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Preludes Wall

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Seasonality

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Description

The grey wall R of Reaper Buttress. Easy access, full-time shade, some nice easy routes and intriguing pillars at the belay ledge all guarantee the popularity of this wall. However, beware the patches of spooky fragile rock.

Emergency Location: Mount Arapiles, Preludes Area

Access issues inherited from Arapiles

Cultural heritage closures now apply to some parts of Arapiles. This advice continues to evolve and may not be fully reflected in this website; refer to Parks Victoria for details applicable at the time of your visit. https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/-/media/project/pv/main/parks/documents/management-plans/mount-arapiles-tooan-state-park/mount-arapiles-tooan-state-park---aboriginal-cultural-heritage-protections---october-2020.pdf

Bird Nesting September-December Raptors usually nest on the following climbs in Spring : Cassandra, Eurydice, Harlequin Cracks, Revelations. Nesting usually finishes mid-December. There may or may not be signs in place at these times. Please keep 50m clear of these climbs if there appears to be nesting activity.

State Park - no dogs. No fires allowed Oct-Apr (inclusive).

Descent notes

There is a rap station at the L end of the belay ledge - please don't rap off the pillars which are already too charred by rope burn. It's also possible to descend by walking R and then going down Dreadnought Gully - but timid folk will want to abseil this way so the new rap station at the L end of the ledge is the way to go.

Ethic inherited from Arapiles

Mount Arapiles is first and foremost a trad climbing area. The few sport climbs tend to be in the higher grades where no natural pro is available.

Bolting, particularly retro-bolting, is discouraged and should only be undertaken after extensive consultation with the local climbers, first ascensionists, etc. Inappropriately placed bolts have been chopped.

Do not chip the rock.

Look after the park.

  • Stick to the paths.

  • Don't disturb the wildlife.

  • Routes near peregrine falcon nesting sites are closed in the spring.

  • Minimise the impact of your camping (fuel stoves not fires, take your rubbish with you, etc).

Tags

Some content has been provided under license from: © Australian Climbing Association Queensland (Creative Commons, Attribution, Share-Alike 2.5 AU)

Routes

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Grade Route

Start at the top left end of the wall, 3m R of the major chimney (Red Parrot Chasm - described on the Reaper Buttress page).

  1. 30m 12. Up the wide crack then through sculpted territory, eventually stepping left to rap anchor on ledge.

  2. 20m 11. Finish up the gross wall with no pro, or move L to finish up the chimney.

First pitch/rap off point is a little longer than the 25m mentioned in the 2008 Arapiles Selected Climbs guidebook. A 60m rope still easily touches ground though.

FA: Josie Ley & late 80s, 2000

Start 5m R of Red Parrot Chasm on the juggy water-washed slab. Climb the white streak to a two bolt lower-off.

FA: Glenn Tempest, 1982

Start 1m R of SC. Trend a bit R to a smooth grey bulge with no pro (the gully just to the R is NOT an escape gully despite appearances). Walk R to the rap station at the L end of the Pillars.

FA: Louise Shepherd & Michelle Doherty, 1992

Quite good. The abseil route comes down the first pitch so watch out for traffic and don't monopolise the bolt anchors if the area is busy. Start at a wide crack just left of the block leaning against the cliff.

  1. 20m (11) Up crack and bulge then dicky moves past bolt to ledge and bolt anchors.

  2. 40m (10) Steep groove on left then up wall, veering right-wards to finish.

FA: Keith Lockwood, Fiona Lockwood & Tim Lockwood, 1999

This airy arête can be a second pitch to Native Companion, or an alternative finish to Transylvania. It’s the prominently visible arête directly above Subliminal Cut.

From the first belay of Transylvania, move left and climb arête all the way.

FA: Keith Lockwood, Andy Schmutter, Steve Findlay & Ken Wilkinson, 31 Jan 2017

Good fun with fairly good protection. Start 12m R of Subliminal Cut, just right of the large block leaning against the cliff, or under the block itself. Up the wall past the right side of the block. Smooth slab, crux, from ledge on top of the block (there is a wire but short people will have to get up to it) then easier ground up line of least resistance to the headwall. Step left and climb diagonally left to the rap anchors.

FA: Keith Lockwood & Sonia Jones, 1989

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

FA: Kevin Lindorff & Eddy Ozols, 1979

Start 2m R of MG. Up the wall for 8m then step R across cleft, up past small overhang and the unprotected wall to finish.

FA: Kevin Lindorff & Eddy Ozols, 1979

The major skanky diagonal cleft.

A fine balancy slab which is harder for the vertically challenged. Start 1m R of Diagonal Crack.

The thin crack. After the crack eases the easiest finish is on the L, but pulling direct over the little overlap and up the short wall above is better.

FA: Eddy Ozols & Chris Stroud, 1979

Start 2m R of RS.

  1. 25m (20) Boldly up the face to the cave.

  2. 10m (-) Move L and up short face to the Pillars.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Louise Shepherd, 1979

1 11 25m
2 8 15m

Start 10m L of Minstrel Pinnacle, at the easy crack just L of a perched block. Can be lead in one pitch at the same grade if you leave the crack and head diagonally R about 8m below the top of p1. However this increases the risk of a grounder on rope stretch when the second is on the crux start.

  1. 25m (11) A tough start gains the deep crack, which is followed to a ledge.

  2. 15m (8) Wander R along the ledge for a few metres to the next line, and head up this to the Pillars.

FA: Chris Baxter & Laurie Beesley, 1965

Start 8m R of D. The wide crack, then the roof and wall.

FA: Mark Moorhead & Kim Carrigan, 1979

Start directly opposite the L (western) side of Minstrel Pinnacle, on the main wall. The crack for 7m to tricky roof. Onwards to ledge then steep crack. Step R across a gap then more easily.

FA: Jerry Grandage, Daryl Carr & Rob Taylor, 1966

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

FA: Derek Lord, Bruno Zielke & Fred Langenhorst, 1968

Start at the line between Stalagmite and Preludes. The crack to break, then tiny R-facing corner past a bolt. Continue past R side of prominent nose and up the buttress to ledge. Finish past a bolt through the pumpy overhang.

FA: Keith Lockwood & Steve Williams, 1987

Start at the beginning of the gully, in the gap behind Minstrel Pinnacle. Good tricky and enjoyable crack climbing, but with some questionable rock.

FA: Phillip Stranger & Rob Taylor, 1967

Start 1m R of Preludes. Up to small stance. A couple of commiting moves lead up to a bolt, then a slippery crux gains a shallow R-facing corner to rap anchors on the ledge. Lower off.

Alternatively at the top go up the finger crack of Stalagmite for a few moves and then right up the headwall. It feels a bit loose up there so take care and warn people below.

FA: Glenn Tempest & Karen Tempest, Jan 2015

Thin and bold. Start R of Preludes, and directly opposite Scourge (which is on Minstrel Pinnacle).

Short crack, then trend R at bulge to large flake. Up L to 2nd bulge then roof.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Louise Shepherd, 1979

Start as for Marginal Era but instead of traversing right, head straight up slab (limited pro). Climb R of chossy blocks to rap ledge.

FA: Brandon MG, 9 Dec 2022

Start R of A. The rib on the L of the smooth wall, past break, until it eases off. Now traverse R then go up.

FA: Keith Lockwood & Graham Jones, 1985

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.

FA: Keith Lockwood & Garry Sudholtz, 1968

Start around corner from 'Frankenstein'. Up wall on left through steep bulge.

FA: Smith & Pritchard, 1995

Start right of Smeg and the Heads just left of crack. Up wall to break then up more.

FA: Smith, Pritchard & Mudie, 1995

This is on the lower tier of the Minstrel Pinnacle. The obvious chimney.

FA: Hoskins & Pritchard, 1995

Start about five metres right of Red Parrot Jism. Up onto slab then left into short crack. Up this to top.

FA: Hoskins & Pritchard, 1995

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Simon Mentz, Glenn Tempest

Date: 2016

ISBN: 9780987526427

This selected yet in depth guide, in its third edition in 2016, is a must for first timers or regulars to the "Pines". By Simon Mentz and Glenn Tempest. It features 1200 routes over 23 different areas as well as bouldering, history info on flora and fauna, plus heaps more.

Author(s): Gordon Poultney, Simon Carter

Date: 2013

ISBN: 9780987087461

444 of the best routes on the best stone on earth? Yes Please! Who has time for all those other wondering pitches anyway when Gordon Poultney and Simon Carter have picked out the classics and printed it in a pocket size handy guide with string attachment. You'll take it on the multipitches, you'll take it to read in the toilets, you'll take it everywhere!

Author(s): Lindorff, Goding & Hodgson

Date: 2011

ISBN: 9780646529387

Get ready to fully experience the rock climbing scene in Victoria with Sublime Climbs, a comprehensive guidebook authored by Kevin Lindorff, Josef Goding, and Jarrod Hodgson. This full-color, 380-page book covers the best climbing locations in the region, including Mt Arapiles, Mt Buffalo, and the Grampians. It features descriptions of over 700 routes, topographic maps, and breathtaking images. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the sport, Sublime Climbs has everything you need to make the most of your climbing experience in Victoria and experience all of it's classic routes.

Accommodations nearby more Hide

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