Routes in Australia for selected grade

Was once the hardest 17 in the known universe.

They come from far and wide to feel the pockets, stroke the slopers, and clip the chains. Now it is your turn to join the masses and see why Silver Hands is number one in the world.

Beaut sustained climbing.

Start: Directly below the cave, on the left side of the obvious crack. Up the wall past delicate slab move to a big rest in the cave. Take a breath and head out the right side up the vertical wall on magic holds.

Super popular. Start behind the right of the two gums. Up to lower-off at break. As per usual, please do not top-rope directly through anchors.

Marked LT. 2.5m R of Dr Do Little. Thin start, then through some overlaps. Best route on the wall.

Start at the right side of the pillar and follow the jugs out to the left. Use the rings.

Fantastic climbing on gorgeous peachy rock, many climbers' favourite 19 at Araps. Chains at top (32m). Videos

3m R, incorporating a corner feature and some cruxy bits down low.

Similar start as to RoP, not as many holds as it looks. Small runout to anchor. Five UBs to DUBB. Excellent climbing.

Start at the "PB" mark.

Ledges and crap rock in parts but still has some nice moves on it. Well protected. 5 RBs and lower-offs.

First ascent was done in drizzling rain with a visiting American climber that washed into Mountain Designs when Mick was working there.

Nice steep route with an exciting finish. The anchors are over the ledge.

A good way to ease into this little wall.

A contender for the best 19 in the country! The old school off-width is the only way to go for apprentice gruntologists. All the sane people start in the corner to the R. Up this past a tricky move out of a cave at 1/3 height to a stance (crux). From here, up the beautifully sculpted line to the top. Simply magnificent climbing. Rapping on a 70m rope will get you to the middle of the scramble at the base of the climb.

Start 2m L of 'Adam's Rib', 1m R of 'Gobble'.

Nice. Climb up clipping 2 RBs, then 2 FHs, then 1 more RB, then the anchor shared with 'Gobble'. Crux is mantling the bulge at the 3rd bolt.

Some people find it that way! 3m R. FH's.

Sensational juggy sport climbing up a long and steep orange scoop. Surprisingly easy with big holds the whole way up. Starts aprox 10m left of Lead Zeppelin at impressive orange wall.

Start at the rather redundant DRB which are 1.5m off the ground. Good climbing with loads of very shiny ringbolts. Exciting finale.

Ringbolts.

Marked GL. R of CJ. Ringbolts up through rooflets and a particularly hard move if you are short.

Direct line, right of Gosling.

Start at the "MOBS" mark, 2m R of 'FOBS'.

Bouldery start and a little bit run out. Potential for ledgy falls so make sure you're solid if leading. Make sure to tend L after 4th bolt. 4 FHs plus an optional BR to protect the awkward reach back to clip the DBB.

Rings to double ring lower off.

Traverse rightwards into the base of the obvious rock ladder. A bit of trickery makes it easier. Stick clip first ring makes it better on the nerves. New anchor out left adds another 4 moves and restores some of the original climbing. Start: 4m right of Cenotaph Corner.

A great wet weather protected slab climb! The right most bolted line on the wall. Start either via first few metres of the trad corner Constipation Chimney VS or boulder the start direct (grade 21?). A couple of clips are tricky if you are short. The bolts were a birthday gift from Vanessa and Ryan.

Up the overhanging arete on jugs and slopers. Perhaps the best V1 of the Frontline!

Start: Sit

The left side of the main arete on the mini wall.

Classic face climbing above a lot of worrying space. All bolts, take 11 brackets, a sling and prussics for whoever is seconding. All carrots have small heads, so maybe clip the first ones with fat old biners, or add a wire so the brackets don't tinkle off.

Start left of a steep orange nose 30m left of Sweet Dreams, or about 100m after the cable traverse.

1. 25m (19) Tough move through first rooflet then head right around arête and diagonally up face to ledge and 2 Ubolt belay on right.

2. 25m (18) 2 Ubolts then stainless glued carrots from now on. Traverse left and out to arête. Up this to first cave and DBB hidden around to the left.

3. 25m (19) The money pitch. Exposed! Up right easily to second cave then up and out left to overhung arête, up to semi hanging belay on small ledge and 3BB.

4. 35m (19) Up arête past two BRs to cave and double U bolts. You can belay here or clip a U with a long sling and step right, up wall and roof, then diagonally R to 2U belay.

5. 35m (16) Right and up on ironstone plates over roof past Ubolts on left, then diagonally R to top and tree belay well back.

More than popular One move wonder. Start: Start at far left hand end of ledge.

Pilot Error is graded as 20 in the Mentz & Tempest Arapiles Guide Book.

Not given many stars until recently, this is now widely considered one of the finest 19s at Arapiles. It used to be 20 so don't expect a soft touch. Start under the prominent line up the south face of the pinnacle. Rap anchor at the top.

Heel hook start, quite sustained for the grade. Four UBs to chains.

Carrot bolts! Starts at the left of the two white gums.

The lovely right-facing flake corner bordering the left side of the great blankish north-west wall. It's a pity that it gets heavily top-roped.

Climb the right-facing corner with hard moves past the little roof then keep cranking up slightly left to the top. Gear has a habit of unzipping on people; consider placing a directional at the start and being generous with the draws.

Middle of the right three routes. Nice and shady all day and some cool ironstone features. Rebolted 2017.

Just to the right of the tree growing against the cliff. Rebolted 2017.

Best warm up here.

A steep pumper on some of the biggest holds in the mountains - overhangs 5m. Starts about 5m left of ES (40m left of access track) at steep orange overhanging wall between massive choss. Right into little corner, traverse right across horizontal to steep prow, jug up this to overhanging orange wall with finale crux to anchor.

Shared start with JJ then left. Rebolted 2017.

Start as for 'Dysentery'[12213427], marked "D".

At the 4th RB on 'Dysentery'[12213427] veer R then up over roof, clipping 2 further RBs. Up slab above to DBB.

Start 3m R of 'Pigsy'.

Bit of a one move wonder. Better than it looks. 5 FHs to anchor.

Start at the "K" mark.

Nice moves through a thin crux sequence. First bolt is very high (hence the "R" rating). 5 FHs & DBB. There's a ground anchor at the base for lead rope soloing.

1m right of Honeycomb on top of the boulder, bolt at start for belayer. Tricky start then follow bolts to roof, pull around roof to DBB.

1.5m right of Jack High. Up slab (techy start!) to anchors on ledge.

Lower off after slab

Start 3m left of B. Nice route or good warmup for the harder stuff in the cave. Stays dry in pouring rain. 5 RB to Lower Offs.

The arete. Seems to be a thiefs paradise as all attempts to ensure that the lower off anchors are safe is thwarted by theft.

Start 5m L of 'Southern Cross'. Marked "WH".

A difficult move to clip the 2nd bolt. A hold may have come off since the original grading of 18? Regardless, holds are there and just need to be found. Goes well once you know the sequence. Rebolted 2014.

Far left route, starting halfway along the approach traverse. Belay off U-bolt and stick-clip first bolt. Rebolted 2017.

If you've always wanted to tick 20 - this is your route. Slabby start to high first bolt, then jugs and an awkward finish.

Reachy crux. FH to start then trend left (RBs) to rope killing lower-off.

Start at arete 1m R of 'Crimes and Misdemeanours'.

Fine and balancy slab climbing that tests the head as much as the feet. A great climb at the grade, but with some potential for ledgy falls so make sure you're solid. 5 RBs & DBB.

Best route on the pillar - sustained. Start 2m to the R of & 2m down from 'Afternoon Delight'. Stickclip high first bolt from ledge on the left but start the climb down right. 3 shiny new RBs to lower-offs. Retrobolted (with permission) 2015. Take care clipping the 2nd bolt, as there has been at least one ground fall.

If you are tall this will feel like an 18

Thin and balancy slab wall right of Barbie Twins.

Six U-bolts to lower-off. Directly right of black wall. Overhanging on good holds.

Has steadily increased it's reputation over the years, and is now considered by some to be one of the best 19s at Arapiles. Start in the chasm between the D Minor Pinnacle and the Piccolo Pinnacle, on the Piccolo side. Approach by going L around the back of D Minor Pinnacle. The logs and chain in the gully are for erosion control; they are not designed or to be used as belay anchors.

Start on the small pocket with left hand(not some pile of rocks) then to a ok knob before a monkey along the roof of the cave past RBs to lower-offs. 18 if you start on the cairn. Variant top out via the mantle (21).

The yellow streak. Fun. Rings.

Please watch where you place your feet at the start and when lowering, to avoid crushing the drosera.

Start at the "A" mark just below the drill hole.

First bolt is very high. Slinging the drill hole offers some protection but still take care not to fall while clipping. 4 RBs & DBB.

Start at the "FOBS" mark.

Hard overhung start then more easily up past 6 RBs to DBB.

Multi-pitch sport climb. ~100m. Grades 19,19,17,14. All protection is ring or U bolts, no carrots. Faces south west - so shade until early afternoon.

Access path is 60m SOUTH of Cahill's Lookout on Cliff Drive, Katoomba. (access path: http://goo.gl/maps/1TsvL)

Take at least 14 draws. Be prepared for hanging belays, take lots of locking ‘biners. Twin or double ropes recommended for long abseils and sharp rope-cutting ironstone which is abundant on this route. There is plenty of loose rock on this route - be careful to stick to the line and not stray into the chossville around it. Helmets highly recommenced and be very careful if there are multiple parties on the route at the same time.

Alternate Access if the abseils are swarming with guided groups-either walk down Devil's Hole (pretty but hard to find the start) or rap down off 2 Ubolts 3m west (R facing out) of normal rap anchor (straight down pitch 4). Then go down the gully for a few meters and walk/traverse out on right wall and eventually find the top of P3 (i.e. reverse the normal route). Leave a long cordlette on the Ubolts to get the screwgate over the edge and rap the route. Either 3 raps or it looks like you can rap P3 (35m) and P2 (25m) in one 60m rap (it's slightly diagonal so the first down should clip one or two bolts) , then P1 (40m)- I haven't tried so take 2 x 60m ropes (or longer) and prusiks.

Orientation: the crag runs more-or-less NORTH-SOUTH. The access path is the EAST side of the cliff, the Megalong Valley below is on the WEST side of the cliff.

Follow access path until you reach 2 chains. This is where you will start and finish.

Rappel ~20m down from chains to the floor of the gully below. (On your way down, scan on your left (if facing rock) for U-bolts which will be protection for the climb out on P4.)

Walk SOUTH, following the rock face on the WEST. Do not take the much steeper, narrow northern path. (On the walk down, try to spot the single U-bolt placed high up on the western face, about half way down the gully hill; you walk past it or could rap from it.)

Follow the track around to the right, traversing at the height of the U-bolt until you have almost done a complete circle. You will pass another U-bolt on the right at about head-height. You will find a very windy chimney/rock split.

You need to pass through the chimney to access 3 rappel chains hidden from view. You can solo this part or setup belay from previous U-bolt. 2 U-bolts in chimney, 1 outside chimney.

Rappel down from 3 chains. You should head WEST when you lower. Try to spot the 2 rappel chains below you and aim for them. You may rappel ~15m to lower 2 rappel chains, or skip those chains and continue ~25m (~40m total) to a single ring-bolt chest-height on SOUTH face of wall.

Rappel ~10m to 2 rappel chains on edge of cliff. (this step can be skipped, but be wary of running out 50m rope)

Rappel ~40m from 2 chains to solid ground.

Following the cliff on your right, head WEST then NORTH along path until you reach U-bolts. This is the start of the ascent. If you reach a nose, or tree with slings around it you have gone too far.

1. 40m (19). Start is difficult and belay is right above huge drop-off so make sure belayer is on safety. Finish at 3 U-bolts. Setup semi hanging belay.

2. 25m (19). Soft, sandy slopers mostly. Watch for funnel web spiders; they are deadly. Finish at 3 U-bolts at ledge.

3. 35m (17). Really easy but be careful of sharp ironstone, it can sever rope. Finish at multiple U-bolts on top ledge.

Walk EAST on the top of the cliff and walk to the left (north) of the first pinnacle, over the sketchy looking ledge. Follow path to the right (south) of the second pinnacle, which is the "Boars Head" rock feature.

Follow the cliff around the southern side of Boars Head and you will find the gully from the first rappel. Stay belayed and keep traversing.

1. 25m (14) Climb back to 2 rappel chains at the start. Climb is located 6m left of the top abseil at start. First bolt can be hard to find, you may need to solo about 2m at the narrowest point of the chimney to find first bolt. Either sneak off right at the top, or direct on left.

Note: this guide does not distinguish between ring bolts and U-bolts. If U-bolt is listed, ring bolt might be present.

Guide by Paul Hauner and Joel Griggs. February 2014.

Has been rebolted (thanks!). However, the non-ideal positions of the bolts were not rectified; extenders recommended. Start off the boulder just R of 'Alpha Leather'.

Tricky steep corner flakes with a great finish.

Start 1m right of 'Point of View' and go straight up.

This daunting line is simply magnificent. Up the twin cracks on locks and jams that would leave a poet short for words. From here, continue up to where the cracks merge to form a single, steep, fingers to fists crack. A hard move to the ledge provides a classic sting in the tail.

The first and best route at the crag, borderline 3 stars? Unique for the 'Grampians' - climbs and looks more like limestone. Great sustained climbing on water polished jugs. Surprisingly overhung. Located in the middle of the south face, directly in front of small pine tree. When it gets tough around the 5th bolt dog-leg left to find the better holds. Seeps for several days after heavy rain.

Four pitch, bolted (carrots), slightly runout climb with epic views across the valley. Take 10 brackets. You can finish the route with an extra pitch by doing the confusingly named Mirrorball (21) pitch above Lunch Ledge.

Start: On outer left (NW) arete of the Mirrorball Pinnacle. Look for the line of bolts (carrots, take brackets).

1. 25m (19) Up arete to ledge, with DBB.

2. 30m (18) Up arete and face to chossy cave, left along ledge to high DBB.

3. 20m (17) Up face to big ledge.

4. 45m (18) Up face, to Lunch Ledge, moving right at 2nd ring. Pretty exposed.

Grey slightly overhung gritty wall climbing. This climb is a very good warm-up for harder routes in the area at it is pumpy with no sharp holds. Originally a trad route.

Excellent wall between 'Mezzaluna' and 'High Society'

Brilliant. A desperate little move out of the cave sees you to a stance. Blast up this to a difficult thin section at half height. Grunt up the top to the ledge. Constantly interesting with bombproof gear all combine to make this route deservedly popular!

An excellent route with hard bits down low and up high. Start below the major crack on the right side of the wall, 2m L of the Droop Street arete. Move up to the seam to a tricky move, then enjoyable climbing follows to a solid finger crack at the top.

Classic crack climbing, an excellent example of jamming at Frog. Start at the obvious crack on the far L of Warlock Ledge. A tricky start to get established in the crack (watch out for the loose rock), and then magnificent jamming up the line. Finish at the ledge and rap chains above.

A ripper of a climb, great slopey slab climbing. Up the wall following the nice line of RBs up the face, then through the small overlap to anchors.

Balance your way up passing 7 RBs. Finish at the larger U bolt or link into the top of L'arch

Start: Start 2m right of LA

Rebolted August 2012

Route name changed at the request of the first ascentionist.

Self explanatory. Far right side of cave. A 'Nowra' style mini pumpfest. Three RB's up steep orange wall. Double RB lower off at top.

An absolute classic test piece locking and jamming problem. A hard start gains a stance at 2m. From here, climb the unrelenting corner with excellent gear, stances and locks. Keep plugging and moving like a punch-drunk boxer, as the lactic acid build-up ever so surely creeps up on you. There are just enough stances and holds to keep you from being reduced to a whimpering mess. A DBB can be found above the ledge as you top out.

The obvious main crack on the L side of the S face of Bluff Major. Wander up the crack to the top. It’s possible to head L to the anchor of FD if you want to lower off, otherwise top out.

Sustained steep face climbing, one of the better routes on the cliff? Starts about 5m left of "The Riddler". Delicately up the wall, traversing up and left on good break past 3rd bolt to good clipping stance at 4th bolt. Straight up past 5th bolt to rap station.

A great wall route with excellent features. Juggy pockets to start, then a few tricky moves to gain big left facing flake. Also makes quite a nice trad route, throw a few extra cams in to protect the start.

Excellent sustained climbing up the line with great pro. A borderline classic. There are two striking cracks on the wall on the left side of Colosseum Wall - this is the left one.

Ann Pauligk's 1977 ascent was the first Aussie female ascent at this grade.

A strenuous and rewarding test piece jamming problem. Brilliant gear and tricky finger locks see you to a good stance at 2/3 height. Finish easily. Rap off DBB directly above the route.

Absolute class! This fine sweeping corner is one of the best routes on the cliff. The climb offers magnificent bridging and laybacking, with strenuous thin hand jams and locks just to make your day! Superb protection the whole way settles the nerves... a little!

Up the middle of the yellow and grey face to the right of the gully and 5 metres left of Kedumba Sisters.

Climb left of the flake

The steep and sustained L-facing corner. Great.

This route links the start of Ernest in Africa into the top of Chase the Lady. High first bolt, can be accessed along the ledge from Madge.

The R crack.

Start: 10m left of the large block that leans on the main face.

1. 20m (19) Up slab.

2. 20m (18) Up wall to ledge.

3. 15m (17) Up arete

If you climb with double 50's you can abseil straight off the rings. A 50m rope reaches the ground.

Start up Bondage and Discipline until the roof. Then climb straight up on good but well spaced holds (a little harder if your short) & finish at General Benefit chains.

Hard start. Up steep wall past five U-bolts, keeping R of bulge at the top, to double U-bolt belay. Holds have broken off the start, increasing the grade from 18.

Tricky stuff up and around the arete. Probably best to finish on anchors as for GGG. 3 new RBs

Start: On rounded arete

M5, R6, M6, R7, L3, R4, M4

Nice, juggy warm up.

Phillip Booth

The only non-steep warmup here. Stickclip. Stemming moves up past 3-4 bolts until it slabs out, then head well left to double rings.

The right arete of the pillar. Surprisingly pumpy! 4 ring bolts to double ring bolt anchor.

Sustained crimpy first pitch, delicate second pitch.

Start: Starts at a small pointy boulder 3m left (facing in) of the rap-in.

1. A long series of crimpy moves on a very slightly overhanging face should induce a bit of a pump! There is no decent rest until near the top. 7RB to a 2RB belay/lower-off at the big horizontal. (This pitch may end up being upped a grade. See what you think).

2. Thought provoking climbing with a lot of small fragile ironstone flakes higher up and an exposed top out. 8RB to a 2RB belay in cavelet on top.