Routes in North West for selected grade

Very appealing rock.

Start: Under the nice bulgy orange buttress closest to the road and start up the left leaning crack only to break right almost immediately.

The original start climbed a tree, which has since fallen down. Following this you needed to batman to a the bolt and start at the flake. An independent right hand start which goes free from the ground was later bolted and climbed.

Start at the next flake R of 'Letting Go'. Climb the edges up the face to the R, then layback with difficulty up weakness past another bolt. Originally given 24 with a rumour it was hard for the grade.

L on shallow flakes then up past 2 FHs. If you go straight up before the traverse it's only 20.

Start: Start R of MRS.

Start beneath high ring bolt and follow right-trending overlaps to a diabolical crux level with the bolt. Turn your mind insane and follow the seam to its end, whereby a worrying reach out to crimps and a sidepull leads you to easier climbing above. Take small thin (0.5cm) slings to wrap around nubbins en-route and a large one for the jug further up. Make sure you don't fall off past the bolt!

Start: Start 2m R of R.

VS to SM starting from the right past 2 FH's.

I Dunno to level with the traverse back right into Daily Planet, arrange a nest of good gear then continue straight up via a reachy and exciting sequence (RP possible mid crux).

Start L of the blunt arete. Trend R to arete past 3 RBs. Crux to break then tend leftwards past good trad to loweroff.

The face with 2 bolts, involving two distinct boulder problems. Reachy start off two sidepulls then into slopers to a brief respite, then a cute micro crimp problem to the ledge. Easily up from there. Harder than some 26s. Start R of D&C.

The reachy face with a bolt. Start just R of Lois Lane.

Beautiful slab into super steep roofing - great moves. Almost a sport route (take some small cams and there is a fixed wire) Start as for the The Last Disco Dancer and follow this to the roof (cam in slot here) head diagonally R through the roof past 2 UBS, crossing Pain Street (fixed wire and small cam) and continue R out the prow past 2 more UBs and some powerful moves to a lower off!

Climb It'll Never Fly almost to arete, then cut back diagonally right and up to another bolt (exciting) then up to anchor.

Start: As for It'll Never Fly.

Used to be desperate and dangerous with only a manky fixed sling for protection, and first you had to get to it. Recently retroed by the FA so it’s now popular. As for Muldoon for 10m, then climb R arete of cave past 3 RB to lower-off.

Start just right of the U bolts - use the stick clip! Thin face climbing and a dyno, nice! Originally given 26 with fewer bolts and no stick-clip.

Direct finish to Gay Olympics through the roof past another FH on the lip, to loweroffs.

An excellent birthday present from Glenn to Kevin; the best route on Collision Course wall. Climbs the wall between Collision Course and Female Friends. Take off a star if the bees return. Three bolts and some trad gear.

Either climb the pillar immediately right of Collision Course, or climb the start of Collision Course itself (better) to the horizontal ledge at about 10m.

From the right edge of the ‘holes’ recessed there, reach up to clip the first ring bolt. Straight up past this and the second ring bolt above. Continue up until able to reach right to clip the third bolt (on Female Friends). Up to the anchors (double rings) above Collision Course.

Cops an absolute bagging in Louise's guide. Start just right of Stirling Moss. It's the bolted line, not clear how many bolts it actually has.

Short, soft and bolted - needless to say this one is popular. Start on the uphill side of the Iron Void pinnacle.

1. 20m (25) Take the RH crack through bulge, then move L after roof and up flake.

2. 20m (-) Simple crack in the middle of the face.

Start 5m R of WT. The incipient flake - take plenty of #1 RPs.

Start as for QDS.

Up QDS then take small flake up L, almost reaching 'Squeakeasy'. Up then traverse R into hanging crack on bulge and up this line.

Runout.

Start as for QDS.

Climb QDS to where it joins Quisling. Step left and climb the seam to the right of Squealing aiming for the hanging nose. Gain this on its left then step right and finish straight up to mega jugs. Finish up Squealing or Squeakeasy.

This squeezed-in face was toproped then soloed by Mudie, then retrobolted by others. The bolts were then removed so it is effectively a solo. Watch out for the loose looking blocks at the top. Start 1.5m L of TSSO.

Start as for Life in the Fast Lane.

Instead of traversing off left at the large pockets (as for the original route), move right a couple of moves and head up the orange face via an interesting sequence to the small roof. Bombproof gear in the pockets then a slight runout to the roof (and more gear) make this a tad exciting but generally quite safe.

Quite good, but the bolt is crap. Don't lead it.

The leftwards diagonal. Not well protected at the start, but a great little route.

It can also be done starting up Deep Throat.

Tiny steep crack. 'Best viewed as a B2 problem - the crux being a long dynamic off mean slopes to a small hold above a roof' - Carrigan. Start just L of the arete.

Reachy start past 2 RBs over bulge, then trend R. Tackle the roof 2m L of C at a weakness. Start just L of C.

Start on ground level 10m down R of I. Short crack past RB to ledge on I, and up I drifting R to jug on bulge. Now slightly L to join flake. L at break and then up past final RB as for GoB to rap chains.

Start 1.5m R of BA. Bulging white crack and steeply onwards until the angle eases, then traverse L to ledge on Intransience. Head L and up very faint groove over bulge into WoH. Now go diagonally L to (original:) finish up Cecilia or (better:) stay a few metres R of Cecilia past final RB, to rap chains.

R to L boulder traverse

R to L traverse starting on the obvious jug pocket and mono. Finish as for start of Exodus, the high jug.

Climb the faint groove past bolt (FH) to gritty, grey roof. Traverse right across this on slopers to jugs, then up final headwall. Fiddly pro.

Starts right of I'm A Mess. Up faint groove to sharp pockets (FH), then stretch right into base of flared crack weakness and follow this to chains at top. Powerful.

Starts 2m right of Tres Hard and climbs seam/crack weakness to hanging slab. Join the dots up the slab, then up easier grey tower to finish. A high side runner in Tres Hard was the only gear in the first 3/4 of the route on the first ascent. Retrobolted with Roland's permission, 3 bolts plus trad gear.

Right of On High are two large pockets on the lip of a roof. Up to pockets, then over bulge and up leftwards through more pockets to layback flake. Continue directly.

Just right of Non Stop at slight corner. Layback up vague corner then left across good holds to an obvious pocket. Reachy crux via a dubious hold, then left to the hollow jug and finish up crack weakness.

Located on small wall above Non Stop, a few metres left of the descent scramble. Climbs crimpy wall past two bolts and trad placements veering left near the top past a poor pocket.

Lean back and lock your fingers into an amazing roof crack. Swing around and up from there.

Sit start, climb up left side of the scoop and finish up as for "big dyno".

From Reaper's 1st belay, head up Reaper 2nd pitch for 5m to where it curves left, then traverse 2m right to below FH. Pull over bulge and up crack to break. Traverse 5m left along break, up L to blocky flake, up to a FH, then back R to a short crack and chains (33m). Best done in 1 pitch from the ground.

Taste Sensation to the big horizontal, then near the left end of this don't go up L to the blocky flake of Taste Sensation, instead launch straight up into Grimstone's finish. Best done in 1 pitch from the ground.

Back at ground level, 15m R of Reaper and 2m L of the weakness of Wild Oats. Head up delightful techie seams onto slab, make sure of your pro, then slight runout leftwards to 2 prominent bolts. White marbled slab then up the burly hanging corner. From here the original stepped left to the first belay of Reaper but you can also continue at same grade up past another FH to join Taste Sensation.

Climbs wild rose direct to the start of the roof seam. 0.75 cam protects the roof dyno. Bring a good spotter for the start!

Carrigans variant. Basically a totally different route to the original. From the good crimps just after the 2nd carrot bolt cut back left diagonally up the wall to wire placements and the last bit of Not Like a Hurricane.

Moorhead had placed the first bolt but not been able to get through the next sequence. He talked Yosemite Stonemaster Mike Graham into rapping the line (which he did blindfolded!) - then he went for it on lead. The last half of the route was established onsight in an amazing effort. Micro crimping past two carrot bolts leads to the mental aspect of the route - which quite arguably is the crux. Big fall potential off virtually half height gear if you lose it at the top grade 23 slab move. Employ a good belayer.

(Potentially) unrepeated after 33+ years and with good reason.

Rusty PR, then dodgy and loose but critical undercling block (do NOT put gear behind this), a rusty BR that's too high to clip, then R into 'Windsong' and up to small roof. Then L a bit and over bulge past another BR as for Windsong's new and improved finish.

Start: Start 6m R of RLtW beneath rusty peg.

Arguably 'Arapiles' boldest route. Technically easier than RLTW but as stated within Gordy's 330 of the Best Guide "a 20 metre fall is a distinct possibility". Given that this fall will have you penduluming into the base of 'Los Endos', it's also a lot more serious than the latter. A technical face climb with the main crux well protected, but which stores a nightmare sequence of intricate footwork and a last minute slab rockover just where you don't need it (the last 3 metres). Use extreme caution.

Start: Start as for 'Windsong'.

Line of FHs 2 metres left of Dreadnought p1, finishing by veering right to join that pitch.

Start on the L of DV then cross it and finish on its right.

Start 10m R of Dreadnought below bottomless crack.

1. 15m (25) Extremely bouldery face leads to crack finish. Beware of the name!

2. 30m (23) Sensational. Thin corner, L on slab, up thin crack, then diagonally L. Rap off the top of Dreadnought p2.

Start 2m R of NE. Unattractive crimps past 2 bolts to jug, then face

The roof jam crack.

Start under the small lump of rock with a flat top, up and R from the start of Sandpiper.

Fridge hugging. Start 2m R of FC.

Short groove with piton to join NS. Where NS goes L, step R and up seam. Start 2m R of NS.

Just right of Stillborn, head up past pockets to intermittent crack. Written up as finishing L into the scrappy finish of Stillborn, or step R to finish up Morfyne (much better).

Note: The added bolts have been removed as there is good gear now with modern gear, (especially near the pin which should not be trusted by it's self), but can you hang on to place it. The high bolt on Morfyne should also be backed up.

Start as for Ali's. Attack the awesomely steep arete just R of Ali's, starting with a roof crack, R to a bulge, the crack just L of the arete, R along a break and up the arete.

Climb easy corner to ledge, then step right and ascend right-trending crack line/weakness via a series of sidepulls and gastons. Powerfully sustained at the grade and bombproof gear. Finish easily up right arete of the XI face (left of Fang). Alternative opinion: the gear is not bombproof! Small, fiddly gear through crux with decking potential if you can't place it. Good gear exists at the start and in the top diagonal.

A block came off the start of the hard section, not sure if this has changed the route.

Start: Start 1.5m L of F at the corner in the small alcove.

Start left of the cave (as for Dramp). Up the face.

A more compact little orange overhang you will not find. The steep section offers great moves on surprisingly good holds and is soft at the grade ... if you don't plug gear in the key holds.

Start: Start 5m R of 'Dramp'.

Can be bouldered, lead or top roped (there's a bolt on top).

The Continuation of the traverse (1) on the wall facing the creek

Sit start, then move up through side pull and fun sequence of edges and jugs to top out on high but good holds.

A linkup that traverses the cave, twice.

Start as for "Four", traverse leftwards and then finish up traversing right as per "One".

Arete 2m R of Nostalgia. Straight up to the overhang's highest point. From ledge finish up juggy wall. No pro.

Start down R of Shoadee. Small roof to stance then L and up a grey streak just R of Shoadee.

Thin corner with a bolt 1.5m R of SF.

Start as for I then the unprotected face L of Imagination's finishing crack.

Up SC for 3m then head R to bridging stance, and R again to the crack which is just L of the arete. Traverse L to the anchor above SC.

Start as for A. Up to the top of the flake then step down and go L, and up a seam with tough moves into a R-leaning sickle. This line actually joins Preservative Added about here, but next you need to trend L up the steep headwall to lower-offs.

Start 2m L of Thunder Crack. Up to strenno corner (2 FHs), then R onto ledge shared with TC. Up past FH, traverse L to crack and up it, then L and up face past FH.

Some of the bolts on the last pitch are starting to show their age.

1. 30m (23) Up Recent Theft to its bolt then step R and up runout face. Belay at stance just L of the start of Bulger P2.

2. 30m (25) Up past 3 fixed hangers to technical corner then a good rest on the R. Step back left to 4th fixed hanger, and go straight up, before going left onto the airy arete. The bit past the last bolt is the path taken by Lust in the Dust.

wonderful little companion route to Barnstormer. Breaches the roofline 1 ½ metres left of Barnstormer, past a bolt, some trad gear then a second bolt, before tending rightward for the last two body-lengths to Barnstormer’s anchors.

A classic Arapiles baby bum face route. Originally given 24 but since upgraded (rightly so) in line with Vanja's upgrade. Quite sustained and powerful.

Positional Climb the wall and steep arete to the left of Boy Racer.

Sustained right-hand line starting out of 'Boy Racer'. Half of this pitch was originally aided as 'Syrinx' 'Direct Finish' by Peter McKeand and Gordon Talbett on 26-12-1968 and Chris Baxter had freed the top half of the route from above the crux on 3-12-1977.

The finger-shredding sickle starting two metres right of 'Greasy Burritos', veering left into that climb.

Climb Str'ight Wall to the jugs, reverse Waterboys and finish via the hardish left arete variant of Left Wall for the extra half grade.

Sit start and up via slopers on blunt arete above blocks between the two Gonzos.

Jump to the poor hold and head right and up.

Sensational jug hauling traverse

Start: Start as for 'Trapeze' & 'Swinging'

The first grade 25 in the country.

As for 'The Butterfly', but continue traversing across 'The Undertaker' and finish up 'Swinging'.

Follow 'Elusive Butterfly' to 2nd piton, then traverse L, almost into 'The Undertaker', then climb up R into groove.

Tries to free an ugly bolt ladder, but bails when the going gets too hard.

1m left of Dynamic.

Start up the thin seam as for 'Stepping Out', to the halfway ledge. Then, where 'Stepping Out' traverses R, continue straight up (just right of the arete). If it feels like the route is solid for the grade, just wait until you get to the final moves...

Start up thin diagonal line to a ledge. Traverse right past a BR, then move up the wall (cruxy, but about 4 grades easier than the Direct Finish). Move R and then over the bulge to the top.

Not that nice.

Start: The crackline left of 'Living With a Hernia'.

Thin with some long moves on fantastic rock. 5 FHs to the right of Blackguard. Lower off.

As for original to break, then climb through roof past bolt.

Start: As for BO.

R of SWCF is a R-leaning crack beginning from a hand traverse. Runners were placed with a stick.

Climb straight up the slab. Finish up on jugs. No Pro.

Start: Start immediately R of 'Happy Balance'.