The Pharos Guide

About 3m right of the far left edge of DR Pinnacle. Move up and right to bulging small overhang. Up and over this then slightly back left across cloud princess like lovely lumps. Straight up to top.

Appealing leftward leaning clean crack, then up to finish just left of 'Rush Hour'. A longer version has been done (and re-named "I'm Lichen It") by finishing left into corner, through bulge and on to summit block. Start: Start 2-3m L of RH.

Start beneath the low "col" on the L side of the Pinnacle. Climb straight up the burgundy water streak.

Supercedes the old route Action Kid. Varied climbing with four different cruxes.

Up 3m L of 'Social Comment' to ledge then continue straight up through a slopey bulge (crux 1) past a bolt. Crimp and slab R (passing underneath another bolt) into 'Birdman Of Alcatraz' (crux 2) then span right onto headwall (crux 3), to stance in crack. Right to 4th bolt and powerfully up (crux 4!).

If you don't go right at the top but go straight up to the chains, it's called 'Redacted 2', also 26.

As for "Redacted 1", but avoids stepping out right at the finish and goes straight up via a fixed hanger. It features some fantastic (and weird) climbing, such that most people seem to choose this finish rather than the original.

This line must climb quite poorly for it not to get any stars - because the wall looks fantastic! Start 3m L of 'Social Comment', 20m R of 'Rush Hour'. Thin crack thru bulge to ledge. Up past BR, go L then back R and join Birdman on ledge. R up groove past BR.

Not many routes this easy get you up a wall like this.

Start: Start below a L arching V-crack, 6m L of Birdman.

1. 15m (13) V crack then reachy step L to ledge. Belay on the L.

2. 22m (13) Up R to flake (hollow but avoidable), up L to ledge, R to balancey finish.

Thin seam, cross Birdman to join Bad. Undercling L under roof to hanging corner, then L below bulge to finish up crack (BR).

Start: Start 2.5m L of Birdman.

Avoids the last hard bit of Bent. It's thought that this finish might be where Bad P2 went (before the bolt!).

Climb the majority of Bent, until the point where that route steps left across the void; instead, go up the round arete on good edges past a bolt.

Considered by many to be the best 23 at 'Arapiles'.

Start where the dominant flake/line reaches the ground. Follow the line, except at halfway where you need to traverse L for a few metres below the flake before going up to rejoin it. Staying with the flake is reachy 25.

Great first pitch. Pitch 2 seems a bit contrived and is usually not done.

Start: Start 1m R of Birdman.

1. 25m (23) Thin crack, then undercling L around low roof. Up corner then step R to belay.

2. 20m (22) Step L, over roof and up arete. Move L then over corner/bulge.

Warning Fixed Gear: Anchor tat in poor condition

Layback corner then L into the "condemned cell", which takes some escaping! Great moves continue above, trending slightly L. Top anchor is several bits of rope/tat with a mallion. Walk over the top of the pinnacle, with a short down-climb to a rap anchor behind boulder.

Start: Start at the L-facing corner at the R end of the main face.

Start as for 'Death Row' Climb the initial corner on 'Death Row' and continue straight on up the line instead of stepping left into the condemned cell. Delicate, airy moves over a bulge lead to a corner system capped by a small roof. Bridge spectacularly through the left side, or more easily on the right. Continue up wall right of the arête to the top of the pinnacle.

A ramble up the northern aspect of 'Death Row Pinnacle'. The first pitch was the scramble down from 'Garden Gnome' before the rap anchor went in. Start from a ledge right of Death Row ’s condemned cell and a bit down left from 'Garden Gnome' .

1. 20m Up to a short right-facing corner, which leads to easy climbing up to the saddle between the main 'Death Row Pinnacle' and the summit of Garden Gnome. Belay at the Garden Gnome chains.

2. 20m Wall to the summit of Death Row Pinnacle.

Cute little thing starting 20m up right from 'Death Row'. Crack to ledge, then seam up grey face.

Start 2m R of 'Sky Scraper' , just R of native pine. Groove, step L, straight over bulge.

Contrived. Start 3m R of 'Garden Gnome'. Steep seam 2m L of 'Cloud Piercer', R at bulge but stay out of 'Cloud Piercer'.

Directly behind Garden Gnome some 10 metres around the corner. Short steep line to a series of scoops that look like buttons. Rap off Garden Gnome chains.

4 metres right of Buttons. Tricky climbing up black stained wall into small sentry box. Out to right side of box and head up arête of pinnacle.

Nicer than the sentry-box start and no harder! Fingery wall midway between Black Box and Howling moving slightly left to join the original climb at about 6m.

5 metres right of Black Box. Climb middle of orange wall using little pockets and directly up middle of slabby pinnacle although this is run out (easy escape left of right).

5 metres right of Howling. Start as for 'Laurel and Hardy' directly under the rap chains. Thereafter take left leaning crease in rock and the easiest left line to the pinnacle summit.

Slapstick. Straight up the rap route on the back of the Death Row Pinnacle.

An amazing effort by a relatively unsung local.

This completely natural (read, "not chipped or glued" like its famous sibling) has some genuinely difficult (as if the grade weren't required to confirm it already) slabby traversing early on before pulling into Punks, climbing it for a few metres before escaping out R to the arete.

Start beneath the R-leading arch, a few metres up L of PitG.

Joins the hardest bits of both routes and is supposedly a grade harder than each of them. At least two repeats, Chris Lindner in 2009 and Byam Keil in 2023.

Start as for Pretty in Punk, finish as for Punks in the Gym.

The master of combinations and permutations digs up another classic. This one links the "easy" bits of the two original routes.

Start as for Punks in the Gym, finish as for Pretty in Punk.

The easiest line up a great, albeit only mildly overhanging wall. Probably the world's first 8b+ / 5.14a and ahead of its time in Australian terms - it took nearly ten years before an Aussie (Stuart Wyithe) repeated it!

Despite masses of beta available on the internet, it still sees very few quick ascents, hasn't been onsighted and is still regarded as somewhat of a testpiece with a redpoint crux far above the technical crux and accounting for many an accomplished climber.

Many argue the route is easier than when Wolfgang and Stefan Glowacz did it in the mid 80's due to the increased size of the crux glue hold (the notorious birdbath). For a while considered "only" 31, it seems to have re-consolidated at 32.

Start as for Punks in the Gunks. At its traverse, instead go up, L and up, up, up to chains at the top.

Mayan

Please do not climb during nesting season (August to December). Start as for Punks up the leaning diagonal, but traverse off R at the second bolt to chains on the arête. The first bolt is very high and a committing clip for those at this grade.

Please do not climb during nesting season (August to December). Start at the bottom R side of the Punks wall. It's the line just L of the arete with the carrot bolt.

Really fun arete slapping. Please do not climb this route during nesting season (August to December). Start beneath the hanging nose.

Please do not climb during nesting season (August to December). Start as for Pearls Before Swine. This should be a trad route but unfortunately has been retrobolted by the first and last bolts of Ciela.

Please do not climb during nesting season (August to December). Start beneath the hanging nose of Ciela.

1. 18m (21) Slither up the surprisingly tricky slab to the R side of the nose. Undercling out around the roof and keep gunning up the crack above into the chimney. Belay here or 4m L at the DRB.

2. 33m (17) From the DRB, go straight up the front of the nose, eventually escaping L around the top bulge.

The easiest way to sample the awesome front face of Uncle Charlie - if you like grade 25 traversing, that is. If you wish to climb this during nesting season (August to December), please approach via Uncle Charlie's Right Nostril, not the Left.

Start as for PBS.

1. 15m (21) As for PBS, but belay as soon as you hit the chimney (just beside the peregrine's nest...)

2. 30m (25) R, and up short sickle/corner to gain the R nostril. R to piton, then hard undercling R to rest. Continue traversing R into India, past a bonus bolt in Ethiopia.

Uncle Charlie no doubt wonders why everyone calls his right nostril the left! Please do not climb during nesting season (August to December).

Start a few metres down R of PBS, underneath the L nostril.

The guides say it's only 15m, but the easier top section makes it almost double that. Please do not climb during nesting season (August to December).

Start up one of the previous routes to gain the base of the L chimney.

Start 2m L of UCRN.

1. 30m (27) The glassy slab becomes a R-leaning flake, which turns into a stomach-churning overhung offwidth, and then steep discontinuous pods, and finally into the R chimney.

2. 20m (23) Step R under the bulge and up the bulging hand crack.

Starts from the base of the chimney at the top the first pitch of Uncle Charlie's Right Nostril and Picking Winners (the original belay). Step around left to the seam that runs up the buttress just right of centre. A few exciting moves to get going, then follow the line to the top.

Old fashioned battle. According to Simey's guide the aid was eliminated before it had even been aided...visionary!

Start beneath the R crack underneath the R chimney.

After the crux of UCRN, easy climbing leads up left for a few metres to the current chains. However, the original belay was another two body-lengths higher at the base of the chimney (this was also the original belay on Picking Winners; the 2nd pitch of PW then stepped right and climbed the obvious bulging crack above).

This variant provides a slightly harder and more sustained pitch than the original. It continues directly up from the crux of UCRN (instead of moving left to the chains) to take the short tricky bulge (the new crux) to a double ring anchor immediately below the start of the second pitch of PW.

Deterred many very strong suitors for many years and finally fell to the Kiwi Wizz kid

The prime line hereabouts. All the hard bit of India then step L and up the middle of the steep wall through the top roof to lower offs.

An amazing line through some steep bulges. It will work your shoulders and test your footwork as you try to unlock its hidden secrets.

Start on the R side of the awe inspiring blank bulging orange face. Up crack before stepping left into the difficulties. Finishes out right up easier ground to DRB.

Notable for an early send by Christine Gambert (FR) in 1986, when it was 29, likely the first female ascent at either grade in AU. Was also the first route in AU given grade 29, originally done by stepping L higher than is now the norm, but has slipped to 28.

Not his finest addition. Brutally hard undercling moves and very, very rarely repeated. Start as for Nose Job then bust left.

In typical Lindorff style this is a plum line, but undergraded and underprotected (possibly more so since a block broke off it). Gee it looks good though. Start 2m R of India, up the tough corner, across CoC and up a steep little crack finish to lower offs.

Start on Coming on Chris and then at the crossroad with Nose Job follow it right for a much harder finish.

Probably about the same grade as Nose Job because on both variants you get a good rest before the hardest section, but the first section on this variant is easier.

A route on this pinnacle for the mere mortal. A fun climb!

Straight up past a bolt instead of traversing L.

Was a bolted sport route ....looks to be only one bolt now.

Looks bloody desperate.

Steep deep wide crack. Overhangs more than most 18s! Can be bridged without much thrutching, but some large gear can be handy. Stays dry in light rain too.

Start about 20m up the gully R from CoC.

Start on ledge opposite Virginia on the Pharos. Up the cracks, veering left through blocky roof. Then traverse left past the giant chock stone bridge, and up to the anchor on Spasm in a Chasm. Rap off Spasm’s Anchor back to the belay ledge.

The pencil thin crack (originally with a manky fixed wire, now with a bolt). After the crack sneak out left and finish up Virginia. One bolt plus trad. Start 5m L of Spasm.

Climb nearly all of Yes Please past it's bolt but instead of escaping left under the roof, do a move right and continue up the wall past two more bolts. There's a stance left of the last bolt, from here traverse right along the horizontal break that leads to the last headwall of Spasm. Finish up this (sideways #7 rock in pocket) to glory. Offers superb sustained climbing if head right from last bolt to undercling on spasm and past both it's dynos. 3 bolts plus a handful of wires (or small-med cams).

Unless they've joined into one continuous white streak by now, the white patches and ticks will show you the way. Almost certainly easier for the taller types, it's also harder now than when established because a key foothold during the traverse broke off (it's still 25 though).

Take a medium-to-large sized wire (e.g. #6 sideways or #7 WC rock) for the top (above the big jug) which inconveniently reduces the size of a key hold in a non-grade-altering way. A couple of large RP's in a seam at the start should prevent your belayer following you off the ledge in the event of falling getting to the first bolt. Otherwise, stick clip the first bolt or just don't fall.

Start off the wedged boulder near the highpoint of the chasm.

Four bolts on the wall right of Spasm. Don't bridge at the start but do bridge the finish.

Stem up chimney with feet on one side and hands on the other, to a jug. Then climb the steep line with two bolts (new as of 2015). Start just inside the SE end of the Spasm Chasm.

Climb directly into Escape without bridging.

The obvious link of Escape start into the last half of Break and Enter. Start as for Escape (original bridging start), then break right and power up through the final boulder problem of B&E. Short, but consistently powerful climbing to the very last move. The route grade is open for debate given it’s basically a V7/8.

Up The Great Escape to half height, then R and up to lower offs.

Climb the chasm right of Spasm by following a finger crack on the left wall which leads up and right through a squeeze. Top out on the road side of Uncle Charlie's via some juggy wide chimneying. Walk off over the chockstone to the Pharos. Protectable, but a pretty tight fit with a harness.

Awful. It has been repeated and others should spare themselves the experience. Start 15 metres left of Oceanoid. It's supposed to be 1 metre right of all of the mank but it's hard to tell the difference between that and the climb. There's a low roof above a slab.

1. 15m (16) Go up to roof, over large, hopefully, jammed block and on to a stance below the steepening.

2. 25m (15) Up slightly right on steep, fragile rock then straight up.

The start shared with Ship Of Fools is not good but things appear to improve after that. They would want to. Start as for Ship Of Fools.

1. 10m (19) Up to roof and move right over it to climb lichenous left-leading grrove just left of Damned Whores.

2. 15m (18) Go up into orange concave and take obvious cracks diagonally up left to stance.

3. 15m (17) Climb the overhangs directly above at their widest point.

Start 2 metres left of Transatlantic Crossing, 10 metres left of Oceanoid.

1. 25m (19) Up slab, not well-protected, through overlap to roof. Undercling this left then up through the orange concave and finish right to belay.

2. 15m (18) Left-hand crack through roof.

Start 8 metres left of Oceanoid, 1 metre right of the lowest part of the buttress, below corner leading to overhang.

1. 25m (18) Up vague corner to bulge, right around it and up to overhang. Traverse left then up easily.

2. 15m (18) Take right-hand crack through overhang.

Start as for Transatlantic Crossing, 8 metres left of Oceanoid.

1. 25m (21) Up corner-line as for Transatlantic Crossing to bulge. Continue straight through bulge (pro is difficult), then up groove to belay.

2. 15m (20) The overhanging rib just right of the right-hand crack (Transatlantic Crossing).

Quite good. Originally done in two pitches but belay stances are poor so better done as one. Start 6 metres left of Oceanoid, 2 metres right of Transatlantic Crossing, at short right-slanting orange corner.

You have to squeeze them in. Pretty contrived and has some loose blocks. Start at small rib just right of Voyage Of The Damned.

1. 30m (20) Climb the rib to the diagonal bulge of Voyage Of The Damned. Go straight through bulge and step right to tiny stance. Climb thin flake up slab and move left to belay as for Rainbow Warrior.

2. 15m (20) The overhanging rib on the right as for Rainbow Warrior.

This is a good pitch. It may differ a little from the original route of Halfway Handsome but it is difficult to say by how much. Start at the slabby corner 3 metres left of Oceanoid. Can rap back down with a 70m rope.

Great route. The original write-up has caused some confusion and given rise to the Halfway Damned variant. Start at the slabby corner 3 metres left of Oceanoid.

Best done as a single mega-pitch although a semi-hanging belay can be had in Oceanoid. Start 1 metre left of Oceanoid.

Fantastic climb. The original route climbed the first pitch of Courage until above the grotty overhang and then traversed left. The route as described is vastly better. Start below the inset corner in recessed bay behind large Callitris pine.

1. 37m (17) Follow the corner for 17 metres, protection is spaced for first few metres. Move left at chalked-up weakness into a diagonal scooped line. Follow this to below roof and move left to terrace. DRB (35m rap to ground if required).

2. 30m (17) Pull through the first easy weakness on left side of overhangs. Traverse 3 metres right (stay low) and make an airy step across a gap. Take line leading straight up into awkward bottomless chimney. Easy chimney leads to large ledge, continue further 5m up to another large terrace. Scramble off left or climb short wall to base of French Crack.

The left hand corner to the ledge below Aftermath, past some rotten rock and a lot of bird poo. Originally reversed the traverse of Jezebel to get off, but there are rap chains nearby if you prefer.

An easier version of Courage. The right-hand inset corner.

Looks quite daunting for the grade.

Graunchy roof-crack at left end of terrace that Oceanoid Pitch 1 finishes at.

Looking from the ground, there are three overhanging noses high on the left, pitch 2 takes the middle one. Finishing up Cold Storage makes a good finish, but the gear on it is as bad as the guide suggests. Start at the left end of the half way ledge on Oceanoid, right of the first nose with Sport Climb This You Bastards.

1. 15m (21) Up the undercut arête left of Oceanoid pitch 2 then meander up mank to belay under roof.

2. 15m (22) Take the crack through the roof above you. At the lip, swing left on jugs to exit.

This is an OK alternative to second pitch of Oceanoid if you've been here before. Start as for pitch 2 of Oceanoid through initial bulge then head up right to a chalked-up horizontal. Mantle onto the orange wall and continue up slab keeping left of Oceanoid. Finish just left of the bottomless corner.

Traversing similar territory as the excellent Trinity Wall, this route is not as sustained as its neighbour below, but provides similar bowel churning exposure. Start as for Left Side Of The Ocean, and follow this to join Oceanoid P2. A few metres before the chimney of Oceanoid, find the line that traverses right on poor feet. The pitch passes the Aftermath double bolt belay, soon reaching easier territory.

Outrageous traverse. Take lots of slings, double ropes if you have them and a solid second. Start as for second pitch of Oceanoid. Once traversing right, keep going directly right, towards white hanging corner. There is a line of chalked holds higher up leading you to try and reverse the crux of Atlantis. Resist the temptation to go there.

Greasy, flaring crack leading to steep wall. Start at the crack leading to the white-marbled corner.

A dramatic outing with a desperate bouldery start that is strenuous to protect. It was originally climbed with a massive diversion out left into Oceanoid. Start right of The Bradford Lads at the left of 2 weaknesses through the huge roof.

1. 25m (23) Straight up crack over bulge, then up to big pockets in Aftermath (medium cams). Traverse left, below the line of Aftermath on more good pockets then up and veer right to anchor as for Aftermath. Either rap 50 metres to ground, back-clean or do pitch 2.

2. 30m (18) Up past old carrot bolts to move left into exposed hanging off-width and up to a ledge. Up the middle of the wall above.

Wild roofing country with a dangerous start that can be avoided by starting up either Atlantis or Aftermath. Belay as for the start of Atlantis.

An overdose of overhang, originally done as a post-exam celebration. The right-hand weakness through the overhang, right of Atlantis. Start off the left end of the niche past some rusty fixed micro wires. Try and place something better for the goey start with potential fall onto ledge. After initial bulge, head left and into TW before left again to bolt and exciting finish. Rap anchor.

The bulge right of Aftermath, over roof past bolt to Trinity Wall anchor.

Start on ledge right of Aftermath, on the line of Five Fingered Mary.

1. 30m (22) The obvious flake on right wall of chimney. Strenuously up to step across right, and rest. Easily to ledge.

2. 30m (19) Straight up the face to next ledge, the Tennis Court. Scramble off left to French Crack descent.

A wandering route that takes in some impressive country even if the climbing itself is not brilliant. Start as for Hurricane Lamp Cracks.

1. 35m (13) Up Hurricane Lamp Cracks, stepping into the left line at 25 metres. up the crack to a small stance. Take care with a large loose block on the right here as you prepare to start the next pitch.

2. 15m (8) Traverse left and around the arete and continue traversing and up to a terrace below enormous overhangs.

3. 36m (13) Traverse left below the roofs to another huge terrace, ending at double bolt belay. It is possible to abseil or walk off from here (and most people do).

Seeing as you've come this far, if you are in the mood for adventure, there are another two optional pitches to entertain you ...

1. 30m (-) Climb two bulges and veer right to an easy line.

2. 18m (-) Climb right around two little aretes then go up exposed latter one until a slab leads into bottomless chimney. Continue to the foot of French Crack.

A cliff-splitting weakness that is big on atmosphere but not necessarily enjoyment. The R rating is from the rock, not the gear. It has been known to calve huge blocks with the climber attached so be cautious. A 5 camalot will be appreciated. Start below the huge cleft.

1. 42m (16) Up vegetated line and belay on the big terrace.

2. 24m (18) Up the overhanging chimney with some doubtful rock.

3. 24m (18) On up the line to below large cracked roof.

4. 15m (20) No, don't walk off left, climb the roof crack. The original finish traversed out the left wall below the roof to the arete.

Don't listen to the haters. The last pitch has great gear and is 20. Bring a 6.

Start as for Prevarication. Go up and left then traverse right to finish up the prow above the crux of Prevarication.

Good start and bold finish but the middle bit is nothing to write home about. Start on the buttress between Five Fingered Mary and Hurricane Lamp Cracks below a crack through an overhang at 8 metres.

1. 43m (18) Climb overhang at 8 metres and continue up chimney-corner to large ledge.

2. 24m (8) The corner-crack and walls to ledge.

3. 30m (15) Sparsely protected wall above to the Tennis Court.

1. (20) Starts under the roof between Prevarication and Hurricane Lamp Cracks and powers straight through it. Move on upward (be aware of loose blocks) to a bolt anchor (45m rappel).

2. (18) Onward through some steep moves and then at the slopey ledge, move slightly right then up the horizontals to a bolt. After moving past the crux trend left towards a bolt anchor (30m rappel to next anchor) under the roof, opposite the tennis court.

3. (14) Move far right under the roof to the big offwidth crack, struggle your way through and then climb the headwall on the left side, moving left after a ledge, then back right to another bolt anchor (25m rappel to anchor under the roof).

The wall between Ra and Horus. Led onsight before the bolt was added to the start of Ra. Nice moves and good protection. Worth doing if you are in the neighborhood.

Pumpy, balancy, and technical.

1. (23) From the 1st belay of Horus, start as for the second pitch of that route, but instead of moving right to the trad line, follow the bolts left up the gorgeous orange wall through crimps and a scoop, until the roof anchor of Horus.

2. (24) Powerful committing roof climbing leading to an easy finish straight up to a rap station. Follow the bolts out the right side of the roof.

A fine old classic whose grade seems to be gradually creeping up. Used to be grade 8 back in the day. Many variations are possible. Start at the chimney 7 metres right of Five Fingered Mary.

1. 25m (12) Follow the chimney until the line divides at 25 metres. Step right to a ledge.

2. 20m (11) Step back left then up the steep right-hand crack. Exit right onto ledge below steep bushy chimney.

3. 20m (11) Traverse 6 metres left and around nose of rock. Up onto wall, then continue up until able to traverse right to base of short slot.

4. 10m (11) The slot is desperately slick. Alternatively, climb the steep juggy wall on the right. The pitch finishes at the big ledge of the Tennis Court.

5. 43m (8) From the top of pedestal climb tricky weakness left of red overhang. Up to subsidiary summit, step across gap, then up to summit. This is as for the last 2 pitches of Spiral Staircase and may be split as for that climb.

Takes the hanging buttress between Hurricane Lamp Cracks and The Shroud. The overhang on pitch 3 is exciting. Pitch 2 is best avoided while the block is in place. Start as for The Shroud.

1. 28m (10) As for The Shroud.

2. 15m (14) Seam between Hurricane Lamp Cracks and Fat Dude until horizontal crack leads right past a detached block to front of buttress. Up to good ledge.

3. 25m (17) Bridge deep line on right side of buttress (just left of The Shroud's third pitch). Traverse onto front of buttress, through overhang and up line. Avoid the top overhang (a big jammed block) on the right and continue to the Tennis Court.

Climb orange nose on right. Start at the first belay of Hurricane Lamp Cracks.

Another great outing up the front of the Pharos. Start 9 metres right of Hurricane Lamp Cracks at the foot of a deep crack.

1. 28m (6) Climb the buttress on the left to a good belay ledge.

2. 22m (10) Traverse 5 metres right, stepping across a wide crack, then follow the steep, clean line on the right to another good ledge.

3. 25m (10) Step left and climb the front of the buttress to gain the deep V-line on the left. Pass the spectacular roof on the left and up to the Tennis Court.

4. 43m (8) From the top of pedestal climb tricky weakness left of red overhang. Up to subsidiary summit, step across gap, then up to summit. This is as for the last 2 pitches of Spiral Staircase and may be split as for that climb.

The line right of The Shroud and left of Spiral Staircase. The original line of Spiral Staircase went somewhere about the first pitch of this. The second pitch traversed off below the roofs to the line that is climbed now. Apparently originally climbed in the 1960s by Rob Taylor, who placed the pin. Start on the North east shoulder of the Pharos right of TS.

1. 40m (10) Wander up to pick up a little R facing corner 3m right of The Shroud. Follow this corner to belay 5m below roofs.

2. 30m (10) Right of the roof pitch on The Shroud is two bits of orange rock capped by roofs. Samos takes the thin patch of grey rock between them past an old, unnecessary pin through a break in the roofs. Then up wall on jugs to join Spiral Staircase.

3. 5m (-) Scramble up short wall as for Spiral Staircase.

4. 35m (-) Do the top pitch of SS.

Instead of going up to the front, follow the track around and up onto the north shoulder of the Pharos. Start at a low-angled, blunt spur just left of a vegetated gully.

1. 43m (8) Up the buttress to a small ledge. Continue on steeper rock to another small ledge. Step off right side of ledge (straight up is grade 14) then up to a ledge below a short gully.

2. 15m (4) Up the gully to a large ledge. Continue up to the next ledge, the Tennis Court.

3. 20m (8) From the top of the pedestal, climb the tricky weakness left of the red overhang. Belay on the first good ledge.

4. 23m (7) Up to subsidiary summit, step across gap then up to summit.

If you only scare yourself on one route this year, make this the one. A fantastically scary (but safe) through a large roof a long way up the Pharos. The best grade 16 roof at Arapiles. Start from the right hand end of the large ledge at the end of Spiral Staircase's 2nd pitch beneath a crack through a roof. There used to be a 'map of Italy' hanging down, but that's gone.

1. 6m (17) Up to roof and out to stance and belay.

2. 24m (12) Step back left over the void and up. The top pitch of Spiral can be done to finish.

3. -m (-) A third pitch has been done by stepping across and climbing the wall left of the top pitch of Spiral. Eric Jones, Richard Smith, Paul Hoskins, sometime in 2001.

Scramble up slab of rock right of Spiral Staircase to steeper rock.

1. 30m (19) Wend way up to short, tricky right-facing corner in middle of face and up to large ledge below prominent orange roof.

2. 25m (19) Up wall just right of roof (shared with NE Ridge Of The Pharos) then step left and straight up poorly protected wall. The pitch can also be finished by trending left.

Left line on little wall 15 metres down and left of the start of 'Lamplighter'. Has been done on trad, now has two bolts and maybe you clip the first bolt of Raptures of the Steep

Right-hand line on little wall with a rusty carrot. Used to have a fixed pin and two bolts but has now been rebolted. Steep thuggery to awkward topout. Now has 4RBs and a DRB lower off.

Start on the Back Wall of Pharos, 4m down and left of “The North East Ridge of the Pharos”. Offers the easiest access to the “Tennis Court”.

1. 10m (3) Start at the foot of a chimney. Up and then traverse left to gain the northern face of the Pharos.

2. 25m (4) Take the line of least resistance up easy series of steps until you gain a ledge that is at same height as Spiral Staircase’s first belay.

3. 8m (2) Walk to Spiral Staircase’s first belay.

Start: Start just left of 'Lamplighter' at slick, wide, left-leaning crack.

1. 25m (17) Grovel along the crack. From ledge above go left and scramble up to higher ledge.

2. 22m (17) Up right-facing flake. Continue up to big ledge.

3. 35m (18) Starting just right of big roof go up on suspect rock and move right to arete. Follow nose up arete on right and then left, whichever is easier to dramatic mossy exit. This pitch used to finish up a deep line some way right of the arete.

Originally trad, and originally started up the wide groove just left of Braindrops. When the route was sent into Argus the route name was rejected and thus never recorded. The bolts, lower-off, and direct start were added by Geoff Little in 2018.

From the ledge 12m up Lamplighter, 4m left of Braindrops. Up shallow right-facing corner past RB (20) to ledge. There's a stick clip on the ledge to clip the next bolt safely (please leave the stick there), then pull through roof seam and continue up wall past three more rings to a lower off (17m to ledge, 25m to ground).

Excellent steep jamming.

New anchor installed towards the end of pitch 1 (off left of Lamplighter belay ledge, tries but fails to be out of sight of Lamplighter, and may need a leaver 'biner), 24m to ground.

Start from ledge 12m up "Lamplighter", below steep flake on left wall. If you belay the crux from the ground, rope stretch brings a ledgefall more into play, which is manageable if you plug more gear.

1. 23m (21) Up the steep left-leading flake-crack, take right line below the bush and up to the rap anchor. If continuing up pitch 2, continue 5m past the rap anchor via the corner on the R or the blunt arête on the L, to the next bigger ledge.

2. 40m (20) Good wall climbing, up seams in gently overhanging wall. Then easily to top.

A nice alternative for when the final pitch of Hurricane Lamp Cracks, The Shroud, and Spiral Staircase is too busy or too sunny. From the Tennis Court, walk around right, delicately around the arete (staying on belay probably advisable) to a large ledge where Braindrops P1 ends. Climb the middle of the right-hand wall, staying well right of the deep split that Spiral Staircase would have stepped over. When the wall becomes vertical, stay left for the easiest line, or move right towards Lady Dihedral to make it a few grades harder. Tops out at the summit.

A good alternative finish to "Lamplighter". It originally had it's own second pitch, diverging left from "Lamplighter" after 8 metres, but it was fairly worthless.

Start: Start at the second belay of "Lamplighter".

An excellent climb tiptoeing its way up the back wall with lashing of exposure. Provides some relief from the sun until late afternoon.

Start: Start on a ledge down low on the left where an obvious ramp leads up right.

1. 30m (10) Following the ramp to its end, then left to big ledge.

2. 30m (14) Up short corner on the right, old peg (back it up), then tend right up cracks to base of chimney. Near the top there are a couple of options but the best is an unlikely step right and up the face.

3. 18m (13) Up chimney to roof, then chimney back out through roof to DBB.

Start: Start at a flake 19 metres right of 'Lamplighter'.

1. 20m (18) Fat, steep flake with hard steep crack immediately left of it. step left to join crack at niche then up into 'Lamplighter' below bulge. Over bulge and belay.

2. 15m (22) Follow thin corner-flake above, just left of the start of 'Judgement Day', (this is the left side of the sort of pillar and up into white corner) to belay in 'Lamplighter' level with 'Parallels'.

3. 25m (14) Walk off left is not possible! Continue up Lamplighter or downlead to anchors on Braindrops

Another girdle of the back wall of the Pharos taking the next horizontal line above 'Judgement Day'.

Start: Start in 'Lamplighter' at the left end of the break.

1. 25m (22) Move around corner and follow break to belay in 'Judgement Day'.

2. 15m (25) Follow 'Judgement Day' to start but keep going right where it goes up. Continue right at this level to join 'Trojan' on the arete. Remember to leave back-runners for your second!

3. 10m (-) Follow 'Trojan' to ledge.

A superb rising traverse with some very balancy moves which also gives the seconder a good mental workout.

Shares the start and most of pitch one, with 'Lamplighter'.

1. 27m (10) Follow the ramp of "Lamplighter" until it runs out. Up to ledge.

2. 25m (18) Step up right and onto right wall. Mantleshelf then traverse right past a bolt into "Kingdom Come", then up to belay on small ledge.

3. 15m (19) Traverse right, and up the diagonal crack to ledge. It is possible to move up from the traverse to the bolt on "Give me Convenience..." at about the same grade but it adds nothing to the route.

Rap back to ground from DRRB at top of P3.

Pure face climbing funkness. Originally graded 25 and worked on via some very dubious gear. Climbs the crazy groove 10m R of Lamplighter past 4 ringbolts to a DRB anchor. Super technical and sustained, with a variety of options available for undertaking the crux, none of them particularly a giveaway! Unconventional and classic moves make this one of the best routes at Arapiles.

Exposed and daring with a run-out second pitch in exciting territory.

Start: Start as for "Second Coming"

1. 22m (22) As for "Breaking Glass".

2. 20m (24) Up twin cracks and over bulge. Move right and mantle small ledge. Up right to dodgy pin (backup with #5 RP), then right and up wall to ledge. 30 metre rappel. (Pin has been replaced with a bolt)

Good, but most people will aim to do 'Open Season' instead.

Start: Start as for 'The Second Coming'.

1. 20m (22) Follow 'The Second Coming' to corner and continue left to another tiny corner. Up this and left to belay below twin cracks (Open Season).

2. 20m (22) Up 'Open Season' to horizontal break. Traverse diagonally up and left into 'Lamplighter'.

Climb the 1st pitch of Second Coming until you encounter a hanging nose about 4m shy of the belay. Step left and boulder into a tiny corner before moving up to pass a small overlap which can be climbed direct or on its left. Slabby moves follow before a final easy crack leads to the anchors for open season. 'Small' RP's and small cams protect the moves above Second Coming however placing them on lead is a tad pokey and pumpy - you have been warned!

One of the best 22s at Araps. Start immediately L of Kingdom Come.

1. 27m (22) Make sure of your gear in the very polished first 8m. From Kingdom Come take the rising line (awkward, polished, slightly tricky to protect) up L to a shallow corner. Up this to a mantle on Judgement Day traverse. From the top of the pedestal, up wall tending right to rejoin Kingdom Come at DRB anchor.

2. 30m (21) Fantastic, airy and continuous. Step R into hanging crack and up to ledge. Move back L and up, keeping just L of the arête. Trad anchor, or go 8m L to DRB rap anchor above Lamplighter. A 70m rope reaches from the ground to this top anchor and back down to the 1st belay (just), allowing leaders to clean their own gear with belayer on the ground (with some sizeable sideways swings).

Hopelessly contrived even though it's actually a direct version of The Second Coming P1. There's logic to it but in practice it's all too close to both Second Coming and Kingdom Come.

Climb Second Coming until the move L on to the infamous mantle bulge. Instead go straight up to the Judgement Day traverse. From there, continue straight up, trying very hard not to go L into Second Coming, or R into Kingdom Come until you meet the final R-wards traverse of Second Coming P1. Cross this and head straight up through another steep section to easier ground near Lamplighter P3.

This and Come Again could easily be linked together into a (scary) route that is more independent and logical than either.

An old-fashioned line that rewards good technique and punishes thrashing.

Start below the major V-groove splitting the back of the Pharos. Described in 3 pitches but best done in 2 pitches now that there are bolted anchors at 20m and at the top.

1. 12m (20) Hard start on polished slopers (it's advisable to place a wire (#9-10) with a long stick for protection; double check it as the slot is not foolproof) leads into the V-chimney. Bridge up to a small ledge on the right.

2. 22m (18) Step left and up to cave.

3. 18m (13) As for last pitch of Lamplighter.

Makes an alternative Last pitch to Shivers or a second pitch to Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death. Start from the anchors of GMCoGMD and follow Shivers for a couple of moves heading towards the first bolt (Small cam useful). Hard moves past the bolt to the second bolt, Traverse slightly left and up into the pod and follow this directly up to the top.

A complex route up a great bit of rock.

Start: Start as for "Kingdom come".

1. 25m (22) Up "Kingdom Come" until able to gain the right-leading diagonal which is followed into "Judgement Day" and so to ledge.

2. 30m (23) Traverse left across smooth wall to twin seams, then run it out up to ledge. Step right over bulge at a thin crack then traverse left to the arete and up into the orange corner. Exit left then up.

A great multipitch up the back of the Pharos at 22

1. (22) First pitch of Shivers

2. (16) Short offwidth groove on the right. Move back L to belay under third pitch of Trojan (2nd pitch of Trojan)

3. (22) Third pitch of Trojan

4. Smile.

Climb 'Shivers' until the 'Judgement Day' traverse line, then head straight up through the roof (bolt) and follow the seam, joining Shivers' 2nd pitch near the top.

Start: Start as for 'Shivers'.

Originally bolted by Chris Shepherd, this link up was pointed out to Zac by Ingvar Lidman who promptly bagged the first ascent. Originally a sandbag at 29 ("more like 30 or 31," Zac) apparently a previously unused hold and an easier sequence has been found that makes it "only" 29.

Start up Masada, before veering L past a couple of bolts and some hard compression moves (crux) at half height. to the Judgement Day traverse. Finish through crux of Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death.

Once considered the hardest route in the country when introduced by Carrigan as Australia's first grade 30. Now considered a tad easier by modern standards. Start as for 'Trojan' and at its crux move left across the corner and onto the exposed arete. Take some deep breaths then get fired up for an intensely fingery experience above the flared layback, not to mention some acute footwork. At the top of the corner, make a move left to a jug and gain the finishing crack. A final tricky exit leads to the belay.

The direct finish to 'Masada'. Instead of branching out left at the top of the groove, continue straight up through another boulder problem (as if the original crux wasn't enough!)

Close Project, Starts from Trojans 2nd belay and heads up blank wall past 1 bolt

A brilliant first pitch and the top pitch is pretty good as well, but is much easier. Many people do just the first pitch and do the upper pitches as a finish to Dazed And Confused. Louise Shepherd's impressive 1981 or 1982 onsight was the first Aussie female ascent at this grade.

1. 36m (25) Climb the overhanging diagonal crack right of "Kingdom Come" to the top of the peapod. Step right and go up the crack to double ring-bolts at 20 metres. Continue to ledge.

2. 10m (16) Move left and follow the wide crack to the next ledge. Go a few metres L.

3. 25m (21) Thin jamming up the superb crack.

Start R of Trojan below boulder. Up and traverse R and up. Direct start (bolted by Carrigan decades ago) remains unclimbed.

A girdle of the south face with old pegs and crumbly rock. The retro-bolt of Mind Arthritis 's 5th bolt has replaced a peg on this route.

Start: Start at the second belay of 'Trojan'.

Intimidating finale. The first pitch was retro-bolted and de-bolted, but currently has 1 FH. Start on top of the great flake that leans against the south corner of the Pharos.

1. 15m (21) From top of giant flake go left past FH to bald arete and up this to ledge.

2. 10m (22) Face and tiny corner 1 metre right of pitch 2 of "Trojan".

3. 15m (24R) Step right and climb serious, closed, pocketed seam 2 metres left of arete then continue up face.

A baffling crux combined with gut-wrenching exposure. Start from the top of the second pitch of "Trojan".

A good stylish pitch. The initial moves are committing and require lots of small wires. And some of the first holds are loose so check what you're pulling on. Combining this with the upper pitches of "Trojan" makes for a very good grade 21 climb. Start at the top of the huge flake.

Start as for Dazed And Confused then move right and directly up wall past some very loose flakes, finishing up the fine corner-ramp to ledge.

Useless.

1. 25m (19) Up Dazed And Confused for 4 metres. Traverse 6 metres right to large precarious flake and up to ledge.

2. 20m (20) Up short crack to make hard move to ramp and follow this, heading up right.

3. 20m (-) Up, step left to shallow corner and follow it.

This is better but it's really a climb in its own right. Start at the first belay of Nuclear Free, on the traverse ledge.

The finger shredding line starting just left of the start to 'Mind Arthritis', then taking the very bouldery wall above it. 2 hard 2-move boulder problems with a virtual sit down rest between them mars a route with one of the best positions at Arapiles.

An outstanding climb taking the major line on the South Face. Quite finger intensive and very exposed. Originally climbed with a piton as the last gear - though this has now somewhat controversially been replaced with a bolt. A small cam can be placed in the top runout.

Technically 23 but a runout above the roof has led to the grade being inflated. A great outing on the South Face, starting off the ledge of the finish to Dazed and Confused. Worth noting that this was established onsight by the first ascentionist.

Starts as for Delirium Tremens but at the roof breaks right and traverse a couple of metres before launching straight up the face. Reportedly a tad runout in places, and rarely repeated.

Quite good climbing on the lower south-east face, the next little face up the hill from the Punks wall. Takes the face and then left into the prominent hanging corner. Double ropes help. Start on a small ledge below the middle of the face.

Up face a few moves then move right into left-leading diagonal and up to ledge. Traverse left, staying low, to below hanging corner. Move up to corner and then up corner/ramp a ways before finishing straight up to huge boulder.

Start on the south side of The Pharos, down right of Gunk In The Pimms, at the base of the gullybetweene Uncle Charlie and The Pharos. Up diagonal corner on arête to ledge then left and finish up Gunk in the Pimms.

Exit the key hole and climb down past rappel station, sticking to easy terrain.

The wall 2 metres left of 'French Crack' is very poorly protected.

The lovely thin crack.

Instead of scrambling up to the top of Pharos, climb straight up from the DBB of FC. Plenty of gear and good belay on top around a boulder

Offwidth 5 meters right of French Crack. Part of the old descent route, usually abseiled but not always.

The flake at the left end of the south-east facing wall just above and right of "French Crack"

Wall between 'Rommel' and 'Trespassers Prosecuted'.

Short cracked overhang 2 metres right of "Rommel".

Jeu do paume. Combined with 'Key hole Scramble', a useful access to or egress from the Tennis Court.

Start on the ledge below 'French Crack'.

Traverse right into the bay ('Five Fingered Mary') to an exposed step around and up the rib. Possible belay at chains ('Horus') to reduce rope drag. Scramble onto the Tennis Court.