Routes in Australia for selected grade

Generally moderate slab climbing with good but spaced gear leading to trickier terrain up the final streak providing an alternative first pitch for Gollum. Double ropes and a big rack help to arrange protection.

Climb midway between The Confession and Auto de Fe, mostly 1.5 – 2m left of Auto de Fe. At about 2/3 height cross the small diagonal overlap and follow the brown streak with 2 parallel white stripes (clearly seen in the topo on p278 of Metz/Tempest guide) to the ledge.

This climb description was derived from a Chockstone post by Stuart.

A fantastic climb with three fantastic pitches of very different styles. Start at a hard move to large dish, avoidable.

1. 40m (21) Up slabs vaguely left, to eventually drift right through a fingery, thin section to a belay ledge and rap station.

2. 20m (21) Head up from the left side of the belay ledge, through a serious section requiring RP's then through bulge and drift left to meet Skink, belay possible and best to avoid rope drag.

3. 30m (21) From the belay in Skink traverse out left, heel hook onto the slab then head straight up. Small opposing wires can be used in the horizontals if no micro cams are available.

The superb second pitch has only one drawback, the possibility of being knocked off by an abseil rope from above. This was an extremely bold, mossy lead before the abseil route went in. Nowadays most leaders keep waiting for the scary runout bit and discover that the gear is fine. Start midway between Auto Da Fe and Gecko below the abseil line.

1. 45m (17) Unprotected to bulge at 6 metres. Continue up to the abseil chains, keeping religiously between the other climbs.

2. 45m (20) From just left of chains go boldly up clean streak. At horizontal, step right to tricky moves leading to easier ground. Up to overlap, step left, up overhang and to top abseil bolts.

Faint groove on left side of white streak left of Amok. Hard start and hard bulge at half-height. Absolutely covered in moss these days.

Right leading diagonal crack, left of Ice is Nice. Step off block at diagonal crack and follow to under cling where you can step right to vertical crack, head up this and over small roof, to ledge. Some suspect looking rock, but nothing cam off after it was hauled on and kicked. You can rap off Ice is Nice

'Only in drinks' - Lou's guide

Up overhanging corner 2 metres right of 'AB Ciege' to ledge, then move left and up vague orange corner.

A novelty with a good bouldering move. Start on ledge below cavernous roof at left end of Kitten Wall.

Surprisingly hard, and a little runout after the flake ends. Start at right-leading flake towards left end of Kitten Wall, not far right of Feeling The Ceiling. Go R to chains above Indoctrination.

Up Puss n Boots and - instead of stepping left to finish easily up Claw - go right then up.

This variant is more sustained than the original, but it does go very close to Siamese Crack (and it also goes past a suspect flake towards the top - but there are good holds on the face to avoid pulling on it).

Start as for Tactical Cats then against all good taste, across the weetbix and up to hollow flake where the one move of the route lies above a bolt. Finish up right on steep but straightforward climbing to anchor.

An enjoyable, intricate route. Start 8m R of Practical Cats, just right of overhang at ground level.

Start 5m R of Tactical Cats. Climb wall, crossing diagonal crack of Alley Cat, to ledge. Up to bulge and technical seam and carry on straight to top.

A pretty exciting wall climb which requires a good head to deal with the small wire protection and unconventional moves prior to the bolt. 1st pitch ends at a rap chain, but the 2nd pitch shouldn't be ignored.

Start: Start at the left-facing flake corner about halfway along the wall (Start of Celluloid Heroes).

1. 27m (20) Climb crack or left wall for 4 metres and then move onto the right wall. Continue onwards with fiddly protection then bolts leading to roof. Move right beneath roof to vertical step and up to stance at higher roof.

2. 27m (17) Traverse left under roof to tricky move and lip then more easily up.

A much bolder proposition to the original route. Starts right of the corner and joins the original line at the mantle (small ledge), then continue as for that route.

A daunting traverse below the huge roof on the right-hand half of 'Tjuringa Wall'. If not always great climbing, it's certainly a great experience.

Take a large cam or two. Very large cams or tubes would help but are not essential. The final pitch could be quite amusing without double ropes or the skills to back-rope with a single.

1. 27m (20) As for Stanger's Eliminate.

2. 35m (19) Traverse right to stance and anchor for 'Tjuringa'.

3. 24m (20) Continue right past end of roof, drop down off lip of overhang and pull in to right. Traverse right to In Lieu's belay cave. Traverse off right.

A contrasting second pitch with good rock and protection. From the recess Step up right onto stance. up and left via incuts and slots surmounting the overlap on its left. Left past bolt then directly up. At top step left to anchors on Common Knowledge

Bridge up block then climb up and left to flake then big move straight up. From ledge head straight up and then right to DBB

Arete left of 'Bolero'.

No protection.

Up flake to peg runner and on to ledge. Traverse right to break and then hard finish up to boulder.

Start: Start at short flake on left side of orange wall right of 'Bolero'.

V0 if you use the low foothold

up the obvious left line to small tree

Traverse as for "Follow Your Nose" and keep going, past "The Fortress" to a bolt on "Lord Of The Rings".

Start: Start as for "Follow Your Nose"

The original route on the wall is quite good but rope drag can be a problem.

Start: Start at obviuos weakness right of "Wackford Squeers", as for "Lord Of The Rings Direct".

Start at belay anchor for 'Not Invented Here' Up onto the big break and traverse 3 metres right to FH below short, shallow corner. Short jump or hard moves into corner and up to good stance. Up wall (2 FH) to roof then follow seam up steep wall above roof (FH) then final, easier bulge.

A fingery and scary start and exciting finish up the headwall.

The original route followed the line L all the way, but a far better finish is to step airily R off the sloping ledge and up the headwall at a fairly solid 19 (as described).

Large cam/s size 4 or 5 could be handy at the bottom and small ones stepping off the ledge.

Start to the left of the major crack on the left side of the wall.

Traverse right into the left-curving crack and follow it past a bulge. From just past overhang move out right onto face and up.

Hard dyno up the overhanging line onto the wall. Rather than following easy crack (Gardener's Delight), go left across wall and around arete to finish up flat-tops.

Start: Start at the cave about 3 metres right of 'Historic Events'.

Has a ring with a hard clip for the hard start then drops off several grades. Summit loweroff. Righthand slab route with hard start just right of Mohawkman.

Bald orange arete from ledge just below and right of 'Fiddler' On The Roof.

Taking the wall left of 'Honeycomb', it is highly likely that this is a retro-bolt of 'Adapter'.

Access by 25 metre abseil to small stance in corner.

Up wall past 2 bolts and small cams.

Originally called 'Nativity' Direct Start and poorly protected. Now retro-bolted and popular.

Starting just right of arete, climb pretty orange wall through small overlap. Continue steeply up wall to small stance and rap anchor.

The desperate, unprotected start and the huge detached block higher up make this an unattractive proposition.

Start just left of 'Lone Pine Corner'.

Up face, moving right to overlap Over and up break between orange and black, past flake to top.

A great individual pitch or an approach to one of the other climbs.

Up wall to first horizontal break and traverse spectacularly left to arete and up.

Start as for 'Capilano' and continue up wall with long reaches to major horizontal. Don't escape left but keep going up for a few more moves until it eases.

Up on jugs to rest at roof, place bomber cams and then launch out into glory across the roof into the crux at the lip. Easy up headwall to welcome belay

Start: Start at the ledge below the big roof with the chalked flakes.

The original line through the roof took the little hanging corner on the right. This is worthwhile in its own right.

Loads of steep traversing.

Slight corner 4 metres right of 'In Phase' then traverse 3-4 metres left, over roof and up crack.

There are too many aretes in these route descriptions for the available cliff! Given the absence of any thin grey walls right of either arete, I am wondering if this is the thin grey wall left of the arete of CL's wall. It didn't have enough gear to inspire me to check out the grade. Or it may be squished in between Haiku Climbing was Super and CL.

Start: Right of the arete is a thin wall. ?????

Absolutely thrilling, difficult for the grade if you don't like having your heels above your head, and generally more difficult to second than to lead.

Start at the belay at the top of the pillar L of the Kachoong wall. This can be approached by "A Taste of Honey Direct Start", "Echo System" or the corner scramble between it and the Kachoong wall.

Up surprisingly easy overhanging crack to a very steep section beneath a roof with a fairly blank wall on the right. Traverse R across this wall using the line of jugs just below the roof with disappointingly few footholds to a ledge at the end and safety.

The route continues up on lovely rock at about grade 10 to the top.

The original aid line was the low crack (now known as "A Taste of Honey Variant") and the original free ascent (Henry Barber) used the roof crack above at the same grade but the best climbing is as described.

Vigorous crack through a ceiling.

Start: Start as for 'Generation Gap'.

Over roof just right of 'Pumparama' and finish up short crack.

Start: Start just right of 'Pumparama'.

Thin and energetic

Start: Start at thin crack 4 metres right of 'Broom Hilda'.

Bouldery seam between Greg Will be Amused and Lou's not 19.

The face with a wide horizontal. On the other side of the gully from - and facing - 'Stone Age'.

Start at right hand end of wall at the right hand of the two weaknesses up hard overhung start to scalloped wall, trending right, then back left and up to finish through the right hand side of the roof at a bolted anchor.

Pretty orange wall left of Vandal's main corner.

Go up wall to scoop; left here and up.

Dimpled grey wall 1 metre R of Intrepid past 2 bolts.

Protection is just OK and rock is a bit fragile. Up the wall 3 metres right of Intrepid to break. Go over bulge at small, left-curving crack.

A filler roof problem.

Mostly good apart from a section of poor rock after the initial roof. Take L of two desperate handcracks through roof about 4m R of All In Vein. Rock improves up the corner, then direct through the roof and up to ledge at about 25m. Original route wandered off left before roof but DF is much better.

Inital crack of Bhutan then follow FiHP and take DF through roof.

Filthy. Start 3 m R of Bitterblue, through overhang, step L then veer R up short wall.

Pump-action. Worthwhile. Start as for The First Affinity.

From cave left of Down And Out climb out right and up overhanging wall.

Start from the big chock stone. Left to thin crack then up through roof to steep wall.

A few more repeats might help clear up the route description.

Option 1: From halfway along the Down And Out traverse, go up through bulges on tiny edges (and no gear?), to prominent flake.

Option 2: Traverse a quarter of the Down And Out traverse, then go up via thin seams and decent gear, before spanning a metre left to gain the prominent flake.

Follow the glory jugs to the Down And Out anchor (found tucked around the corner).

Start 8m R of Kansas City Direct Finish. Boulder the hard start using square pocket and minimal pro, then up to the right of the left-leading diagonal, before following jugs to top.

Sustained jamming and underclinging with feet cycling on glassy rock. The second pitch is fun in an adventurous way. Start below the right-leading roof-crack right of High Kicks.

1. 15m (20) Take the right-leading crack until it's possible to go left across the wall to cave belay.

2. 25m (18) Head right up steep wall then finish R up short steep corner.

Direct line between 'Racey' and 'Censorship', finishing up smooth headwall

Start as for Entertainer. Originally started up 'Comic Relief' but you really need double ropes for that.

Up Entertainer then follow right-hand weakness at flake. Veer right to shallow corner. Hard moves up corner and through bulge to ledge. Up major flake until it ends then either up or move right to anchor.

Start in the middle of the wall about five metres right of Entertainer, a vague "CR" can be found scratched on the rock

Up bulging weakness and pockets (very pumpy to get good gear in) to left-facing flake system that leads to dark overlap. Through this then up wall trending right. Move right rather than going straight up final corner. Rap anchors.

This climb has been the scene of a number of ground fall accidents including broken legs, head injuries and a belayer seriously injured by the falling leader. Take care at the first section. Consider the use of mats, spotters (but see above) and helmets.

Gear Beta Spoiler The initial big flake has garbage placements followed by an insecure move. People rip this gear and deck. The thin horizontal break just above the flake (which many climbers fail to notice) offers an opportunity to place bombproof gear before doing the hard move.

The left hand of two diagonal cracks. Two hard pitches, gear to #4 cam.

1. 40m (20) Up easily then traverse left to crack, up this then climb up to roof and left to belay,

2. 20m (20) Short corner to a crouched stance below the roof, escape awkwardly right to where a big move brings you onto the headwall, then up.

Start as for No Soft Options, but take the right hand of the two diagonal cracks, hard laybacking past cave to ledge, then right and up through easy roof.

Start at the right-hand callitris tree. Straight up past two BRs to the overlap. Step left, then veer back right above the overlap to a nice seam which leads to the top. Rap rings.

Bold climbing up blankest section of black face right of Gillette. Start below small pedestal 5 metres left of Old Mates. The start now has a FH. Scarily up and left to pedestal then over smooth bulge and onwards.

Good fun wall climbing on great rock; in the same vein as Middle Of The Road. Up into the orange scoop then up wall past horizontals, be careful of detached flake up high.

Start: Start between Left, Right And Centre and 'Just Like Your Father'.

Not quite as good as it looks but still not a bad route up the orange wall up left from 'Werewolf'.

Scramble up 'Silver Bullet' and find a belay ledge part-way. From here, continue up 'Silver Bullet' until you can step right onto the wall to gain the seam (some people can span this move, others may need to jump to the jug). The rock quality in the middle of the route detracts, as does the sit down rest in the cave. You can build a belay from the cave and walk off, or do the exciting overhang (which is over very quickly).

The lovely corner up the right wall of 'Silver Bullet' was probably the hardest climb in 'Victoria' in its day.

It's probably best to belay from the ground but some parties insist on scrambling up a few metres to belay at the very base of the line.

An easier, earlier excursion around Let's Get Pissed, but no improvement on the name.

Thin moves left to base of flake then hard moves lead to roof. Traverse right to exit crack. Chossy rock to finish.

There's also a direct finish, grade 22, going straight up over roof. Jon Muir, Geoff Little 21-11-1988.

Start: Start 50 metres right of 'Full Moon' at smooth wall capped by overhang.

Up 4 metres right of 'Red Zinger' to bulge. Up on good breaks.

More grunting. Crack and ceiling 8 metres right of 'Winterset'.

Sustained with a good finish. Start as for Serpent. Follow Serpent for 25 metres then up the steep corner on the right. Pull through overhang and up.

An enigmatic start up thin crack left of Hopscotch. After 6 metres head up right to a ledge on the arete and finish as for Hopscotch.

Consistently interesting climbing and a worthwhile addition to the wall. Up the leaning, awkward corner of Mums the Word. Step L, up the cracks, then pull the fingery arete (bolt) to reach the narrow ledge. Resist the temptation to pull up and stand on the ledge, instead step across R into the finishing crack of Speechless. Lower-off anchors to the R.

Good sustained climbing. Protection is good but placing it is tiring. Double ring belay/rap anchor.

Lovely face but the cryptic name and ascentionists should give pause; the eman is not a misnomer. The grade has been arbitrarily bumped up from 18 to 20 and the deadly flag applied to give fair warning. A toprope inspection is advised.

The original description says "seam in middle of wall right of The Gab Gets Up" but it only makes sense as the seam in the middle of the wall right of Screwloose And Sexless.

This route starts up Salem for a few meters then uses balancy moves to step right. For the direct and bold start see A Dream Of Pink Tse-Tse Flies Direct.

This is looking a bit lichenous. Start 7 metres left of Gulp.

The initial wall of this is pretty crowded with 3 independent starts within about 3 metres. Start 4 metres left of Belltower.

A ridiculously hard start for Beelzebub. Start as for Tayloring A Trend, below bolt.

Short but worthwhile. Start at right side of wall at a cluster of pockets.

The right hand end of the cliff has an obvious sentry box with a hole through to the descent gully in the back. Up to hole then right over roof.

Start: Start 1.5 metres left of 'Vile Habits' below hole through cliff.

Up to small ledge just off ground. Step right and up crack which is difficult to protect.

Start: Start at tiny corner left of 'Ringtail'.

Bulging crack at right end of face. Good climbing, fairly staunch.

An acronymic jibe?

Start: Start right of EL Mc.

Seam to right of Bucket Full Of Yabbies with hard, unprotected start.

Rounded arete with awkward start just right of 'Hog Will Face Protest'.

Obvious left-leaning crack then rounded arete.

Start: Start right of 'Roxanne'. Originally described as "at right end of bay" but probably quite a long way right of 'Roxanne'.

The middle line, slightly left-leaning.

Take the left line up and slightly left then follow groove right and over bulge.

Two loose blocks to start then line which curves right at top. From ledge on right, finish up slab.

Start: Towards right end of upper tier.

Thin seam 3 metres left of 'Cream Between' through two roofs.

Originally graded 16! Delightfuly smooth groove past small roof then easily up.

Start: Start at groove 2 metres left of 'Butternut Snap'.

Start about 8 metres left of the small pinnacle where the paraglider's track meets the cliff. Desperate start to orange crack sprouting the odd goodenia. Looks good, but probably 24 judging by the other Foxcroft routes nearby.

Starts uphill and right of 'Melting Moments', just before the gully containing Zorba. Pleasant corner to ledge then grunty crack above to larger ledge. 2nd pitch or solo up chimney to top.