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Grotto Wall

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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).

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

The line, moving L then up at half height. Rap off Llareggub's DRB anchor.

A hold's broken off this, making it more like 24 than 22

Start: Start 2m L of 'Llareggub'.

FA: David Shelton, Tim Day & Erik Lock, 1996

Originally graded 12... things were different back then!

Start: At a little painted "L" about 10m R of the L edge of 'Grotto Wall'.

FA: Dave Neilson & Rod Harris., 1967

Face L of Factoids, with a crux 3rp that is best placed on abseil. I'm going to put a bolt in. Traverse L after crux to finish up crack, rap off Llareggub chains.

FA: Douglas Hockly & Paul Deacon, 2009

Climb the wall L of The Flue; either directly (reachy to hidden fingerlock), or by stepping in L from a few metres up Hot August Night (thin and poorly protected). Chains rappel. A bolt appeared at some point but it has now gone.

FA: Robin Miller, Mike Collie & Craig Nottle., 1983

Up 'Factoids' until rooflet, then step R and up blunt arete (pro a bit iffy). There is also a loose block up high, so don't go pulling it onto your belayer. Rap off as for 'Factoids'.

Start: As for 'Factoids'.

FA: Simon Mentz, Andrew Eastaugh & Louise Shepherd., 1992

A hybrid route between Llareggub and The Flue.

  1. 23m As for The Flue – the major chimney left of the grotto. Belay at pre-existing rap station.

  2. 12m Up steepening prow, past left side of roof, to another rap station, as for the easy top of Llareggub that no-one does anymore.

  3. 10m Easily to top of pinnacle for spectacular views. Descend north side of pinnacle into Pan Grove.

FA:

The prominent gash at the L end of 'Grotto Wall'.

FA: Keith Lockwood & Garry Sudholz., 1967

The arching grey buttress between The Flue and the grotto is an enjoyable easy route.

Start: Below the grey buttress at a tricky run-out slab.

Up the slab (poor pro) to the L edge of the grotto, then continue up the line above.

FA: Rod Harris & Dave Neilson., 1967

Pretty contrived.

Start: Just R of 'Bastress'.

  1. 25m (22) Take the seam up L side of orange wall through bulge.

  2. 10m (23) Move L across 'Bastress' to the steep orange wall (actually the R wall of The Flue). The original description mentions to take crack 'n ups... so have fun.

FA: Mike Law-Smith (pitch 1), Mike Law & Steve Howden (pitch 2)., 1982

Climb past 3 bolts (and sometimes a fixed wire) to a lower-off.

Start: Bounding the L end of the grotto is an overhanging orange wall.

FA: Martin Scheel, 1989

One of the Mount's best waterfalls after an extended period of rain.

Start: Deep in the back of the grotto beside a pile of skeleton bones.

FA: Bruno Zielke & Gordon Talbett, 1969

Climb the slab past 2 bolts to the chains.

Start: The back wall of the grotto is a short slab.

FA: Steve Howden & Mike Law, 1982

Climb the slab R of TITH, clipping that route's 2nd bolt. Probably best to top-rope it from the chains after leading TITH.

Start: R of 'Toad in the Hole'.

FA: Charlie Creese & Robin Miller, 1985

Up chimney then traverse R (pin) to corner. Up this then move R (crux) to finish.

Start: At the chimney at the R end of the grotto.

FA: Rod Harris & Dave Neilson, 1967

FFA: Nic Taylor., 1976

Keeps going straight up to access Toad's chains. Would've been done a 100 times before.

FA: Michael Hillan & Paul Badenoch

Up Catch 22 intil bolt on R can be clipped. Dive R for the catch, then layback the desperate flake to the arete and finish in the chimney.

Start: As for Catch 22.

FA: Mike Law & Ian Anger, 1982

Up the orange wall past 5 inconspicuous carrots. Apparently, finishing directly past the last one is the most 'enjoyable' way to do the route.

Start: At the R edge of the grotto, 2m R of Catch 22/This.

FA: Nick White, 1992

Position yourself at the base of the coq. slide up and right passing a bolt, then when things start to ease off, jump back on the coq and take it to the top.

Head straight up. Maybe move L to rap off Hot Coq's anchor at the top?

Start: 4m R of 'Catch This'

FA: Michael Collie & Michael Totterdell, 1983

Climb Bastress into the giant scoop. Traverse R about 8m till you get to some gear and go up the wall, then L up the arete to the chains of Hot Coq (which are over the edge).

FA: Douglas Hockly & Oz, 2015

Use pocket to get past the arch and then continue up to bulge (bolt). Pull through this (crux) and then ramble on to the top of the crag.

This is a complete sandbag - much harder than 22 and the bolt is rusted and looks rubbish.

Start: About 8m L of 'Boomer'.

FA: Mark Moorhead & Lincoln Shepherd, 1983

Climb the face L of 'Boomer' to the top of the crag. Wander off L to Pan Grove or 'Celeste' rap station.

Start: Just L of 'Boomer'.

FA: Craig Nottle & Michael Collie, 1983

Start as for 'Boomer' and head into the gulch. Trash up this to the top.

Start: About 10m R of the grotto is a deep chimney/gully.

FA: Colin Lindorff & Bill van Muirs, 1970

An ancient route with complicated FA details... if you want the full story then look in Noddy's guide. Chris and Sue Baxter climbed the wide crack option on pitch 1 on 8/5/1983.

Start: Below the gaping chimney/gully starting halfway up the cliff.

  1. 24m (15) Up to the overlap (peg), where hard moves past this on the left leads to chimney/crack. Best option is to take the wide crack on the right past a bulge, or continue up chimney to ledge on right.

  2. 18m (15) Continue up the steep crack (on the L) to ledge. Belay here, then scramble up and L to get off.

Start: Original description says: "half-way up Boomer's 1st pitch, direct variant leaves gully for the wide crack on R wall." hmmm...

  1. 25m (15) This probably means: climb Boomer's first pitch.

  2. 18m (14) And then finish up 'Squeaker'.

FA: Col Abbott & Jenny McMahon, 1965

FA: Chris & Sue Baxter, 1983

A popular sport route (but you may wish to take some gear for the finish). Stepping left into Boomer for the first half is quite unavoidable.

Start below the orange wall near the highest point of the arch, and follow the line of fixed hangers.

FA: Kieran Loughran, 1992

Thin and poorly protected climbing leads to the original route. Finish up that.

Start: Just L of the original route.

FA: Chris Shepherd & Steve Moore, 1980

Starts just left of squeaker on thin gear. Tricky left moves into line at about 8m. Go up to John and Betty's rap station.

Start: R of 'John and Betty', and just L of 'Squeaker'.

FA: Steve Moore & Chris Shepherd, 1980

Another early climb. This one is supposedly better than it looks.

Start: About 7m R of 'Boomer'.

  1. 23m (14) Up groove, then bridge scrubby chimney. Belay as for 'Boomer'.

  2. 18m (14) Finish up the RH crack past a few dodgy blocks at the beginning. Descend as for 'Boomer'.

FA: Possibly John Moore & Chris Dewhirst, 1965

Up black face to little overhang (crux, small cams) at 3/4 height.

Start: A few metres R of Square

FA: Dennis Kemp & Dave Mudie, 1987

Up wall, passing roof on the L to big ledge at 30m. Walk off here, or take optional finish up V-chimney.

Start: 5m R of 'Squeaker', below prominent ceiling/nose up higher.

FA: Digby & Alison Gotts, 1971

Can be used to access 'Golden Oldies' Wall, if you're into that sort of thing.

Start: 5m R of 'Tich' at foot of slab.

FA: Chris Baxter, Dave Gairns & Jack Lewis, 1986

The LH diagonal.

FA: Craig Nottle & Michael Collie, 1983

The RH diagonal. After the corner, move R through bulge and up to overhang above.

FA: Craig Nottle & Michael Collie, 1983

Up groove to bulge. Take the line L of the overhanging nose on massive jugs.

Start: 3m R of LOTRH is a groove.

FA: Craig Nottle & Michael Collie, 1983

Climb the wall 2m R of SFG, trending slightly R. Take the line R of bulge.

FA: Craig Nottle & Michael Collie, 1983

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If you know where this cliff is then please take a minute to locate it for the climbing community. contact us if you have any issues.

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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