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Lower Curtain Wall

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Description

Emergency Location: Mount Arapiles, Lower Curtain Wall Area

Access issues inherited from Arapiles

Cultural heritage closures now apply to some parts of Arapiles. This advice continues to evolve and may not be fully reflected in this website; refer to Parks Victoria for details applicable at the time of your visit. https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/-/media/project/pv/main/parks/documents/management-plans/mount-arapiles-tooan-state-park/mount-arapiles-tooan-state-park---aboriginal-cultural-heritage-protections---october-2020.pdf

Bird Nesting September-December Raptors usually nest on the following climbs in Spring : Cassandra, Eurydice, Harlequin Cracks, Revelations. Nesting usually finishes mid-December. There may or may not be signs in place at these times. Please keep 50m clear of these climbs if there appears to be nesting activity.

State Park - no dogs. No fires allowed Oct-Apr (inclusive).

Ethic inherited from Arapiles

Mount Arapiles is first and foremost a trad climbing area. The few sport climbs tend to be in the higher grades where no natural pro is available.

Bolting, particularly retro-bolting, is discouraged and should only be undertaken after extensive consultation with the local climbers, first ascensionists, etc. Inappropriately placed bolts have been chopped.

Do not chip the rock.

Look after the park.

  • Stick to the paths.

  • Don't disturb the wildlife.

  • Routes near peregrine falcon nesting sites are closed in the spring.

  • Minimise the impact of your camping (fuel stoves not fires, take your rubbish with you, etc).

Tags

Some content has been provided under license from: © Australian Climbing Association Queensland (Creative Commons, Attribution, Share-Alike 2.5 AU)

Routes

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Grade Route

Top pitch is excellent. Some like the first pitch and others think it's rubbish.

  1. 40m (-) From 2 metres right of chimney, go up clean, poorly protected but easy black slab.

  2. 20m (14) The undercut layback flake. Up to roof, protection in pockets on inside of flake, then into the layback.

FA: Chris Dewhirst & Alec Campbell, 1966

Start from the top of pitch 1 of Dante's Inferno. Line left of the arete of Shaky Town, which is just left of the pitch 2 flake of Dante's Inferno.

Knee pad recommended, it has been known to tear pants.

FA: Geoff Little & Maureen Gallagher, 1988

Very poor protection.

Coming in from left, gain arete left of the Dante's Inferno's 2nd pitch flake.

FA: Mark Moorhead, Kim Carrigan & Louise Shepherd, 1979

Nice but a bit bold.

Bold groove 2 metres right of pitch 2 Dante's Inferno.

FA: Kim Carrigan, Mark Moorhead & Louise Shepherd, 1979

Direct line between 'Racey' and 'Censorship', finishing up smooth headwall

FA: Jon Muir, Geoff Little & Maureen Gallagher, 1988

Good line but you'll have no chance if the huge block goes.

Take the major corner 7 metres right of Racey. Climb directly past the huge apparently detached block in the overhang and continue up. The original finish to Day Of Rest starts up this pitch and traverses right below the overhang.

FA: Kim Carrigan, Mark Moorhead, Louise Shepherd & Rod Young, 1979

The arete left of Sideshow, another good approach to the second pitch of 'Dante's Inferno'.

FA: Clive Curson, 1998

Start: Left-most route on the main, orange face.

Head up right side of block on left then through weakness in overlap

Up weakness to the right of Side Show following left-facing flake system to the roof. Head left along under this until an exit can be made straight up to rap station. For a more exciting finish (still grade 18), go straight through the weakness in the roof

Start: Two metres right of Side Show, a vague "E" can be found scratched on the rock

Start as for Entertainer. Originally started up 'Comic Relief' but you really need double ropes for that.

Up Entertainer then follow right-hand weakness at flake. Veer right to shallow corner. Hard moves up corner and through bulge to ledge. Up major flake until it ends then either up or move right to anchor.

FA: Chris Shepherd & Steve Moore, 1981

Start in the middle of the wall about five metres right of Entertainer, a vague "CR" can be found scratched on the rock

Up bulging weakness and pockets (very pumpy to get good gear in) to left-facing flake system that leads to dark overlap. Through this then up wall trending right. Move right rather than going straight up final corner. Rap anchors.

This climb has been the scene of a number of ground fall accidents including broken legs, head injuries and a belayer seriously injured by the falling leader. Take care at the first section. Consider the use of mats, spotters (but see above) and helmets.

Gear Beta Spoiler The initial big flake has garbage placements followed by an insecure move. People rip this gear and deck. The thin horizontal break just above the flake (which many climbers fail to notice) offers an opportunity to place bombproof gear before doing the hard move.

Up 'Comic Relief' to its good rest at the horizontals. Traverse R for a couple of metres and pull around the R side of the bulge (crux) and up onto the stance. Step R and climb the lovely orange wall (R of the upper part of 'Comic Relief') until it joins the last moves of 'Comic Relief' and reaches its anchors. The careful use of a few slings will reduce any rope drag.

FA: Glenn Tempest & Karen Tempest, Aug 2016

Exciting traverse of the lower wall.

One very, very hard move.. hence the name.

FA: Paul Hoskins, 1999

Chipped, hence not very popular.

FA: Kim Carrigan

Climb Cut Short for a few metres until you can gain the hanging orange/grey wall to the left. Up this on delightful incuts, slopes, razors, and pockets to gain a series of beautiful pockets above an orange overlap. Make a span leftwards above the lip to pick up a vertical seam through a bulge then stagger over this to join Tapestry at the end of its traverse. Finish up Tapestry.

FA: Ingvar Lidman, 2009

Contrived crux but nice top wall.

Up Cut Short to roof then follow line right up shallow groove to ledge. Delicately over bulge. Note: The 2 undercling blocks have now fallen out, and might make the moves and placing gear more difficult.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Robin Miller, 1982

Starts at ground level, a few metres right of 'Cut Short' at a right leaning diagonal crack. Although it is written up as 3 pitches, the first pitch finishes near a rap anchor, and this is where most people tend to finish the route.

  1. 32m (15) Up wall until airy pedestal then follow flake above to ledge, belay here. Rap off if so desired (30 metres).

  2. 28m (15) Traverse left and scramble up to a terrace,

  3. 25m (15) Now up the corner right of Dantes Inferno (Censorship) but traverse right below overhang to avoid big block.

FA: Chris Dewhirst Chris Baxter, 1979

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Simon Mentz, Glenn Tempest

Date: 2016

ISBN: 9780987526427

This selected yet in depth guide, in its third edition in 2016, is a must for first timers or regulars to the "Pines". By Simon Mentz and Glenn Tempest. It features 1200 routes over 23 different areas as well as bouldering, history info on flora and fauna, plus heaps more.

Author(s): Gordon Poultney, Simon Carter

Date: 2013

ISBN: 9780987087461

444 of the best routes on the best stone on earth? Yes Please! Who has time for all those other wondering pitches anyway when Gordon Poultney and Simon Carter have picked out the classics and printed it in a pocket size handy guide with string attachment. You'll take it on the multipitches, you'll take it to read in the toilets, you'll take it everywhere!

Author(s): Lindorff, Goding & Hodgson

Date: 2011

ISBN: 9780646529387

Get ready to fully experience the rock climbing scene in Victoria with Sublime Climbs, a comprehensive guidebook authored by Kevin Lindorff, Josef Goding, and Jarrod Hodgson. This full-color, 380-page book covers the best climbing locations in the region, including Mt Arapiles, Mt Buffalo, and the Grampians. It features descriptions of over 700 routes, topographic maps, and breathtaking images. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the sport, Sublime Climbs has everything you need to make the most of your climbing experience in Victoria and experience all of it's classic routes.

Accommodations nearby more Hide

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Mon 29 May
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