Routes in Australia for selected grade

An awesome undertaking. Six FH's straight up to a lower-off. Stick clipping advised if getting to the first bolt bothers you. (Originally, Squealer traversed in from Howler).

Start: From the first raised platform.

Really good fun sport climbing with plenty of jugs in the roof. Very popular.

Gently overhung sport climbing past seven FH's to an exciting conclusion which often sees pumped leaders take to the air.

Start: 3m R of 'Procrastinator' (before rock slab starts rising R-wards).

Good fun. Straight up, starting on the right side of the left of the two gum trees.

The undercut buttress has a white/yellow streak down its left side. This is it. High first bolt over the rooflet, then sustained climbing up the gently overhung orange wall. Popular.

One of the best warm ups for the harder routes and a fine route to earn the grade also. Very popular. Anchor replaced 16/10/18. [If the headwall of this route is wet, an equally good but dry 23 is “Lyptus Power”: Lyptus to the crux then easily R across Grape Hour (which will also be wet up high), to join Grey Power].

Super popular. This is the way the route is usually climbed these days (in one pitch, all the way to the top lower-offs). Go left at the top (direct through the bulge isn't as nice - see below).

Start 2m L of 'BARFJ'. Marked "CC".

Classic climb but potential for big falls so make sure you're solid at the grade if leading. Hard start to small ledge and high FH. Follow obvious line past 2nd & 3rd FHs. Above 3rd FH place cam in crack or run it out to 4th FH. Finish at DBB.

Slab with some nice pockets (don't you wish this went on for 50m?), then sustained headwall which should make your arms feel warm.

The best warm up here.

Fantastic climbing through steep territory on edges of vaguely Africa shaped plate. Up and over the lip trending L and up to recently installed rap station/lower-off.

Start: Start in cave at right end of point pure, stick clip first bolt.

Rebolted 2004. '23' in the 2015 Blue Mountains Guidebook. Rest assured that it is indeed 22. The crack/seam in the middle of the wall. Be careful of some hollow rock.

This is the righthand route which starts off the boulder at the left end of the wall. Stick-clip, then jump off the boulder to gain first hold. The hard moves above the first bolt need an alert belayer to keep you off the boulder. Then a few crimps to easier ground.

Same start as previous but follow bolts trending out right.

A couple of longer slings / extended draws will be handy to reduce drag on first few bolts. (especially bolt 3)

A thin move to get established on the slab leads to a long sequence of interesting climbing interspersed with rests.

The final section may be baffling, but can be done a few different ways.

The first climb on the Sunnyside and one of the best. Popular with lots of bolts. Starts up the obvious right leaning, shallow corner.

A nice route - but why everyone thinks it is worth 3 stars we will never know.

Start: Start to the right of the blunt arete on the right hand side of the wall where there is a big chimmney.

The Crag Classic !! Solid and sustained wall climbing on good holds. Stand up on tree stump, and power all the way thru to roof. Shake out here and show off with a french blow - punch the roof and into the cave, then move up right wards to clip the anchors.

The arête. You can start direct or traverse in from GL. Take care clipping third ring.

Classic 'Nowra' arete - which is hard and pumpy.

Start: Start at the obvious arete to the right of 'TP'. Some people do an easier start on the face a few metres left of the arete proper.

More bouldery than Strip Clubs. Start just right and up the slab (like all routes in this sector). Daunting black overhang then headwall. Where's that finishing jug...?

USE A 60M+ ROPE. One of the best routes on the whole wall - sustained but no definite crux (unlike many routes on this wall). Start about 15m R of AAO at the next log. This is the left line of the three.

Now re-bolted with ring bolts. It's a good warm up, and more so if you continue up the last few metres of Whodunnthat (still 22). Start as for Ratcat then trend right crossing the flake feature. A medium cam in a break below the first bolt (or long stick clip) helps alleviate leg breakages.

Great climbing in a superb position.

Start: 6m L below apex of overhanging orange wall.

1. 35m (16) At mark climb slightly left to first FH. Nine FH's up to rap station below steep wall on L. The fifth bolt is invisible. When the way appears blocked by a ferny ledge, climb onto the ledge via its left side and it should become apparent.

2. 12m (21) Climb R past two close FH's. Then straight up past a third FH to rap station on pedestal.

3. 30m (22) Straight up orange corner and face above. At ninth FH step R and up to rap station on sloping ramp. This is the standout pitch of 'Celestial Wall'.

4. 10m (22) Short and a bit awkward. Mount bulge from L. At ledge on top, rap anchor is on L. A fixed rope leads up and R onto 'Halfway House' terrace.

Descent: Abseiling back the way you came is not recommended and has resulted in numerous stuck ropes. It is recommended you head up to Halfway House, follow the fixed ropes up and left from the anchor. Once at Halfway house head right and abseil down Clemency. The top anchors for Clemency are beneath the tree with the fixed rope.

Start 3m L of 'Adam's Rib'. Marked "G".

Justifiably popular. Follow the line of 5 RBs to the anchor shared with 'The Bolting Gestapo'.

Very good climbing, which makes you appreciate how average 'Killer Boas' really is. Superb friction.

Start 3m L of the right arete of the main wall. Easily to ledge, and the just-out-of-reach first bolt (most people stick clip it from the ledge). Then up and out the goodly roof.

Keeps going above the ledge up the little headwall. Good sustained climbing and steeper than it looks.

Another crowd favorite up big pumpy jugs. Best to stickclip 2nd bolt if you value your leg bones.

Starts around the arete from HOY. Short wall, trend R under small roof, then up flakes 2m R of arête, eventually trending left to the arête and finishing up HOY.

Stickclip the first bolt if needed. Rebolted 2005.

Hard and pumpy with a sting in the tail - classic Nowra.

Good fun with a short section of thinness up high. Reach helps. Rebolted 2017.

Start: Starts off the pedestal 6m up L from the base of Zapt. You can belay on the ledge (where there's a belay ring), or on the ground which is probably less hassle. Either way, take it easy on the unprotected scramble up to the pedestal.

Rebolted 08-07-2006.

Excellent sustained crimping. As for Language, heading right at third bolt.

Start just left of Pluck-a-Duck. Bouldery start then wanders right and left. Finishes on the white bulge after the first roof. Varied and pumpy!

The face in the middle of the pillar, starting up Marooned before moving left.

Shorter and less sustained than other routes on this section of wall. Step left off block and up face between Sadomastication and Microdermabrasia to premature low anchors. The bolted extension to the ledge is grade 25.

Funky, cryptic stemming up the obvious open book corner.

Clip first bolt from the narrow ledge and pull onto the hard start. Pumpy pocketed face. Avoid traversing R for a giant rest on the jug of KB and add a grade and a star. A classic route but best avoided between Aug-Dec as the local falcon has a habit of greeting would-be ascentionists at very high speeds.

Really good sustained climbing that wanders around a bit to link a line above the overhung section. Start as for up Flash Flood (or Nice Day for a Disco), and then move left to the furthest line of ringbolts that traverses over lip of small cave, then climb up and right up the super headwall.

Slightly to the right of Barroom Brawl. Start on the pockets and pull up onto the slab. Follow the juggy flakes up into the roof & around the lip to anchors.

Very popular. It is a bit easier (22) if you retreat to the flake on the right at the crux. But, this seems like most obvious thing to do, and going direct seems a little contrived. If you want to rip the dodgy flake off then don't go direct otherwise grit your teeth and go direct for a safer experience.

Start on top of boulder as for War and Peace then go straight up. Bouldery moves on steep rock.

All protection is fixed hangers. Max number of draws needed is 10.

1. 35m (16) First pitch is the same as Aphelion pitch 1.

2. 12m (21) From the belay, take the overhung line leading up Left. Powerful.

3. 18m (23) Enjoy the moves leading up the superb slab to roof. A tricky little bouldering sequence.

4. 30m (17) Last pitch ends at top of fixed rope traverse.

Descent: Abseiling back the way you came is not recommended and has resulted in numerous stuck ropes. It is recommended you head up to Halfway House, follow the fixed ropes up from the belay and head right toward Halfway House. Once there, head right and abseil down Clemency. The top anchors for Clemency are beneath the tree with the fixed rope.

Climb left leaning flake/ramp, then head toward obvious arete. Finishes at anchors just left from the top of the arete.

Excellent pumpy climbing up the wall, through the roof, and on to the slab above.

Start at the left end of the wall and smile all the way. Both juggy and pumpy.

10 pitch sport route (all rings or homemade stainless hangers, which some odd-ball fat nosed biners struggle with, but take bolt plates for the carrots instead incase, and for the anchor above pitch 3, and in case the belays get too crowded). Rap in as described above, then walk right past pinnacle at 40 m, hit base of cliff at 100m, drop down, then go up to cliff (near start of Big Nose). Walk round the base of buttress and drop down a bit, then go up and you can see a 8m pinnacle/flake leaning against the steep face. This is the start. About 350m walk. There is a much easier variant to the first 3 pitches by starting up Contented Cows, all rings at 17, 8 (12m), and 19.

There is a blue emergency bin below Pitch 5, with some water, food, clothing, torches, and basic shelter. Don't call 000 just because you are benighted, so the police don't have to go out at night to babysit you. Please arrange to replace anything you use.

1. 45m (22) Up and left to ledge, through overhang, further up and left, through roof, then back right to the belay.

2. 30m (20) Straight up the groove until easier climbing, then up and left to belay on ledge.

3. 40m (17) Up and slightly left to ledge, then pull through roof and up. Scramble to base of next short wall, belay off homemade hanger and carrot (TAKE HANGER FOR CARROT!). Old tree anchor seems to have either degraded, or was a poor choice to begin with.

4. 35m (10) Up short wall, then scramble up and left about 30m through vegetation to the base of the cliff corner and anchors (rescue drum here).

5. 30m (17) Up the right wall of corner and arete, then traverse left to the ledge. Carrot + RB Belay.

6. 50m (19) Up onto the wall then traverse right about 20m and up following rings to ledge and belay.

7. 30m (20) Thin move to start, up to roof and jugs, pull through and up to ledge.

8. 25m (18) Up wall, then jug haul through the bulges to the top. Belay anchors are back and right about 6m in a small cave.

9. Scramble up and left to the base of the choss cave, then right around the base about 20m to the start of the last pitch. (You can escape left and up gully from this ledge).

10. 20m (16) Straight up the wall to belay at anchors on top.

To exit, see notes above.

Popular and sequency. Start off right end of the boulder.

The glorious arete. Starts 1m right of the huge 'MP' marking.

Bouldery start to monkey juggery.

Far left end of the steep wall, just right of wide crack. Was originally graded 18 but a hold has broken so it's now crimpy desperation at 22. Rebolted 2019.

Up 4 bolts Lt of Grurper direct. Then traverse up and Lt past 2 more bolts to chains. DBB

One of the few Werribee routes that deserves the star it was given in the printed guide.

Start 1m L of 'Barbara Streisand'.

Up to flake then straight up the middle of the face. Add points for style if you finish direct over the middle of the overlap, otherwise finish up Vulcan. Rebolted May 2023 Safer Cliffs Victoria

Step R to descend from Barbara's chains.

Quality sustained crimpy climbing. Start a couple of meters right of YWSYLS. Seeps longer than most climbs here after heavy rain.

One of the best sport route of this grade in the Grampians. Brilliant, but unfortunately it seeps very heavily after rain.

Starts just left of black streak on far left end of the Pocketed Wall. Scramble up and place a sling thread for safety before the first bolt and belay from there or else directly from the bottom. Rebolted 2023 (with a couple of retrobolts added in the final section).

Start 2m L of 'Pommy Bastard'.

Follow the line of 4 RBs to DBB. The crux is a difficult onsight but much easier on repeat.

The first climb on the cliff. This is the lefthand route starting off the boulder, above the 'historical' graffiti! The direct start has been done!

2m R. Stickclip first bolt. Independent (and tricky) start up black wall. Once through, romp up to rest ledge. When ready, tackle the headwall.

Start of the left hand end of the cave. Carrot to belay from. Climb finishes at first DRB. The second set of anchors is for the other routes.

Climb 'Beach Bum' to the 6th bolt, move right at the big ledge and then it's on. No hard moves but keeps going until the anchors.

Start: Lefthand route off the 4th access tree. After the silly runout this is one of the best 23s at Shipley.

Start at the first obvious cliff face at the rightmost (southern or Southbank) end of the main cliffs, behind the "Danger" sign. Marked "P".

Balancy and intense slab climbing. Climb R then L up vertical face past 2 RBs. Crimpy moves past 3rd RB lead to a jug and the halfway ledge. From ledge follow 3 RBs up thin slab to top. Large rings up over the lip provide anchors to rap or belay from. 6 RBs.

Start 2m R of 'Exhilarant'. Marked "GBW".

Steep cranking on quality sequence (of dubious origin). Up thin slab to L clipping 2 FHs shared with 'Hanger Wall Arete' to 3rd FH at horizontal seam. Head slightly R then straight up headwall past 2 further FHs. Finish up easy slab clipping BRs on 'Hanger Wall' if desired to DBB shared with 'HWA' and 'HW'[12212749].

A classic of the grade. Climb up flakes/jugs till about two meters from the roof. A tricky section leads into the roof. Then suck up some air and crank around on big side pulls and glassy feet. Super warm up. For those whom it's not a warm up it could be 24.

Location: The Wiggly Boulder.

Sit-start right of 'Shattering Dreams' matching a big undercling. Slap to the small edge, then mantle to finish. Harder than a lot of other 3's in the area.

Burly start then cruisy

Scramble up to the base of the orange scoop. Clip a piece of history (!) before moving into the scoop proper and the first of four UBs. Good moves take you up and L to the zenith of the scoop and small rooflet. A little corner caps things off. Lower-off.

Crimpy Slab

Clip first bolt on 'Betty Blue' and head left. Crank up on the crimpers to the final throw making sure to take a few whips for the camera along the way!

Start: Start at 'Betty Blue'

A long crux sequence up high makes this a stiff classic.

RB's up overhanging juggy wall and through the roof

Start immediately R of Yellow Cake at the base of short flake and rooflet. Boulder around the R side of this and up the short crack before stepping L onto bulge. Straight up the face to the roof clipping from big undercling if roof. Over roof and up juggy flake to the top.

Warmup route of the crag. Fun scoopy moves and a nice pump. Three RB's.

Start on arete 1m R of 'Exhilarant', 1m L of 'Gangbang Wall'.

Steep and balancy climbing, 'HWA' takes balance and commitment, while 'GBW' takes crimp strength and brawn. This route is great for climbers who lack the strength to crank through its neighbour, also fun for sandbagging musclebound tough-guys who have no technique.

Up arete clipping 1st 3 FHs shared with 'GBW'. Continue up arete above horizontal seam past further 3 FHs. Finish up easy slab to DBB shared with 'GBW' and 'Hanger Wall', optionally clipping 1 or 2 of the 'HW'[12212749] BRs.

Possibly the best route at Werribee, and a nice easy tick at the grade.

Start 3m R of 'Golgotha'.

Easy slab, over bulge, then traverse R along lip. Up face 3m L of arete to gain finger crack finish. Lower-offs are on the R just below the capstone.

Rebolted June 2023 - Safer Cliffs Victoria

Bouldery powerful start, then mantle to break, odd move through roof then up.

Great sustained moves up intermittent pods in the crack and directly through the small roof. Beware a slight runout at about 6m which doesn't leave much room for error.

Start: Start just R of the pillar/pedestal.

Just down the hill below the main boulder of The Eastern Bloc. Start at the back of the cave, head out following the biggest jugs you can find to a mantle. Careful of the cracked footer on the left.

Start: Sit.

Mauricio Chino

Very thin start then consistent climbing up and through cave area, second crux is committing. Enjoy!!!!

A real adventure, one of the best 23's in Sydney. Starts up undercling, traverse left up into the cave, then up left of cave to anchors.Back jump to fixed biners to clean.

Sit start low on a crimp and input edge. Climb the central line up the technical slab to top out over its peak. A classic for the grade!

Navigate your way through the maze of chalk on some of the biggest holds you're ever likely to find at this grade. Easier than 'Weaveworld' and a popular "warmup".

Start: 10m left of 'The Cathedral' Cave, up easy corner and step right into thin line. Continue straight up past some fantasic climbing to lower off. Rebolted 2006, 4 RB and Double RB Lower Off.

Start: Original problem on the lefthand side of the wall, starting with a sit-start.

'The Show Must Go On' is a harder version coming in from the bottom right.

The classic warm-up of Diamond Falls. Good moves and a long sustained pitch that keeps you thinking all the way to the anchors. Start 12m right of Uncooth Youth, marked by a 23 etched into the rock. Rebolted 2019.

One of the best grade 22 sport routes in 'Victoria', even though the start is very close to being a retrobolt of CWT. Seeps heavily in the dead of winter, although the key holds can be dryer than they look. Rebolted and extended 2017

Start: Starts 3m right of 'Sting' Like A Bee on small ledge.

Up the crack finishing left. Quite a sting in its tail unless you're tall.

Classic pumping leads into a tricky traverse L to an exposed stance on the arete. Finish up on huge buckets.

Popular, with a hard start that is either dynoed out right, or tackled via small holds on the left. Second half finishes up a short section of attractive rock on good holds.

A good warm up and introduction to Flinder's rock. The climbing is fun and there's jugs whenever you need them…clean the 4th draw after you climb past it.

Climb the technical slab with pockets straight up the right side of prow through steepening ground. Can you make the anchors without a respirator?