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Shadow Glen

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Description

Neither shady nor a glen, this almost north facing black slab was where sport climbing came to Tibrogargan in the 1990s. Some of these routes are quite runout compared to modern sport routes, and a light rack of gear is worth having. Some routes have been recently updated with more bolts to make it more palatable for modern tastes. All the bolts are in good condition. Shade after 2pm in summer. A small cave at the far R of the crag can be used as a rain shelter.

Access issues inherited from Glasshouse Mountains

Most 'Glasshouse Mountains' climbing is within the Glass House Mountains National Park. Please respect the environment and other people's enjoyment of it. Access to climbing here is a privilege, not a right.

The 2019 Ngungun track expansion & fortification work is now complete, and the mountain is once again fully open.

Approach

Located 150m right and uphill of Candy Mountain, and a metre right of Blabbermouth/Sunburnt Buttress. Walk around tourist track and up climbers track to Candy Mountain then slog up hill to the right along rock apron. At top of hill is start of Sunburnt Buttress. Just right of this is a semi detached pillar with a smooth face (Suburban Sprawl).

Descent notes

Most routes have lower-off anchors, however you can top out and walk down the right hand side of the cliff.

Ethic inherited from Glasshouse Mountains

Modern climbers establishing new routes have taken great pains to ensure any new routes do not interfere with the historic routes established many decades ago.

Retro-bolting of existing routes is unacceptable!

New routes shall make use of traditional protection where available.

History

History timeline chart

Discovered in March 1996 by a teen Neil Monteith. The routes were mostly equipped with either laborious handrilling, or the novel use of a portable 240v generator, long extension cord and power drill. Without a car, Neil took this equipment on the train from Brisbane and walked it to the crag.

Routes

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Grade Route

On the left side of this crag is this prominent pillar.

The far left route on the pillar on left edge of crag. Boulder start to crack, up this to stance. Climb the face above past FH to juggy top. Tree belay. Dirty at the start.

FA: Heath Black & Stephen Monteith, 1997

Good stuff! Starts at the same point as Peeping Tom, but traverse directly right to first of three black FHs. There is a pronounced crux lunge at 2nd FH. Rap chains at top.

FA: Lee Cujes, Aaron Jones & Heath Black, 2000

Tough little unit. Starts 2m right of Kitch. Thin and technical climbing past two FHs to stance. #1 Friend or yellow Alien to chains.

Set: Heath Black, 1996

FA: ross ferguson gareth llewelyn, 2005

The first route bolted at Shadow Glen and named after the housing estate that was bulldozed into the base of Ngungun that year. Starts 2m right of Sweet Flower Girl. A technical wake-up call. Jug up to FH. Hard moves lead to 2nd FH. Traverse left and up to big jug. Slam in #2 Friend behind jug and climb up to crack (cam). Traverse right and up to chains.

FA: Heath Black, 1996

First two bolts of Suburban Sprawl then head right to finish up Domestos. First lead ascent is unknown - but has been done several times.

FA: Karl Curnow (Toprope), 1996

Dangerous and dirty. Start 2m right of Suburban Sprawl. Up very thin crack (RPs) to slabby face above. Up this boldly with no pro to toilet-bowl stance then slab up to tree belay.

FA: Heath Black & karl curnow, 1996

This is the large black slab 5m right of the pillar. There is a smattering of high first bolts visible from below.

Old school ground up tradding on good rock. Be solid at the grade before attempting this. Start on wall about 10m right of the pillar at odd looking rock face. Up on good positive edges with marginal protection for 10m. Keep climbing upwards past cracks until ledge with big loose block. Climb up the wall on the right side if this to slab and tree belay on left.

FA: Heath Black & karl curnow, 1996

A long full length slab route with a handful of bolts down low - and runout trad terrain up high. Despite appearances - this is not a sport route! There is a long runout between the first two bolts, and the top half is entirely trad on small marginal gear.

Starts 5m right of Vagabond and just right of scungy crack. Up wall past FH to stance. Edge up slab above on good finger holds trending slightly right (2 FHs) until you reach the cracks. Fill these with pro then continue up easier slab above on minimal pro to final headwall finish. A small RP and various sized cams protect this last 10m. Tree belay and walk down.

"A tribute to urban development". A great sustained slab that has been recently updated with 4 additional bolts and an independent finish. Starts 10m right of Highlander at clean slab with line of FHs that splits onto two lines about 10m up. Brick Boxes takes the left line and has a bit of a spicy traverse left at the crux. The rap chain is hidden from below. The '90s version of this route was the first "sport route" on Tibro despite it involving soloing to the current 4th bolt and finishing right to shared anchor of The Black Planet.

FA: Neil Monteith, Alister Robbie & Karl Curnow, 1996

Nice climbing on excellent rock with only a brief crux - substantially easier than Brick Boxes. Shared first 3 bolts with Brick Boxes then take the right line of bolts. The rap chain is getting rusty but is still fine to use. The '90s version of this route was missing the first 3 bolts. Yikes!

FA: Neil Monteith & Marten Blumen, 1996

An excellent, but somewhat bold, 2nd pitch to The Black Planet. Weave up the slab above the rap anchor finding gear and holds where you can to a tree belay at the top of the wall. Excellent marbled rock in the middle. Can easily be combined with the first pitch into a single megapitch®.

FA: Neil Monteith & Karl Curnow, 1996

Sustained and technical and probably the best route at Shadow Glen. Start 4m R of TBP below obvious L leaning thin crack. Up crack to top (gear) then runout traverse R and up to FH. Climb unlikely wall above (FH) on surprisingly good holds to slabby stance. Continue up past two more FH's to lower off anchor.

A long forgotten route - an old school Monteith sandbag. Start 6m right of Flame N' Sparks at vegetated corner. Easily climb this corner for 8m until a large jug is found on the right wall. From this swing right onto wall (#1 Friend in crack). Clip FH and edge like mad up bulging rock to bolt anchor.

FA: Neil Monteith, 1997

Crack 3m right of Brit Pop. Where the crack blanks out whittle in some RPs and climb face on sidepulls to vegetated ledge and tree belay far back.

FA: Neil Monteith, 1996

A bold wall first climbed as a solo. Start 2m L of 'Armageddon'. Up slab and over small roof then traverse R to 'Armageddon' anchor. Marginal protection but nice rock.

FA: Neil Monteith, 1996

Pretty decent warm-up to get your toes used to the slab moves around Shadow Glen. Start on the R-most line of bolts at 'Shadow Glen'. If you reach the cave you've gone too far.

Up easy slab to BR (bolt plate required). Over the crux bulge to FH then up easy slab to fishbowl hold (you'll know it). Run it out slightly R to anchor, which could do with some maintenance.

FA: Ana Greer & Neil Monteith, 1996

A great beginner crack route - perfect for practicing placing trad. Follow the curving crack just to the right of 'Armageddon' to that route's bolt anchor.

FA: Karl Curnow & Neil Monteith, 1996

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Jimmy Blackhall & David Jefferson

Date: 2021

ISBN: 9377779499658

Hidden within the ordinary people of Queensland there exists a tight-knit community of scabby knuckles, grazed knees, massive forearms and iron-clad wills. This guidebooks seeks to shed light on this community and blocks of choice with all the information, skills and knowledge to open the door for you to explore all the bouldering that Queensland has to offer.

Author(s): Simon Carter

Date: 2018

ISBN: 9780958079068

A few years ago there was basically Frog Buttress and Coolum. Since then there has been more development than Barangaroo and South East Queensland should be on any climbers radar no matter what your style. Except ice climbing, definitely no ice climbing. But over 1250 routes with hard sport, multipitches and quality trad to make a great trip.

Accommodations nearby more Hide

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Thu 8 Jun
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