Coke Ovens Upper
Introduction
An impressive piece of rock - huge orange walls capped by a massive roof and a distinctive overhanging 'beak'. In addition to the climbs on the main Upper Cliffline, there is also a mini crag called 'The Nursery' at the western end of the Halfway Ledge.
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Access
The usual way to reach the Upper Cliff is to do a climb on the Lower Cliff and make a day of it. For those who don't wish to waste time or energy, there is an easy access route up Western Gully. This is the gully at the western end of the Lower Cliff, 100m right of Sapper Sling. Head up Western Gully to where a small cliff impedes progress. Find the centre of three possible routes up the cliff. Hand over hand up a chain then wander up past dots of white paint and squeeze through a hole in the back of a large cave. From here, head straight uphill for 20m or so then left (east) across the creek and up out of the fully. The slopes of the fully merge with the wide, scrubby terrace called the 'Halfway Ledge'. It is easiest to travel along the Halfway Ledge near the actual cliff. The best way down from the Halfway Ledge is to abseil down a route on the Lower Cliff. If you choose to descend down Western Gully, look for the word 'Descent' pained on a large house sized boulder in Western Gully. As yet, there is no prescribed route down from the top of the Upper Cliff to the Halfway Ledge. It's probably best to decend the cliff at its eastern or western extremities where the cliff is smallest.
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WARNING: THE 'HALFWAY LEDGE' IS A STEEP, UNSTABLE SLOPE COVERED IN LARGE, PRECARIOUSLY PERCHED ROCKS. PLEASE TAKE EXTREME CARE TO NOT DISLODGE THESE ROCKS ONTO CLIMBERS BELOW YOU ON THE LOWER CLIFF.
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Hangover
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10
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57m
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The exit chimney is hidden from view until you reach it on the climb. From the top of Don's Easy Climb or Body Odour, head up and right for about 50m to the Upper Cliffline. As you skirt right-wards along the cliff and scramble over a small boulder, you will be confronted by a large 20m high block with several holes allowing daylight through between it and the main cliff.
Start of the right side of this block where an easy angled slab forms a shallow gully.
1. 7m Up easy angled, crack slab to trees.
2. 25m Right around blocks, up short wall then left up easy angled slab to tree. Good pro.
3. 15m Head for main cliffline and up a wide chimney to platform. Bollard anchor. Walk 8m to edge of platofrm.
4. 10m Up corner and chimney to top.
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Mark Jeavans, Adrian Cooper I(alt), Pete Davies, Matthew Brown 6-8-77
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Calliope Organ
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13M3
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75m
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This is a continuation of Barrel Organ on the Lower Cliff. If coming from Barrel Organ, wander up as best you can to the Upper Cliffline. Try to locate a mossy wall with two curving cracks running up it from an easy angled corner. Start 30m right of Hangover and about 100m left of the prominent huge orange wall capped by a massive horizontal roof.
1. 30m Up left-ward leading corner then up the left crack. Traverse diagonally right to ledge then up.
2. 9m Bash up through scrub, diagonally right to ledge then up.
3. 21m Up corner and under rood mechanically to big ledge. Peg belay.
4. 15m Up corner on right to top.
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Don Klees, Graham Wurth (alt) 8-5-71
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The next two climbs go up the huge orange wall capped by a large horizontal roof.
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Blackadder
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23M1
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82m
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Pitch 2 can also be done at 20M1 by aiding on two more bolts.
Start on the narrow ledge under the huge orange wall, at a small corner 3m left of Dr Freeze.
1. 40m (17) Corner to BR then arete (3BRs). Step L (BR) to pull over bulge on jugs and up to ledge at 10m. Wander left then up easy slab (#1.5, #2 cam, medium wire) to 2RB belay on steep orange wall.
2. 18m (23M1) Up (#2 cam) then up and right (2RBs). Back left and up to small ledge (#2.5 cam). Move right to RB then hard moves up to RB. Step in a sling up to sidepull in seam then free climb (RB) to stance. Up (RB, FH) to 2RB belay, BR.
3. 24m (21/22) Excellent, sustained climbing up scoops (10FH) to 2RB belay.
Descent = 2 x 40 abseils via anchor 1 to deck.
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Andrew Duckworh, Will Monks 28-12-99. FFA (P3) Andrew Duckworth, Kevin Seymour 11-6-2000
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* * *
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Dr Freeze
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21
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82m
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Goes up the centre of the orange wall. Everyone who has managed to finish the climb has apparently raved about it. Might be harder than 21.
Start in right-facing corner directly above Mirrorman on the Lower Cliff.
1. 42m (21/22) Up slight right-facing corner (4FHs) then trend up and right (2FHs) to #2 cam, then left and up (6 or 7 FHs) to 2RB belay.
2. 18m (21) Up (3FHs) then left and up (FH) to traverse left across pods (FH). Up (#3.5, #4 cam, FH) to 2RB belay.
3. 22m (20) #0.5 cam then trend up and right (2FHs). Back left and up (6FHs) to cave. 2RB belay, BR.
Descent = 1x 22m abseil to top of pitch 2, then 1x 50m abseil (rope stretcher) to deck.
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P1 Andrew Duckworth, Adam Seedman 23-4-2000; P2&3 Andrew Duckworth, Paul 'Popsicle' Darvodelsky 28-5-2000
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*
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The Best Forgotten Art
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21
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80m
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Start 30m right of Dr Freeze and 10m right of huge blocky chimney at an undercut 12m face leading to a hallow left-leading corner. Take a full rack including several big cams. Pitch 2 description from ACA.
1. 35m (18) Stick-clip FH. Undercut start past FH to BR. Veer right then back left to BR. Up (#1.5 cam on left) and step left into corner (small wires) and up corner (#11 Hex is handy) for 24m. Step left to small ledge. 2BB.
2. 45m (21) Lean L around arete to clip FH then scamper L and up into the start of the crack. Power out the 3m roof then the obvious splitter crack all the way to the top. Where the crack suddenly becomes a chimney, climb the face on the right past BR.
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P1 Will Monks, Damien Haines 8-4-2000; P2 Will Monks, Andrew Duckworth date unknown
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Project
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18
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65m
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Start 3m R of The Best Forgotten Art (from ACA).
1. 40m (18) Steep-ish start then climb the slabby arete.
2. 25m The eye-catching hanging arete, starting on the right but mostly climbed on the left. Closed project.
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Andrew Duckworth
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Dynamic Lifter
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16M1
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85m
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The rock is a bit sandy and crumbly in places, so take care. Needs a good selection of small gear - the crack varies from 'below finger' to 'fists'.
Start 30m left of Far Queue and 15m left of the left side of the prominent orange 'beak' overhead at the crack splitting the slabby wall.
1. 25m (15) Up crack to where it turns yellow. Semi hanging belay at small stance.
2. 35m (16M1) Climb crack 5m up steeper wall to a good horizontal break. Three aids up very thin crack, then crack system up easy-angled wall to bush and natural pro belay. Beware detached blocks.
3. 25m (6) Wander up the slabby wall to belay on multi-stemmed tree 10m back from the cliff-edge. P3 was rope soloed on first ascent.
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P1 first ascent party unknown; FRA Andrew Duckworth 24-9-99
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Far Queue
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13M2
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78m
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Start directly beneath the right edge of the 'beak' overhang at the right-ward leading corner crack. Scramble up onto large ledge to start. There is a huge chipped square and the letter 'F' at the base. Gear from 2 inches to knife blades.
1. 15m Up right-ward leading corner to ledge. Piton belay.
2. 24m (M2) Step into corner, left onto wall then edge up into crack. Peg up and onto dead tree then free climb to small tree anchors.
2. 6m Up crack and wall, slightly left into another crack system and up to small ledge. Piton belay.
4. 18m Up right-ward curving crack, free climb then aid to trees in chimney and belay.
5. 15m Straight up chimney to top.
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Keith Royce, Paul Edwards (alt) 24-4-71
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Boys Keep Swinging
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11
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75m
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Not well protected. Climbed multiple times in the 70s to do big swinging abseils off the 'beak' overhang.
Start about 150m right of the distinctive 'beak' overhang at a right-facing V-chimney with a slab on the right and an old chipped square. This is 50m up and left of where the Halfway ledge 'track' steps over a large burnt log beside a large boulder.
1. 40m (11) Up slab on 'dinner plates' 4m right of the corner (cams at 15m and 30m) to large tree anchor. Alternatively, climb the V-chimney for 8m then step right onto the slab.
2. 35m (8) Walk 10m up and left, then stylish slabby corner crack (wires, cams) to top. Tree anchor and great views.
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Eric Saxby, Ian Gaskin and friends, date unknown
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The Nursery
From the top of Western Gully, walk left (east) along the Halfway Ledge for perhaps 500m or so. About 20m down the hill from the base of the Upper Cliffline is a large cairn of rocks and a painted sign pointing the way to The Nursery, This is about 100m after passing a yellow overhanging section of cliff and about 200m before the prominent 'beak' overhang at the top of the Upper Cliff. Head down the hillside to another large cairn at the cliff edge. Scramble down to a ledge then head left (facing valley) along it. Downclimb an easy 6m high corner to a large ledge. Walk right (facing valley) for 30m to The Nursery and the last climb, Go!
The cliff forms amphitheatre. The first climb, Eenie, is on the far left of the amphitheatre. This is at the end of the ledge. Left of here, the ledge drops away at the top of the main cliff.
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Eenie
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7
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21m
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Has an interesting exit. Straight up easy angled open book corner to top.
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Pete Taylor, Mike Law (solo) 17-8-74
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Meenie
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15
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20m
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A mean old jamb crack. Start 8m right of Eenie at crack in wall. Straight up jamb crack.
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Mike Law, Pete Taylor 17-8-74
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Miney
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10
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16m
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Start 5m right of Meenie at crack. Up crack to chimney squeeze.
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Mike Law (solo) 17-8-74
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Moe
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7
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15m
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Start 2m right of Miney at easy groove. Straight up chimney groove.
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Pete Taylor (solo) 17-8-74
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Catcha
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12
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15m
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Start 4m right of Moe at crack. Straight up crack to top.
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Mike Law, Pete Taylor 17-8-74
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Nigga
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7
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12m
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Start 1m right of Catcha at a crack with a small tree in it. Up crack.
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Pete Taylor (solo) 17-8-74
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Bytha
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9
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12m
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Start 12m right of Nigga in a shallow corner. Up the left facing corner crack.
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Pete Taylor (solo) 17-8-74
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Toe
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11
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11m
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Start 2m right of Bytha in corner. Up to tree, move right and mantleshelf.
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Mike Law (solo) 17-8-74
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Whenee
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M1
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7m
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Start 1m right of Toe. Aid up the crack.
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Pete Taylor, Mike Law 17-8-74
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Squeals
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13
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10m
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Start 6m right and downhill from Whenee at the base of a chimney. Easy at first then up overhanging jamb crack.
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Mike Law (solo) 17-8-74
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Ledim
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6
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10m
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Start 4m right of Squeals on the juggy wall. Up the wall.
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Pete Taylor (solo) 17-8-74
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Go!
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9
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8m
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Start 3m right of Ledim at the cave. Up the corner.
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Mike Law (solo) 17-8-74
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