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Bluff Major North Face

Seasonality

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Description

Emergency Location: Mount Arapiles, Bluffs 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).

Approach

From the top of Ali's go L around John's Pinnacle then up the ramp beneath the West face.

Descent notes

Many routes have their own lower-offs, otherwise use the rap station above Missing Link (25m).

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 up Very Anxious then before joining Anxiety Neurosis move L under the roof and blast through the roof and up the overhanging wall above staying between Kama Sutra and AN. Finish at AN p1 loweroffs or continue up any pitch above to the summit. FA early noughties IIRC ... clarification welcome.

FA: Dave Jones

Sounds like it might be serious, or maybe it's just that Louise was having a go at Kim's psyche. Who knows. Start down L of AN and go straight up to join AN at it's crux. Finish at AN pitch 1 lower-offs.

FA: Kim Carrigan, 1984

Start at the first belay of AN. Up the face just L of the arete (the arete being p2 of AN). Then join a sickle with a fixed wire. Sparse pro. Finish at lower-offs above AN pitch 2.

FA: Mark Moorhead & Kim Carrigan, 1981

Start under the R side of the low overhang on the N arete of Bluff Major.

  1. 15m (26) Head out left past 2 high FH's and an unnecessary, rusty carrot that's pulling out, then step down and left to arete before heading back upwards again to ledge with lower-offs.

  2. 12m (24) Great pitch up the arete past a few bolts, go L at the top for the grade 24 version, or direct for the grade 26 version (listed separately here but now the accepted finish), to lower-offs on top.

Warning Fixed Gear: Last hanger nut loose

From the anchor of Anxiety P1, head straight up the arete on its right side, but instead of deviating out left in the last two-thirds (original finish), keep trucking up the arete all the way, to lower-offs.

FA: Jill McLeod

As for AN but follow the original aid line up leftwards from the 2nd FH - don't drop down to get to the arete. Bouldery. Start as for AN.

Bolted by Kimbo decades ago, this long-standing problem succumbed to the short strong bloke with dreads. Start as for Anxiety Neurosis and boulder direct through the bulge to the start of Bounds and finish up it or Anticipation.

FA: Davey Jones, 1998

Start 2-3m L of Missing Link.

  1. 25m (22) Up over low roof then short flake for 6m, then traverse left above the roofs past a FH to belay as for Anxiety Neurosis. A 4 camalot is handy at the start.

  2. 20m (22) Step L and climb a thin seam which is just R of pitch 2 of Kama Sutra, and just L of Holy Moses.

FA: Mark Moorhead & Kim Carrigan, 1981

Follow Anticipation towards AN, as far as a ledge with a FH. Now go straight up disconnected seams to a bolt then step L to bulging crack, finishing at lower-offs above ND. Needs plenty of #3 RPs.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Geoff Weigand, 1984

Up ND but instead of trending R go up then L, very bold, to lower-offs.

Eddy Mofardin has also climbed a variant, perhaps a bit further left of Roland's line, but this could do with clarification. Eddy

FA: Roland Foster & Philby, 1984

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.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Mark Moorhead, 1981

An extremely rare case of Kevin aborting a ground up trad route in order to resort to a bolt placed on rap. But then again he was probably about 12 at the time so we'll excuse him this time. Start as for ML. Pro requires care before the bolt.

FA: Kevin Lindorff, Jim Grellis & John Chapman, 1975

The low traverse makes it essential to use double ropes if you wish to avoid groundfall potential. After that the gear becomes more heartening, and the climbing is great. Start in the middle of the West face of Bluff Major, where the ground is at it's highest point. Finish direct to chains on R side of summit boulder, or slightly easier to L side of boulder. Please don't toprope direct off the chains as they see a lot of traffic.

Ann Pauligk's bold early-mid 1970s ascent may have been the first Aussie female ascent at this grade.

FA: Reg Williams, Peter Jackson & Chris Dewhirst (1 aid piton), 1965

NA: Ann Pauligk, 1975

Start as for ML. After the initial traverse, go straight up the whole way, finishing 5m R of the capping boulder.

FA: Ross Cayley & Richard Chin, 1986

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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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