Routes in North Grampians for selected grade

An eliminate dyno from the slopey crimps (LH one with prominent thumb catch)straight to the letterbox slot (right of 'The Claw').

Sit start in big hueco (as for Happy Camper & Race Eater), then head straight out to letterbox slot and sloper. Dyno to good hold. Topout's not as easy as it seems... Arguably about as hard as 'Silly Putty'.

Start as for 'NSAM' to seam then traverse and finish up 'Boundary'

Sit start with sidepull and pocket. Move up and Lt to sharp crimps. Top out left of block on top.

Start at back of cave and head out through roof on LHS to finish up.

Crouch start on low pocket-jug and raised edge. Move through roof pockets to good holds higher up. Traverse lip to mantle finish.

Short and brutal in true Nowra fashion. A direct start to 'Antics'. Starts 10m right of Media Puzzle at ground level. Three FH's. Either lower off first bolt on 'Antics' or continue outwards for the full grade 26 finish.

The steep modern sport line a few metres right of CB requires plenty of oomph and some new school trickery. 7RB plus belayers directional to rap rings.

So called because you can't see any of the holds from the ground. Start up in between Lost Horizon and Deborah Triangle, following the line of bolts up the weird never quite horizontal holds to a difficult crux through the bulge (don't be afraid to use the slopey side pull!) to a thank god pocket. Then continue straight up to join Deborah Triangle at the last bolt.

Central line of least resistance and most steepness! Easily up slabby face in centre of cave to vertical wall. Bouldery moves to reach the horizontal break (2nd and 3rd bolt are hard to clip). Swing and monkey leftwards along break to thank-god bolt then keep going left with rapidly disappearing holds. Eventually scuttle onto big jutting diving board. Rest then monkey back right (scary!) then out out out past three FHs to final easy grey wall and rap chain.

Line of most resistance which involves some tiny crimpers. Starts 1m right of 'Pains Ford' at right leading shelf. Very bouldery start past two RBs to break. Easier but still tricky climbing through the bulge then up the face above.

Starts off block next to 'Dark and Stormy'. Stick clip 1st bolt. Crimpy start to pocket and jug. Up to undercling then bouldery crimpy crux to great position on arete. Pull onto juggy face and join 'Dark and Stormy' at last bolt.

(02/05/15) Nice sidepull broke off at the crux move. Crux is now slightly harder!

Good, strenuous route...unless it's an April Fool's joke.

Steeeep and fun. Starts off the ledge above the walk in track at the far L end. Either climb Radioactive Man and walk across the ledge OR EASIEST climber abseils in to ledge from above (DRB anchor) and the belayer gets to stay on the ground.

Bouldery climbing leads to a juggy but very steep traverse R to some fun final thuggy moves up the last little head wall. Back jump to clean.

The original route here - and used to be protected by only one bolt! Start at the first `weakness' right of the overhanging section. Hard move over overhang to shallow left facing corner, follow this with increasing difficulty to where it ends. Traverse hard left to a tricky mantle and good face climbing up wall above - some wires or slings help with extreme run-out to anchor.

Start in the back of the cave as for 'The Show Must Go On'. Using the undercut crack, climb right and finish as for 'Encore'.

Sit start on the curving crack. Move left using pockets and crimps. Traverse into the higher of the two rails and finish as for "The Show Must Go On"

Start as for Encore but head directly up then rightward to finish as for "Distress" (V0).

Start of fin/jug and use crack to gain high edge. Up to finishing jug.

Short problem on the right-side of the wall with a very awkward low sit-start.

Sit start 4m left of the start to Pussy Power (just right of the route 'Skip Transit Gloria' with LH undercling and RH poor pinch/crimp. Pull on, slap to pocket around lip, then adjacent sloper and finish as for Pussy Power.

As for Moon Dreams to juggy horizontal break; then R past flakes via a big move, then straight up amazing wall. Resist the urge to climb into diagonal crack - finish straight up. Takes lots of nuts, and a few small cams. Add a grade if climbed placing gear.

Start: Overhung bolted groove (22/23) leading to roof about 10m left of 'Trident'. Traverse right then hard out through roof.

As for the V4s but climb direct via the micro edges to gain definitely at the crack. Those with wingspan can bypass the crimps but where’s the fun in that?

Jasmine The obvious prow from the break. Cool.

The slopey funnel a metre or so left of Bad Moon Rising. Sit start from the break (not the underclings above). Pretty good.

A gym boulder. First conceived by Pat Klein as a gag boulder but actually quite fun and pretty tricky. Start facing outwards matched on the undercling crimp and crouched on the ledge, escape the small box and somehow turn around to escape on crimps up and left. Could be V4, could be V7...

Sit start on the massive juggy pocket and move up passing a bad RH sloper

Sit start in pockets.

Sit start matched on a crimp then do a shouldery move to the undercling/gaston. The footers don't offer much assistance.

Harder than first impressions suggest. Stand start on the right two-finger pocket and a bad sloper, then launch to the well chalked sidepull, then battle to an exciting finish.

The first move is much easier if you assist the launch with a foot on the ground (but the bouldering police won't allow that).

Sit-start on giant rock using two flat-edged and blocky crimps. Pull on, punch left hand to positive crimp before tricky moves leads to a juggy exit.

The full sit-start would go as well.

Squat on the right arete start jug and head up the arete.

Clamber past Peregrinator to find this shady gem. Sit start on two good edges, and do a couple of long moves to the committing top out. It's hard to be comfortable with the nasty drop off on the left.

Sit start at the bottom of the arete and bear hug your way to the top.

Rebolted 2016. Start as for Dance of Life. Aid on the bolts and monkey R to the arete as for Dance of Life. Then trend L up the arete, into a funky groove and up to a long-awaited FH (the Lure). There is little protection for quite a distance before this lone bolt. Join Clean Sweep (better) or Dinosaurs Don't Dyno (easier) for the last few metres.

Steep scoopy World Party start then thin technical finish. Well protected and convenient for climbers who end up on the ledge above the left end of Taipan.

Start on top of Taipan Wall: this route is a rap in and climb out affair between The Great Divide and Daedalus. Locate double rap rings on ledge about 10m south of the Clean Sweep rap chains. Rap down wall aiming for double ring belay at right end of horizontal break. You will need to be pushing off and swinging in to reach this anchor - the wall is steep! Traverse left across horizontal (FH), then up into water funnel scoop (two FHs) to small cave. Out right side of this cave on crimpers past final FH to juggy gritty finish. #3 SLCD and a few medium wires are all that is required in the trad department.

Its a 40m Rap to the ground from the Rap-Anchors on the Belay at the start of this route.

A great section of traversing, the addition of which enables a 150m girdle of Taipan, via The Mint, Arabic Mint and Lawrence of Arabia (the full thing is yet to be done in a single push). Start at the end of The Mint (the first anchor of Sirocco). Can also be worked from the ground by starting up the first 15m of Mirage. Reverse the Sirocco pitch 1 traverse, then take the Mirage traverse to the white corner. Swing R to obvious slot on arete, up a little then back down to a break which leads into Lawrence of Arabia. Cams to #5 & wires. Descent requires creativity if not continuing into LoA. Be aware that the slot on the arete captures your rope, which doesn't seem to create drag or rope cutting potential for the leader, but does create rope cutting potential if the second falls off the crux (as happened on the first ascent: the sheath was completely severed but thankfully the core survived). The leader should consider obstructing the slot and/or padding the problematic sharp edge, and/or the second should try to flick the rope out of the slot before leaving the corner.

The main attraction is a seductive groove on the second pitch reminiscent of Cardigan St, but with lesser quality rock and a sullied history. For those who "only" climb 25, the first pitch is very worthwhile in its own right and deserves a lot more traffic than it gets - especially since the old bolts were replaced (2009). Start as for The Seventh Pillar.

1. 40m (25) Follow the Seventh Pillar LHV for 25m to the bolts at the top of the flake, and then rightwards for a few metres up the runout face. Where SP LHV traverses R to the break, instead continue up past 2 more bolts (the runout to the 1st bolt is fairly secure for a 25 climber), via excellent climbing, to a hanging belay just below break (32m rap, can lower off with a 60m rope - but only just!).

2. -m (-) 25m, 29 (open project). This pitch moves R to gain the distinctive line of water scoops about 8m L of the prominent flake on Seventh Pillar pitch 2. This pitch was "enhanced" with a glue edge by Poultney, but he never sent it (and the glue edge has now gone). On his "belayer's lap" Dave Jones sent the pitch at 29, with a token sit down low. And there it remains - unfinished. If slightly dubious rock and the now old bolts don't bother you ... help yourself. The 29 version moves R at the top of the groove before gaining the major break, however the direct to the break should go around 31/2, and the line then continues above the bushes to the top of the wall. Do NOT rely on the rap anchor just below the bushy break - it uses only one bolt, of a type which has often failed. About 8 bolts?

Totally classic ... but it's hard to give the third star when it's only an 8m variant of the first pitch of Mr Joshua. Unfortunately the bolts are getting rather rusty after only 10 years. Start as for Mr Joshua. At the post-crux horizontal break of Mr Joshua's first pitch, (after the 6th bolt) step left and climb left side of scoop past two FHs to rejoin Mr J at it's last bolt. Lower off (28m to tree then swing back in to ledge, or 38m to ground).

V4 boulder problem start (stickclip) which adds an extra star to Menstrual and, since the demise of Menstrual's tree, is easily the best way to do Menstrual. Re-bolted 2013.

Pretty snappy.

Start: It used to bridge up a pathetic tree ... which is now gone. A big stick clip is probably the best way to sample this original version of the route (but the newer direct start described above makes it a lot better so why not just do that). Apparently the bridging section can be climbed at very bouldery 27 or so. Yet another alternative is to boulder in from the right on pockets (grade 25 and easier if you are tall and don\'t mind broken ankles).

Starts 2m left of Dial-A-Lama. Stickclip first ringbolt. Bouldery start then a few good bulges, pockets and slopes before being confronted with a confounding sequence to reverse into the upper crux of Dial-A-Lama. Finish right as for that route past its last bolt to rap chain. Seven bolts.

They must've been reading Dune to convince themselves to worm through this ocean of sand.

Start: Start at the top of 'Spurting Mildly'.

1. 15m (24) Head up L to the honeycombroof and pull through it into cave.

2. 15m (23) Pull out above cave into a line of chossy scoops, to another sandy cave.

3. 10m (23) Out above the L end of the chossy cave to gain a finger crack corner which is reputedly quite good. But that might only be relative to all the choss you have to climb to get here.

Allegedly has some good moves.

The obvious left to right traverse along the bottom left side of Spurt Wall.

Left facing ornage corner directly below anchor of Chicane. Bold at the start.

The very attractive line right of 'Family Loss' starting with a very low sit start under the roof utilising a LH pinch/pocket on the rib and a large RH gaston. Up through slopers and another gaston (or sidepull) to finish.

Stand start, big move to lip and mantle.

Sit start with udercling and crimp, up to edge and throw for sloper. Head left on slopers and mantle. Low right foot ledge is out. Bit crumbly but still worthy.

Good, hard climb up a gorgeous wall.

Start: Start a few m L of 'The Rubicon'.

Left-trending line from a low sit-start into the finish of Elephant's Swing.

Sit-start from a low 'horizontal and slightly higher (LH) one - then motor up the left-trending vague arete using crimps - until you can lock up and right to a big pocket/jug. Solid at the grade.

Sit-start and climb out of the cave. Top out through the gap through weird mantel. V3-4 if you drop off the jug, V5 if you top out. Beware chossy hold/chockstone on top out.

Start as for Scary Monster and traverse left from as high as the first pocket, around the arête and up the slab.

Start as for 'Cave Club' and head left.

Hiroaki

Name History: Affenschaukel - German feminine noun meaning looped plait (Brit) or braid (US).

Technical pocket pulling. Start down right and dog-leg past three RBs to join original at bolt below break. Rebolted 2017.

Hard boulder start followed by some more thin face moves. Start 5m R of Talk of Mad Women. Boulder off the R end of the low block up to a good rest on the ramp. Some more thin moves lead to the fun juggy steep upper head wall.

Doesn't see much action.

Start: Start as for 'Milupa'.

Classic technical thin wall climbing. Was once quite runout and dangerous - but this has been tamed (with permission from FA). Start at the left end of the raised ledge. Belaying from the ground might be an idea to reduce the fall factor.

Start: Start just R of 'Idiot Wind'.

1. 15m (24) Scary lichenous climbing past very high bolt to hanging belay.

2. 15m (25) Past bolt to sloping ledge, then head R.

Boulders, and thin.The route up the middle of steep thin boulder face on the pinnacle about 50m R of Bowler Boulder (closer to the car park), past 3FHs

Hard pumpy direct start (BR) into Gunga Din.

standing start on crimp and gaston. (much harder sit start looks good)

Rail to jug over rooflet (via blank wall). Fuel up the rocket boosters!

Hard 3 moves - Sit start still waiting to be done

Another fantastic sport route that was once fully trad.

Start 3m left of Amnesty International, to a prominent horizontal break, then steeply up a pocketed crack to the final horizontal break. Clip the last bolt of the direct finish, step right and finish as for Amnesty International (optional gear, such as a green camalot and a 10ish wire for the finish).

Start 3m right of 'Western Ayatollahs' at a short, shallow, left-facing corner. Take some medium cams and wires for placements between the bolts. Up the corner past a fixed hanger. Pull up right onto the shoulder and move up past the second fixed hanger to the horizontal break. Straight up the orange wall past three more fixed hangers.

Excellent gymnastic climbing with crux sections at each of the three fixed hangers. Straightens out 'Pass Laws' and adds a direct finish. Take some trad gear to augment the fixed protection. Start as for the bouldery start of 'Pass Laws' then, instead of the little shimmy left, up and right, head straight up past the second hanger to the obvious traverse line. Continue up directly, past the third hanger.(Upgraded from 24 to 25)

Starts about 3 or 4 metres right of 'Pass Laws'. It is easy to stick clip the first hanger if you so wish. Pull into the grey scoop and out right, then up to the big horizontal break (RB). Through the bulge, past a fixed hanger (crux) and up past four more. A few wires are handy to protect the top.

Sit-start up just right of arete - watch out for the block below. Some holds seems to be missing.

Sit start as for Green Destiny. Make the same big move to start and then traverse right on good holds to top out on slopers.

Sit start on slopey edge. Make a hard move up left to a slopey edge and continue to top out as for White Destiny. Bring a brush!!

V4 Stand Start, V5 Sit Start

Behind Gobsmacker. Sit start at edges. Long move left to flat rail then up through positive holds to top out.

Up using the crack. Sit start for hard variant.

Stand start from middle of slab then climb up and top out.

Gaston moves. Watch your head.

The lowest of the lowballs. Sit start 2m to the right of This Way Up with a LH input crimp and RH sidepull. Pull on and try to keep from hitting the boulder behind you. Slap RH to another sidepull and up to peak.

Jump start to slab.

Grampians Bouldering Festival channel

Arete to left of Giddy Up. Stand start and climb the arete on its right side. Avoid the loose/broken hold at head height.

Sit start with right hand at starting holds of 'Grand Discovery', then work left to join the seam of 'Discovery'. Not a lot of new moves, but worth checking out if this area gets opened again!