Routes in Australia for selected grade

Diagonal seam that doesn't quite reach the ground left of FOTR. Bouldery start, diagonal then wall right of the corner of Pure and Simple.

After the bouldery start of Bootleg, continue up wall right of that route. Some poor rock and gear.

Start 2m R of NH. Grotty corner.

Climb the wall L of the easy crack (Eat Your Greens) by way of large scoops, then veering L after Brown Thumb's second bolt and up to anchor. Not heaps of gear (though Nod reckons it's "well protected"!). You can go direct which is not much harder but is quite runout.

Start 1.5m R of WMT. Bouldery start with not much gear then wall to break. Step R then up grey wall to finish up Babylon.

Start 3m L of a gumtree at R end of the wall. Up the intermittent L line of the faint twin lines then featured slab to anchor. Hard and tricky to protect start. 30m abseil.

The R line, 1.5m right of Babylon. Balancy start to first gear at 4m. Up intermittent crack to shared anchor with Babylon.

Start 3m R of the big block. Short thin seam and up to ledge.

Start at the Pillars (i.e. at the top of the previous routes). The overhang above the cave.

Start on the featured arête just right of the overgrown corner crack down and right of the gully, opposite the broken east edge of Minstrel Pinnacle. Easy climbing leads to a distinct crux off a ledge. More easy climbing follows.

A shady outing for a hot day, starting in 'Dreadnought Gully' then taking the rock between the Dreadnought and Starless Buttresses. Nod and Norm did it years ago but detoured around some challenges on the second pitch. Nod and Kieran have now straightened it out with the addition of a comforting bolt.

1. 25m (14) Up grey rib directly opposite Dreadnought, finishing up the roof crack left of the chains. Belay, then walk up the gully 20m to where the Dreadnought Buttress abuts the main cliffline at a corner.

2. 40m (16) Climb the water-polished line 3m left of the corner, trending right after about 10m. Continue trending up the grey wall right of some yellow patches of rock, then straight up centrally via a distinctive line of white spots (no, it’s not chalk) followed by a bulge, where a BR shows the way.

3. 40m The gothic headwall above features an obvious black water streak. Traverse right from the gulch and follow black streak to the top.

Fun climbing. Good for a hot day as its mainly in the shade.

1. 25m (14) Up first pitch of The Catacombs. Belay then walk up 20 meters, under the giant chockstone until you can see a big corner crack.

2. 13m (15) Climb corner crack and belay at top. Watch out for loose block at the top.

3. 30m (16) Climb directly up face for around 5 meters with no holds into crack. Climb crack and traverse right onto slab. Slab starts on a corner ledge and goes up for around 20 meters past bolt. Belay from top of giant round boulder roughly 8 meters above bolt. In the first section it's a bit run out if you're into that sort of thing.

I will go back next trip and install some anchors so lowering off is an option instead of having to climb the headwall (super easy).

The next three routes start in the gully behind Starless Buttress, left and slightly lower than the huge chockstone. The starts are hidden by the top of Starless Buttress in the topo.

Start as for 'The Empty Quarter'.

1. 15m (15) Up to thin crack and up past bolt. Easier face left of bushy groove to big ledge.

2. 35m (16) Pull onto buttress just right of Ngarrinarri and up and right at bolt. Up a few moves just right of centre then step back left and steeply up the centre of the buttress. Easy slabby country leads to the top, taking the last little step to the left or right.

Good climbing with thin moves low down and with an overhanging groove high on the cliff. Can be done in a single long pitch or can break at a couple of places (15m or 40m). Was graded 17 before the bolt went in. Start about 5-6 metres left of the giant chockstone, below a thin seam Up to seam and up this (FH) then easy ground just right of bushy groove until line steepens (optional belay on large ledge to left). Follow the line, finishing up overhanging groove to the final easy slabby stuff. (optional belay at start of easy ground).

The first and third pitches are good. It's best to run pitches 1 and 2 or 2 and 3 together, then you get two good, long pitches followed by an easy pitch off.

Start below and L of the big overhangs, on the lower section of Dunes Buttress, at a layback crack.

1. 35m (16) Up the corner for 6m, then swing up L past overhang onto slab. Trend L into bushy territory, then R into dirty groove to Arab's 3rd belay.

2. 12m (-) Step L and up to small stance. Best to keep going up the next pitch rather than belay here.

3. 33m (16) Go 2m R then up excellent grey crack. (A grade 8 variant established by the three Gledhills on 14/1/68 goes straight up the deep crack into the chimney on pitch 4).

4. 34m (-) Ramble onwards, veering left at spacious sloping ledge

2m L of Dunes is a R facing corner. Start by scrambling (or roping) up this to the top of the huge flake.

1. 25m (16) Grey slab to strenuous chalked wall, then head L up stepped ramp to a belay ledge on the arete. (The original avoided the overlap by going way off R - this better direct way was done by Keith Lockwood and Geoff Schirmer 4/2/78).

2. 10m (-) Step L then up over worrisome blocks and belay under orange corner. 2b: Variant 15m Straight up arete with reasonable pro and rock.

3. 15m (16) Up orange corner then R under arching roof to arete.

4. 25m (-) Up the line then L onto wall and belay under steep little crack (which is pitch 5 of Dunes).

5. 32m (-) Traverse L, ignore scrubby crack, and take the balancy grey slab then join the final corner of Dunes.

The arete right of the first pitch of Eskimo Nell. Not a great choice of placements on the first half. Take a pink (0,5) Tricam (seriously) and Metolius 0. Start just left of the arete right of the initial crack of Eskimo Nell. Follow seams just left of arete (crux, fiddly gear or long stick-clip) to bolt and onto a narrow ledge. Move right to the arete and up arete into a broken area. Don't veer off but finish steeply up the arete. Rap anchor (not lower-off).

Start under the chimney in the centre of the wall. Thrash up the steep flaring chimney, finishing right.

3m up Lennox, then head diagonally R to ledge, 2m further R, then up flake. Take lots of cams. Start as for L.

Start below tiny steep corner in arete R of G. Pull up the buckety arete, up to ledge and up groove. Start just R of G.

From the ledge on NPFF, head up intermittant flakes leading onto the right wall and up to anchor on NS.

Good climbing some dodgy gear.

A tricky start, then it's easier to the halfway ledge (at which point you still have no pro). Follow the weakness just L of the R arete of the wall.

Start: Start around the back of 'Fang Buttress', just across the gap from Ali's.

Worth doing? Yes. Worth a star? hmm...

Start: Start in the middle of the slim S face of 'Fang Buttress'.

As for 'Mantis' to the recess under the roof, now take the left end of the overhang and up the corner above, rejoining 'Mantis' near the top. There is a piton somewhere on this.

Start: Start as for 'Mantis'.

Up to overhang at 4m, go L under it, then up. Has been done direct through the overhang at 21, by Col Reece, Greg Moore, 1979.

Start: Start 4m R of 'Mantis'.

Layback a pin-scarred flake with poor pro, then directly up wall above.

Start: Start 5m R of PK.

Up crack following big holds to ledge then take headwall.

Start: Start 5 metres up right of Wizard below short crack thingy.

The full description provided is "Right of Mantle". Hmmm. Maybe a repeat of Downward Bound? Maybe somewhere else entirely? Who knows.

Up then traverse L across lip.

Start: Start 4m R of ALM.

The chimney

L leaning line of jugs to topout.

Chimney that can be bridged without any grim climbing. Start at the far L end of the ledge.

Not worth cluttering up this guide except to note it’s almost entirely borrowed from routes established decades earlier. See the FA notes if you want all the gory details.

Start down R from Recent Theft.

1. 30m (13) Short wall to ledge, and step R. The next section, up the peapod corner and then some face moves rightwards, is great. Easy ground leads 15m up and left to a large ledge. This pitch is actually borrowed from Lock-Up; Bulger originally started further up left, 5m R of Unrequited, and traversed in to climb the not-as-good rambly pedestal.

2. 30m (15) The steep corner crack, with airy hand jamming.

When approaching along Flinders Lane from Ali Baba's Cave, start at the first L-facing corner you get to on 'Seneca Wall'. This is directly above the rap anchor down Tiger Wall.

P1 (20m, 12) Up the corner, with a low roof on the R.

P2 (35m, 15) Up 6m then step L and up ramp to arete,

A monster girdle. Why would you bother.

Start: Start as for EC.

Marvelous if you love 300m of downclimbing.

1. 30m as for Eagle Cleft.

2. 33m As or Hawk.

3. 39m Traverse R to a crack, then mantleshelf downwards(wha-a-a-t?) until it's possible to reverse Kaiser's 3rd pitch.

4. 30m Pitch 3 of Resignation, but move R above overhang to a narrow ledge.

5. 18m Go behind obvious block, downclimb arete, along a ledge, then bridge across a 2m gap.

6. 34m Along Kestrel's ledge, step down and climb across to Yo-Yo's third belay

7. Meander R past Syrinx and the Wobble

8. Meander R past Syrinx and the Wobble

9. Meander R past Syrinx and the Wobble

10. Meander R past Syrinx and the Wobble

The first 2 pitches are great but the rest is ordinary.

Start: Start at the next strong crack line about 10m R of 'Marbuck'.

1. 38m (15) Up the crack then, a few metres after it starts taking you diagonally L (towards Marbuck's big roof), traverse back R along a horizontal weakness to a ledge.

2. 15m (15) Up steepish wall to breach the overhangs between two fairly prominent noses of rock.

3. 30m (-) Traverse 10m L to the crack on 'Marbuck' pitch 3 (you might want to step down for the last bit). Up the crack then L.

4. 25m (-) Up the chimney/gully thing to Flinders Lane.

Classic. Start up first two pitches of Kaiser, finish up top two pitches of Resignation (15,13, 15,12).

Up the shallow L facing corner for 10m and rejoin the original. Slightly fiddly gear.

Start: Start just L of R.

A well loved classic, but it deteriorates towards the top.

Start: Start 3m R of EMM (12m R of K).

1. 35m (10) Up the rib, trending a bit L near the top to a good ledge above No Future's rap anchor. With a 60m rope and long runners you can string the 1st two pitches together.

2. 15m (15) Head for the main weakness in the big roofs: a recess between two prominent noses (shared with 'Kaiser' p2). Belay just above them.

3. 23m (15) Climb right to good holds and up through the steepness, slightly runout. Once over the bulge head up left to the belay.

4. 23m (11) Trend R up to Flinders Lane.

The direct line up P2 of Resignation and into the bulge of P3.

P1: As for Resignation.

P2: Instead of heading left to the weakness, continue straight up on orange rock to reach the bottom of the bulge on P3 of Resignation. Continue to Resignation's belay.

P3: Follow P4 of Resignation.

Start at the 1st belay of 'Resignation'.

1. 15m (15) Up the wall into a loose orange corner, which is about 5m R of the two prominent noses on p2 of the original.

2. 55m (15) Follow the original p3 R and through the juggy overhang. Instead of trending back L, trend R up the vertical face at one o'clock for 20m via continually interesting moves and equally interesting runouts. It then eases briefly before a final tricky short undercut corner to gain Flinders Lane.

Great first pitch up face left of Skylark. Second pitch is a bit scrappy until a good finishing headwall.

1. 55m (16) Start just left of Skylark and make your way up and left to left side of bulge. Continue up face more easily but with a couple of runouts to good ledge and ring-bolts..

2. 33m (16) Easy face up left to bolt rap anchors, go left a bit then up and back right under bulge then up right side of bulge and up towards left side of headwall. Committing moves up onto headwall until able to traverse right and eventually to rap anchor at Flinders Lane,

This good climb starting up the left arete of 'Kestrel' is probably best done with a long first pitch. A lot of parties take advantage of the rap anchor and skip the second pitch or do 'Kestrel Direct Finish'. However the second pitch has some good climbing, especially on the crux overhang low down. Noddy graded the top section 12 back in the day but is now unable to identify where it went. They may have gone much further right or maybe just a sandbag. Now has a lower-off on top pitch to avoid bushes and loose rock on exit - 60m rope mandatory.

1. 55m (16) Climb arete left of 'Kestrel' until it is more logical to continue up the seam and face left of the arete to the chain belay of Kestrel.

2. 30m (16) Traverse right from the belay, above Kestrel's corner, and up a little to ledge, up crack in the steep wall. Then take the right-hand option up to the final overhangs. Climb these, moving right and up to anchor. 30m lower off to anchor for Diving Deep / Surfacing. 55m (or 30m + 25m) abseil to ground from there.

Up the starting ramp as for Kestrel, step right up a few easy blocks the then left up left leaning shallow corner. Head directly up through shallow overlaps and towards the top keep 3 metres left of Pfeffernusse before a final reach right to the rap chains beneath large overlap.

Avoiding the crux of Pfeffernusse through starting as for Flying Moose and continue up a few easy block to beneath the slabby section, then finish as for Pfeffernusse.

The major left-facing corner facing 'Kestrel' is another well-trodden favourite. The second and third pitches can be fairly easily combined, especially if double ropes are used.

1. 25m (13) Climb the corner to a block on the right just below the overlap.

2. 13m (16) Short, technical layback flake then move right into chimney and up to stance. The wide crack leading directly into the chimney goes at the same grade but is not as good.

3. 13m (15) Take the right-hand of the twin grey corners (The corner on left is 18).

4. 40m (13) Go up 7 metres, left to skirt overhang and follow line up slightly right to Flinders Lane.

Nice long pitch with multiple tricky sections

Climb orange crack 4 metres left of 'Syrinx', just right of GWDS. When it stops, step left to the next orange crack. Up easy ground to small orange R facing corner, step left and through overlaps 2 metres left of "interesting move" on 'Syrinx'. Up to 2nd belay on Syninx. Continue up that or roped traverse across to abseil on 'Nakablitz'.

Goes quite a way up 'Syrinx' and then breaks out left and probably hits the 'Yo Yo' Variant finish at some point.

1. 15m (11) Left front side of 'Syrinx' chimney. This is what most people climb as the first pitch of Syrinx these days.

2. 45m (11) Up as for 'Syrinx' to old peg belay above the smooth wall (half way up Syrinx's 3rd pitch).

3. 48m (15) Step left and climb sharp corner to overhang on left. Climb righthand side of overhang to second overhang. Climb straight up past guano to large ledge.

4. 32m (15) Up thin crack to join left end of Syrinx's traverse. Finish up 'Syrinx'.

This fine climb varies considerably from the original climb but is much better. Start as for 'The Lute Direct'.

1. 50m (13) As for 'The Lute Direct', bridging the deep line 7 metres right of Syrinx. At 20 metres continue straight up the steep thin line. At 40 metres, traverse 10 metres right on small ledges past a several anchors of old pegs to a larger part of the ledge and chains ( the 'Broken Song' anchor).

2. 35m (16) Up left-facing shallow corners to the smooth wall at 12 metres. Step right then up the delicate, bolt-protected wall. Move back left and climb the steep, juggy weakness to easier ground and a ledge beside The Belvedere. The original start to this pitch was well to the right, followed a ramp then made a long traverse back left to the steep, juggy weakness.

3. 45m (10) Polished juggy wall just left of The Belvedere to join 'Syrinx' at the overhang. Scramble easily off right.

Some funky moves on the first pitch but it deteriorates after that.

Starts at a steepening slabby seam about 10 metres right of 'Broken Song'. There's a faint initial S chipped in the rock on the left side of the seam, a vegetated seam 2 metres further right and then the brushed streak of "Shaggy's Route" another 2 metres to the right.

The belay at the end of the second pitch can have an active beehive. Noddy almost died after being attacked by bees at this point.

1. 15m (17) Climb the clean orange seam which is nicely technical and continue up an easy blocky arete to a ledge and belay off a huge block.

2. 27m (12) Obvious narrow chimney then up easily to belay near small cave.

3. 30m (-) Straight up to big ledge right of The Belvedere. This pitch is mostly part of 'The Wobble'.

(Somewhat rad?) A long adventure on good rock, straight to the summit of the mount. Individual pitch grades not supplied - the overall grade is 16 but some pitches are easier.

The last pitch is in a similar vein to the forgotten final pitch of Shaggy's Route and could well have been better consigned to the same fate.

Start: Start up easy, vegetated crack about 5 metres right of Shaggy's Route. This is also the start of 'The Wobble'.

1. 30m (13) Climb the easy crack and keep in the line (via hand crack through bulge) all the way to a good ledge on the right.

2. 30m (16) Up wall to corner which leads to right side of prominent roof. Pass roof on right and continue past right edge of next roof. Bridge up line until a ledge appears on the left.

3. 30m (10) Straight up line. Belay below long horizontal line of overhangs.

4. 20m (12) Move left and up past left edge of overhangs to terrace. Up wall immediately left of trees to nice orange alcove.

5. 40m (16) Up wall to long roofline on the left. Traverse 2.5 metres right at the roof and up past its right edge. Up easily, veer right, then up wall direct to summit block. Bridge up undercut corner on the left.

Climb up anywhere along the western face, it's all about the same grade.

Straight up the bulging arete right side of right wall trending left to exit via central groove, stand start from the crimp steps.

Beautiful incident cracks to high finish. Descent same way or over back.

Reachy moves up the R side of the wall facing the campsite, past a piton and not much else for gear.

Start: Traverse in from the start of Procul Harem (easy but exposed - you might want to rope up).

Trickier than it looks (take some big gear for the start).

Start: The wide crack at the left end of the east face.

Amble up the crappy rock, finishing up the arête overhanging the gully to the L.

Start: At foot of L end of buttress at the top of Pan Grove - about 15m R of 'Rat on Roller Skates' (on Tiger Wall).

In the shade for most of the day, so a good one to do when's it's hot. Oh, and the good bit may be short but it's feisty. Originally graded 12! Below the L-facing grey corner at the R end of the wall. Wander up to the corner, and jam it until it eases, then continue up to the arete. Rap anchor (30m) on finishing ledge (to the R).

Start as for 'Boomer' and head into the gulch. Trash up this to the top.

Start: About 10m R of the grotto is a deep chimney/gully.

An ancient route with complicated FA details... if you want the full story then look in Noddy's guide. Chris and Sue Baxter climbed the wide crack option on pitch 1 on 8/5/1983.

Start: Below the gaping chimney/gully starting halfway up the cliff.

1. 24m (15) Up to the overlap (peg), where hard moves past this on the left leads to chimney/crack. Best option is to take the wide crack on the right past a bulge, or continue up chimney to ledge on right.

2. 18m (15) Continue up the steep crack (on the L) to ledge. Belay here, then scramble up and L to get off.

Start: Original description says: "half-way up Boomer's 1st pitch, direct variant leaves gully for the wide crack on R wall." hmmm...

1. 25m (15) This probably means: climb Boomer's first pitch.

2. 18m (14) And then finish up 'Squeaker'.

Follow cracks up R-wards to a bold finish up the R arete of the gully face.

Start: Start in the gully around L of 'Argyle Street' at a grassy patch.

Climb to ledge from the R, then into thin crack to the R. Up and then back L.

Start: On bushy ledge 3m up, at R end of crag.

Thrash up the chimney to a crack on the R wall.

Start: Wander up the gully to the base of the chimney.

"For historical reasons only..."

Start: Near 'Nymph'.

Committing crux with less-than-the-best gear. Left-facing corner at the left end of the cliff, just right of a callitris tree growing adjacent to the wall. Finish up gentle wall to bolt belay.

Climb straight up to the left side of the bulge immediately right of Stretching the Point. A runner in that climb protects a blind step right around the bulge. Up the ramp a little then up to the headwall. Up the headwall, starting on the right side then moving left into the centre. Step around left to the Pointy End bolts. Originally finished up right of the headwall before cleaning.

Another nice little exercise. Climb the clean white slab (tiny RPs and cams) about 3m right of Tipping Point and continue up the steep orange nose. Finish up and left to the Zabriskie bolts.

Start 2 metres right of Point The Bone, below a crack.

Climb crack. Where it peters out at bulge step up right. Go up bulging wall. Above, move right at a guano patch on to orange buttress.

Up cracks, through the bulge at 10 metres at it's widest point and keep going, tending maybe a little right.

Start: Start about 12 metres right of Point Of 'No Return' at the best-looking crack system near the right side of the wall.

Compact yellow face left of pine.

The lovely water-streak 5 metres right of 'Happy Balance' has a hard, poorly protected start.

Great climbing up the green crack 3 metres right of 'Hand Job'.

A bouldery, unprotected start leads to easier climbing up the centre of the next water-polished area. For added excitement, veer right through the bulge higher up.

A good way to finish Rock Soff Follow the cracks to theer end then head through the bulge where Blow by Blow head through it

Up white streak to short crack in face. Up clean rock and over wee roof.

Start: Start 5 metres right of 'Rock Soff' in middle of white streak.

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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.

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

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

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.

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".

Quite a nice, subtle climb. Start up the flake on the left wall of the chimney-gully right of I Can't Breathe for 3 metres then go diagonally left to finish up I Can't Breathe

The right arete of "Romper Room" is a bit runout.

Still surprisingly clean. Climb cleanish streak about 15 metres left of the little hanging corner at the left end of the long roof-line on Vanoise Wall.

The original climb followed the upper roof-line all the way left until it ends at a short corner. An amusing concept that no-one can be bothered repeating. Stick to the first pitch as described.

Conjures up an image of Chris Baxter clutching a bush and screaming as he hurtles down "Vanoise".

The little flake just right of the initial corner has also been climbed at 19.

Start: At small, right-facing corner 3 metres right of "Vanoise".

Rap chains.

The left one.

Good. Wall 4 metres left of Prendergast flake and through roof just left of middle.

Some very good moves on lovely rock.

Start below orange hanging nose.

Up slab, stepping left around overhang into corner on left side of nose. Now back out right onto nose, pull up steeply then easy ground.