The Woolwash
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10 minutes
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Crag faces north and east
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Sandstone
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Introduction
An extensive area of terraced cliffs overlooking the 'Woolwash' swimming hole on the Georges River near Campbelltown. The area first appeared in a guidebook by Neil Wilson. Written in the 1970's with the spirit of clean climbing and free love, it didn't include any climb names, grades or climb lengths, but did include a request for no bolts. Many of these routes are mossy walls, short vegetated cracks and choss chimneys.
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Access
Find Woolwash Rd in Airds (near Campbelltown), and park at the end of the street. It would be wise not to leave any valuables in your car.<br/><br/>Step over the gate and follow the road down to the river. The track winds down beneath a couple of substantial walls (including the Trackside wall, described as part of the Junkyard crag), before the track divides. Take the right fork which soon ends where a creek runs into the main river and some large boulders on the right mark the foot pad up to the cliffs.
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Caves Buttress Upper
Climbs described right to left (facing the cliff).
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A
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7m
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Up left edge of cave, traverse left and up.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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B
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8m
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1m right of bush. Straight up then left onto arete. Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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C
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10m
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Start behind bush. Hard start then up gully / groove.
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Tony Winter, Neil Wilson 1970s
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D
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10m
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1m left of C. Up. Good beginner's route.
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Tony Winter, Neil Wilson 1970s
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E
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10m
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Behind tree left of D. Up groove then traverse digonally right to join D. Hard to protect.
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Neil Wilson, Tony Winter 1970s
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F
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10m
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Wall just before nose. Up as you will.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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A descent route splits the wall here.
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G
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10m
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Up the cracks in the descent gully.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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H
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10m
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Start opposite the descent gully on the block. Up the easy wall.
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I
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10m
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Left of H. Up the wall and groove.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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J
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10m
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Left of I. Up the wall.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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K
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10m
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Up the crack left of J (just right of the arete).
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1970s
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The following two climbs are located on the next block, on the side facing the main wall. They are described left to right facing the wall (unlike the rest of the routes).
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L
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7m
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The left hand route.
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M
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7m
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The right hand route.
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Back to the main wall.
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N
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7m
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Right facing corner opposite M. Fairly worthless.
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O
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7m
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Start below the left facing corner. Up. Fairly worthless.
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P
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7m
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The next corner to the left. Fairly worthless.
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Q
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8m
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3m right of the chimney. Up the wall as you will.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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Caves Buttress Middle
Starts from the level of the cave floor. Climbs described from right to left (facing the cliff).
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S
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8m
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Start under the overhang. Up the groove, or traverse in from the right.
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T
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8m
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The crack / chimney with the black boy at the top. Up the crack with some good jamming moves.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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U
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8m
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Crack / chimney 2m left of T. Up with some good moves.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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V
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10m
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The chimney / corner behind the tree. Great jamming up the corner.
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Nick Bendelli, Neil Wilson 1970s
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W
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10m
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Crack 4m left of V
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Nick Bendelli, Neil Wilson 1970s
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X
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10m
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Start below crack / corner 1m left of W. Up the crack.
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Nick Bendelli, Neil Wilson 1970s
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Y
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10m
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Start as for X. Traverse left to the arete and up.
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Z
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10m
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Up the chimney on other side of nose.
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AA
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10m
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Start as for Z. Traverse left and up.
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Caves Buttress Lower
Climbs described right to left.
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AB
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6m
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At the far right hand end of the crag. Up.
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AC
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7m
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Start below corner with blackboy at top. Up with some good jamming.
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Nick Bendelli, Neil Wilson 1970s
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AD
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7m
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The slab to the left.
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AE
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8m
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The flake / crack to the left. Up.
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AF
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12m
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The overhanging flake and finger crack. Strenuous. Very good.
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Nick Bendelli, Neil Wilson 1970s
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AG
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10m
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The diagonal jam crack above cave.
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AH
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12m
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Start at corner under roof. Up and hand traverse right to AG.
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AI
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14
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20m
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Start as for AH. Up then traverse left around nose and along to ledge. Up corner.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson
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The Keyhole
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16
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20m
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Start as for AH. Up then traverse left to end of roof. Up into slabby cave and right through keyhole (sling the pillar). Up slab to right. Runout above the cave.
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Anton Weller 2002
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*
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Malcom X
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16
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15m
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Start as for AH. Up then traverse left to end of roof. Up into slabby cave and straight up scoopy slabby to the anchors.
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Marek Brock-Tasler 13/04/2013
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*
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Delusions of Grandeur
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21
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15m
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Start 3 m L of Malcom X. Straight up this wall and onto slab. Up L side of scoops to the top.
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Matt brooks 13/04/2013
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AJ
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12m
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Chimney / offwidth. Up.
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AK
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12m
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Just left of AJ. Up the wall.
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AL
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12m
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Start below chimney. Up. Good.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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AM
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10m
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8m left of AL below crack. Up the jam crack. Terrific.
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Neil Wilson, Nick Bendelli 1970s
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AN
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10m
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1m left of AM, below crack. Up the great jam crack.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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AO
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10m
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Below next crack to the left. Up.
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AP
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8m
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Start below chimney to the left. Overhung start then up. Good.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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AQ
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8m
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Next chimney to the left. Up. Good.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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AR
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8m
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Start below groove left of hanging nose. Up.
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There's a handy descent route in the corner under the blocks here.
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AS
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8m
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Start under blocks. Chimney up between the wall and the blocks.
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The following three routes are somewhat contrived two pitch outings.
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AT
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12
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20m
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Up AH then continue up N.
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AU
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12
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20m
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Up AI then continue up O.
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AV
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14
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18m
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Up AL then continue up R.
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Hanging Nose Upper
Climbs described right to left (facing the cliff).
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AW
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7m
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Start below corner 6m right of chimney. Pull up then up the corner behind.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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AX
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8m
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Easily up the chimney.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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AY
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8m
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Start below right edge of chimney. Up through overhang and up wall above. Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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AZ
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8m
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Up beside cave near arete then up the wall above.
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BA
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7m
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Start opposite AZ on block. Easily up the wall.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson, Tony Winter 1970s
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BB
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7m
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Start in corner. Up and left then up. Good at start.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen, Tony Winter 1970s
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BC
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8m
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Wall right of BB. Up.
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BD
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8m
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Wall opposite BG. Delicately up. Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BE
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8m
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Start below wall between corner and chimney. Up (technical). Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BF
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8m
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The chimney.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen, Tony Winter 1970s
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BG
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10m
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Start below layback crack on arete. Excellent but strenuous to start.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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BH
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10m
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Small corner / arete on block. Up (interesting moves).
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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BI
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10m
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2m left of BH. Up (strenuous start).
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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BJ
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10m
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Start below flake / crack left of BI. Up crack then finish left or right.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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Hanging Nose Lower
Climbs described right to left (facing the cliff).
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BK
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10m
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Left end of the first slab (left of track). Diagonally up and right. Good.
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Neil Wilson 1970s
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BL
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10m
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Start below and right of cave. Up to side of cave then straight up. Very good.
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BM
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10m
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Start below left side of cave. Straight up.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson, Tony Winter 1970s
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BN
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10m
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Start 1m left of BM. A strenuous variant start to BM. Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BO
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12m
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Start in next cave. Traverse out of cave then head straight up until level with tree. Move left and up into gully. Enjoyable.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BP
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10m
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Start directly under gully. Up wall to join BO. Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BQ
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10m
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Start 3m left of BP. Straight up, then diagonally up and right (balancy) to gully. Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BR
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10m
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Start below crack. Up wall and crack. Balancy. Good.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BS
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10m
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Start in corner. Up awkward corner to traverse line, then swing out to nose and up. Great. An easier variant is to start on the slab next to the corner.
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James Olsen, Neil Wilson 1970s
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BT
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10m
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The obvious corner / crack. Up as you will.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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BU
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12m
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Start 2m left of BT. Up into cave, Left to end of cave then out and up (balancy). Somewhat contrived. A good direct variant is to start up the delicate wall to the left of the original start.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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The crack / chimney just left of the boulders is a handy descent route.
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BV
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10m
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Wall 2m right of BW. Up (delicate and fingery). Very good.
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James Olsen 1970s
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BW
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8m
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Up the corner / flake to the halfway ledge. Good.
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Neil Wilson, James Olsen 1970s
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BX
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7m
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Start as for BW. Up BW then right and up. Very good.
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