Hotdog Walls
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Crag faces north west. Don’t go on a hot summer’s day.
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Introduction
A new climbing area on the rim of the Wolgan Valley. One hour five minutes drive from Katoomba and a flat 20 minute walk along a ridge with crazy pagoda rocks. Rap in and climb out. Take a few rope protectors. All routes start from ledges or semi hanging stances. Mixed gear routes. You will need a rack of wires and friends #00 to #4 with doubles of #1 #1.5 Bolts are glue in stainless steel bolts requiring bolt brackets. Plus one carrot
There are bits of rock below the cliff up to 25 metres high. The main wall is a good 50 metres but the base is predominately undercut. Some climbs could start from the ground but would make all starts very difficult. We attempted to have climbs which have a more consistent grade of climbing hence not starting at the ground and sometimes only climbing half of the cliff. There are still some good lines to be bagged but are a bit too hard for Mark and myself. The crag has a great atmosphere. A beautiful walk along a pagoda ridge with views into the Wolgan Valley and nearby beehive pagoda rock gullies. The access walk on its own is worth doing. The views from the crag are your classic Wolgan valley view. So go and get Wolgonised. It is Newnes State forest so bring your own crag mascot to Hotdog walls.
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Access
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Camping
Newnes Plateau
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Opposite the Carpark is a ridge heading north covered in pagoda rocks. Follow cairns and marked track along ridge to GR 330099. Comfortable 20 mins walk.
The track begins by following a motorbike track for about 50m, which then veers left. Look for cairns at the base of a couple of gum trees going straight ahead along the ridge. The cairns weave in, around and over the pagodas for a few hundred metres then continue along the ridge.
Routes are described from left to right (base of cliff).
Froth Wall:
Orange wall at left end of crag
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Foaming at the mouth
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21
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35m
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Has all types of rock, solid, chossy, iron stone etc. Great position but take care. Originally had 7 bolts. Brendan did a classic self sandbag, felt weak, got scared on some runouts with suspect rock and cried for a top rope. It now has 12 bolts and is much more pleasant.
Anchors: 2 belay bolts at the top. 2 belay bolt at base (spacious ledge 8m off the ground)
Access: Rap down the wall between Foaming and Rabies
Straight up the line of scoops, 3m right of the arete. 12 bolts plus micro cams and #2.5 friend.
Up past 9 bolts then micro cams in horizontal, up to #2.5 friend at large break (long sling required). Move left and easily up pockets then back right. Through overlap and up past 3 bolts.
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Brendan Helmrich, Mark Wilson, September 2010
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Rabies
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21
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33m
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Nice straight climb with some good moves.
Anchors: 2 belay bolts at the top. 2 belay bolts at base (small ledge 8m off the ground)
Access: Rap down the wall between Foaming and Rabies
Up crack, small to medium friends and wires. Straight up past 7 bolts.
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Brendan Helmrich, Mark Wilson, October 2010
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Good looking orange rock to the right of Froth Wall past pillar.
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Junk yard dog
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23
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38m
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If we only had young forearms again. Cruxy. Good fun.
Anchors: 2 bolts at the top. 2 belay bolts 37m down and 15m above the ground on small footledge.
Access: Rap down the wall and swing right 3m when nearing the belay.
13 bolts and a friend #2.5 after 11th bolt.
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Mark Wilson, Brendan Helmrich, November 2010
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Hotdog wall (Main Wall):
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It’s a dogs life
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23
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40m
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Very nice wall. Sweeping orange expanse at the left end of Hotdog wall. Has some sporting runouts in the upper half, so bring some extra undies and have fun.
Anchors: One bolt and tree belay at the end of the route. One belay bolt plus #2.5 friend at base (semi hanging belay) Note: anchor is high.
Access: Locate 2 rap bolts a few metres back from edge. Abseil down steps and dinner plates or scramble with a prusik for approx 12m to bolt on ledge one metre above where vertical rock begins. Rebelay/attach rope to bolt and continue to rap another 28m to small ledge 8m above the ground (you will need to swing and clip a bolt about 10m above the belay stance to be able to reach the belay anchor).
10 bolts and 2 cams. 5 bolts then #3.5 friend after another metre, 3 bolts, #3 friend after another metre, 2 bolts. If you hate rope drag, unclip 3rd bolt runner after you clip the 4th and put long draws on the 6th and 7th bolts.
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Brendan Helmrich, Mark Wilson, October 2010
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Hotdog
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20
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35m
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Nice climb.
Anchors: 2 belay bolts at the top. 2 belay bolts at base 8m above the ground. Semi hanging belay.
Access: Rap down from Hotdog anchors.
Friends #1, #1.5, #3 and #4 plus 8 bolts.
Go left at second cam break then back right.
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Mark Wilson, Brendan Helmrich, September 2010
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Mans best friend
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19
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35m
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Great route. Good warm-up.
Anchors: One belay bolt at the top plus a #3.5 friend. 2 belay bolts at base 8m above the ground on ledge.
Access: Rap down from Hotdog anchors.
Rack of wires and small friends plus 8 bolts.
Up crack then step right at the bulge towards a bolt. Up past bolts. Veer right after last bolt to anchor.
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Mark Wilson, Brendan Helmrich, September 201
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Dirty Dog
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21
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38m
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Has a sting in its tail.
Anchors: Tree belay at top. 2 bolt belay at base. 8m above the ground at the base of the flake/crack. Semi hanging belay.
Access: Use tree belay anchor. Rap on the right hand side of the bulging rock at the end of the route.
6 bolts and a rack of friends, doubles on #1 and #1.5. Up flake/crack which trends left. Straight up orange rock. Need to look for gear in upper half. Take some extender quickdraws. Go left after last bolt or straight up to add a grade or two.
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Brendan Helmrich, Mark Wilson, September 2010
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Bitza wall
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Pedigree
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16
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18m
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Good wall for a warm-up.
Anchors: One bolt plus cluster of small gum trees 5m back at cliff top. 2 bolts at base of route semi hanging.
Access: Rap down 1/2m left of the route.
Rack of friends plus 3 bolts. Up
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Mark Wilson, Brendan Helmrich, November 2010
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Dog gone
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16
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20m
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Anchors: One bolt plus medium gum tree 5m back at cliff top. 2 bolts at base of route semi hanging.
Access: Rap down 1/2m left of Pedigree.
Rack of friends #1 to #4. Up 2m then diagonally right for 5m. Up past 3 bolts.
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Brendan Helmrich, Mark Wilson, November 2010
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Old dogs new tick
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22 or 19
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35m
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Some fine arête moves.
Anchors: 2 bolts at the top. Natural belay at base of arête/crack on small foot-ledge. Wires and small friends.
Access: Rap down the right side of the route. 11 bolts.
Up. Optional belay at 20m.
A nice 19 if you climb the crack then traverse to the arête just above 2nd bolt. (Using crack for gear or second bolt).
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Mark Wilson, Brendan Helmrich, November 2010
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Pet Wall
Compact wall at right end of crag
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Canine corner
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11
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23m
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Not a bad little corner despite appearances.
Anchors: Tree belay at top. Large ledge at base
Access: Rap down Georgie Girl
Rack of cams and wires. Up the crack. The start is unprotected unless you have some very large cams.
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Brendan Helmrich and Mark Wilson October 2010
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Georgie Girl
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19
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23m
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This was going to be the crag warm-up at 16.
Anchors: Tree belay at top. Large ledge at base
Access: Rap down slot right of Georgie Girl
4 bolts and small to medium gear
Up easy wide crack then small to medium gear in crack (need sling to extend).
Large jug on right plus a bolt. Straight up past another 3 bolts, then last piece is Friends #1 and smaller in
horizontal.
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Brendan Helmrich and Mark Wilson August 2010
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[photo] Georgie Girl
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Fluff Ball
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21
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25m
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A few thin moves up an aesthetic wall.
Anchors: Tree belay at top. Take #1 and #1.5 friend for belay at the bottom, 10m above ground on good ledge.
Access: Rap down arete and preclip first bolt
Start as for Fiery Fur balls. After third bolt veer left a couple of meters via #4 friend and small cam slot, then straight up past 6 bolts
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Mark Wilson and Brendan Helmrich October 2010
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Fiery Fur Balls
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21
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25m
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Anchors: Tree belay at top. Take #1 and #1.5 friend for belay at the bottom, 10m above ground on good ledge.
Access: Rap down arete and preclip first bolt
7 bolts, sling , friends # 0.5 #1.5 #2.5
Start 1m left of the arête. Past bolt then #1.5 friend then sling over big jug. 5 bolts then slot the #0.5 and/or #2.5 friend in the horizontal, one more bolt to the top.
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Brendan Helmrich and Mark Wilson October 2010
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[photo] Fiery Fur Balls
