Routes in Blue Mountains for selected grade

sit start under a small bulge on good hand holds to the top

sit start. 1st move is the hardest then the lumps get bigger.

start on the right on a dirt wall 1st bolt is just before the crack then up the crack to the top. Ring bolts at the top. May be a bit small for a large biners.

start at the right side of the arete 3 bolts to the DUBB

Thin start to pocket tending right diagonally to shared anchors

Up right side of cave to anchors

Same start as D, tending right over small roof to anchors. Lots off drag on lower of so either rap off or simply top out.

Up tending left following the streak to bulge at top. 4 U bolts to Ring / U anchor

4m right of CR.

Line of ring bolts up orange streak finishing at double rings above bulge.

1m rt of AGS, balance and smear up tricky slab and then layback to glory.

2m rt of S, over small overlap over the sloppy nose to anchors.

Up 2 RB to shared lower offs with 'Forever Malcom Young'

Start: 1 meter left of 'Forever Malcom Young'

Steepish terrain on good holds to the right of small cave. Crux move after second bolt, keeping off large boulder on the right. 2 bolts + DBB.

Around the corner up right side of cave,Up right side of the big cave, traversing left above lip of cave. 6 bolts + DBB.

Sections of thin, technical slabbing. Climb direct up the line of the bolts (don't stray towards the crack, or too far right) with a few tough moves.

An adventurous line offering panoramic views of Glenbrook Gorge and the Nepean. Mostly bomber but belayers beware loose rock. Bring ten draws including a few alpines.

1. 25m (16) Slab to hidden rail under roof, left onto ledge, behind boulder, up enormous flake to belay ledge.

2. 20m (18) Peculiar moves from boulder to face. Identify reliable holds and pull up and right through crux. Through gap then stem up final corner to ledge. Can belay here, but remain roped up for slippery scramble to rap chains a few metres above.

To exit walk down faint path on right starting about 10m away from cliff edge. Alternatively, a 70m dynamic rope reaches the ground from the rap chains with stretch - use a rope protector at the lip (same deal if top roping).

Several broken holds at the starting boulder problem have upped the direct start grade significantly, so it is now linked into the start of 'Psych out'. Downgraded to meet the new route. Will update when new beta for the direct start is sorted out.

Originally thought to be Stone Mason, but turns out it's not. Please claim if you bolted this route. 2 stainless carrots to ledge. Two further carrots to DBB. Really fun climb on surprisingly good rock. Could use a name, grade and info from FA.

Twin water-streaked black wall with large turpentine tree at middle of base ledge, start 2m left of tree, directly below triangular orange patch. Good route up impressive black wall. Long leadouts with minimum protection makes it a serious lead. Up wall to groove, left to line of holds, to detached block then to break, right to water streak (crux). Cams needed.

Up short overhanging groove to PR, join MB.

As for MB to horizontal break. No protection, exposed. Good climbing. Left and up thin wall/slab.

Just right of Jack Murphy's Climb, just left of orange streak. Steep and exposed. Protection down low is inadequate. A serious and dangerous lead. Up rotten corner, right to ramp, use BR as hand hold, leave ramp to good black rock and 3 BRs to small chain belay at ledge. Abseil off tree.

Corner 5m right of TV, immediately below a pair of Angophoras. A fair climb following the longest natural line on the cliff.

1. 10m Up roof.

2. 20m Up to roof, along roof to alcove, into layback corner, up right to ledge.

3. 20m Follow easiest line heading to base of black chimney. Belay.

4. 40m Into chimney/crack, good exposed climbing to top.

5. 10m Broken rock to top.

Up short overhanging groove to PR, join MB.

Left corner in squarish gully that has a Bloodwood at top of middle or rear wall of gully. Scramble/climb to top of fused pedestal. An excellent climb up steep crack and corner. Poor protection at start. Right to thin crack/bulge, up to join twin thin cracks, up corner to tree belay.

Several metres to right of PP. Nice down low. Up slab to BR, thin flake to join SC at 'V' roof.

Thin cracks and steps around right of SC. Harder than it looks. Limited protection. Up the steps, limited protection.

Start from the ledge which starts about 20 metres right of start for AC. The ledge is about 18m above stream level. In orange alcove about 15 metres right of CC. Rotten cave just left of start. Great climbing up an interesting line. Up alcove/crack, left around small roof (small wires needed) up good crack. Up nose/crack then left to black corner. Tree belay.

Start from the ledge which starts about 20 metres right of start for AC. The ledge is about 18m above stream level. A fine line flawed by sections of poor rock. 1. 25m As for Ripsnorta then right across ledge to tree. 2. 35m Up nice orange arete, through rubble then through roof.

Start from the ledge which starts about 20 metres right of start for AC. The ledge is about 18m above stream level. "Like a drunken Viking, it could either do you in or fall down of its own accord." 1. 25m As for Ripsnorta. 2. 10m Right to flake and up to ledge. 3. 25m Up corner to unusual suspended block. Around this with care then right through roof and up to tree belay.

Start from the ledge which starts about 20 metres right of start for AC. The ledge is about 18m above stream level. 5m right of Ripsnorta, immediately below Ripsnorta's upper corner. A strong line on left margin of buttress. 1. 12m Up to ledge, right to base of yellow corner. 2. 24m Up corner past block, swing left to belay as for Ripsnorta.

Start from the ledge which starts about 20 metres right of start for AC. The ledge is about 18m above stream level. Loose roof just right of normal start of Gormenghast, rotten wall below. Not recommended! Up crack with extreme care.

Start from the ledge which starts about 20 metres right of start for AC. The ledge is about 18m above stream level. Details vague but apparently goes through noxious roof 10m left of RR, then line obvious. Strong, independent line right of Eric Bloodaxe, with committing (unprotected) moves down low.

Start from the ledge which starts about 20 metres right of start for AC. The ledge is about 18m above stream level. Thin corner with black and red roof, about 35 metres right of R. A fine line, could use more protection. 1 and 2. 35m Up to top of corner, diagonally right across black wall then trend left on poor rock past PR, some rope drag. Belay on loose ledge.

1. 10m Up steep cracks to top, obvious exit crack seen from ground.

Poor Protect. Start: Sharp corner directly below second pitch of Annelid Crack behind three thin trees

Fun, but not much protection. Start: rotten looking groove on nose. Cave at 1/2 height.

As for VM, start in cave. "It's bound to bite you!" Scramble up from rock platform near LR. Out along roof, lip, crack to tree.

The first problem on the LHS of the Sprat Boulder - over shallow water, take care

North end of the mini cliff, slight over hang down low and with the crux establishing feet above that.

Small line up obvious features on the left side of the downside of Crèche boulder.

How do I delete this route???

Super top moves that require a bit of thinking and crimping.

Far left on the wall starting on the face then moving left then up. 2 carrot bolts. 1st is a bit high.

Up crack right side of bulge slab. Layback start. Reachy balanced top moves. Lots of fun with some cool holds and footwork.

Cool climbing hard moves pinching and crimping

Up crack left of 'random climb'. Easy start with a forest of holds to the 2 horns. Thins out slightly with some balancy moves, keep pumping through. 2 carrot bolts. Can be done as a sport, mixed trad or top rope route.

Starting in the little cut out in wall climb using tiny cave. Some good pumpy moves to the top. Stick the gaston up the shallow vertical crack or bail right for a lower grade.

Left side of small upper ledge, up past small flake over bulge to short slab and anchors.

Up middle of short steep wall to ledge and anchors

An old all trad route up the obvious easy corner, then right onto face and up to ledge and BB. There a couple of manky pitons en route and a couple of crap bolts on the ledge 2/3rds of the way up the wall to belay off. Grade is a rough guesstimate. Macca has done a solo TR direct version (~22) of this up a faint seam crack a few metres to the right, and continuing to the top of the cliff (shown in topo).

Popular, mostly due to the bolts, easy grade and the weather protection. The middle of the three mini-routes. Wall to fun flake feature, then up tricky wall to finish. Some loose rock at the top.

Make a trad belay in shallow slot under the route. Up to FH below juggy ledges. Clip and crank up and right on jugs to shallow overlay corner. Straight up to ledge and traverse right to rap rings. Rope drag is a problem.

Start: Starts 3m left of 'Jude Food'.

Major corner 10m left of Merl.

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

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

Start: At undercut arete 200m W of Devils Hole.

1. 8? bolt runners to chain. 1.5-2.5 cams

Corner, traverse left to S then up to piton. 2). Up to hollow flake, up right corner, up and right (aid), wall to belay. Off right.

Start: 1.5m right of BTP on left side of square gully.

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.

Up to bolt, trend right to piton, up, up and left to double bolts, left along lip then weakness up to roof, over, up and right to bush. 2). Right to corner and up.

Start: 10m right of L at groove.

Up then right around arete and up onto loose block, right of arete. 2). Void then arete and groove, onto ledge to girder.

Start: 3m right of TBR.

Start: 7m right of EJ.

1). tree onto wall and up, slight right to piton, through overhang, left to belay. 2). Rising traverse to ledge below overhangs. 3). Left to cave, left through overhang, wall to ledge. Up.

Up wall and arete, veer left up wall to arete then left side of arete to KK anchor 1. Rap.

Start: 40m right of SG.

Awesome first pitch, best to continue up the direct finish Start: 18m right of HDYGG.

3 excellent and varied pitches on generally great rock. This is amongst the best longer routes at the grade in the Blueys.

1. 35m (18) Short slab to arete, stylishly up this (2 BRs + natural gear) to comfortable ledge (RBs). A few big cams and a purple camalot are good for the crux bulge.

2. 10m (18) Up to traverse line (old BR), airy dangle right (RB) to small belay ledge (BBs). Rope cut potential for the second if they fall off after unclipping the RB (see warning).

3. 35m (13) Climb dinnerplates up and left to arete then up lovely exposed grey slab to top (gear, BRs, RB belay).

Walk off right (faint trail), or abseil down corner on right (facing out) with double 60m ropes. Don't attempt to abseil to the first belay ledge as you'll end up hanging in space.

Rebolted in 2001 with stainless steel glue-ins.

The classic way to do the arete (Mikl says: better than the original, but this is disputed by others).

1. 30m As for OBSotG pitch 1.

2. 30m Instead of hand-traversing right on OBSofG pitch 2, continue straight up the hanging corner passing FHs. Once out of sight of the belay, airy traverse R out to join OBSofG P3 (easy but quite runout, take care). Take a few small cams, slings and brackets. All the other bolts have big fixed hangers. If you really want to do the hand traverse, traverse out and back again (!), then do the direct.

Up crack line to ledge. (Pitch 2 is a traversing aid bolt ladder which is best ignored)

Start: 19m right of CKS. Piton scarred crack.

As for EP 1& 2. 3).Choss corner, ledge. 4).Crack to ledge. 5).Right through scrub to belay. 6).Up to thread. Off right.

Start: From RP anchor 2.

2 pitches.

The first route you come to after crossing the creek and traverseing the first ledge. Just left of an arete on grey rock. [the topo above shows 3 routes on this wall that all fit this route description - if you know better info please update this!]

Start: marked A under big left-leaning corner 15m L of JH arete.

1. Up big arching orange/red corner capped by a roof.

2. Second pitch probably goes left up a high flake system through a towering red wall with potential - or actual - direct start up crack below.

Further details forthcoming from Keith Bell

Good climbing up a featured face. Average quality protection towards top. Small/Med cams and wires.

Start: Off small boulder on the L side of Dog Wall overhang bulge, 5m L of OH.

1. Short wall to small ledge gaining good protection. Trend L through juggy wall. Small cams and wires. Arc R gaining average protection at top to large ledge. DRBB.

Great climbing on a featured orange/grey wall. Up MMC stepping left onto wall at FH. Up, passing cam (BD. C4. 2) and 2 FH to DFLO.

Start: As for MMC. Obvious orange wall.

This landmark right facing bolted flake crack is the best warm-up at the crag. Originally climbed on natural gear in 1980 and accidentally retrobolted in 2003 (where is was named Chimera).

Mixed route - bring cams.

Line of ring bolts up hanging slab. Apparently the crack 1m to the right is off route.

Start: 2m right (facing in) of 'Kaboomba Brothers'.

Fun climb with nice moves, I've seen 2 ppl get flipped when falling just below the lower-offs - don't let the rope go behind your legs!

Both pitches can be combined - bring a lot of bolt plates!

1. 20m (18) Fun juggy face, through a bulge then traverse left to small ledge and semi-hanging belay.

2. 35m (15) Long exposed face. This pitch is all on carrots (10 bolt plates are needed + 2 extra if using top belay carrots). Double ring bolt belay or top out and use carrots set back from the edge. Walk off unless you have double ropes.

Start: Major crack line just left of corner.

An old Thrutch (after 1972) mentions "a superb face crack" and has a photo of Greg Child on the second ascent, however Keith couldn't remember it when asked. This route may have been confused with another at Flying Fox.

Crack is vegetated with ferns, and gets thinner higher up, and has one old carrot at a little roof about half way up.

Arnold Lane, had a strange .. hobby, collecting clothes, moon-shine washing-line .."

Start: 10m left of SC [Stonkered] in an overhung flared chimney. Obvious break in overhung wall.

1. (25m) (crux) Pull up into chimney - hard move to get established - then with increasing difficulty out of chimney. Pull onto ledge. Up small corner, then trend left up slab to base of scrubby chimney.

2. (25m) Up chimney, dive into chlorophyll and easily up corner and crack etc. to top.

Ignore reto-bolted FH with project tag and stainless carrot above.

Vertical face climbing with a bit of a layback section.

Start: Starts where ledge steps down, 7m left (facing in) of rap-in.

1. Cruisy pitch at the grade. Up left side of overlap then left trending layback flake to face moves and mantle on large horizontal break. 7RB to 2RB belay/lower-off.

2. Pretty ordinary but interesting moves. Worth doing if you are topping out anyway. 5RB. 'Grunt' off belay then up past awkward move on left side of overhang. Up boulder with fantastic ironstone plates to 2RB belay.

Start as for Up in Flames for two carrot bolts then right line of ringbolts. Caution - the rock quality deteriorates at the top two bolts. First ascent info unknown.

Left most line

Hard for the grade. Starts in obvious orange corner and follows rings around roof at mid height.

Start: Marked C at orange left-leaning corner. Originally 17 with "peg used for handhold", subsequently freed on the fine first pitch.

1. 27m (17). Small left facing corner to bulge, left across to and on to ramp. Up roof to hand traverse left to arete and piton belay.

2. 26m. Diagonally right toward gap in wall, up over bulge, slight right and up easily to bush.

A variant start to As You Like It, start 2m right of it.

1. Finger crack and reach to cave.

Start: Marked SB.

This may have been mistakenly-labelled as Spellbound at Valley Farm.

Twin hand cracks and flared offwidth squeeze leads to open-bottom bomb-bay chimney. Up this then escape left up jugs to tree belay.

The dirty but decent looking crack. It will get better as it cleans up. Take small cams and a vision of what could be.

Face crack right of vegetated corner

Left arete of big wall. All ringbolts.

1. 20m (18)- Hard for grade for first two bolts, consider a big stick to stick clip 2nd ring. Then long pointless runout to 3rd ring. Belay from chains in cave and move belay 10m R to rings at waist level.

2. 15m (12) heave ho up and then L to arete and rings in cosy cave.

3. 25m (18) up arete to rings at top.

Can just rap to first chain belay ledge from top anchor with single 60m rope, and then on to ground.