Grade | Route | Gear style | Popularity | Crag | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | ★★★ Caves Route
Queensland's own mountaineering-style classic that has introduced the climbing experience to many a gibbering bumbly. This has always been the traditional easy route up to The Scrub (below the summit overhangs). Rap stations are present on five of the 8 pitches (Aug. 2019). Most of the rock on the route is quite worn making route-finding easy. Many parties rope up for these 5 pitches, interspersed with unroped scrambling. Start: 20m R (down the slope) of where the E face walking track meets the rock. Marked "CR". ★★ Caves Route Variant 4 - Caves Route Pitch 1
*Note: There is also another Caves Route variant that avoids the chimney section which starts right at the base of the chimney by taking a short contour to the right hand side until a large cave is found. Go to the end of the cave and scramble up for about 25 m until the top of the NE face is reached. This second variant is slightly easier than the one described above. FA: Bert Salmon & Allan Clelland, 1926 | 520m, 8 | Mt Tibrogargan | ||
4 | ★ Hammer
Great beginner's route. Start as for 'Sickle' and go up this a little way then step left to short ramp then up shallow corner. Climbing it direct is around grade 8, but has no protection. FA: Doug Hatt, 1964 | 12m | Arapiles | ||
4 | ★ Kaboomba Brothers
4 carrots up the slab (take brackets). The first move is tricky for those at the grade. Anchor consists of a solid single D-shackle off a chain. FA: B. Junge, 1994 | 10m, 4 | Blue Mountains | ||
2 | ★ Sunny Gully
Hard start, then easy climbing to the ledge. A direct finish continues up the crack above this ledge at about grade 18. | 12m | Arapiles | ||
2 | ★ Cartridge Arete
A pleasant jug-haul arete. Start: The arete right of the walk-down gully. | 10m | Arapiles | ||
3 | ★ Ali's
Climb the corner system, which these days is laced with long lengths of fixed chains to ease the way for soloing (this being the fastest way to get up to the Bluffs climbing areas). If you do decide to solo up or down it, don't underestimate the polished rock and the deathfall potential; consider using a suitable running tether. Start 15m R of Bygone, under the huge left-facing corner system, behind Fang Buttress. FA: The Craddocks? | 60m | Arapiles | ||
4 | Cenotaph Corner
Climb the obvious corner. Beware of the brown snake that likes the top out jug on the left hand side. Seriously, beware in summer Start: often used as the descent route. | 8m | Berowra | ||
3 | ★ Bullet Buttress
A pleasant, low-angled buttress. Start: Start 20m L of Melville's Cave. FA: Keith & Maurice Leslie, 1967 | 20m | Arapiles | ||
3 | ★ Trooper
FA: Peter Martin, 1981 | 10m | Arapiles | ||
3 | ★★★ Logan's Ridge
A superb scramble up an exposed rocky ridgeline. Access by walking back along the road from Yellowpinch carpark before heading into the bush towards the ridge. The scramble is more difficult and exposed the more left you stay on the ridge. FA: Captain Logan, 1828 | 750m | Mt Barney | ||
3 | ★★★ Skyline Traverse
An excellent excursion along the ridge of the amazing Yulludunida dyke formation. More akin to walking along the back of a stegosaurus than climbing, but some parties may want to rope up for some of the more exposed sections. 40 min hike in from the car park. As soon as you breach the tree line, head right until you can’t head right anymore (sheer cliff), then follow the ridge line. Alternatively you can join the ridge earlier if you want some steeper climbing (more akin to a grade 5-6). As you ascend the walking trail head directly for the ridge as soon as you can see the rock outcropping. This is shortly after the path hits a ledge with a good lookout. You may need to do a little bush bashing. You can avoid some of the more bouldery sections but try to keep to the highest point of the ridge to get the most out of the climb. There is a sling at the hardest down climb about ⅔ into the climb. A short 10m rope may be useful here to assist in the descent. The walk out involves a bit of bush bashing if you follow the ridge to the end. The higher you stay in the crater the less vegetation you will encounter. Aim to zig zag along the bare rocky areas for ease of travel. Aim for 3-4 hours return at a leisurely pace. FA: G. Nelson & members of the Narrabri Senior Scouts, 1973 | 1800m | Kaputar | ||
3 | ★★ West Track (Tourist Track)
Tourist Track. Slippery and well worn. From the carpark, follow the NP signage: ★★ West Track (Tourist Track) 3 - 20230413_115159-sr.jpg up the increasingly steep track, to the intimidating start (colloquially called "Chicken Rock", because many day-trippers choose to turn back at this point). In the V groove, top left corner, the steep start is about a grade 5 or 6 and access here is slightly overhanging: ★★ West Track (Tourist Track) 3 - Chicken Rock but an easier start can be found down right, about 15m right of a large tree: David Duffy on ★★ West Track (Tourist Track) 3 - Chicken Rock up the sloping face, on good holds, about grade 3. Once this hurdle has been overcome, the remainder of the climbing then becomes an easy scramble at about grade 0-2, to the summit. | 340m | Mt Tibrogargan | ||
1 | ★ West Ridge of Mitre
FA: Eric Shipton & Bill Tilman | 100m | Arapiles | ||
4 | ★ Easy Route
The easy climb up the slabby back of 'Owl Pillar' starting off the ledge just left of Midnight Makeout. FA: An Indigenous fella | 13m | Mt Ngungun | ||
3 | ★ Valencia
10m or so L of Are We Dancer. Vegetated right-trending access ramp (line of least resistance) to the L side of the Sun Bowl sector (with lower off). First FH at about 10m. FFA: Lee Cujes, 2010 | 15m, 3 | Pages Pinnacle | ||
2 | ★★ South-East Ridge
A nice day hike up the ridge starting from Yellowpinch Carpark, with the final 1km to the summit offering nice scrambling in a fantastic position. Navigational aids receommmended in case the faint track is lost, especially post-fires. | 900m | Mt Barney | ||
1 | ★★ Hiker's Route
| 360m | Mt Beerwah | ||
3 | ★★★ Skyline Traverse
A classic ridge traverse. Park at the Dove Lake carpark (arrive early to avoid shuttle bus). Walk the West side of Dove Lake and take the Lake Wilks Track up to the Face Track. Approximately 200m North (Left) on the Face Track a definite (cairned) pad heads uphill (1.5 hours). Alternatively, walk on the east side of the lake and take the track up to Hanson Peak (a left hand turn just near Glacier Rock). Follow this along the ridge line, summitting Hansons peak and linking into the Face Track, all the way until the cairned path that leads off to the left up to the summit of Little Horn. If you take this approach and come to the sign for the Lake Wilks track you have come too far. Follow steep path to summit of Little Horn, then begin scramble down towards saddle. 1-2 short (<10m) abseils may be advisable depending on conditions. Walk/Scramble across saddle to base of Weindorfer's Tower and a vegetated ledge. From here, a narrow pad may be visible on the right (West) side leading to exposed scrambling; consider roping up. The route takes the line of resistance over rocks and vegetation, approximately following the line of the ridge. After the summit of Weindorfer's Tower there is a 23m abseil from a large boulder; tat may be in place. The start of this abseil can be safely scrambled down in good conditions taking you to a Horn that can be slung for an approx. 10m abseil. The route then continues as before, though generally easier and on the left (East) side of the ridge, with one very exposed rocky traverse on the right (West) side. The route eases as approaching Smithies Peak, then descends slightly to main summit path which is followed to Cradle Mountain summit. Return via summit walking track. Gear: 50m rope, abseil tat, 10-12 slings, large nuts/hexes. Helmets recommended, climbing shoes unnecessary. Time: 9-10 hours car to car. If the weather turns, there are a couple of points where you can bail out fairly easily. This is after descending Little Horn (there is actually a path leading from the saddle to face track) and after abseiling off Weindorfers tower, this would involve a bit of bushbashing, but doesn't look too steep. FA: Franz & Julius Malcher, 1914 | 900m | Cradle Mountain | ||
2 | ★★ East Beerwah
An excellent alternative to the Hiker's route. This route has frequent red paint marks from base to summit. A well formed downhill track starting just east from the carpark at S26.89052, E152.88797 will lead to the beginning of the route. From here scramble up easy slabs traversing towards north-west following the marks. The track then climbs straight up for the central part followed by a leftward traverse on easy slabs to a small cave before veering right and up to an exposed and highly scenic finish to the summit. An alternate finish to this route that goes north at the top (but a bit more exposed) is mapped at https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1ULqnVajNBViUxVymtbjh6jbnrcM&ll=-26.89356304264415%2C152.88713100000007&z=17 | 390m | Mt Beerwah | ||
2 | ★★★ I Tick Stairs ('cause I'm a Loser)
Just in case you feel the need to tick an ascent of the stone stairs at the L end of 'Left Main Wall'. | 40m | Kangaroo Point | ||
2 | Deck Gully
The rightmost deep gully facing the road. | 12m | Arapiles | ||
4 | ★ Guiding Light Variant
| 50m, 2 | Arapiles | ||
4 | ★ Peeceezy
Marked with a faded PE behind the sapling. Single ring bolt half way up slab to cater for significant run out. Tree belay/rap. Start: Right of 'Venturi'. FA: B.Ratter & C.Peisker, 1974 | 40m | Blue Mountains | ||
2 | ★ Bert Salmon Traverse To Cave 4
First climbed in 1926, this whole section of cliff, including the Modern Traverse and the terrace below, was climbed in the pre-rope era of climbing in Qld. START: RH base of Cave 3, scramble down to a wide dirt ledge, follow this around right & up into Cave 4. Controversially retrobolted by the Modern Traverse. FA: Albert Salmon & Lyle Vidler FA: 1926 | 40m | Mt Tibrogargan | ||
VB- | ★ That Looks Nice
It is nice FA: Brian Luu, 30 Mar 2019 | 2m | The Balkans | ||
3 | ★ Cypress
Up the crack, with a ledge and small pine at half height. A poorly protected alternative finish is further to the R, the arete L of 'Odlid Baggins'. Start: Start beneath the deep wide crack. FA: Stan Manley, 1979 | 15m | Summerday Valley | ||
4 | ★★ Caves Route Variant
This is the easy alternative to the original Caves Route's Chimney, which, minus the original log, is pretty stiff. Most rock climbers & seasoned bush walkers will choose to climb this unroped, whilst this description is aimed at those roped ascents.
FA: | 500m, 9 | Mt Tibrogargan | ||
4 | ★ Grommet
Chossy climb/scramble up the corner. Some good gear if you want. FA: Denise Crook & Mark Plenderleith, 1988 | 12m | Noosa National Park | ||
4 | Mud in Yer Eye
| 14m | Morialta | ||
3 | ★★★ Skyline Traverse
From sleepy bay head to mt Amos via Parsons and Dove. Faint white paint marks and cairns help. Much slabbing , mantling, and a few bouldery spots. | 2000m | Freycinet National Park | ||
4 | Manufactured by Schweppes (solo)
The more commonly used access ramp / new carpark. 3m R of 'Wall Thing'. Always soloed. Be careful in the wet FA: Unknown | 10m | Berowra | ||
VB- | ★★ Coffee Bean Crack
Climb the high, easy angled hand crack. Watch the loose block near the top! FA: Uli Aschenbrenner, 2015 | 8m | Mt Alexander | ||
4 | Camel's Hump
| 20m | The You Yangs | ||
1 | ★ Access ramp
| 8m | Iris Moore Park | ||
3 | ★ Epileptic Chimney
A useful descent route for this part of the cliff. Start: The chimney to the left of and behind ‘Ivory Stairs’. Up chimney. FA: Mark Colyvan (solo), 1980 | 10m | Ebor Gorge | ||
3 | Route Two
Easy way to access upper routes.
Finish up The Knob, Travellers Slab, Gregs Direct or Traverse of the Gods* FA: Robert Hewitt & Janet Southwell, 1959 | 77m, 2 | The Cathedral Range | ||
1 | ★ South Ridge
Also known as Peasant's Ridge, this is the easiest route up Mt Barney. From Yellowpinch, follow the road that follows Cronan Creek and skirts the south face. Around 4km hiking will bring you to the entrance for the trail which is clearly signposted. From there, follow the obvious track up the mountain, encountering two very minor technical difficulties at "The Slab" and "The Staircase". Eventually, you will find yourself in East-West Saddle, also known as The Rum Jungle. From here, the ascent to East Peak is relatively straightforward although vague at times. Although this is the easiest route on the mountain, it still requires a long approach and 1000m of vertical gain and loss. As such, it is often underestimated by inexperienced parties - don't go underprepared. | 850m | Mt Barney | ||
4 | Flappers' Delight
Up the juggy wall on the north face of John's pinnacle, close to Denim Wall. Bad pro and rock but if that doesn't put you off at this grade then it's a nice summit to bag. FA: John Fahey, Ted Batty, Chris Baxter, Bob Bull & Peter Jackson, 1965 | 16m | Arapiles | ||
3 | What the Hell is a Centograph
Access route. FA: Josh Caple (Solo), 2004 | 6m | The Stables | ||
3 | ★ Fashion Fairytale
FA: Ingrid Grant-Ryan | 9m | Gibraltar and Corin Road | ||
4 | ★ Big Day Out
Starts at bottom of Fly Paper Wall and heads all the the way to the top of main wall. 1. 18m Right side of FPW to stance. 2. 40m Follow slab past overhang then down to belay. 3. 35m Begin up main face to arete, then right to belay ledge. 4. 20m Follow arete all the way to another belay ledge perched above an overhang. 5. 10m Up the wall behind you. | 120m, 5 | The Cathedral Range | ||
4 | Lizard Ramp
| 5m | Point Perpendicular | ||
1 | Placeholder
widowed routes placeholder | 1m | Camels Hump | ||
3 | Diagonal
Start 5m L of 'Mantlit'. Marked "D". FA: Shane Smithies, 1986 | 17m | Kangaroo Point | ||
4 | Tora
| 18m | Morialta | ||
4 | Ready, Set, Go!
Corners. Start: 10 right of previous or 18m left of track. | 8m | Narrabeen | ||
VB- | ★ 2 - Tunnel expedition
Not so much a boulder problem as a dirty grovel under the arete | 2m | Lindfield Rocks | ||
4 | Fish Guts Ramp
Climb from right to left onto the main ramp, finish on 2 anchor bolts | 6m | Morna point | ||
4 | Gunk In The Punks
Up the face 1.5 L of the arete. Start: STart a few m R of EMP, 1.5m L of the arete. FA: Bill Andrews & solo, 1985 | 12m | Summerday Valley | ||
2 | ★★ Eagle's Ridge
Eagle's Ridge is the longest route on Mt Barney, stretching from Lower Portals to East Peak. Follow the spur across Tom's Tum and Isolated Peak before gaining North Peak and proceeding to East Peak. Bring a rope, lots of water, a headlamp, and get ready for a big day out (something between 7 and 12 hours). A rope is not mandatory as all difficulties can be avoided. If you wish to follow the true ridge exactly as it lies, than there is a mandatory rappel off the South West side of Isolated Peak. | 1500m | Mt Barney | ||
2 | ★★ North Ridge | 650m | Mt Barney | ||
VB- | ★ Marina Cardenas
| 3m | Buderim | ||
2 | ★★ Ben
Cossey? Start: 2m right again. FA: G.Robertson, 1980 FA: George Fieg, 1995 | 15m | Blue Mountains | ||
4 | ★ Tigris
Starts on top of boulder mashed against wall to the left of where the trail meets the main face. 1. (24m) Straight up to big flake. 2. (33m) Continue up till you reach a rightwards weakness and follow to top. | 57m, 2 | The Cathedral Range | ||
3 | ★★ Abseil Slab
Easy beginner's route, and someone can walk up and check their anchor technique. Walk, run, or hop up the slab just right of walk up. FA: Jeffrey Crass | 12m, 2 | Berowra | ||
VB- | ★★ Demented Dalek
Climb the broken pinnacle from a stand start. All sides are as easy as each other. | 4m | Mount Wellington | ||
3 | ★★ Bill
Doh! Up left side of small corner to top. Start: 1m right again. FA: A.Penney, 1980 | 15m | Blue Mountains | ||
3 | ★ Yayco
Hand crack up the Polish split egg (rap off each side). The boulder is about 15m back from the top of 'Agent Orange Victim', and can be accessed by walking up the gully to the right of it then ducking left through an overhang. FA: Marcin Pius & Daniel Gordon, 2014 | 6m | Gibraltar and Corin Road | ||
3 | ★★ Salmons Leap
| 190m | Mt. Coonowrin | ||
2 | Rocky Gully | 500m | Mt Barney | ||
2 | ★ Euphrates
Begins where the track meets the main face. 1. (35m) Up to ledge then follow left groove to spike. 2. (35m) Continue up to R of cave, over, out and up to top. | 70m, 2 | The Cathedral Range | ||
4 | ★ Face
| 5m | Scout Wall | ||
4 | Loose Living
| 18m | Morialta | ||
2 | Basic Route
Easy ramble up just right of corner. FA: FFA: Amy Halligan, 18 Aug 2014 | 7m | Scout Wall | ||
3 | Punks Epitaph
Sure Punks was influential, but these route names are getting ridiculous! Start: Start just R of DPitMotR and just L of 'Cypress'. FA: John Fisher & Iain Sedgman, 1985 | 15m | Summerday Valley | ||
1 | ★★★ Wilderness
| Conical Rocks | |||
1 | ★★★ Milk Run
Directly in front of Lightbox 57. Easiest Climb at KP. Bolt is level with anchor, perfect for beginners to practice setting up and cleaning anchors. FA: Philipp Orth, 10 Jan 2023 | 2m, 1 | Kangaroo Point | ||
3 | ★ Olympus
Climb the lovely slab on the top tier of the crag using chicken-heads. FA: Peter Reynolds, 4 Jun 2020 | 7m | Mt Alexander | ||
4 | Moist Crack
The short, right hand crack in the corner to cave. Down-climb to clean. FA: G. Dean & solo, 1991 | 6m | Coffs Harbour | ||
4 | Yellow Brick Road
The short, left hand crack in the corner to cave. Down-climb to clean. FA: K. Bennett & solo, 1991 | 6m | Coffs Harbour | ||
2 | Corner
| 5m | Scout Wall | ||
VB- | ★ Lefty
Easy up left side of scoop FFA: 28 Sep 2019 | 2m | The Stables | ||
VB- | ★ Righty
Easy up right side of scoop FFA: 28 Sep 2019 | 2m | The Stables | ||
4 | Beginners Chimney
| 8m | Rocky Tom | ||
4 | Access Route
FA: Neil Monteith, 1995 | 10m | Mt Ngungun | ||
2 | ★★ Pyornkrachzark's Staircase
Scramble the big ledge staircase, top out through obvious corner. | 10m | Kangaroo Point | ||
VB- | Jackie Brown
Straight up the big features. FA: jaqui schleeter, 3 Aug 2018 | 3m | Nowra | ||
1 | ★★★ Rabbit Hole
Not really a climb, but a handy access route from the picnic rock to the base of the boulders. | 10m | Midgegoroo National Park | ||
3 | ★★ SE Middle Ridge | 1000m | Mt Barney | ||
VB- | VE Crack
Stand start the diagonal crack | 4m | Cozy Corner | ||
VB- | Attack of the Ants
Straight up. Even easier warm-up. FA: Baillie, 20 Feb 2022 | 3m | Carss Park | ||
2 | ★ Savages Ridge
Walk up the road next to Cronan Creek past South Ridge trail head, until Egans Creek has been crossed, then walk another 200m. Immediately before the next creek crossing, ascend the spur on your right (marked by a star picket Nov 2022). A gentle incline on a footpad followed by some steep scrub bashing will bring you to Savages Peak. There are fantastic views from here. The route turns north and then north east towards West Peak along an enjoyable razorback outcrop and a jump over the void at the top of the rocky ridge is the highlight of this section. The ascent up West Peak is made through a narrow gully that is the crux of the route and needs to be done with care. In no time West Peak summit is reached. Overall, Savages Knoll at the crest of this ridge and the razorback route that leads to West Peak are quite spectacular and yield some unique views of East and West Peak. | 800m | Mt Barney | ||
4 | Descent Ascent Gully
Obvious gully FA: unknown | 20m | Warrumbungles | ||
1 | ★ High Street Crack
| 30m | Mt Kooyoora | ||
3 | Locris
The trench. Marked with a square and an 'L' on the left side at the base. FA: John Griffiths, Max Keating & Ken McKinley, 1982 | 24m | Camels Hump | ||
3 | Exit Aisle
No so easy when wet! | 4m | Fisherman's Bay | ||
4 | The Rim
| Morialta | |||
3 | ★ Access Direct
A fun scramble, good option for quick access to the Jaws area. | 9m | Phillip Island | ||
VB- | Downclimb
Easiest way down from the top of the Kiddy Pool Block. Walk down slabby face and stem out to the sturdy tree right next to it until a comfortable height to drop. | 3m | Lane Cove | ||
3 | Automatic Runaway
The descent ropute. Easy corner nearest the carpark. Colin Mibus used this route for ascent/descent eons ago with his .22 to frighten bunnies. FA: Colin Mibus, 2000 | 6m | Mt Stapylton Campground | ||
VB- | Manacle
| 3m | Magnetic Island | ||
VB- | First Root
Up right side of slab | 3m | The Stables | ||
2 | ★ High Street
| 25m | Mt Kooyoora | ||
4 | Black-handed
Start under boulders 15m right of Tewkesbury and move up left under them then follow the easiest path up the slab. FA: Unknown | 31m | The You Yangs | ||
4 R | ★★ Mezzanine Ridge
Follow the Peasant's Ridge track until on the main ridge before crossing the creek to peasant's ridge. Ascend this rounded ridge easily in open forest until over a knoll. Follow the pad up the crest until coming across a rocky razorback. To ascend the razorback follow the apron to the west until it becomes easy to move up on the top. Once on the razorback follow this for about an hour with some huge exposure on either sides and some spicy moves as it narrows to a sheer knife edge. At the end of the razorback a tricky descent is forced on a short slab with little holds. After the razorback the ridge widens and is heavily vegetated but easy to navigate. A second rocky tower have to be contoured on the west until the ascent is forced in a slimy corner. Good hold exist on the face to the LHS with some exposure. The final rocky outcrop is again bypassed on the left until an easy looking ramp will take you to the top of the ridge just above old hut saddle. Scramble easily to the top of east peak. | 850m | Mt Barney | ||
VB- | Banned by Hillsong
Up short face over detached block | 2m | The Stables | ||
VB- | Windows
Tree totally in... | 4m | Bowen | ||
VB- | Charlie the Unicorn
Climb the centre of the highball slab on good holds. FA: Rob Cotton, 2015 | 7m | Camels Hump | ||
4 | Guiding Light P1 Variant
Climbs pitch one of Guiding Light to ledge, then through gully to exit. | 35m | Arapiles | ||
3 | Galerias
The rib in the middle of the face. Finish up right crack. FA: John Griffiths, Max Keating & Ken McKinlay, 1982 | 30m | Camels Hump |