Vías como clásica en Katoomba Area

Leftmost route (facing the crag).

About 2m right of CC. 10 carrots, plus some cams. There are 3 carrots on a large boulder about 5m past the top-out. The route goes left of the 8th and 9th bolts. Beware the large loose block on the ledge just above the cave!

Start 2m left of VIK. Very dirty. Start under short nose to ledge. Trend leftwards to ramp at top.

Start at decent sized Angophora.

The obvious offwidth near the right end of the crag.

Line just to the right of the crack.

Amazing position right next to Katoomba Falls, with an airy, mixed-quality set of pitches. You can be seen by the tourists from about five different vantage points, so expect some cheering\heckling\posing.

Bring a rack of cams 0.3 to 4, and 5 bolts plates as well as the usual kit.

Approach by walking down the creek above Katoomba Falls (yes, in the creek - access from below Katoomba Cascades) until near the top of the main falls. Be careful as the rock is extremely slippery, and with enough rainfall the water can be quite high and fast-flowing. Belay carefully from shrubs near the top of the main falls.

1. 15m (18) A traverse access pitch! Traverse hard right to gain the major flake, then up this to 2 x carrot bolt belay. Belay from here. Now rap 20m to a hanging 2 x carrot bolt belay directly below.

2. 20m (23) 1 carrot + trad. Up, trending right to flake feature and carrot. Then directly up to gain major right-facing flake. Be sure to save a 0.4/0.5 for after you've stuck the crux. Belay from the 2 x carrot bolt belay you just rapped from.

3. 15m (22) 1 Fixed Hanger, 1 carrot + trad. Kinda scary and a bit loose. Carefully traverse left from the belay, and punch up to gain fixed hanger. Then traverse back right and up via waco to crimp rail. Hard traverse left to jugs, thread and gear. Then back right and up via very punchy moves to ironstone block on the lip of the roof. Mantle this to gain carrot bolt, then doddle upwards to top-out. Belay off convenient collection of shrubs.

To find your way back to the path, bush bash straight up the hill until you reach the main pathway.

Named after the remorseless tunes the Scenic Railway plays across the valley. Good climbing, take the usual rack of big cams plus extra medium cams and lots of wires. 8 or 9 bolt plates. A few runouts on easy ground, average scary Blueys trad. Walk up to Ice :- walk down Furber Steps or catch the scenic railway down, turn east. A few minutes past the creek there's a boulder 6m above the track with a info sign below it. A minute or so past this is a huge yellow boulder 15m above the track with a well worn track up to it. Up here. Ice is in the left side of a huge gully 100m above all this. Walk left 60m, past a fused corner with a retreat bolt and tatt at 12m, to a thin right facing corner with a roof at 10m. Short fist crack on the right wall.

1. 28m (18) Up corner system, right under little roof then up fused corner to a 2BB where the cracks head off right.

2. 25m (18) Step right up drummy flake for 11m to small roof. traverse R 4m to next crack system and up to 2BB on shale ledge.

3. 30m (3) Walk right to good ledge. belay below thin crack on headwall

4. 10m (17) Up unprotected wall to 3BB on ledge.

5. 30m (19) Four bolts. Fight through headwall then up thin crack to 3BB at bush.

6. 30m (17) Up thin crack with good wires and large cams in breaks, then right a meter past bolt and up 5m higher, then diagonally right up thin flake to good ledge 10m below roof. 2BB

7. 30m (18) Right to ledge and R past 3Brs, then up and left on good rock to top.

Mixed climbing masterpiece. The excellent final pitch can be seen easily from the lookouts on Cliff Drive.

Start: Huge right facing corner directly beneath Wollumni Look out. Best access is to walk-in via Furbers Steps, left at the bottom and follow track to HUGE boulder on left about 250m after crossing the creek. Head directly up the hill towards the cliff. The route has a substantial tree at its base that you use to get established on the rock and there is a NY cap with a rock on it at the base.

1. 10m (17) Mantle on to tree then up corner and slightly left to belay at twin breaks. Gear belay.

2. 45m (22) Head leftwards from the belay towards carrot and then up the awesome wall just in from the arete on great rock passing more carrots and good gear in horizontals just where you need it. When you arrive at a small scoop and ledge trend up and left to the arete and boulder your way through to the belay which is two carrots.

3. 20m (17) Walk 4m left on ledge to bolt above your head. Up passing one more bolt and slightly left to ledge below yellow corner. Not a load of gear. Single bolt and cam belay.

4. 40m (18) Up corner with limited gear but on rock that is better than it looks, then traverse right to chossy ledge. Up great juggy crack to mossy ledge. Single bolt and cam belay.

5. 50m (17) Corner, right at top (ignore rusty carrot out left) and up to huge tree below the lookout.

8m past Wollemi lookout, climb the fence and walk to the right below a small boulder to find the abseil rings above you. Abseil just left of the small tree (looking out) to 2 x rings 15m down, and keep on abseiling clipping some bolts along the way to keep in contact with the wall. A 60m rope JUST reaches in 1 abseil on stretch (tie a knot in the end). This is the last route off the right side of the small, exposed footledge.

Take at least 12 bolt plates, a single rack (BD 0.3 - 3) and some mid-sized wires.

1. From the belay, trend up and right over the void to a bolt, then continue upwards with 1 very hard move at 2/5ths height. Supplement bolts with cams and wires (good gear) as necessary. Belay on 2 x rings 15m down from the top.

2. Hard start, then up past carrots to roof. Hard moves to turn the lip (don't forget the hard-to-see carrot bolt on the lip of the roof, and the optional #3 placement just below the roof proper in the vegetation). Belay off abseil anchors well back from cliff edge.

Start: Corner right of detached flake about 80m left of GwtW.

1. 28m (15) Corner, right wall of corner then right across ledge to belay.

2. 27m (21) 'Steep' ramp and mantle shelves, right to ledge at base of faint arete. Traverse left then up through juggy terrain and right onto ledge.

3. 33m (20) Up slab, left above roof and belay on halfway ledge.

4. 10m (10)

5. 12m (24)

6. 30m (17)

7. 30m (13)

CLOSED PROJECT

This The route starts from a hanging belay in a dihedral above the void. the ledge belay below Echo Crack P3 (the crux pitch). Access by heading down the Echo Crack exit track from Echo Point to the first set of double rings, and abseiling 70m down the arete to the hanging belay (some trickery needed to avoid getting stuck in space).

1. 20m (24) Extremely hard move off the belay (bolt) to gain the traverse line, then truck right past #1 and #3 to bolt. Ignore belay bolts below (for The Horror) and keep on traversing at the same level to break and #3. Then up, trending right past another #3 to gnarly flake, and 2 bolt hanging belay on the right.

2. 25m (PROJECT) - Fully bolted, but very hard. This Pitch is still a CLOSED PROJECT. Up, trending left past bolts, with lots of hard moves.

3. 35m (21) As for The Horror Pitch 4.

From here, bush-bash left up gully to regain the Echo Crack exit track.

An old-school, bowel-loosening journey across one of the most exposed bits of rock in the Blueys. Mostly trad, but with just enough bolts to keep it ever-so-slightly on the right side of insanity. Mostly great rock, and wild moves (pitches 2 and 3 will blow your mind!).

Bring double cams #0.5 to #3, with singles of #0.3, #0.4, #4 and #5, and all the usual paraphernalia necessary for a RADventure.

Ascensionists must be comfortable climbing well above gear on easier terrain. The cruxes can be aided past -with some craftiness- but the traversing (and very steep) nature of the route means both leader and second must be capable of ascending the rope in the event of a fall.

The route starts from the ledge belay below Echo Crack P3 (the crux pitch). Access by either climbing P1 and P2 of Echo Crack. Or, better yet, walk to the top of Echo Crack from Echo Point, and abseil 80m down the top 2 pitches of that route (some trickery needed to avoid getting stuck in space).

If you need to bail, you can either rap right down Echo Crack to the ground with 2 x 60m ropes and walk back up the giant staircase. Or, if you've accessed this route from above, and managed to keep the tail of the rap line in place (eg. threading it through the belay bolts below echo crack) you can reverse the climb and jumaar back up it.

1. 10m (21) From the belay right of echo crack, traverse left (#1 cam in start of echo crack) past bolt, then up overhanging prow with #0.75, #3, and #4 to Bolt and #0.75 Belay.

2. 20m (24) Traverse left and up to gain main traverse line (#2). Traverse straight left past #3, and on to bolt. Crux follows, then crucial #2 (to protect second), and onwards past #4 and #3. A short runout section of traversing takes you to just below the anchors (#5 recommended), then final thin moves to 2 bolt belay.

3. 35m (25 to 26) Up and left to bolt, then straight traverse left past #3 and #1. Ignore bolt further left (it's for the neighbouring route), and instead make your way upwards with tricky face moves on much steepness past 3 bolts. At the 3rd bolt, traverse left to difficult moves (crux) to gain arete and move upwards to jug-hole on left side of arete. Chill in the big cave, then truck right and up bouldery steepness past 2 bolts. After 2nd bolt, traverse left to gain hanging grey arete, with sustained, technical moves past #0.75, #1, #3, and #0.5 to gain 2 bolt belay. Breathe an epic sigh of relief.

4. 35m (21) Crux off belay past 3 bolts, then quest upwards, trending right to arete where rock and gear are better. Eventually meander back to left-facing flake (crucial #3 !!), and up to bolt. Thin moves out left, then up past crucial #0.75 to belay in cave. For this pitch, bring a single rack #0.3 to #4, with doubles of #0.5, #0.75 and #3.

From here, bush-bash left up gully to regain the Echo Crack exit track.

Some of the finest and most "out-there" arete climbing in the Blueys, with tonnes of exposure, and situated on one of the most sought-after bits of real estate around.

Access as for The Horror.

1. 15m (21) As for P1 of The Horror. This pitch can (and should) be linked into the next one (and was on the FA). 1 Bolt, 2 x #0.75, #1, #3, #4.

2. 25m (23) All trad! Up the face to gain hanging fused corner system, then sporty moves up linked corners, flakes and prows to semi-hanging belay on small ledge. #0.2, #0.3, #0.4, 2 x #1, 2 x #2, 2 x #3, 2 x #4, #5.

3. 32m (27) Hard, sustained, steep, scary. One of the best bits of arete climbing in the Blueys. Up the arete, though several rooflets, concluding with a wild finale to gain a cozy belay on a hanging prow. 8 Bolts, optional #0.5 near the top.

4. 35m (23) Very hard moves to gain the second bolt above the roof (its about gr21 if you pull up to the first bolt), then easier face climbing on gear to bolt near the top. Straight up the face from here, then -where it turns to dirt- truck right on obvious break (#2) to prow, and up this to anchor. 3 Bolts, Thread, #0.2/0.3, 2 x #0.75, 2 x #1, 3 x #2, 2 x #3, #4.

Frothy Thomson on the First Ascent of Darkest Congo

Huge crack underneath main lookout, requires standard rack with the addition of up to ten #3 camalots.

1. (13) Chossy corner and crack leading left to well signposted belay ledge. \

2. (18) Small corner to crack then veering left to mantle loose shale ledge. Ring bolt belay.

3. (25) Left over the void and up to get established in crack (crux) then up. Never quite gets dry. Bring lots (9) of number 3 cams. Up to belay with two carrots though horizontal above ideal.

4. (22) Up then leave crack to bridge left past 3 good carrot bolts (2014) and original rotten aid bashies beside them to top. If you've freed pitch 3, pitch 4 feels just as hard!

Walk off 15mtrs then scramble up 1 meter ledge and follow trail meandering up then right a little under last cliff to lookout. Well done

A wild pitch of face climbing, starting from the major ledge halfway down the wall right of Echo Crack. Rather complicated to get to.

Mostly bolted, but sparsely so. Bring cams 0.3 to 0.75 for the traverse exit to P2.

1. 40m (26) Traverse right from the belay, then very hard moves to get started, followed by sustained face climbing with some wild runouts. 2 Bolt belay.

2. 10m (18) As for Alive in a Bitter Sea, traverse left past carrots and some trad gear to belay at the top of Echo Crack.

Classic Blueys steep face climbing in an inspiring location, but with the old-school epic of extremely bold climbing above gear.

Original bolts replaced (like for like) with Glue-in Stainless Carrots in 2016!

Access either by walking to the top of the route from Echo Point and rapping the route (recommended), or by climbing the lower pitches of Echo Crack or Silent Echo to the huge shale-band ledge at half height.

To access from the top, make your way from Echo Point Upper Viewing Platform, down the ramp and head towards the Lower Viewing Platform. 30m after you turn left from the bottom of the ramp (heading towards the lower platform), there is a yellow mark on the fence on your right. Step over this, then down scrub heading vaguely right through bush to rock pagoda. Keep the rock on your right initially as you head down the hill, following a vague weakness and a number of yellow arrows. When the next cliffline appears on your left, hug that and down a number of small shelves to arrive at 2 x carrot + 1 fixed hanger belay directly above Echo Crack.

The top of Alive in a Bitter Sea is at 2 Stainless carrots (and one original Bash-in) atop a series of big teetering blocks, approximately 10m across the wall directly in front of you, at the same height as the Echo Crack top-out.

1. 25m (24 R/X) - Hard moves directly up past 2 carrots (caution getting to 2nd Carrot). Traverse straight right via balancy moves for several metres to flake. Up this with gear, then hard moves up vague corner to placement, and directly right to detached flake, up this to gain "hanging blunt arete". More hard moves up arete past one last carrot bolt to belay on small flake stance (Piton + Bolt + #4/#3.

2. 40m (25 R) - Stupidly hard at the grade. Traverse directly right from the belay for several metres, then diagonally up and right to shale break , then up via 2 carrots of sustained hard climbing up blunt arete to infamous dyno, and more hard arete climbing to belay on small ledge (3 carrots) - Consider shifting the belay further right to be out of the way for the nails at the start of the next pitch).

3. 15m (23 R) - Straight up via utterly desperate thin moves off the belay to a very high carrot (caution getting to this bolt!), more hard moves past gear to another carrot, then easier climbing up (trending vaguely left) past several placements to belay on top of big flake (3 Carrots).

4. 10m (14) - Traverse left along face, then across Echo Crack past 3 carrots and several possible gear placements, up onto belay ledge (2 Carrots, 1 FH).

Walk back up to Echo Point.

First two pitches as for Iron Lady the out left and up face to eventually traverse back to Echo Crack and the walk off there.

A proud, soaring, intimidating and bold rising traverse across the wall below Echo Point. Very committing and involved, with tricky route finding and old bolts... But a brilliant climb despite all of this.

Bring Cams 0.3 to 4, with doubles of 0.5 to 3. Optional #5 cam, #2 (yellow) C3/X4, and a light rack of small wires.

To access, either climb the first 2 pitches of Echo Crack, or approach from the Echo Point Lookout by walking down climbers track until above Echo Crack and abseiling in (Rap 80m down Echo Crack, bouncing to stay in contact with the wall, and placing a few bits of gear to redirect the rope (2nd to clean on the way down) to arrive at the Echo Crack belay).

1. 20m (10) Traverse carefully right along the extremely loose shale ledge to Penny Ledge. Belay off boulder bollards, an ancient carrot, and whatever gear you can find. 3 carrots and 1 ring.

2. 40m (23) A number of possible starts, all involving ground falls. Find the first carrot on the right-side of an arete-feature 6m up. Start somewhere to the right of it, and head leftwards towards it. Crux moves up to break, traverse right past piton, and up, trending right to carrot. Continue trending up and right to another carrot (ignore fixed hanger and other carrots which meander vaguely left, they are for Exercising the Devils) then onward to detached flake. Traverse hard right past thread to hanging slab belay on gear. 3 carrots and 1 piton.

3. 30m (23) Spot the first carrot on this pitch from the belay before starting, as it's hard to see and key to route-finding. It's about 8m right and 5m up above a small flake-feature. Traverse hard right until below the carrot, then crux moves to gain the carrot. Up to break, then rising traverse right to 3-carrot belay stance below small square-cut roof. 4 carrots (3 are on the belay).

4. 25m (23) Left off the belay, crucial #4/#5 cam in shale-slot, and micro cam (#2 C3/X4) further left. Big moves past roof to carrot, hard traverse right on the lip of the roof, then up right-facing flake to horizontal break. Traverse far right to ledge where break ends. Straight up slab with marginal protection to steep jugs and mantle finish. Belay off trees/shrubs in the gully to the right.

To escape, carefully follow the vegetated cliffline to the right, meandering upwards where possible until you can gain the major gully system. Up the gully, then up the hill to the path. Go home, quit climbing, take up croquet .

A fantastic trad route up a very striking line. In 2020 a large box sized section of rock fell off at the start of pitch 3. The route has been re-established with the addition of a couple of bolts in this section. All other fixed gear was replaced in 2021.

The most straightforward way to access this climb is probably to go up the gully and fixed ropes as for Echo Crack and then wander right (facing the cliff) for 130m.

Bring a standard double rack (BD 0.3-3), one BD 4 & 5 and a few very small cams. And maybe some extras in the hand range if you want to be really comfy. Don't forget wires either, this route eats them!

Start at low angled black wall with vegetated crack 130m right of Echo Crack.

1. 25m (14) Scrubby crack to major ledge. Vegetated but mostly good gear and rock. Build belay in small alcove behind large block.

2. 55m (17) Step left onto ramp feature from the top of the block and then follow the vegetated crack up, up forever. Belay on big choss ledge.

3. 35m Follow bolts up wall then pace a crucial #5 & #3 cam in shallow jugs above last bolt, before traversing left to base of corner pedestal. Place a nest of micro gear here before mantling. Up long corner until you are 10-15m below the roof and build a belay at whatever stance you can find.

4. 25m Continue up corner with hard move at mid height to roof. Traverse left under roof on good holds, passing a weird triple carrot bolt belay and a few more bolts after this. Make sure to traverse a long ways left, around the arete, and don't go up the obvious, steep, vegetated crack. Once around the arete go up to ledge and set belay.

5. 30m (22) Good flake to blank corner with a bouldery move protected by bolts. Quest upwards with exciting gear to a small rooflet. Clip the bolt and do a hard move before stepping left into juggy corner finale. Belay off various trees.

   Walk off by going straight up the obvious ridge and then heading left once you get to the next cliff tier, which is the base of spooners lookout. Scramble up the creek for a short while, keeping on the right side as much as possible. Keep veering right as the terrain allows to avoid soggy creek catchment, and you will pop out where the paved spooners lookout threeway junction is.

A steep, clean, direct variant finish to Genghis Khan from midway through the Traverse on pitch 4 with some excellent rock and great protection.

1. As for GK

2. As for GK

3. As for GK

4. As for GK to triple carrot belay part way through the traverse.

5. 15m Clip bolt out left then up vegetated corner above to belay ledge. Mind the jumble of teetering boulders at next belay. It is not necessary to touch them building anchor or climbing, therefore unnecessary to trundle them either.

6. 25m (22) Continue up fine clean well protected corner. Plug something in and fire up fingers layback crux, passing a ringbolt eventually, and then finish up the final headwall, passing an obvious carrot (with a good small/medium cam slot just above it if you prefer). Then slightly right under small rooflet at top (#4 cam just before top out mantle).

   Belay off Mallee stems approx 4m from edge. Unlike GK, a few boltplates are still required for this climb to utilise triple bolt belay beneath pitch 5, though a small sling hitch may suffice on protruding carrot as there is one ringbolt now at belay.

Another (fairly average looking) variant to Genghis Khan. Instead of climbing the awesome finalpitch of the aforementioned route, instead traverse out left and head up the mossy, dirty face following the line of carrots. Finish up final corner as for Genghis Khan.

The nearest climb you can do to the now banned Three Sisters! (They are only 20m away).

Rack: 4 bolt plates, wires and cams (max #3 Camelot size)

Approach: walk down tourist track to bridge going across to the Three Sisters (Honeymoon Bridge). Scramble down to under this bridge and head down very steep vegetated gully towards Scenic World. There isn't much sign of a track and lots of rubbish from tourists. About 50m down the gully is a vegetated ledge system. Orange Slice is 10m right (facing out) of the approach gully.

1. 25m 15. Black slab for 5m to base of leftward curving orange corner. Up this on nice waterpolished rock to comfy ledge and double BR belay. Back it up with good cams and wires.

2. 20m 16. Fused corner with little arete on the right side. At top of corner mantle up to ledge on left. 1 BR and bad piton for belay. Backup with #2 cam and high small wire.

3. 30m 16 Ignore bolts above (that's the direct) - and instead traverse right steeply along break and up black wall (not well protected) past hard to spot old bolts. Scramble up through small bushes to good tree belay well back. Say hi to many gawking tourists. When they ask if you are abseiling- tell them no, you are kayaking. That should shut them up.

The Original route up 'Echo Point'.

An arete route right of Merl - don't get the two confused (easy to do if you use the print guidebook). It doesn't appear safe to walk from Merl to wherever this route is due to sketchy choss ledge (and tourists below). Presume rap in and climb out? Brings wires, cams #0 to #3 to supplement up to 12 carrots per pitch. Double ropes recommend for pitch 2.

1. 35m (23) Grunt up undercut corner. Up and right across slab to break at base of steep arete. Arete and wall to belay at 3 carrots.

2. 40m (20) Up arete.

Major corner 10m left of Merl.

Climbs full length of left cliff, starting down in the scree...

4 pitchs of the lower wall get you to the Main halfway ledge and another 3 pitches on left wall get you to the top.

Big corner around the arete from Landslide Chimney.

Start: Downhill left from Landslide Chimney.

Left and up into corner. Up corner to overlap, thru short steepness and thrutch to glory.

Originally 18 M4 by Ewbank

Start: At the bottom of the huge corner/chimney.

Start: Actuall starts way down the bottom right of the 'Left Wall'

18M6 or free at 26 R.

Start: Main corner/crack system on left side wall. Good rock and climbing down low, becoming more serious and difficult towards the top.

Birdbeaks/Peckers may be advisable as increasingly the original fixed pitons are breaking…

Frothy Thomson working Titan

First new aid route on this cliff in decades. Tricky aid on variable rock. Maybe a tad dangerous. Be careful! Further pitches could be 'fun' also.

Start: Start of the ridge in middle of main wall at thin seam.

1. 25m (- M7) Tricky nailing up thin arcing seam and one decent dyna, past bad belay (don't stop, don't collect $200), left to hook moves and up to good thin clay band. Piton and ?bolt? belay. Wide range of pitons (rurps to angles) etc needed. And some small wires/rps or offsets. . Project - continuation to reach Collossus ledge belay.

2. -m (- M6) Easily up corner / crack system from main belay on Collossus - past traverse line and up to second rooflet. Pop out onto face on small pinsand up via medium pecker past loose cracks/blocks to good pin- high point. 'Open Project'. Continue to top - probably need long rope.

Removed from 2015 BM guide because Simone Cartier got her knickers in a knot ...

The original bolt route on the wall - c. 1965, chopped 1967, reclimbed 2005.

Take lot's of peckers and various hooks, leave them in the hope they'll catch you if you fall - then just don't fall! I actually had my bivvy almost below me for psych support

Start: Few metres left of Gigantors start at some barely noticeable chopped bolts beneath the line of even less noticeable chopped bolts.

Pecker Extension Project underway.

Removed from 2015 BM guide because Simone Cartier got her knickers in a knot ...

The all free version of Gigantor. Listed separately to the aid version, as aiding Gigantor is still quite popular.

Atmospheric and extremely engaging! A true sustained cliff-splitter.

As a free route, it has a bit of everything - Jamming, armbars, pinkys, pockets and the occasional edge. Some loose rock and the occasional runout. Belays are all ok -provided you equalise everything and make use of any natural pro you can find.

Don't even think of rebolting this one!!

Traverse right at the bolt ladder near the top, and follow the line of least resistance.

Watch this Video with Zac Vertrees about the route.

A classic katoomba cliffs trad route with great position and climbing. Most of the rock on this route is of descent quality with the exception of the shale band on pitch 3. Good gear (doubles BD 0.3 - 3, 1 x 4, Wires and Hexes), and only one move at grade 22 (most of the climbing is in the 19-20 range) make this a good introduction to Dogface free-climbing.

Access via Furber steps (or Golden Staircase) to landslide. Find Gorgon wall (next wall right of the landslide main wall, with huge stepped roof half-way up) then bush-bash up loose scree and vegetation until you are below Gorgon Wall.

1. Start up clean, wide crack with a small roof 6m up. Up crack with a hard start and tricky moves past the roof, then pleasantly up the corner crack to the ledge. 2RB belay.

2. Walk 20m right along the ledge, and belay off 2 glue-in carrots (back up with bomber wire if necessary).

3. Up flake (being careful on bad rock) to shale band. Carefully mantle to old bash-in carrot, then crux on bad rock, moving right to gain corner-crack and better rock. Continue up corner to semi-hanging belay 5m below roof. Okay gear can be found in the shale band on this pitch.

4. Stem corner to roof (bomber wire), then traverse right under roof (clip what pitons you can reach (3 possible), and supplement with gear after the 2nd piton). Continue under roof around prow for 2-3m, then up and back left to large belay ledge directly above the previous belay.

5. Delicately Up loose flakes to cramped belay in large horizontal slot.

6. Strenuously off the belay on dubious rock past bolt and gear to an awkward stance. Crux past 2 old carrots, then easily and pleasantly to the top of the cliff. Belay off bollards 8m back from cliff edge.

To escape, head up the hill to the cliffline. Traverse right under the cliffline to cliff edge at gully. Scramble up carefully, then back left under cliffline for 100m until you reach a short gully. Scramble up this, and continue up the hill to the main walking track. Head left on the track back to Landslide lookout, and then up the track to the road.

The line up the huge corner. Some loose rock. Bolt belays.

Start: Solo up the landslide over steep loose rubble and blocks till you reach the start of the rock and you should be at a crack that you can use for your first belay. If you aren't then head left or right till you are, or keep going up . . Belay from here.

Awesome steep hand crack, located just to the North of Therabulat Lookout, overlooking Nellies Glen, Katoomba. Access via Stuarts Road.

Rap off trees to ledge approx 30m down. Its quite tricky landing on the ledge as its so steep. Either pre place the gear on rap to help get you on the ledge or lasso the rope onto the pile of detached blocks and pull yourself in. Sounds dodgy but actually works.

P1. Isn't recommended. Grade 21 with hard moves off ledges.

P2. Belay 1 carrot, #1 and #2 BD cam. Classic steep hand crack that overhangs by 30 degrees. Take triple in size #1,2&3 BD cam and single rack in the rest.

Route history unknown.....Please update if you do know. Hugh Ward freed it on 29/08/2019

Topo notional, route not confirmed.

#Historical Abseil down "near the waterfall" (hard to find climb start), or walk down Nellies Glen until climb "stands out as obvious crack between a wall and detached buttress". [BA] Current access unknown.

1. (12m) (crux) Very tricky start up wall, via 1963 bolt runner to natural anchors. Originally done by lassoing a tree. "Layback cracks are other possibilities further to the right."

2. (21m) Up through scrub and rotten rock.

3. (21m) Up through scrub and rotten rock.

4. (15m) Up the final crack separating the buttress from the main wall.

5. (15m) Continue up the crack on magnificent rock and a clean finish.

"Magnificent rock and a clean finish." [BA] "Grand climbing." [JME]

#Historical Topo notional, route not confirmed.

A short climb and .. "probably not worth the walk" [BA] .. "which is useful as a descent route" [JME]

Start: On the right of a nose just before the waterfall.

1. (16m) Start on a block and up to a tree belay.

2. (22m) (crux). Climb diagonally to the right of a small groove through an overhang to top.

"A good climb, with a great jig [sic] ridden slab. Start: Large blocks lay against face, approx. 30m right of Dry Sherry Pinnacle. The climb is about 5-6 pitches, the crux being getting off the blocks onto the wall and slab above. All protection is natural." [JME]

#Historical "The first climb to use expansion (Terrier) bolts. Several are used and are useful as belays and runners. 3/8" eyebolts are needed to use these." [BA] 100m

Start: An obvious chimney near top of the face marks the climb. From directly below scramble up about 25m.

1. (30m) Start up wide chimney which closes into crack filled with vegetation at 25m. Up crack, traverse right then back left to large tree belay.

2. Scramble up past small gully to below huge chimney.

3. (30m) Up chimney via Terrier runners to crack. Up to cave recess then into chimney with belay 4m back.

4. (18m) Chimney up small cave to "expansion bolt belay 4m from roof."

5. (10m) Chimney to outside of crack onto right hand wall. Traverse left to tree belay.

Start: 200m west of Rhum Cognac at a rock pyramid balanced on a block confronting two layback cracks.

1. (10m) Layback the right crack, awkward start and overhung in places. Hard to find but good rock belay.

2. (18m) Traverse right and descend on other side of ledge to a tree, continue traverse into chimney. Climb this amphitheatre on a wide grassy ledge. "Good vegetable belay." [BA] (Vegetables!? - Ed.)

3. (18m) Climb chimney on left until forced out by overhanging mantelshelf, then traverse to face and climb directly to a good tree belay.

Start: Walk 100m left of Rhum Cognac to slight 21m high corner which faces Narrow Neck, then left again to wide scrubby corner. 170m

1. (43m) Cracks, bushes and corner to ledge (tree).

2. Continue pitch 1.

3. (37m) Corner for 20m, traverse left 13m and up (bolt belay).

4. (37m) Easily to ledge (piton belay).

5. (26m) Onto block, traverse left, up, around nose and up to tree.

6. (23m) Up.

Access This crag is still being resurrected and as such will take time to develop an easier point of access to the ground. As it stands here is how accessed the wall. Park at Cahills lookout and head down to the lookout. Vere off the track to the right just as you reach the fence. Continue down and true left until you reach the big overhang. Locate the big boulder with tape around it. You can back this up with a few cams to climbers right. Descend about 60m trending to climbers left. Locate a small ledge and build a trad anchor, then descend another 70m to the ground.

Head 10m left of the abseil line to a corner system. There is a boulder at the base of the route marking the start. P1 30m 16: Awkward start to gain a dirty crack system. Follow the right crack up Belay off tree on the tier

P2 30m 18: Bouldery start, follow the obvious crack up. Traverse left at the first roof, then some 3 dimensional moves and an exposed move out to a small stance for the belay.

P3 45m: Traverse diagonally right through the sea of ironstone past your abseil line to the only vertical crack system in sight. Hanging belay at base of crack system

P4 15m: Up the crack system as it seems out and the ironstone gets thinner and thiner. Use the anchor from the abseil line

"A very impressive first pitch, by which Eric Parris won a bet for 10 beers and 4 double whiskies." [JME] "Eric Parris's finest hour." [BA]

Start: Overhanging crack 10m left of Rhum Cognac.

1. Up crack and more broken rock above to ledge with the bollard to Skinny John.

2. "It is thought that the climb continues further up the rotten rock to make it quite a long climb." [BA]

"An historic climb as its first ascent on 11th May, 1958 by Peter Hardy, Ken Cooke and Doug Litchfield marked the formation of the Rhum Dhu." [BA]

Start: 33m left of Gin and Tonic below and left of small overhang in corner. (Directly below abseil from the Skinny John bollard below Cahills Lookout.)

1. (12m) Up to tree.

2. (18m) Straight up, then slightly right (harder) or traverse further right (easier) to ledge with Skinny John bollard. The climb can be continued as:

3. (10m) Starting where right hand variants end, climb up "V" gully in corner to cave. Tree belay.

4. (10m) Continue up on left to base of chimney.

5. (6m) Battle up chimney.

6. Easily directly up edge of left pinnacle to top.

The most perfectly preserved fossil of the Pre-Tradaceous era: a 110 foot leadout, with no runners. Bravo Bryden!! Bring out the plimsoles, pipe and tweed for the youngsters to learn some proper courage in.

"Consists of a long lead with no runners." [BA 1963] "A fine climb, though protection isn't the best." [JME 1967] "Take care." [Owens 1995] (Has honesty also been devalued over the years? - Ed)

Start: On face and rib 40 yards right of Rhum Cognac.

1. (70') Easily up the first section.

2. (110') There is now a small ramp leading to the right for about 20'. Go halfway up this then sneak up the overhang. Continue up the face which does not relax till the top is reached." [BA]

"A fine position and was a very popular climb. Details hazy. Rotten rock and exposure at the top." [BA] "A long and varied climb, which used to be very popular." [JME]

Start: The blunt buttress between Baby Sham and Whisky Gully.

1. Up on the left hand side via cracks, chimneys and scrub to ledge beneath slight overhang.

2. Up on the left hand side via cracks, chimneys and scrub to ledge beneath slight overhang.

3. Continue up very easily to left, or for more interest trend right and up main face right hand edge via piton belay or runner.

4. Continue up very easily to left, or for more interest trend right and up main face right hand edge via piton belay or runner.

#Historical "Each of the four pitches provide a battle of a new and exciting kind. Technically very hard but little exposure." BA

Start: On small shield of rock on right side of gully just right of Cocktail Buttress.

1. (10m) "Even this is not trivial."

2. (16m) Walk left and up slight layback. Walk to bolt belay on block (or natural anchor).

3. (8m) Up to right.

4. (12m) Layback crack then with difficulty into chimney.

Start: Nose the right of Whisky Gully. 83m

1. (15m) Diagonal traverse around nose then into crack - chimney. Up to bulge then out to ledge up to right. Tree anchor.

2. (18m) "Walk along scrub-covered ledge until faced with appalling wet mossy wall. Ascend arete to right using human footholds, to leave ground. Climb to small bush and crack. A horrible, delicate traverse to the left is followed by a desperate lunge to a grassy ledge." [BA]

3. (12m) Up easy face to broad ledge, short wall, and tree belay.

4. (30m) Easily to top.

Walk past DRP and continue past double rap rings on arete. 20m further is an old rap station made of old green tape tied off a gum tree. 5m further is a gum tree growing beneath some think brush. Sandstone block marked 'S' with cairn on top here. Scramble up through scrub for approx 10m then head right to find the line of fixed hangers.

1. 33m (8). Fixed hangers & Carrots. Up and right to cave on arete. Easy face climbing on easy angled slab, straight up with some beautiful views. Stay on route or risk hitting some chossy rock. Triple Carrot belay on ledge (admire old rusty belay in cave on your right.)

2. 26m (8) Left along ledge, then up and back to corner. It's possible to scramble off left here.

3. 14m (6) A fixed hanger, then medium cams/nuts. Up right crack. Belay off Rap anchors in Chimney. To get off here, rap to previous belay & scramble left or...

4. 26m (14) Alternate Finish. Chimney up abseil route, past anchor and up. Walk off as for Dirty Rotten Pig. Easy face climbing up the line of ring bolts just left (facing the cliff) of the first boars head abseil.

LOST FROM LEFT SCRAMBLE? If you're just climbing the bolted sections, here's how to get out:

Follow the line of bolts left, around the cliff, through the small forest and up onto the slab (about 15 mins). Look to your left and you'll see a set of staples in the boulder. Set up a hand-line from here using the bolts- left to the small cave, then around to the opposite side of the boulder, following the line of bolts along a high traverse, over a small gap, before meeting the main cliffline and short walk up to the carpark. You will not be able to belay due to the amount of turns so be careful setting this line up, and consider ways of protecting yourself. Tie the end off at the last bolt and use the standard 2 carabiners on safety to traverse, with draws at each bolt. Note- the exit can be much more daunting for a nervous beginner than the actual climb, but is a fun experience.

This has been climbed. Starts approx 5m right of DRP at corner. needs a good clean. Would recommend staying of untill it has been cleaned.

"A pleasant walk through interesting scenery." [BA] Start: The large deep gully to right of and behind Boars Head.

1. Up gully passing short awkward chimney. Right onto higher level, back left through overhang, then easy to top of gully. From here can rap to start of "Shandy" P3 and then scramble off left.

Start 5m left of The Forgotten crack. This should go free by stronger climbers grade 24-25 "thrutching". The crux is getting established in the flaring chimney and then the tips underclinging out through the roof. Micro cams were used to aid through these bits.

Up finger crack to ledge. Hard moves into flaring chimney then under little roof to juggy flake. Up flake to ledge, step right around arete and up thin corner to ledge and 2bb as for the forgotten crack. The ledge is super loose so be careful.

A great crack route below a massive un climbed corner system. The upper pitch has been attempted but we were unsuccessful. A bolt and snap link mark the high point approx 5m above belay.

2m left of castaway

Climb corner to small roof past tricky move protected by a micro cam, then into hand crack

Follow crack through roof to ledge

Be careful as the top out and ledge is quite loose

Rap off or blast through choss band into unclimbed corner system.

Previously climbed back in the dark ages but un recorded. Has seen a lot of traffic. Good clean crack climbing

Follows a finger crack corner past some old carrots to a 2 bolt belay/lower offs

The crux is up high where the crack thins – if you climb the crack direct its around grade 23 however its slightly easier if you use the scoops on the right at grade 22.

Rap off 2 bolt belay.

2m right of Castaway and immediately left of a small overhang/cave.

1. 22 - Up steep corner to bush. Climb left of the bush to ledge then up steep finger crack to anchor. 2 bolt belay. Rap off or continue to pitch 2&3

2. 15 - Walk right along ledge to small eucalyptus tree. Climb short wall above eucalyptus tree to ledge. 0.75 cam and a wire in crack for belay.

3. 18 - Up steep leaning crack on good holds to ledge. Quite pumpy. Rap off

#Historical Topo notional, route not confirmed. 150m

"Details are forgotten." [BA] "A fine climb." [JME] Description below from Owens, copied from JME.

Start: At steep corner on the next prominent buttress east of Boars Head 420m left of Devils Hole.

1. 23m, up and right to top of buttress.

2. 35m, left to corner and up.

3. 33m, up and right to chimney.

4. 25m, chimney.

5. 36m, up gully and scramble off.

Start: "A very obvious scrub filled corner, some distance left of Devils Hole." [JME] 100m right of Whisky Chaser. [Owens] 43m

1. 10m, gully to tree.

2. 23m, traverse left to corner, up and over to bulge, left (bolt runners) to bolt belay.

3. 10m, corner and bulge to ledge.

#Historical Topo notional, route not confirmed.

BA describes a different climb to Owen, from which the description below is taken.

Start: At bottom of Devils Hole track, go left (facing cliff) just past left arete, up gully, and onto to huge block on ledge. Belay behind block as original "bush and piton belay" are no more.

1. (17m) Arete, left onto corner. Back to arete and up to tree.

2. (20m) Corner and left to tree.

3. (16m) Groove/chimney to tree.

4. (33m) Walk left to red corner (tree).

5. (10m) Up corner.

6. (40m) Walk left and up gully to overhangs.

7. (23m) Right and up to ledge, across corner to ledge (tree).

Scramble right, up arete, and down to Devils Hole path near chockstone overhanging track.

This climb commemorates the 21st ascent of the Rhum Dhu climbers.

#Historical Topo notional, route not confirmed.

Start: Walk down Devils Hole track from top to just below the chockstone visible jammed overhead. Follow track to right (facing in) past grey wall and corner crack to red wall with pinnacle abutting cliff-face above.

1. Climb easily up short wall then crack between pinnacle and cliff to large ledge and belay on top of pinnacle.

2. "Climb the left hand edge of the wall overlooking Devils Hole to a good belay." [BA]

3. Up tricky scoop then easily up nose to belay.

4. Up wall then traverse to the left under overhang to continue up wall above.

Start 5m right of Bloody Mary RHS (marked) below triangular prowed ledge at 4m. Fixed rope may be present, bounce test before use; if not then lasso or stick-sling the very tip of prow and ascend rope then mantle onto ledge and good gear. Climbing starts here.

1. Head up and right following slanting invert thin crack to lip of roof and rest. Upper corner is very thin crack and a few decent holds. Stemming and a few face holds help. Exit left at top. Tree belay.

Standard rack plus extra small cams.

Top corner is a bit dirty and mossy but should clean up a bit.

Start at tree right of corner, using pocket then straight up to roof and traverse left under roof and up shallow corner to ledge. Technical corner work then follow line to crux moves at very top . . . 'Cull The Sac' variant. Climb past roof and up to ledge at half-height ~23. Sling-horn to lower, then flick it off to retrieve.

Start at corner capped by triangular roof left of main waterfall. diagonally right to bolt and up to ledge, then corner system up to right side of roof. Follow corner/crack up to end then left on sloping shelf past bolt (old belay) and up groove to ledge past old threads and traverse off left.

Obvious crack line angling into Catastrophe Corner, then taking right hand exit at top.

After trying the direct start at small roof, try increasing further left, but no further then the tree, until you can get established on wall. Either head up slightly to gear or traverse into line and some gear. Follow crack, a bit of gear to stonking Medium cams then slight runout up to ramp and gear. Join CC at the top but continue up and right to exit.

Wires and cams. Tree belay over the top.

Corner then left wall.

Start: 50m left of the cave at corner beneath roofs.

Start: 5m right.

Start: Just left of 'Chancellorsville' at bolt ladder leading left.

Directissima. Frees bottom section of Solidfan and top section of 'Lunatic', 'Excellent' rock and climbing. Good pro - no need to rebolt.

Highball thinish crux up past reasonable bolt and missing rurp to good gear. Leftish past tree & piton (Original Lunatic Belay) and up to hollow flake. Take right line - Lunatic - up past pitons & gear then right to bolt and final moves up through scoop to belay on ledge. Excellent

Start: As for Solidifan below bolt.

Start: Up 'Necrophiliac' for a few metres then left to arete and up.

Right and side of gully

Start: On ledge above track before waterfall cave. Scrable up.Start marked on right side of the gully.

Up corner, right onto nose, wall & corner to tree.

Start: 4m right of M.

Use tree to climb overhang, up to ledge above BP corner. 2). Corner to tree, traverse left to crack and up.

Start: 4m right of BP.

Corner to ledge on right, arete to ledge below chossy overhang, up wall. Take Care!

Start: 10m right of FtC at left facing corner.

Up to bolt, left then right again to piton, up, slight left around overhang, arete to ledge. 2). Right wall then up and left to arete and up.

Start: 3m righ of PGBDs. 'Arete'.

Coner and ramp to bush(!) 2). Up to traverse line, left and up onto block. 3). Up and right on jugs. Take great care!!

Start: 2m right of SoT.

5m up PG then ramp on left, left and up to PG anchor 2. Left again or finish as for PG.

Start: As for PG for 5m.

Up to roof, right and up to slab, up right (Take wires), to ledge and bush, finish as for PG. Take care with pro!!

Start: 5m right of PG.

Tree to wall, left to arete, up to ledge. 2).Left to corner, traverse right to piton then arete, up and right to ledge. 3).Back left to piton, around overhang, up wall on right of arete to ledge, up arete (mainly on left). Take slings.

Start: 12m right of SM at short crack below rooflet.

Squirm up to ledge. 2).Thrash to chockstone, out and up to bush. 3).Left and up wall to bulge. Take care!!

Start: 9m right of RS. Wet undercut chimney.

Batman start?

Start: 30m right of FC at slight orange overhang.

Up to first bolt, up.

Start: As for LL.

Diagonally left to bolt. Corner to 100' Slab halfway ledge.

Start: 3m right of LL.

Start: Use tree to swing left into flimsier tree (!), traverse left to bolt, Up and right to 100' Slab hw ledge. Has a direct start 2m left.(Grade 22).

Up tree and crack to 100' Slab hw ledge.

Start: 7m right of HTBB.