauligk, Tony Nemec (alt) 20-5-75
|
|
|
In the Name of Morality Variant Finish
|
20
|
30m
|
|
|
Start at 2BB at the top of pitch 2 of the original climb.
Follow line through two small roofs as for pitch 3. Instead of continuing up the line, move out left through overlap (small cam on lip) and onto wall. Up easy unprotected wall to top. Tree anchor.
|
|
Lucas Trihey, Andy Henderson 2-84
|
|
* * *
|
The Righteous Brothers
|
22
|
55m
|
|
|
Follows a devious line for two grand pitches: the first is more technical and the second is more sustained. The grade is solid for 22. Rebolted with new carrots in 2010.
Start 25m right of In the Name of Morality at a short thin crack sprouting up unpromisingly from the base of a monstrous blank face.
1. 30m (22) Up crack, then right at 3BRs (3rd BR hard to clip) to a slight rib (BR) and rest. Up rib and right to (hard) mantel (#4 wire), up to hole and flake. Up flake (BR), laybacking like a disease to a jug, then thin moves left (BR) to hole and 3BB. Take #3 cam and medium wires.
2. 25m (22) Move right and up right edge of orange streak (9BR, #2.5 cam) then left and up to rap chains 5m short of the top.
Descent: Rap 50m to deck.
|
|
Giles Bradbury, Greg Moore 10-87
|
|
* *
|
Unchained Melody
|
26
|
30m
|
|
|
Thin face climbing up the clean sweep of rock right of The Righteous Brothers
|
|
Martin Brown 2015
|
|
|
Flame of Mortality
|
22
|
55m
|
|
|
Start at the thin crack in the wall 20m right of The Righteous Brothers.
1. 50m Follow the crack up and right to just short of where it peters out (crux), then follow the traverse line right to a 'thin BR' (?). Up to BB on ledge.
2. 5m Easily right along ledge to gully. Rap off.
|
|
Tom Williams, Peter Matysek 1-10-85
|
|
|
Taafa
|
15
|
65m
|
|
|
Tight as the proverbial...
Start 10m right of Flame of Mortality in a short left facing corner.
1. 8m Corner to tree anchor.
2. 15m Up corner to base of chimney and tree anchor.
3. 24m (15) Up chimney, out and around chockstone and up to tree anchor.
4. 18m Up chimney, then corner to top.
|
|
Keith Royce, Don Klees (alt) 15-6-69
|
|
|
Taafa Drabble
|
12
|
25m
|
|
|
Probably under-graded. Start 20m right of Taafa around the arete at an incipient seam on a mossy slab.
Up vague line and slab (no pro) trending left to join Taafa on the ledge. Continue as for Taafa.
|
|
Mike Law 1976
|
|
|
Taafa Variant
|
16
|
18m
|
|
|
Start 8m right of Taafa Drabble in a corner.
Up corner to ledge and tree anchor.
Rap off boulder (long sling) or continue as for Taafa.
|
|
David Massam, Keith Royce, Sue Royce 16-6-69
|
|
|
Sworn on the Bible
|
17
|
15m
|
|
|
Start 13m right of Taafa Variant (marked 'SB').
Up thin crack and short off-width to ledge.
|
|
John Smoothy, Andrew Dunn, "Big' Mal Gray 5-78
|
|
|
Blasphemy Variant
|
15?
|
10m
|
|
|
Start 2m right of Sworn on the Bible at a small right leaning crack in the wall.
Up crack to ledge and join Blasphemy.
|
|
FA details unknown
|
|
|
Blasphemy
|
15
|
54m
|
|
|
A large tree is buried in avalanche debris and now partially blocks pitch 1. Large nuts needed on pitch 2.
Start 4m right of Blasphemy Variant at a finger crack in the middle of the face.
1. 24m (15) Crack and chimney above to tree anchor.
2. 24m Up crack to tree anchor.
3. 6m Up wall to top.
|
|
Don Klees, Les Ormond (alt) 15-6-69
|
|
*
|
Walking in the Rain
|
14
|
27m
|
|
|
Start just left of Mossy Corner. Photogenic.
Up wall and traverse left to BR, then straight up and move left at small bushes. Up to BB.
|
|
Peter Ward, Heinz Frecklestein Mauritz 10-5-87
|
|
|
Erosion Wall
|
12
|
50m
|
|
|
Start as for Mossy Corner.
1. 18m As for Mossy Corner.
2. 32m Move out left then wander up the wall to the large bushy ledge.
|
|
Keith Bell, Greg Mortimer 7-5-74
|
|
|
Mossy Corner
|
13
|
48m
|
|
|
Start 30m right of Blasphemy, just right of a large sandy cave, in a low angled corner above some old landslide debris. The first pitch may be a bit loose since half the mountain fell away during a storm.
1. 18m Easy corner system to tree anchor.
2. 15m Crack on left wall, up and around trees and up to ledge. Thread anchor.
3. 15m Onto nose, traverse right into crack and up to tree anchor.
|
|
Dave Massam, Keith Royce (alt) 15-6-69
|
Petrie's Gully is directly across the Wolgan Valley from here. There are fine views down valley - Exploding Galaxies is on the right. There is a delightful grove of casuarinas at the base of the cliff.
|
|
Body Odour
|
8
|
91m
|
|
|
Woeful, a good excuse for a bath!
Start 15m right of Mossy Corner (marked with a faded 'BO'). Scramble up 10m to two large trees and belay. Start at short wide corner.
1. 27m Up groove through mank to tree anchor below face.
2. 46m Walk up and right along big ledge to tree at base of chimney.
3. 18m Up chimney being careful of loose rocks
|
|
Keith Royce (solo) 7-69
|
|
|
Diamond Snake
|
15
|
72m
|
|
|
Start 35m right of Body Odour in the centre of a mossy, slabby wall.
1. 36m As you will to main ledge and to foot of obvious crack on left.
2. 18m Up crack to cave.
3. 18m (15) Up crack to ramp and bush anchor.
|
|
David Massam, Keith Royce (alt) 14-7-69
|
|
*
|
Runnels Of Love
|
21
|
40m
|
|
|
Face 5m left of Publish or Perish. Bridge off tree then 5 carrots followed by small-to-medium gear in vertical runnels. At small ledge escape left and up to natural belay. Direct finish difficult to protect.
|
|
Ben Maddison, Brad Carmady, Greg Mortimer 2012
|
|
*
|
Publish or Perish
|
21
|
30m
|
|
|
Blunt arete on mid level cliff above Body Odour. 9 carrots to loweroffs.
|
|
Ben Maddison, Brad Carmady, Greg Mortimer 2011
|
|
|
Vision Thing
|
19
|
45m
|
|
|
On the better, upper part of the Lower Cliff. It is not known how this pitch relates to the neighbouring routes, especially Diamond Snake. The old BR was placed by a previous party - possibly to enable retreat after an unsuccessful ground-up attempt?
From near Don's Easy Climb, scramble up and left to a gum below the upper wall and next to a corner. Start in front of large gum trees below a right leading ramp.
Up ramp (BR) to ledge. Over bulge to gain crack, follow this to where it veers left at a thin horizontal crack. Head up and right to a large break and old BR (placed by unknown). Slight right then up (FH, BR, large break, BR) then final slab to tree anchor.
Descent: Abseil down Don's Easy Climb.
|
|
Damien Haines, Andrew Duckworth 4-2000
|
|
|
Don's Easy Climb
|
8
|
76m
|
|
|
Wanders about seeking the line of least resistance. An easy ascent route to the halfway ledge. Start as for Diamond Snake.
1,2,3,4. Up, trending in a right ward direction.
|
|
Don Klees, Les Ormrod (alt) 16-7-69
|
|
|
Mon Ami
|
16
|
45m
|
|
|
The rock looks appalling. In the fine tradition of Crapulence, Vial, Mordor, Gorgonzola and Walhalla.
Start 25m right of Don's Easy Climb at a yellow crack.
1. Follow the rotten overhanging flake crack to obvious belay.
2. Continue up crack as you like.
|
|
Keith Bell, Greg Mortimer (alt) 12-5-74
|
|
|
King Toad
|
18
|
50m
|
|
|
A beaut looking, slant angled line that presents an impressive offwidth problem on good rock.
Start 20m right of Mon Ami in a right facing corner.
1. 30m? Follow crack strenuously to the "toad in the hole".
2. 20m? Continue up the line to the top.
|
|
Greg Mortimer, Keith Bell 11-5-74
|
|
|
Idiot Wind
|
22
|
57m
|
|
|
Hard moves and adequate protection following an unlikely route up an impressive, blank wall.
Start as for King Toad.
1. 42m (22) Up King Toad for a few metres until it is possible to traverse right to a BR. This avoids the desperate initial wall. Hard moves (2BRs) till it is possible to move right onto easier rock. Up carefully on suspect rock, then trend left to a welcome BR. Continue straight up the middle as you will to ledge. Tree, nut and cam anchors.
2. 15m Easily to top.
|
|
Ian Hofstetter, Grant Clark 8-10-83
|
|
*
|
Snivels
|
21
|
80m
|
|
|
An enormous wall marred by poor rock at the start.
Start 30m right of Idiot Wind and 15m left of War of the Roses at the narrow strip of black rock that separates two undercut sections of chossy orange rock.
1. 25m (21) Up on poor rock (2BR) to better rock. Continue strenuously up (2BRs) to a small stance and a semi-hanging 2BB.
2. 23m Up wall trending slightly left to a BR. Hard moves, then on to base of large flake. BB and cam anchor.
3. 32m Up the large flake then the easy angled wall to top. Tree anchor.
|
|
Grant Clark, Ian Hofstetter 29-10-83
|
|
* *
|
The War of the Roses
|
20
|
72m
|
|
|
A colossal line up a superb right-angled corner crack that leads to an exhilarating finish. The first pitch has great pro and moves and can be done as a classic pitch in its own right,
Start in an inspiring left facing orange corner in a square recess. The climb starts on a ledge 6m up, gained by walking left from Mouth Organ past Canadian's Delight.
1. 22m (16**) Up the beautiful corner then easier slabby corner to a piton at base of next corner. Belay off piton, thread, samll cams. It is possible to abseil off the piton and thread.
2. 15m Up corner to the roof. Belay on small stance on top of the suspended block. Take care.
3. 15m (20**) Exit left through roof.
4. 20m Up the next corner with enjoyable climbing to top.
At the ledge, it's possible to traverse left past a tree to a wider ledge, then walk up and left to the Halfway Ledge.
|
|
FA (20M1) Peter Giles, Keith Bell, John Fantini (alt) 19-10-74; FFA Roland Pauligk, Pete Canning 15-1-75
|
|
*
|
The Roses Tension Traverse
|
17
|
85m
|
|
|
1,2. Start as for War of the Roses.
3. 8m (17) Hand traverse left 2m and move upwards will a thin horizontal can be reached. Traverse easily to the arete. Good protection.
4. 40m Up the easy but airy arete. Poor pro.
|
|
Mike Law, Glenn Tempest (alt) 5-77
|
|
*
|
Flame
|
22
|
22m
|
|
|
An excellent alternative start to The War of the Roses. First published in Rock as Plead Insanity. There are some jugs and flakes that are gonna "go" someday so take it easy on them.
Arete just right of The War of the Roses. 2BR, #3 cam (& #0 cam), FH to join the easy crack (#4 cam) below the first belay of The War of the Roses.
|
|
Andrew McAuley, Wendy Stevenson 8-93
|
|
|
Canadian's Delight
|
16
|
74m
|
|
|
A bit poxy to start by the traverse on pitch 2 looks wild!
Start 20m right of The War of the Roses on a ledge 6m up. Tree anchor.
1. 8m Up wall behind tree to scrubby ledge. Tree anchor.
2. 30m (16) Up corner on thin holds to roof. Traverse out right then up to belay at roof level.
3. 36m Up wall as you will then scramble off left and up.
|
|
Murray McPhail, Warwick Williams (alt) 14-8-71
|
All the climbs left of The Passionate Pilgrims start "around the corner" from the popular area near the head of the walk-up track. This section of cliff faces more NE.
|
*
|
The Passionate Pilgrims
|
17
|
85m
|
|
|
Start off the forked gum tree at the base of Mouth Organ. It is possible to rap 50m (rope stretcher) from the top of pitch 2 to forked tree at base of route.
1. 42m (17*) Step onto the wall (#5 cam) to hand traverse left to arete. Up wall (7BRs, wires, many cams) to ledge and tree. Natural pro belay at front of ledge under large block.
2. 13m (12) Slab (BR, small cam, BR) to small ledge and tree. Natural pro belay 3m above ledge.
3. 30m (10) Easily up to ledge then traverse left over top of The War of the Roses to tree. Scramble left and up to the Halfway Ledge.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Glen Lewin 31-7-99
|
|
|
Where Eagles Dare
|
18
|
30m
|
|
|
Right diagonal crack in the eye-catching orange headwall overlooking the gully above Mouth Organ. An alternate finish for the Passionate Pilgrims.
Start at the top of pitch 2 of The Passionate Pilgrims.
Easily up slab to ledge, step right around arete 2m to wide right diagonal crack in south facing orange wall. Up crack (cams to #5) then left at fork. Unavoidable suspect block at top. Prominent forked tree anchor.
|
|
Glen Lewin, Wade Stevens 15-8-99
|
|
|
Mouth Organ
|
14
|
81m
|
|
|
Start 20m right of Canadian's Delight in a broken corner behind a prominent forked gum tree.
1. 15m Up corner to ledge and tree anchor (as for Organ Grinder Variant).
2. 14m Continue up corner to ledge. Move out of the overhanging chimney, keeping to the right of gully, Tree anchor in corner.
3. 25m (14) Up corner to cave at 6m. Move right and up slab then back into fine crack. Up wall to tree and large ledge.
4. 27m Up gully to left then walk right.
Descent: Abseil to anchor 2 of Organ Grinder, then rap to deck.
|
|
P1 & P2 Keith Royce, Brian Luxford (alt), Don Klees 1969; P3 & P4 Russell Taylor, Charlie Cuthbertson 24-11-73
|
|
|
Pantihose
|
18
|
25m
|
|
|
Climb Mouth Organ or rap in from the Halfway Ledge. Start on the left wall of the steep gully above Mouth Organ.
Up diagonal to cave, right and up more diagonals to top.
|
|
Mike Law, Charlie Brown 20-5-76
|
|
|
Organ Grinder Variant
|
9
|
27m
|
|
|
Start as for Mouth Organ.
1. 15m Up corner to ledge and tree anchor (as for Mouth Organ).
2. 12m Continue up corner to ledge.
Continue as for Organ Grinder pitch 2.
|
|
Keith Royce, Brian Luxford (alt), Don Klees 1969
|
|
* *
|
Organ Grinder
|
14
|
73m
|
|
|
The first climb to be put up at the "Brick Kilns' as The Coke Ovens were then known.
Start 12m right of Organ Grinder Variant at small twin corners. A good first pitch, but it's probably more logical to finish up Monkey Business.
1. 40m (14**) Scramble up to tree at foot of wide corner crack and up to belay on three-stemmed tree. Rap from tree or continue up pitch 2.
2. 33m Up wall left of crack and onto arete. Head for tree in crack. Onto wall to right and up to tree.
|
|
John Dennis, Dave Massam (alt) 8-6-69
|
|
* *
|
Monkey Business
|
15
|
30m
|
|
|
Direct finish to Organ Grinder. Enjoyable and well protected.
Start at the top of pitch 1 of Organ Grinder.
Easily up trending slightly right to large rotten cave. Up on left edge of cave on good rock to horizontal break just below roof (#2.5, #3 cams). Move left and swing around roof into corner. Pleasantly up this with an awkward finish to tree anchor.
Rap off.
|
|
Andrew Penney, John Wolgan 27-6-86
|
|
|
Organ Grinder Variant 2
|
15
|
36m
|
|
|
An independent route despite the name. Delicate in places with poor protection.
Start 5m right of Organ Grinder on wall.
1. 27m Straight up the wall (poor pro) to bushy ledge. Bollard anchor (and BB of Wall Street Blues?).
2. 9m Either continue up Organ Grinder pitch 2 or go up the left side of the wall past a big tree.
|
|
Graham Wurth, George Harrison 12-6-71
|
|
|
Wall Street Blues
|
17
|
75m+
|
|
|
A serious lead. Pitch 1 may be the same as pitch 1 of Organ Grinder Variant 2.
Start 1m right of Organ Grinder Variant 2.
1. 30m Straight up wall to bushy ledge. BB.
2. 45m (17) From belay, move slightly right then straight up wall to the top. Tree anchor.
3. Easily up.
|
|
Ian Hofstetter, Grant Clark 17-7-83
|
|
|
Chopper Flake
|
16
|
37m
|
|
|
Looks dodgy.
Start 4m left of Barrel Organ on right side of leaning flake/chimney.
Up flake to ledge, step left to crack. Undercling to stance atop nose under big cave. Right onto arete, up this then right to join Barrel Organ or rap off tree.
|
|
Mike Law (solo) 21-5-76
|
|
*
|
Barrel Organ
|
13
|
81m
|
|
|
Very pleasant and airy with good exposure and lots of nice positions. Under-graded in the usual Coke Ovens fashion. Excellent natural pro. Can run pitch 1 and 2 and then pitch 3 and 4 together.
Start 4m right of Chopper Flake at flake.
1. 12m Up crack to ledge and tree, up to natural pro anchor in crack behind.
2. 33m (13) Up corner then through rotten overhang to tree anchor.
3. 27m Continue up corner to big ledge. Exit on left.
4. 9m Across to right above top of pitch 3 then straight up the corner (a bit loose) to the Halfway Ledge.
The continuation of this climb is Calliope Organ on the Upper Cliff.
Descent: two double rope abseils down the route using tree at the top of pitch 2.
|
|
Don Klees, Graham Wurth (alt) 8-5-71
|
|
* *
|
Sublime
|
20
|
65m
|
|
|
An aesthetic route up an elegant, narrowing buttress. A short section of dodgy rock (the scoops on pitch 2) unsettles you nicely just before the exposed crux. Great moves up the upper headwall.
Start as for Barrel Organ.
1. 35m (18) Up Barrel Organ for 6m, up and right (medium cam) to ledge. Awkward move to gain slab (BR, small wire), left and up (5BR, small wire and cam), move right to 2BB.
2. 30m (20) Up right arete briefly, fine moves left and up curving corner, up left of large scoop to stance, left arete then headwall (7BR, FH, many cams #1 to #3.5) to 2BB.
Descent: Rap 49m from 2BB (BYO tat) to tree at the top of Barrel Organ pitch 1, then rap 10m to deck.
|
|
Glen Lewin, Wade Stevens 15-8-99
|
|
|
Virgin on the Ridiculous
|
20
|
85m
|
|
|
Preposterous. Loose and rotten rock. Don't even think about it.
Start 5m right of Barrel Organ at a right facing corner leading to a huge roof.
1. 35m Up sandy corner to belay in back of cave.
1A. 35m A variant start. Up Barrel Organ for 6m. Up and right to cave, spiral around and up to join pitch 1.
2. 20m Out through massive roof, jamb the lip and up past tree to ledge.
3. 30m Easily up corner to top. Large tree anchor.
|
|
Glenn Tempest, Mike Law (alt) 5-76
|
|
|
Virgin Flight
|
16
|
25m
|
|
|
A designer first pitch to reach the excellent Flying a Kite. Start up the handcrack of Virgin on the Ridiculous, then soon after entering the dihedral move onto the right wall past a carrot bolt, up and right around the vague arete to a second carrot bolt. Gingerly step right onto the face, up to a third carrot bolt and traverse right and up to the two-carrot belay of Flying a Kite. Avoid traversing along the horizontal shelf as it is extremely loose and rotten.
|
|
Stu Dobbie, Rod Smith June 2012
|
|
*
|
Harlem
|
22
|
25m
|
|
|
Good moves with a bouldery start. Deck-out potential clipping the second BR. Use twin ropes.
Start on a ledge up and 5m right of Virgin on the Ridiculous.
Stick clip first BR. Up incipient crack on left briefly, then thin 'bouldery' traverse right (crux) and up to 2nd BR. Step right and up to break (cams). Step left then up final wall (BR) to 2BB anchor at large break.
Abseil off (BYO tat) or (better) continue up Flying a Kite.
|
|
Grant Clark, Ian Hofstetter 17-7-83
|
|
* *
|
Mother's Drugs
|
23
|
27m
|
|
|
Technical and sustained.
Start on wall 6m right of Harlem.
Up wall to BR. Move past this to a good bucket (#4 RP in pocket) then keep going past another BR to break. Move right and up to BR. Make a thin move just left of the BR then up trending left to belay as for Harlem (2BB).
Abseil off (BYO tat) or (better) continue up Flying a Kite.
|
|
Ian Hofstetter, Grant Clark 17-7-83
|
|
* *
|
Flying a Kite
|
18
|
42m
|
|
|
A great pitch of climbing in a fantastic position. Find your way to the 2-carrot belay above Harlem at the chossy horizontal shelf, either by climbing Mother's Drugs, Harlem or Virgin Flight. It is also possible to rap in as described in Wade's guide but its an epic.
Up flake briefly (med wire, small cam), then up (carrot) and right to hand traverse right to arete (past another carrot). Right side of arete then wall above (8 carrots, small wires and cams) to big ledge and tree.
Descent: Traverse right along the ledge to the Cactus rap.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Glen Lewin 1-8-99
|
|
|
Liquid Reflections
|
23
|
93m
|
|
|
Start 4m right of Mother's Drugs at flake. Climb is marked on wall 1m left of start.
1. 20m (23) Up flake to thin crack (2BR) and on to break. Traverse 6m right to anchor 1 of Prickles.
2. 18m Step back left and up small broken corner (poor pro) and slab then step right to tree anchor (Cactus anchor 2).
3. 40m Step back left 3m then up and left past a corner. Run-out wall (1BR, small wires, small cams) then short corner to good ledge with a tree on edge. Natural pro belay. Best to rap off as for My Crown of Thorns.
4. 15m Corner or steep slab on left wall to top. Forked tree anchor on Halfway Ledge.
|
|
Grant Clark, Ian Hofstetter 12-6-83
|
|
* *
|
Agent Orange
|
19
|
34m
|
|
|
Good moves on spooky scoops. A bit scarier now that a thread has broken off and there is pretty much no pro between the flake and first BR. A Joe Friend and Mike Law climb called "Vie" seems to fit this climb. It mentions the line of holes "4m (left?) of Cactus", gives a grade of 17 and mentions no bolts.
Start as for Liquid Reflections.
Up flake (awkward to protect) and swing right into lowest of the scoops (crux). Up scoops passing 2 BRs to break (wobbly block). Shuffle 2m right to 2RB belay of Prickles.
Descent: Rap off 20m to deck or continue as for My Crown of Thorns or Cactus.
|
|
Joe Friend, Mike Law 5-76 (?); Grant Clark, Ian Hofstetter 13-6-83
|
Lone BR on face left of the Prickles arete is of unknown origin.
Descent for Cactus et al is via two or three abseils down the wall left of the line of Cactus. From the top (ie the halfway ledge), a short 10m rap from a tree reaches a cool ledge with great views. 2RB anchors, 40m rap to 2RB, then 35m to the ground. New RBs also established at the top of Prickles pitch 1.
|
*
|
Prickles
|
22
|
21m
|
|
|
Quite independent climbing despite its proximity to Cactus.
Start as for Cactus.
Up Cactus until one can bridge the base of the corner (#1.5 cam). Swing onto a jug on the arete then continue up to two horizontal breaks (wires and cams). Continue up left side (? probably the right side) of arete past 2BRs (on right side of arete) to 2BB rap station.
Descent: Rap 20m to deck or (better) continue up My Crown of Thorns.
|
|
Giles Bradbury, John Smoothy 1-4-84
|
|
* *
|
My Crown of Thorns
|
19
|
50m
|
|
|
Start at Prickles anchor 1 (2BB rap station).
1. Climb pitch 1 of Liquid Reflections, Agent Orange, Prickles or Cactus.
2. 50m (19) Straight up wall left of arete (3BRs) to stance left of tree (belay possible at 2BB rap station or Cactus anchor 2 on right). Arete (4BR) to small ledge, up (BR) then veer left up ramp which steepens (2BRs, small wire) to join Liquid Reflections for the final corner (natural pro) up to big ledge and 2BB rap station.
Descent: Rap 40m to 2BB rap station and then 35m to deck.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Glen Lewin 31-7-99
|
|
* * *
|
Cactus
|
18
|
86m
|
|
|
Three pitches of excellent, sustained crack climbing on great rock. Well protected and very popular.
Start 6m right of Agent Orange in a cave with a fine crack leading out at the top.
1. 21m (18) Straight up steep finger crack corner to ledge. Belay on small cams, wires.
2. 15m (18) Continue up thin crack and overhang to ledge and belay behind the tree.
3. 30m (18) Follow the spectacular right-facing corner (with a minor deviation right around tree and vine) to large bulbous tree. Up the dirty slot behind to good ledge.
4. 20m (16) Up corner to top. (The last 8m or so is hard to protect so best to escape left to the rap station about 10m below the top).
|
|
FA (13M3) Keith Royce, Paul 'Ed' Edwards (alt) 25-4-71, FFA Kim Carrigan, Ian Lewis (alt) 20-10-74
|
|
* *
|
Prickly Pair
|
19
|
90m
|
|
|
A good mix of trad crack climbing and "trad sport".
1. 40m (18) Climb Cactus pitch 1. Continue 8m up the steep crack of Cactus pitch 2 to a good stance on a ledge on the right. Veer right and up across easy slab to belay 6m right of Cactus anchor 2 in pebbly break (med cams).
2. 20m (19) Up ramp and wall (7BR) to break (BR, med cam). Step right to ledge on arete (Xenie pitch 2). 2BB.
3. 30m (16) Up slabby groove to right of arete (med cams, large wire, BR, small cam) to ledge (Cactus anchor 3). Wall above (BR, large cam, BR) to ledge then finish up slab (3BR). Tree anchor.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Glen Lewin 10-10-99
|
The new rap for Cactus, The Knuckle, Sublime, etc.
|
|
Xenie
|
20
|
95m
|
|
|
Pitch 1 is dangerous. Pitches 2 and 3 would be a good finish for Star Wars.
Start 8m right of Cactus at a short, incipient corner. This is 4m right of a line of scoops in the wall. Note that the start was marked twice - once correctly and once incorrectly further left below the scoops.
1. 25m (20X) Heave ho around overhang (desperate), boulder the thin corner then left 4m along break to scoops. Up the fragile scoops (poor large sling runners) past an unavoidable suspect flake (large cam) to ledge. More right to belay on "adequate" small cams and a small bush.
2. 45m Up the arete (great rock) passing a ledge on the right (anchor 2 of Prickly Pair). Up past a bush and large block to a ledge. Belay on left at Cactus anchor 3.
3. 20m Veer right up the slab to the top. Tree anchor.
|
|
Joe Friend, Mike Law (alt) 27-5-76
|
|
* * *
|
The Knuckle
|
19
|
52m
|
|
|
Awesome climbing, well protected with an intriguing crux.
Start behind a large forked tree stump at an inspiring orange corner ending in a gracefully left curving roof 10m right of Xenie. After providing a convenient "leg-up" start for many years, the poor "forked tree" toppled over sometime in 2015. No change to grade though.
1. 18m (19) Beautiful moves up the right facing corner to small cave recess. Up to ledge and thread belay.
2. 13m (19) Up overhanging corner to a trick move around the arete and up. Steep moves up 3m to triangular ledge and belay.
3. 21m Up crack and wall, then right facing corner to ledge. Up past tree to ledge. Belay from 3 trees on pitch 2 of Deathbed Confessions about 8m back.
Descent: Rap 49m from these 3 trees down Sod Wall to deck or better still continue up cleft above then right to good ledge and abseil chain at the top of Dan the Bulldog pitch 2.
|
|
FA (15M2) Keith Royce, Paul Edwards (alt), Mark Edwards 8-5-71; FFA Keith Bell, Chris Peisker (alt) 11-5-75
|
|
|
Star Wars
|
15
|
18m
|
|
|
Start as for the The Knuckle.
Place a side runner in The Knuckle. Bridge off the tree onto left wall of The Knuckle. Move left 2m then straight up weakness in wall (poor pro, very small cams, thin tape for thread) to ledge at level of anchor 1 of The Knuckle.
Continue up Xenie pitch 2, move right to The Knuckle pitch 2 or rap off The Knuckle anchor 1 (BYO tape).
|
|
Steve 'Moss' Moon, Peter Moose 1-12-78
|
This is where the walk up track reaches the cliff.
There is a big cave to leave your gear in. This part of the cliff is very popular. Sod Wall is a common abseil route and there are now several popular climbs on the Upper Cliff above. Climbers moving around on the highly unstable Halfway Ledge are prone to knock rocks down. Sod wall tends to deflect falling rock and gear onto spectators standing beneath it.
BEWARE. Wear helmets in this area at all times. Try not to loiter "in the line of fire" unless belaying.
|
|
Sod Variant Direct Start
|
16
|
10m
|
|
|
Previously known as Sod Direct.
Start 12m right of The Knuckle at the leaning tree below the arete (marked "SD"). Climb tree, manoeuvre around bulge (poor small wire) then up arete as for Sod Variant.
|
|
Mike Law, Pete Taylor 8-7-76
|
|
|
Sod Variant
|
14
|
65m
|
|
|
The left arete of Sod Wall. Good climbing (better than Deathbed Confessions) and rock, but the long runout puts off aspiring leaders. To avoid the runout, one can veer right at half height to join Deathbed Confessions near the top.
Start as for Deathbed Confessions.
1. 45m (14) Up briefly then left to arete and up (good rock, moves and cams). Pass to right of white rock on arete (runout) to a stance (good cam). Easier climbing above but runout (take RPs) to a stance below cave (2 #3 cams, #2 cam, thin tapes).
2. 20m (11) Right and up 10m past 3 trees at stance.
Descent: Either abseil 49m from trees to deck or continue up cleft above then right to good ledge and abseil chain at the top of Dan the Bulldog pitch 2.
|
|
Hugh Ward 1969
|
|
*
|
Deathbed Confessions
|
14
|
65m
|
|
|
Dan the Bulldog's poor cousin. Start 7m left of Grunter (marked "DC").
1. 40m (14) Straight up wall (BR, small cam, BR, #3 cam, 6BR). Veer right at last BR to small ledge and 3BB.
2. 20m (11) Up slab (2BR) and wide crack above then right to good ledge. Multi-BBs and abseil chain at the top of Dan the Bulldog pitch 2.
|
|
Andrew Penney, Carl-Jean Jagusch 27-6-86
|
|
|
Sod
|
13
|
84m
|
|
|
Originally led with a 120 foot rope and two pieces of gear - the tree at 10m and a piton bashed in a hole (removed on second). Andrew Penney unknowingly bolted a similar line going straight up, Deathbed Confessions. An ascent of Sod in the original style is no longer possible but its description is preserved below.
Start 4m left of Grunter at the foot of an easy angled face (Sod Wall).
1. 45m (13) Up wall (tree runner at 10m) then up trending slightly left to arete and up to cave. Peg belay.
2. 15m Up the arete to tree anchor.
3. 24m Out onto ledge to the left, around nose and up to top. Tree anchor.
|
|
Keith Royce, David Massam (alt) Les Ormrod 15-6-69
|
|
* *
|
Dan the Bulldog
|
17
|
60m
|
|
|
An independent route and a popular addition. The tree at 10m, which serves as a runner, fell out in July 2000 but a replacement has now grown in it's place.
Start as for Sod.
1. 40m (15) Straight up (2BR, tree runner or large cam at 10m, 5BR) to small ledge. 2BB.
2. 20m (17) Up (3BR, #3 cam) to a comfortable belay ledge. Multi-BBs and abseil chain. Either rap off or move right and up Grunter Direct Finish.
Descent: Rap 45m to 2BB rap anchor(?) and then 15m to deck.
|
|
Andrew Penney, Carol Probets 1-9-84
|
|
*
|
Grunter
|
16
|
50m
|
|
|
A classic corner. It tends to collect a bit of fallen leaf matter - its cleanliness depends on recent traffic.
Start at the base of the major corner forming the right side of Sod Wall.
1. 26m (13) Up corner past tree and delicately up to small stance about 10m above.
2. 24m (16) A hard move to start. Finish via a dirty groove on the right to gain the ledge. Large tree anchor. Large pro needed for this pitch.
Descent: Rap 50m to deck.
|
|
Keith Royce, Rohan Reynolds 31-8-71
|
|
|
Grunter Direct Finish
|
16
|
25m
|
|
|
Start at the top of pitch 2 of Grunter.
Up the crack behind onto left wall. Up to right end of Dan the Bulldog ledge then swing out right into bottomless corner (#4 cams) and up to top. Tree anchor 8m back.
Descent: Rap 25m from a large tree (that wedges a fallen triangular block) to anchor 2 of Grunter, then 50m to deck as for Grunter.
|
|
George Harrison, Pete Taylor, John Bishop 18-11-73
|
|
* *
|
Maquillage
|
20
|
70m
|
|
|
A great first pitch that acts as a good footwork tutorial. A few of the bolts don't like PFH bolt plates.
Start as for Grunter. Ignore the 2 old BRs (placed by unknown) on long abandoned Direct Start project.
1. 45m (20) Up Grunter for 10m. Step right (#4 cam) and up onto good stance in short corner. Up (small cam, FH, BR) to pass to the right of a scoop (hidden BR) then up veering left (6BR, optional small cam) to narrow ledge "seat" below headwall. 2BB rap station. Rap off or continue up pitch 2.
2. 25m (17) Traverse left (2BR) then up Grunter pitch 2 for 8m to thin, Y-shaped crack. Step left and up thin slab to second last BR and crux on pitch 2 of Dan the Bulldog. Up (#3 cam) to ledge. Multi-BBs and abseil chain. Rap as for Dan the Bulldog.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Richard Sulovsky 9-9-95
|
The first pitches off all the climbs between Sizzler and The Triple Echo finish on a large ledge. To descend from this large ledge, rap 30m to the deck from the large tree at the top of Gravity's Angel. The continuation second pitches of Free Fall and Transparent Manipulator are not well protected and are unpopular.
|
*
|
Sizzler
|
19
|
81m
|
|
|
Still tough after all these years. The first pitch is a magnificent jamb crack and a must for those who think they can jamb.
Start at the crack 3m right of Grunter.
1. 30m (19**) Overcome the overhang then jamb your way to glory. Large pro needed (#4 cam or #5 friend) for short off-width at the top. Tree anchor on large ledge.
2. 30m Up the (dirty) chimney behind and bridge to tree.
3. 21m Up the corners to the top.
|
|
Mike Law, Pete Taylor (alt) 17-8-74
|
|
*
|
Gobbling with Rage
|
22
|
30m
|
|
|
Start as for Free Fall (or Transparent Manipulator).
From the right end of the small cave, go straight up wall for a few moves then follow weakness left (wires). Straight up (small cam) to horizontal break. Continue up to BR and diagonally left to ledge.
Descent: Rap 30m off tree to deck.
|
|
Steve Moon, Mike Moore 30-9-84
|
|
*
|
Free Fall
|
21
|
85m
|
|
|
Start on wall 3m right of Sizzler (marker "FF").
1. 35m (20*) Up to horizontal break then right along it. Up to flake with small bush. Up (small cam) then right and up diagonal ramp (run-out) to large ledge.
2. 10m (16) Up slab on small but good holds (only one runner, a dubious cam) to ledge with a small tree. 3BB as for Mirrorman.
3. 25m (20) Up groove to ledge as for Mirrorman (3BRs) then break off left onto face and up incipient groove (run-out) to large tree anchor.
4. 15m (21) Up past tree to base of diagonal crack. Hard finger jambing leads to top. A dirty pitch with the hardest moves at the very top. The most strenuous and technical pitch but the best protected.
|
|
Mike Law, Nick Taylor 15-1-75
|
|
* * *
|
Free as a Bird
|
21
|
85m
|
|
|
A better link up that avoids the poorly protected pitch 2 of Free Fall and the fiddly pitch 2 of Birds of a Feather.
Climb pitch 1 of Birds of a Feather then finish up pitches 3 and 4 of Free Fall. Rebolted.
|
|
|
Free Fall is a good abseil point for climbs that top out west (right, facing in) of Free Fall. Find a slim tree on the cliff edge below and just west of the precarious shale slope that cuts across the sloping Halfway Ledge. This slim tree is 10m east of the large tree at the top of Mirrorman (a left facing, slabby corner). Take extreme care in this area - consider belaying to the abseil tree if you are concerned about the stability of the shale slope.
Abseil 50m from the slim tree to the large ledge at the top of Gravity's Angel, then rap 30m to the deck.
|
*
|
Gravity's Angel
|
21
|
32m
|
|
|
Climbs the best bit of Free Fall pitch 1 then finishes directly up a searing headwall.
Start as for Transparent Manipulator.
Up (BR) past flake with small bush to overlap at top of water streak (#3.5 cam). Up left to small flake (BR), then wall to jugs. Left then mantle onto ramp (BR). Up past ledge (BR) to tree on large ledge. Rap off.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Rod Goodier 14-5-95
|
|
|
Transparent Manipulator
|
21
|
85m
|
|
|
There is apparently some reasonable protection, but it's a bit scary hanging around finding it.
Start 5m right of Free Fall and 2m left of a large tree.
1. 35m (20) Straight up wall (BR) past horizontal breaks for 8m past flake with small bush to base of right-diagonal ramp. Move right to below hairline crack (on wall left of arete) then straight up to large ledge.
2. 35m (17) From the large ledge, climb the wall directly below the thin crack and prow in wall above. Up crack moving left below prow then up for 3m and then back right onto prow. Straight up (run-out) to top of arete to same tree anchor as for Free Fall anchor 3.
3. 15m (21) Up wall behind tree and head for the flake between the last pitches of Free Fall and Mirrorman. Hard moves to top.
|
|
Steve Moon, Bruce Cameron, Mick Moore 30-9-84
|
|
|
The Triple Echo
|
17
|
84m
|
|
|
Tremendous if you enjoy a real good fight and struggle.
Start 25m right of Free Fall in a large right facing corner.
1. 27m (17) An unfashionably strenuous grovel up the off-width corner to the large ledge. Gear up to #3 Big Bros.
2. 36m Scramble up to base of chimney then up to ledge. Across to chimney then bridge up to tree anchor.
3. 21m Continue up groove to top.
|
|
George Harrison, Pete Taylor, John Bishop 16-11-73
|
|
|
Birds of a Feather Variant Start
|
21
|
6m
|
|
|
Start 2m right of The Triple Echo.
Climb wall (BR) to ledge at 3m. Traverse right 3m to join Birds of a Feather.
|
|
Mike Law, Greg Moore Easter 84
|
|
|
Birds of a Feather Direct Start
|
22
|
6m
|
|
|
Hard cranks past a FH to join left traverse line of original.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Harry Preston 1-10-95
|
|
* *
|
Birds of a Feather
|
20
|
65m
|
|
|
A find companion to Mirrorman. Pitch 1 is more sustained and pitch 2 is more technical. The top of pitch 1 was straightened out by Wade Stevens in 1995 - the direct version below avoids the bad rope drag of the original finish.
Start as for Mirrorman.
1. 35m (20**) Up Mirrorman for 3-4m then traverse left along narrow ledge. Trend right and up past 2BRs 1m right of orange stripe (crux), then up the wall above to another BR. Move up right leading flake to piton, then up a few metres to where a diagonal ramp goes left. Move left and follow this to a break. Move left to obvious ramp and up this. Up and right (BR) over bulge then up slab (med cam) to Mirrorman anchor 2. 3BB.
2. 30m (20) Move right from belay to thin left facing corner. Hard moves past piton (now missing, use small wires) at base of corner. Continue up past two more "fixed gysmos" pitons (one missing). Head up and left to Mirrorman anchor 3.
3. Finish up Birds of a Feather Direct Finish or (better) pitch 4 of Mirrorman.
|
|
P1 Steve Moon, John Smoothy 11-3-84; P2 Steve Moon, Nat Nicholas 12-3-84
|
|
|
Birds of a Feather Direct Finish
|
18
|
15m
|
|
|
Start at the top of pitch 2 of Birds of a Feather.
Continue up right wall (crux at start) trending right to 2BB on ledge. Walk off from ledge to top.
|
|
Steve Moon, Will Moon 8-7-84
|
|
* * *
|
Mirrorman
|
18
|
90m
|
|
|
One of the classics of the cliff. Four good pitches of varied climbing. The bolts on pitch 3 were added by Mikl during Easter '84 - 10 years after the first ascent.
Start 10m right of Birds of a Feather Direct Start at a flake crack (marked "MM").
1. 25m (16) Up flake to top of detached pedestal. BB.
2. 20m (17) Up wall diagonally to BR. Continue diagonally left (poor pro) to ledge then up to ledge with a small tree and 3BB.
3. 20m (17) Across left to ledge then up slab and groove on right (3BR) to stance at base of left facing corner with a small tree and 2BB.
4. 25m (18) Up corner (occasionally part full of fallen leaves) to cruxy top-out. Tree anchor.
Descent: Rap 50m from slim tree on cliff-edge 10m east (right facing valley) to large ledge and large tree anchor of Gravity's Angel. Rap 35m to deck.
|
|
P1 Warwick Williams, Brian Mattick, Jim Tierney 1973; P2-4 Ian Lewis, Mike Law (alt) 4-10-74
|
|
*
|
Bristling Dogs
|
19
|
35m
|
|
|
Good climbing but a few bolts could do with replacement. Watch rope drag at the top.
Start at the centre of the block between Mirrorman and Mazurka.
Up centre of block to join Mirrorman crack, then step left onto wall (BR). Straight up wall to BR on pitch 2 of Mirrorman then move diagonally right (crux) to BR, Straight up past another BR, moving left (watch rope drag) to anchor 2 or Mirrorman. 3BB.
Continue up Mirrorman pitch 3 or Birds of a Feather pitch 2.
|
|
Steve Moon, Jenny Loughlin, Nat Nicholas 11-84
|
|
|
Mazurka
|
17
|
90m
|
|
|
Start 5m right of Mirrorman at a crack.
1. 25m Up crack to large ledge then straight up the corner. Move over left to the top of the detached pedestal. BB as for Mirrorman.
2. 30m (17) Vertically up the arete to where the bulges force you around right to roof. Pull up crack above and jamb to tree anchor.
3. 35m Up crack with some good moves, then follow leaf-strewn, dirty gully to the top.
|
|
Pete Taylor, Mike Law, Ian Lewis (alt) 29-9-74
|
|
|
Firetail
|
21
|
80m
|
|
|
Start 10m right of Mazurka at an arete on the left side of a large sandy scoop.
1. 18m (15) Up the edge of the arete using the flakes (mostly good) to a BR. Trend left near the top to a large ledge. Move left to BB.
2. 40m (21) Move left and up a flaky groove (BR). Continue up (BRs) to just below the horizontal break. BB.
3. 22m (17) Move up and 3m left. Climb the bulge (BR) and up to the top (2BR).
|
|
Steve Moon, Nat Nicholas 1-4-84
|
|
|
Eagle Eye
|
21
|
60m
|
|
|
Steep, sustained climbing. Needs a more direct third pitch.
Start as for Firetail.
1. 20m Up the arete as for Firetail to the large dirty ledge. Move right to BB in a cave below a thin crack.
2. 40m (21) Over roof and up crack through two small rooves. Move diagonally left when the crack runs out (BRs) until the last BR at the horizontal break. Traverse left to join Firetail. Up to top.
|
|
Steve Moon, Nat Nicholas 31-3-84
|
|
* *
|
Planet Waves
|
18?
|
70m
|
|
|
A superb line. Unfortunately, the bottom of the climb fell off in early 2011 and the start is now a dirty chimney/corner that is yet to have a re-ascent. The second BR is dodgy and the pro is a bit scarce in places. Nevertheless, it was very popular.
Start 15m right of Eagle Eye at a dirty chimney/corner. This is just right of a rotten yellow cave.
1. 45m (18) Up short corner to avoid the overhang on the left. Move left onto the arete and up (2BR). Continue up small corner to good stance.
2. 25m Continue up corner moving right where you like and up. 3BB as for Black Magic.
|
|
Ian Hofstetter, Grant Clark (alt) 17-7-83
|
|
*
|
Black Magic
|
19
|
65m
|
|
|
A saner alternative to Planet Waves but without the glory. Pitch 1 is a good excursion in itself (BYO tat to rap off).
Start as for Planet Waves.
1. 20m (16**) Up corner as for Planet Waves to top of crackline, up slabby face (small wire) to stance (semi-hanging 2BB).
2. 45m (19*) Step left (BR), up and left to flake (small cam), then step back right. Up trending right to pass right of a hollow scoop. A sequency crux precedes a thought provoking slabby headwall. 10BR and double BR to 3BB.
Descent: Rap 50m from tree on cliff-edge to ledge and tree at Necromancer anchor 1, then rap 15m to deck.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Glen Lewin 15-8-99
|
|
*
|
The Necromancer Alternate Start
|
13
|
15m
|
|
|
Start as for Planet Waves.
Up the corner as for Planet Waves but instead of moving left onto the arete continue part-way up the crack-line then right to ledge. Traverse right to tree anchor at the top of pitch 1 of The Necromancer.
Continue up The Necromancer.
|
|
Steve Prothero, Jim Schwalbach, mid 70s?
|
|
*
|
The Necromancer
|
16
|
55m
|
|
|
Similar to Grunter - would be more popular if it was at the top of the walk-up track.
Start 5m right of The Necromancer Alternate Start on the right-hand side of the corner with bushes above.
1. 12m Clamber up behind block to right facing corner. Up steep corner past vegetated ledge at 8m to tree anchor in cave.
2. 43m (16*) Layback around the overhang above the cave, then straight up the chimney then crack to top. Peg anchor.
Descent: Rap off as for Black Magic.
|
|
Graham Wurth, Ralph Harvey (alt) 14-6-71
|
|
|
Atlantis
|
16
|
75m
|
|
|
Extensively cleaned prior to the ascent. Needs to be cleaned again.
Start 5m right of The Necromancer at a left-ward leading ramp.
1. 10m Climb corner to vegetated ledge.
2. 50m (16) Climb right-hand crack on open face to bottleneck chimney (crux). Out of chimney and up beautiful corner.
3. 15m Continue easily to top.
|
|
Harry Luxford, Peter Alders, Jan Aalders 12-6-76
|
|
*
|
Ghost Dance
|
24
|
20m
|
|
|
Start 4m left of Decline and Fall.
Steep wall (5BR) then slab to rap chain belay.
|
|
Mike Stacey 9-88
|
|
* *
|
Decline and Fall
|
18
|
99m
|
|
|
Most only do pitch 1 then rap 18m off 2BB (BYO tat). Excellent protection.
Start 10m right of Atlantis in a clean-cut, left facing orange corner.
1. 18m (18**) Up corner to 2BB inside cave.
2. 21m Up and out left around bushes then up ramp to dead tree anchor.
3. 30m Along ledge and up carck in left wall. Tree anchor.
4. 30m Wander up to Halfway Ledge.
|
|
FA (14M2) Ian Paterson, Warwick Williams (alt) 19-8-70; FFA Kim Carrigan, Pete Morris 17-5-75
|
|
* *
|
Geriaction
|
19
|
25m
|
|
|
Originally finished up Sap, but the addition of Idiot Savant has improved this climb.
Start on a block behing the large tree 4m right of Decline and Fall.
Bouldery start then up flakes (3BRs) to arete (fair med cam). Step right to finish up Idiot Savant (4 BRs) to ledge and tree anchor.
Descent: Rap off as for Idiot Savant.
|
|
John Smoothy, Greg Moore, Giles Bradbury 10-87
|
|
* *
|
Idiot Savant
|
20
|
30m
|
|
|
Start 1m left of faded "SAP" paint. Up and left (#0.5 cam), up slab tending left over the small right facing hanging corners (#4 cam) and up to a steeper finish to ledge and tree anchor. 9BRs.
Descent: Rap 32m down Idiot Savant or 28m to start of Decline and Fall.
|
|
Wade Stevens, Steve Nenke 19-11-95
|
|
* *
|
Sap
|
17
|
49m
|
|
|
Pitch 1 as described was originally led in two pitches. Most people only do pitch 1 and rap off as for Idiot Savant. Save some big cams or hexes for the upper corner on pitch 1.
Start 20m right of Decline and Fall. Marked with faded "SAP" paint below and left of the start.
1. 27m (15**) Up left-leading corner. Tree anchor on ledge.
2. 9m (17) Walk 5m behind tree to steep corner. Up to belay on ledge. Alternatively, climb the crack directly above anchor 1, then the rotten rock to top.
3. 13m Walk right on ledge and up easy cracks to top.
|
|
Keith Royce, Don Klees (alt) 16-8-71
|
|
|
Shylock
|
17
|
50m
|
|
|
This crack was lovingly cleaned before the first ascent but the ferns have happily re-established themselves again.
Start 1m right of Sap at the crack.
1. 25m Straight up scrubby crack to ledge.
2. 25m Carry on up the route to top.
|
|
Chris Peisker, Keith Bell 20-5-75
|
|
|
Kicked and Whipped
|
23
|
52m
|
|
|
A good example of the logarithmic bolting of yesteryear, intended to reduce the number of bolts required (just) to prevent ground falls.
Start on the wall 5m right of Shylock.
1. 27m (23) Up (BR), move right past second BR then up to a tree. Continue up and left (BR) to small ledge. 2BB.
2. 25m Continue up wall (BR at 5m) then up mossy wall (poor pro) to top.
Descent: Rap 50m (rope stretcher) from abseil chain to deck.
|
|
Ian Hofstetter, Grant Clark 11-6-83
|
|
|
Mop Up
|
20
|
39m
|
|
|
Start 8m right of Kicked and Whipped below an overhang with a steep crack above leading up to a big tree.
1. 15m (20) Move across to the overhang and finger crack. Desperately layback around overhang then follow crack past big tree then up to the back of chimney to belay. Many people prefer to belay at the big tree.
2. 12m Up chimney to base of next corner. Tree or block anchor.
3. 12m Up corner to top.
|
|
FA (14M2) Keith Royce, Don Klees (alt) 16-8-71; FFA Bryden Allen, Chris Peisker 8-6-75
|
|
|
Streetcar Visions
|
21
|
25m
|
|
|
A committing lead on old bolts.
Start 20m right of Mop Up on the left side of the amazingly sharp arete.
Up the wall trending right to a BR (which quite often sports a "back-off biner"). Make a hard move up right side of arete then back left to another BR. Continue carefully up the loose looking rock to the roof (BR). Move right then back left to a ledge. Up to tree (nut and cam anchors).
Descent: Rap 25m off tree to deck.
|
|
Ian Hofstetter, Grant Clark 30-10-83
|
|
|
Return to Anarchy
|
21
|
50m
|
|
|
Take a large tube for pitch 2.
Start 5m right of Streetcar Visions at a clean right facing corner.
1. 15m (18) Directly up to small stance above bush and below roof.
2. 15m (21) Very hard moves lead up and right to the lip, then up easily and over ramp to a thread anchor on the left. Alternatively, traverse 8m left to tree anchor.
3. 20m The crack becomes a chimney at one point.
|
|
FA (18M2) Joe Friend, Dick Hain 30-9-73; FFA Roland Pauligk, Pete Canning 15-1-75
|
|
|
Slippery Dip
|
22
|
40m
|
|
|
Reputedly an excellent route, but rarely done.
Start at centre of wall 8m right of Return to Anarchy.
Up wall (3BRs) then traverse left and up small corner (2BRs). Traverse right to tree anchor. Rap off?
|
|
Geoff 'Ralph' Weigand, Grant Clark, Ian Hofstetter mid 1983
|
|
* *
|
Le Voleur
|
23
|
30m
|
|
|
Excellent climbing with a desperate crux.
Start 3m right of Slippery Dip, below groove.
Stick clip first BR and crank up using pockets out right. Up groove (wires) to #1 cam break. Continue up past a hard mantel and dyno up to a horizontal break (#1.5, #2 cams). Run it out up wall (2BRs) then traverse right to tree anchor and BB. 4BRs, 3FHs.
|
|
John Smoothy, Make Stacey 26-7-87
|
|
*
|
Ishtar
|
20
|
50m
|
|
|
This innocent looking crack is deceptively difficult and sustained.
Start in the corner 5m right of Slippery Dip.
1. 25m (20*) Straight up fine corner to ledge. Tree anchor. Rap off.
2. 25m Up chimney as for Back Off.
|
|
FA (20MO) Joe Friend, Dick Hain 1-10-73; FFA Roland Pauligk, Pete Canning 16-1-75
|
|
|
Our Way
|
22
|
25m
|
|
|
Start as for Ishtar. Reach around right to BR. Move up and diagonally right (BR) to a horizontal break and a jug on the arete (BR). Continue up right side of arete to a break (#3.5, #4 cams). Up (BR) then exposed and delicate moves onto arete itself. Continue up nose (BR) to tree anchor at the top of pitch 1 of Ishtar.
|
|
Giles Bradbury, Greg Moore 10-6-84
|
|
|
Anzac Day
|
26
|
25m
|
|
|
The face between the arete of Our Way and the corner of Back Off. Straight up the face, avoiding the corner/crack and the arete. Thin, balancy, technical moves past spaced bolts. Finish up arete on the right side of the face (formed when Back Off becomes a chimney)
|
|
A McClain
|
|
|
Back Off
|
16
|
43m
|
|
|
Start 6m right of Ishtar in a right-facing chimney corner.
1. 18m Jamb and chimney up corner to ledge. Tree anchor.
2. 15m (16) Up corner until chimney is reached. Struggle up and into chimney then on to ledge. Tree anchor.
3. 10m Up easy rock to top with plenty of runners.
|
|
Keith Royce, David Massam, Don Klees (alt) 21-7-69
|
|
* * *
|
Microcosm
|
31
|
48m
|
|
|
By far the hardest climb in the Wolgan Valley to date. The direct finish is described.
Start at right-leaning flake 6m right of Back Off under an impressive shield of unbelievably smooth, hard rock.
Hard start (without the cairn) up the flake then traverse right to and surmount a small overlap (crux). Up then move left onto a ledge. From here, move rightward to a footledge. BB from first ascent. Up the flake on the right of the ledge. Hard move at the top then up the very sustained wall. The climbing eases towards the top. Step right at the 3rd last BR and finish direct (grade 23, RBs) up to ledge and rap station 10m from the top of the cliff.
|
|
FA P1 (28M1) & P2 (28M1) Giles Bradbury, Trudy Bretherton 6-88; FFA P2 (27) Geoff Weigand 1990/91; FFA P1 (31) & P2 DF (27) together Mark Baker 21-7-96
|
|
|
Flashpoint
|
22
|
80m
|
|
|
Start 25m right of Back Off at a short corner leading into a huge sculpted roof.
1. 20m (22) Follow short corner then traverse left under roof. Strenuous, hard moves getting around lip and into crack. Up to belay on a small ledge on the right about 3m above roof.
2. 45m Up corner, up chimney, over bulges to roof then traverse out around lip and up wall above.
3. 15m Up classic slab and corner to top.
|
|
FA (21M1) Ian Lewis, Mike Law (alt) 28-9-74; FFA 'Hot' Henry Barber, Ray Lassman 4-5-75
|
|
* *
|
Flashbacks
|
22
|
40m
|
|
|
A variant second pitch to Flashpoint. Sustained.
Start at anchor 1 of Flashpoint. 2BB added for Flashbacks.
Up corner to BR on right wall, traverse right 4m into thin cracks. Up cracks and flakes for 30m to ledge on the right. 3BB (one with a fixed carabiner). 5BRs plus cams and wires. Rap off.
|
|
Giles Bradbury, Stuart Hickson 4-4-87
|
|
|
Boulder Climb
|
14
|
81m
|
|
|
Once popular and deserves more ascents. Good protection - take large hexes and wires. Pitches 1 and 2 can be done together.
Start 40m right of Flashpoint in a blocky corner with twin cracks.
1. 15m (14*) Straight up cracks to tree anchor.
2. 15m Scramble up to large tree anchor.
3. 24m Up corner to ledge, step left to chimney and scramble 10m straight up vegetated sloping ledge to base of crack in final wall. Possible to rap off tree on ledge.
4. 27m Up crack to top. Tree anchor.
Descent: Two abseils off any combination of tree anchors.
|
|
Keith Royce, Dave Massam (alt), Les Ormrod 15-6-69
|
|
|
Vacant Possession
|
24
|
40m
|
|
|
Start 6m right of Boulder Climb, just left of a tree. The quality declines after the first 15m.
Up to hard moves part 1st BR and beyond to welcome respite. Up corner, then flake/corner to a wide and slightly rotten horizontal break. Up wall (2BRs) to ledge. 2BB. Rap off (BYO tat).
|
|
Giles Bradbury, Dave Gray 10-86
|
The 1974 guide mentions possible lines 60m, 68m (aid), 76m (jamb crack inside chimney, good rock) right of Boulder Climb.
|
|
Nuclear Vagrant
|
18
|
51m
|
|
|
Start approximately 150m right of Boulder Climb at a small left-facing corner directly above a small gully. This is 15m past a long, rotten, yellow overhanging section of cliff.
1. 22m (18) Up corner to a large ledge, then gymnastically muscle up the overhanging crack to tree. Over the next overhang and belay inside the chimney.
2. 29m Up chimney, around next overhang delicately, then follow chimney to obvious belay ledge. Scramble to top.
|
|
Mike Law, Pete Taylor (alt) 17-8-74
|
|
|
Sapper Sling
|
17
|
80m
|
|
|
Start 40m right of Nuclear Vagrant in the corner on the right-hand side of the massive amphitheatre. Clamber up slabs for 6m to the base of the corner.,
1. 30m Straight up the corner (easy) to large tree anchor on ledge.
2. 21m (17) Layback and jamb the flakes to roof using wall. Up to huge chockstone inside the lip.
3. 14m (17) Traverse right out to lip, pull around overhang and up corner to small stance.
4. 15m Swing up the next overhang then chimney and bridge up crack and wall to top.
|
|
P1 Pete Taylor, Mike Blackburn 10-3-74; P2-4 Pete Taylor, George Harrison 7-4-74
|
Walk about 400m right of Sapper Sling, passing under a long section of rotten, yellow roofs. On the way, you have to negotiate a grove of cutting grass just west of a rockfall. Drop down 20m or so first, then traverse, then regain the height up to the base of the cliff.
|
|
Cave Corner
|
14
|
86m
|
|
|
Also known as The Sting. An unsalvageable pile of overgrown choss.
Start in a short, easy looking, scrubby corner below a roof about 12m up. Marked 'TS', but a 'CC' has also been chipped on the left wall of the corner.
1. 30m Up short corner to roof then squeeze through hole on right. Continue up next corner to tree then up small wall behind to base of main corner.
2, 20m Straight up main corner to massive sandy cave in the wall.
3. 36m Up the right wall, back into corner then jamb and chimney to top.
|
|
FA John Worrall, Ross Templeton date unknown; FRA Pete Taylor, George Harrison, Kim Carrigan (alt) 15-6-74
|
100m right of Cave Corner is Western Gully - a large, wooded gully that provides a good scramble access route to the halfway ledge. Refer to the Upper Cliff notes for an access description for Western Gully.
