Routes as trad in Orroral Ridge

A fine hand crack, and a good warm-up for Blind Freddy and Faded Youth. Coordinates -35.5943, 148.96969. To find it, stop at the rock cairn 40m below the top of the walk up track and look to your right. You will see a yellow-tagged faint footpad, follow this for approx 80m on the same level and you will find the Live Injection boulder. (5m to the right of live injection is a gnarly-looking thin crack with 3 ancient wires embedded in it).

The off-width three meters right of Live Injection

Keep following the yellow-tagged track right of 'Live Injection' for about 90m. Blind Freddy is the overhung corner crack, mostly hand jam size. Coordinates -35.59474, 148.96907.

Continue diagonally right and uphill from 'Blind Freddy' on the yellow-tagged track for around 190m. Faded Youth is the thin hand and finger crack splitting the boulder. Coordinates -35.59607 148.96844.

The clean cut corner crack 30m uphill from Faded Youth

On the main crag at the far right, 25 metres right of 'Andromeda', below a leftwards sloping crack.

1. 18 metres - Up the crack, move left and up to a sloping ledge.

2. 22 metres - Move right along the ledge, then up the slab.

Now chossy. Start 45 metres right of 'Deep Space' at a groove.

1. 20 metres - Crux. Climb the groove to a tree.

2. 26 metres - Up the cracks to a ledge, left to a mossy slab and up to bushes.

3. 44 metres - Up the easy cracks on the right.

Start 10 metres left of 'Andromeda'.

1. 15 metres - Crux. Up the leftwards leaning crack, then traverse right to a tree. Follow this and belay on it further up.

2. 42 metres - Right up the slab to join 'Deep Space'.

Worthless but scary! Start 10 metres right of 'Deep Space'. Up the wall to a nutless bolt, then straight past this to a break. Traverse left and easily up the unprotected slab to the second belay on 'Deep Space'.

Start at the crack four metres right of Deep Space. Up this and beyond to a horizontal weakness. Traverse left to first belay on Deep Space.

Start as for Deep Space. Initially up the pinnacle and at 5m take the right-hand crack straight up. After the horizontal break go straight up the slab past a couple of carrot bolts. Another carrot then rejoin Deep Space at the steep headwall before the ledge.

Add the final pitch of Sickle to take you to the top.

A good second pitch. Start at a flake pinnacle at the lowest point of the cliff.

1. 26 metres - Climb the pinnacle and the crack above the apex, moving left to belay on top of a flake.

2. 34 metres - Straight up the unprotected slab to a sloping ramp. Right along the ramp and up a short wall to belay on the ledge.

3. 30 metres - Up the slab above by a shallow groove.

The first two pitches of 'Deep Space', followed by the last pitch of 'Sickle'.

The diagonal thin crack a few metres left of Deep Space. Tenuous undercling slabbing with increasing difficulty, finishing at the first belay on 'Deep Space'.

"A silly route but quite good". Start at a fused corner 20m left of 'Deep Space'.

1. 35 metres - Boulder the start, then more easily up the the dark water streak. Belay below a short steep wall.

2. 3 metres - A one move wonder up the wall.

3. 30 metres - Up the lovely grade 17 slab just right of the finish of 'Sickle'.

Very thin for the first three metres and then you are away. Big holds at the top compensate for the lichen.

Start 3m left of 'On the Way to the Sky'. Smear up the thin wall past four bolts then left to join 'East Coast of South America'. Up it for a few metres to rap station. A combination with 'Icy Universe' is a really good route up the cliff.

Start 3m left of 'Romantic Friction' and just right of 'Sickle'. Up the slab past four bolts. At the flake slot in a nut and either step left to continue up 'Sickle', or continue up 'East Coast of South America' to rap point.

From the top of 'Mel and Kim Go Boxing' continue delicately up the flake below and right of 'Sickle' to DBB. Rap off or traverse right to join 'Deep Space'.

An excellent multipitch at the grade. The rightwards curving crack under the overlap. Start in the corner at the left end of the slabs.

1. 12 metres - Climb the left-hand (or the easier right-hand) chimney to the top of the huge block.

2. 30 metres - Step off the block and climb the crack to a sitting stance.

3. 15 metres - Constricted moves over the water runnel to a bush belay.

4. 23 metres - Move back left past the bush for a few metres, then pull onto the wall above, and delicately along the thin diagonal to gain the handcrack (phew!). Cruise to the top.

Climbs the overlap and the slab to the left of the final pitch of 'Sickle'. Start off the spike left of the 'Sickle' belay. Two bolts.

Up the curving corner, step right, then up the crack.

Very dirty. The thin, sword-grass infested crack up the slab a little left of 'Unknown Pleasures'. Walk up the slab to belay.

You'll learn that brushed slabs revert to lichen in 30 years. The slab five metres left of 'Schoolgirl Lingerie'.

Climbs the line of most resistence around In City Dreams. The direct start is described - below a bolt about 5m right of In City Dreams - but it's also possible to start as for ICD to its second bolt.

1. 35m (22) Fingery climbing past a bolt and more easily up to the second bolt on ICD. Traverse right 7m to another bolt. Straight up to the 3rd bolt on ICD. Continue straight up to the "ledge". Dodgy belay on small gear.

2. 25m (21) Climb out right to a bolt. Up to the lichenous corner with a rusty peg. Hard moves to get established. DBB shared with ICD.

A superb slab on the grippy rock up and left of 'Sickle'. Start below the shiny bolt (shared with CBaC). Pad up to clip it, step down then trend right along easy slab groove past the second and third bolts. Step right to a line of good holds. Up those to a stance (small gear). Straight up and past the final bolt to DBB below blocks at the top.

Another quality slab. Start as for ICD directly below the first bolt. Pad up past 3 bolts before drifting right to the 4th bolt on ICD. Finish up ICD.

danger

Start below the water streak to the left of 'Corned Beef and Cabbages'. Cruise straight up (unprotected).

Interesting wall climbing on the far side of a large boulder 40 metres to the left of the main cliff. Climb the right-hand cleaned strip past a bolt.

The brushed wall three metres left of 'Future Tense'. Up the wall with RPs for protection and a superfluous bolt with no hanger.

On a large group of boulders 300 metres left of the main crag.

Start above the huge overhanging boulder. Up the leftwards sloping ramp, then follow the crack to the top.

Looking uphill, this crack is located about 30m below and left of the start of ‘deep space’. Perfect hand and foot jams up the low angled crack.

Short steep crack climb

30 meters to the right of the main buttress, at about the same level are a pair of stacked boulders with a sizable tree growing out from between them. On the right side of this is a short finger crack. Move left below the top boulder to belay from the tree.

The corner crack on the right side of the buttress.

The best line at 'The Battlements'. The obvious hand crack forming the left of the two cracks in the middle of the wall. Up through the roof and bulges, easing off near the top.

A bouldery start below an obvious bowl, then easily to a bolt with more edging to the top.

Start five metres left of 'Hollywood Bowl'. Up past a bolt.

The squeeze chimney - messes with your breathing.

The friable wall and arete above the cave, about 20 metres left of 'Mind Monkey'. Start under a bolt and trend right after the second bolt to a shorter wall.

Start as for 'Flowers and Fruit'. Up the ramp and diagonal crack, traversing right around the arete to a jug and then up.

The obvious crack in the left wall of the buttress, two metres left of 'Greenland'.

Start about 15 metres left of the east entrance to the east-west passageway. The thin crack up the brushed wall takes lots of dubious small wires, which are desperate to place.

A great position, not a bad route! In the east-west passageway. Chimney up past four bolts (replaced 2018)

Just right of the east-west passageway is a small, thin corner with one bolt (carrot) up high.

The prominent overhanging corner crack.

The easiest way to the top. Wander up a series of chimneys, starting near 'Return of the Etrier', to a ledge. Climb the mossy slab from the ledge to the summit (poorly protected).

Start as for 'Scoop'. Up the slab past three bolts, then right to a ledge and a welcome rest (gear). Move back left and easily up to chains on the summit.

A meter left of The Belfry is a vague scoop with a couple of bolts (first one is missing a hanger as of july '18). Details unknown but appears to be a start to the Belfry that skips the wide stuff.

The original route on the crag, first climbed with a point of aid. Start at the crack about 10 metres right of the 'West Face of Belfry'.

1. 25 metres - Climb the crack, step left and up another crack and through the bulge to a ledge. A short corner (about 19) leads directly to the top from here, but the original route traverses right.

2. 25 metres - Move across the slab to a small ledge, traverse right around the corner (don't look down!) to gain the 'helter-skelter' ramp leading to the top. Poorly protected.

The beautiful little corner hidden in a boulder filled alcove near south-east end of the outcrop, on the valley side.

Follow thin cracks (bomber small wires and .3 cam) to the stance on the arete, then harder past 2 bolts to a big finish.

The right-hand of two 'cracks' a few metres right of 'Pale Ale'.

There is one obscure climb on the ridge between 'Tower Rocks' and 'The Belfry'. From 'Tower Rocks' walk along the path for a few hundred metres towards 'The Belfry', to about where the path gets closest to the road. Turn right and head down towards the 'Orroral Valley' for about 100 metres to an overhung boulder. On 'The Belfry' side is an almost horizontal crack.

Dane - the closest thing I have found to this description is a lot closer to the belfry. Maybe 200m back from the belfry, where the large boulder is alongside the track. 50m behind the belfry end of that boulder is a large overhang with a horizontal crack, and 2 stainless dynabolts without hangers on the top of the boulder. This might make sense if the track has changed a little, and the description was accidentally inverted.

The diagonal crack which is reminiscent of 'Kryptonite Crack'[12870613] at 'Arapiles'[11740915]. The tree stump that inspired the name has been destroyed.

The first line you see along the path. An excellent hand crack, now to a bolt belay metres from a tree.

Just right of Sasha. Up the obvious flake, then left around the bulge along the obvious line.

Up the corner groove and out through the chockstones.

A bouldery start then solid climbing all the way. This climb has seen some serious falls, but can be well protected with a good rack of cams.

Right of Roots and straight up the main line. First 5 metres is the crux. Apparently much better to finish up Rocketman - and take care protecting the start. Double bolt belay.

Excellent - the thin rightward line emerging from Tough Shift.

Up and right from the Hello Boulder is a thin crack. This climb has a hard start, which was originally graded 17!

This route didn't get a good review in the 2nd edition of the Granite Guide. While it is to close to Smooth Dancer it climbs OK, and is a worthwhile beginners lead.

Start just left of 'Smooth Dancer'. Up the slab past the bolt to a break. Continue up crossing 'Smooth Dancer' and straight up the enjoyable little slab. Bolt replaced 2010.

Up the left crack to the apex, continue up the crack then step left into a wide groove.

A lovely little slab! Straight up the middle of the slab between the cracks to the apex, then straight on up. Some dubious protection used to be had by lassoing the poor tree on the way.

Quite overgrown and mossy at last visit - needs a good clean.

Up the right crack (the occasional summer residence of Bill Begg's pet tiger snake) to join 'Smooth Dancer'.

Start in the gully just right of Irish Nose. Straight up the slab past 3 bolts. Move right to the crack. At the top of the flake continue up easing broken slab to tree belay well back. Take medium to large cams.

On a wall 10m right of 'Irish Nose', past the 'Myanmar Thu' gully, is a rightwards diagonal crack. Climb this then break through onto the slab; alternatively follow the diagonal right.

The off-width / squeeze chimney between Afterburn and Evil Ways.

The off-width chimney starting in the passage through the rocks to the right and slightly downhill of Simple Simon Slabs.

Through the passage and left around the corner from 'Evil Ways' is a chimney with a flake to its right. The flake is 'Breezin' Easy'.

The tiny crack around to the left of the main face.

Good laybacking. The rightwards leaning diagonal on the main face (valley side) of the boulder. The chockstone at the horizontal break is sound.

Up the crack in the middle of the main face and continue straight up past three ring bolts.

Nice climbing and easier than it looks. Up the crack as for 'Diminutive', traverse right at the break, then up a flake.

Start at the arete just right of 'Exhaustion of Superlatives'. Up past a bolt to a horizontal break. Continue up then traverse left to the flake on 'Exhaustion of Superlatives'.

The crack right and around the corner from 'Honeydripper'. A tricky start (if you're short) but the rest is easy.

Forgettable. On the uphill side of the boulder to the left of the tree with a rope tied around it. Rap off the branch.

Rough on the hands. The crack in the passageway on the uphill side of the 'Crackle' boulder (see approach description).

Start on the pinnacle about five metres right of 'Bran Buds', through the passageway. Up the slabby wall past a bolt to a bolt belay.

The little line on the uppermost boulder next to the chossy approach slab. Very short and overhanging. Rap off the branch as for 'Lost Baggage'.

Starting just below the chossy approach slab is an overhanging crack. A superb climb with great hand jams, fingerlocks, laybacks, fist jams and a spot of off-widthing. Rap off the back.

10m left of 'Project Chris' is an off-width crack (the same crack as 'Concrete Coffin' on the other side of the boulder). Double bolt belay. To descend scramble along the boulders and rap as for 'Julius Caesar'.

The chimney on the left, as you pass through the gap at the bottom of the chossy approach slab. Aptly named and possibly the worst sandbag in the guide. Double bolt belay. To descend scramble along the boulders and rap as for 'Julius Caesar'.

Start just to your right as you exit the gap at the bottom of the chossy approach slab (six metres right of 'Crackle') next to a dilapidated eagle's nest. Easily up the chimney to a ledge and then up the crack to join 'Snap, 'Crackle' and 'Pop'.

The right crack on the nose of the buttress. Deceptive and technical start then join 'Crackle'.

The first and worst climb done at 'The Cloisters'. Up the middle crack.

Pleasant easy climbing. The left crack on the buttress.

A curious helical climb on the 'Tin Drum' pinnacle, west of the 'Cereals Buttress'. Start in a chimney right of 'Bran Buds' (or, on the downhill side, left of Snap). Climb the arete past a bolt to a crack. Swing left into this and up to another bolt. Move right onto the slab and up to double ring bolt belay.

The very thin crack system in the gully left of 'Kodachrome 25', on the same boulder as 'Gazelle Boy'. DBB. May require brushing before a repeat.

Technical and exciting. On the boulder left of 'Kodachrome 25' (20m left of Crackle) is this thin crack to the left of a diagonal off-width.

The corner left of 'Gazelle Boy'. Up blocks to a crack in the wall.

Opposite 'Gazelle Boy' and down the slope is a boulder with an expanding crack on the downhill side, initially very thin.

About 20 metres left of 'Cosmic Connection' is a crack with a blank, mossy start. Use gear in 'Friendly Persuasion Indirect' to protect the start.

Worthwhile. Up the left-hand crack until it peters out, then step right into 'Friendly Persuation'. Also very mossy now.

A relatively easy, clean offwidth. Start: From 'Gazelle Boy' walk left (northwest) along the contour on a vague cairned track for about 40m. The track passes downhill of most of the boulders then goes uphill. Just after you turn uphill, on your right is a gap between two boulders. Just A Steal is on the uphill side of the gap.

One of the best lines and climbs at 'The Cloisters'. Start at the left hand end of the wall, below a thin crack. Bouldery moves to start, then layback to the alcove. Swing left then move quickly up the crack before you pump out. The route takes a variety of gear, but the business is a steep finger crack which likes medium wires and/or green and yellow aliens (0.2-0.4 camalots). For convenient dogging, pre-rig an anchor over the lip with a 15m bit of rope.

The classic, direct line 15m right of 'Corvus'.

The delightful easy angled corner in the centre of the wall. Start 10m right of 'Open Season. Looks slightly overgrown but climbs well.

Delightful full-body work-out. Start as for 'Sweetwater Wine' but go right up the left side of the large flake. Shares an offwidth / chimney finish with 'Close Shave'.

Excellent climbing. Ascends the right side of the large flake. Committing and intimidating with an awkward chimney at the top.