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Second Breakaway

Access: Ebor is recovering from the 2019 bush fires

The park is open but some part are closed and the first lookout is being rebuilt. Avoid the First Breakaway. Details here:

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/ebor-falls/local-alerts

Burnt lookout pictures from 2019

See warning details and discuss

Created 4 years ago - Edited about a year ago

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Access issues inherited from Ebor Gorge

National Park

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Approach

Access via a shallow gully l00m left (facing out into gorge) of the upper falls car park. Walk beneath the broken cliff for about 50m until the first recorded routes. Climbs described from left to right.

Ethic inherited from Ebor Gorge

Basically, the climbers of Armidale are a prettylaid back, free thinking group and as long as you don’t go out of your way to put people’s noses out of joint you’ll be amazed at how helpful they can be. The quickest way to piss people off is by ripping off projects. There are a few devoted locals making an effort and putting up quality new climbs. A lot of time, hard work and even money goes into their endeavours (cracks can be projects too) and there is too much unclimbed rock around to justify destroying someone else’s motivation. Any routes marked as such or not in the guide should be left alone. The simple courtesy of asking first may save you from being stripped naked and being staked out for the crows to pick your eyes out.

If putting up new routes is your thing then please feel free. However bolting in National Parks is actually illegal and as Ebor is mostly crack climbs there is rarely a need for bolts.

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Some content has been provided under license from: © University of New England Outdoor Club (Creative Commons - Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike)

Routes

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Grade Route

The leftmost few routes are best accessed from the upstream gully and traversing in

Start: At the extreme left-hand end of the 2nd breakaway, i.e. left of Touched.

Up arête below 2 roofs. Up crack to roof, through roof to ledge then to top.

FA: Larry Dixon, 1989

Some people will do anything to see their name in print!

Start: The scrubby gully at the left hand end of the cliff, 3m left of ‘Hitman’.

Up twin cracks and mank.

FA: Mark Colyvan (solo), 1988

Start: The small, 1m roof near the left-hand end of the cliff, 15m right of ‘Hitman’.

Up crack under roof, clip bolt then surmount roof, and continue past a break to top. Belay on trees further back

FA: Gordon Low, Al Stephens, Brian Cork & Toby Waters, 1994

Start: 2m left of ‘Hitman’.

Up a little slab then up the arete using the left hand edge. Two bolts and some wires provide the protection.

FA: Al Stephens & Larry Dixon, 1987

Start: Below the obvious crack up the first good rock you come to.

Up wall to crack and on to top.

Start: 3m right of ‘Hitman’.

Up fist jam crack to small roof and over to top.

Start: The flake crack 4m right of ‘True Confessions’.

Up the crack.

FA: Ed Sharpe (et al), 1982

A dense cluster of routes, easily access from above at the metal bridge dropping down the chimney.

Start: 9m right of ‘True Confessions’.

Up crack to stance and on to top.

FA: Mark Colyvan & Greg Pritchard, 1980

Start: 1m right of ‘Mischief’.

Up twin cracks to top.

Start: The arete between ‘Snakes and Ladders’ and ‘Whale Oil Beef Hooked’.

Straight up the arete, avoiding the climbs on either side. 4 bolts and a selection of Friends provide the protection. #4 Friend needed near top.

FA: Larry Dixon & Al Stephens, 1987

Start: 2m right of ‘Snakes and Ladders’.

Up thin corner crack to top.

Start: About 3m left of ‘Interlude’.

Up crack.

FA: Mike Peck & Greg Croft, 1981

A good climb to do while you’re deciding what you really want to do.

Start: On the terrace left of ‘Epileptic Chimney’.

A few wall moves to start, then a couple of jams, and finally a mantle shelf over a tiny roof.

FA: Greg Croft & R. Rose, 1981

A useful descent route for this part of the cliff.

Start: The chimney to the left of and behind ‘Ivory Stairs’.

Up chimney.

FA: Mark Colyvan (solo), 1980

Start: The arete/wall immediately R of‘Epileptic Chimney’ above boulder.

Step off boulder and up wall trending left to arête at half height. Balance up arête to top, using friend in break and 2 bolts for pro.

FA: James Langston & Al Stephens, 1998

Start: 12m right of ‘Whale Oil Beef Hooked’.

Loose in parts.

Up corner to roof, step left and up to top.

Start: The sharp arête between ‘Ivory Stairs’ and ‘Submission’.

Layaway up the sharp edge. 3 bolts, a number 3 friend, and wires provide the protection. There are two bolts at the top of this climb if an anchor is required, which also services climbs 16 - 20 (take bolt plates).

FA: Al Stephens & Larry Dixon, 1987

Start: 1m right of ‘Ilean’.

Up crack to top.

Start: 3m right of ‘Submission’.

Scramble up broken rock and into chimney and on to top.

FA: Richard Curtis (solo), 1976

Start: 1m right of ‘Staircase Chimney’.

Up wall to crack then to top.

Start: 1m right of ‘Mantle As Anything’.

Bridge up over blocks then take the off-width crack on the left to top

FA: Mark Colyvan, Austin Legler & Ed Sharpe, 1980

Start: As for ‘Plastic Passion.

A bit silly.

Up as for ‘Plastic Passion’ and then up thin crack on right and straight up wall to top.

FA: Mark Colyvan, Brian Birchall, K.Power, Greg Pritchard & Austin Legler, 1980

Start: The arête right of ‘Contrivia’ and left of ‘Fear And Loathing’. “Like shimmying up a Fridge”. Up the arête past wires in the crack and two fixed hangers. Belay off double bolts at top.

FA: 1995

Start: 4m right of ‘Staircase Chimney’.

Up finger crack with block at half height. There are two bolts at the top of this climb if a top rope anchor is needed (take bolt plates) but quite adequate anchors can be had where the crack splits the top of the pinnacle.

Start: The arête/wall between ‘Fear and Loathing’ and ‘Nightmare Crack’.

Up the arête/wall avoiding the cracks on either side and passing 3 BR’s and a #1 1/2 Friend placement. Some wires also useful.

FA: Tim Balla, Larry Dixon & Al Stephens, 1988

Start: 2m right of ‘Fear and Loathing’. What a nightmare!

Fingery crack followed by jam crack and offwidth to top.

Start: Crack R of ‘Nightmare Crack’.

Preferably use double ropes!.

Up crack till it stops at half height, traverse L with small pro and finish up ‘Nightmare Crack’.

FA: James Langston & Al Stephens, 1998

Start: In the ‘chimney behind ‘Nightmare Crack’ - a hole in the ground. The climb is the crack that is the other side of ‘Nightmare Crack’.

Chimney and jam using the crack for protection.

FA: Larry Dixon & Al Stephens, 1987

Start: 5m right of ‘Nightmare Crack’. Large log below start.

Fingery crack that closes near the top.

A small cluster of quality routes. Can be easier to rap in from AA, or via the broken gully immediately downstream.

Start: About 4m left of ‘Amphetamine Annie’ (approx 10-15m right of ‘Fingers’).

Up thin crack, taking care with wire protection down low, then easier wide crack to top.

Start: About 10m down left of ‘Potato Picker’. A small tree is growing out of the crack at half height.

Up crack to top.

FA: Rob Clark & Al Stephens, 1980

Originally done with a single point of aid (19M0) at the start of the crack, this was eliminated on the second ascent by A. Legler, M. Colyvan, and E. Sharpe Nov 1980 ]

In Feb 94 Dick Baker aided the direct start.

Start: As for ‘potato Picker’.

Up to ledge as for ‘Potato Picker’ then traverse 2m left around the arête to a crack. Follow crack to top.

FA: Austin Legler & Ed Sharpe, 1980

Start: Due to difficult access from the upstream end of the cliff it is best to approach down one of the chimneys as for Last Straw or by the gully which can be seen in the topo. If you are approaching from one of the climbs upstream then:- Approx 25m right of ‘Fingers’ is a short easy wall leading to a ledge where a crack leads up a corner at the left-hand end of the ledge. The stance at the bottom of the cliff is quite constricted now due to new growth so it is probably advisable to belay on the ledge.

Follow the crack at the left-hand end of the ledge to the top.

Start: 1m right of ‘Potato Picker’.

Twin cracks, up right hand fist/off width crack to top.

FA: Richard Curtis & Laimonis Kavalieris, 1977

Start: 4m right of ‘Chocks Away’.

Up off width which leads to smooth body chimney.

FA: Laimonis Kavalieris & Rob Dixon, 1976

Start: 2m right of ‘Occam’s Razor’.

Up crack to top.

A rough group of shorter routes on a more broken section of cliff

Start: 10m right of ‘Occam’s Razor’ on obvious terrace. Second crack from left on terrace.

Up thin crack to top.

FA: Mark Colyvan, John Lattanzio, Austin Legler, Ed Sharpe & Paul Bayne, 1980

Start: 2m right of ‘Redemption’ on terraces

Up wide crack to top.

Start: 25m right of ‘Occam’s Razor’ a large pillar leans back against the main wall.

Start up either of the two cracks for 3m to chimney in behind the pillar.

FA: Rob Dixon, Brian Birchall & Trevor Gynther, 1975

Start: First line left of break in cliff, 3m right of ‘Chunder Chimney’. Due to undergrowth at the base of the middle section of the cliff, it is advisable to access this climb by descending one of the easy chimneys above.

The slightly overhanging jam crack. (marked)

FA: Richard Curtis & Laimonis Kavalieris, 1977

Start: 4m right of ‘Last Straw’, a short wall in an alcove.

Up wall past 3BR’s to double bolt belay on ledge.

FA: Al Stephens, Gavin Dean & Anita Gordon, 1990

A cluster of taller routes past a break in the cliff

Start: First line right of the break in the cliff.

Up enjoyable offwidth by bridging into adjacent crack.

FA: Brian Birchall & Phil Prior, 1976

Start: 2m right of ‘Tristana’.

Fingery start followed by hand jam crack and off width finish.

FA: Brian Birchall & Phil Prior, 1976

Start: 3m right of ‘Viridiana’.

Bridge up twin cracks to top.

FA: Mark Colyvan (solo), 1980

Start: Right of ‘Trix’ in yellow rotten section of cliff.

Fist to off width crack.

Start: Right of ‘Rattlesnake’, the last climb on the Second Breakaway.

Bolt belay at start. Up past 2BR’s and some natural pro to a double bolt anchor on the ledge at top.

FA: Mark Colyvan, Gavin Dean & Al Stephens, 1990

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