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Atomic Punk Area Mostly Trad climbing 11 routes in crag

11
AU
141618202224

Seasonality

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Summary

NOTE: As of January 2021, all areas of Mount York (including camping) are now open!

Access issues inherited from Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains are a World Heritage listed area. The Grose Valley, the cliffs around Katoomba and much of the Narrow Neck peninsula are part of the Blue Mountains National Park which is managed by the NPWS. The Western Escarpment - where most of the climbing is - is Crown Land managed by the BMCC. While the NPWS Plan of Management nominates several locations in the National Park where rock climbing is deemed appropriate, the majority of the climbing remains unacknowledged. To maintain access our best approach is to 'Respect Native Habitat, Tread Softly and Leave No Trace'. Do not cut flora and keep any tracks and infrastructure as minimal as possible.

Practically all crags are either in National Park or in council reserve: dog owners are reminded that dogs are not allowed in National Parks at any time and fines have been issued, while for crags on council reserve the BMCC leash law requires that dogs be on-leash.

For the latest access related information, or to report something of concern, visit the Australian Climbing Association NSW Blue Mountains page at https://acansw.org.au/blue-mountains/

Ethic inherited from Mount York

Many and varied, please try to respect them all!

Retro-bolting has occurred several times over the years and is generally condemned and dealt with swiftly.

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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
1
15 ★ CC Rider Trad 9m

On the Block opposite 'Misjudgement'.

FA: B.Turk, 1983

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2
22 ★ Safety in Numbers Sport 25m, 5

Contrived face just left of the Obituary. First bolt is very high up.

FA: G.James & David Gray, 1985

3
14 ★★ The Obituary Trad 30m

Major corner crack and a popular all trad line. Beware, the route name is apt - there have been a couple of fatalities on this route. If in doubt don't run it out.

FA: B.Blunt & J.Lorinez, 1974

NOTE - the current (2019) print guidebook incorrectly describes the location and grades of several of the next few routes. At least one "new" route appears to be a repeat of an old route. Looking back at the old 1990s SRC guidebook it actually makes sense and this is what has been used to (hopefully) make thecrag guide correct.

5
20 ★★ Atomic Punk Mixed trad 25m, 5

Classic face to the right of the Obituary. Quite unique rock. This is a mixed route, medium/large wires and multiple hand-crack sized cams required to back up the bolts.

FA: R.Young & A.Prehn, 1983

6
21 ★★ Oblivious Mixed trad 20m, 4

Start up Atomic Punk to just before it's first bolt - then traverse right to hanging arete (hangers). Finish up ironstone feature on the left side of the arete (#2 & #3 cams). Partially retrobolts the middle of the 1970s scarefest "Oblivion".

FA: P.Mort & G. Short, 2004

7
20 R ★ Oblivion Mixed trad 30m, 2

Was once a quite serious lead - but the addition of Oblivious' bolts has removed the worst danger. Climb Oblivious to the arete (a couple of bolts) - then climb straight up mossy arete (steadfastly ignoring bolts to the left on Oblivious). The little orange arete up top is still a little heady (good large cam at feet before committing). Tree belay well back.

FA: M.Law, .Penney & J.Smoothy, 1978

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8
22 ★ Oblivion Variant Start Mixed trad 20m, 2

Starts 4m right of Atomic Punk/Oblivion. Solo 6m up wall just left of fragile scoops to ledge. Traverse left to arete (two old BRs) and finish up Oblivion's arete. It's possible to clip at least one bolt on Oblivious on left side of arete. Misidentified as "Moss's Effort" in 2018 print guide topo.

FA: M. Grey, 1982

9
24 Confessions of a Wannabe Sport 15m, 5

The ringbolted wall left of Refusal - starting from the ledge. Appears to climb the abandoned upper headwall that was bolted as part of a direct finish to Moss' Effort. Slabby climbing to third bolt and then up. Runout between 2nd and 3rd in the flake section (be careful). Originally graded 22 - but recent attempts have it pegged at more 24+ - possibly missing a hold between first two bolts.

FA: B Ashby & J Zadro, 2004

10
22 ★ Moss' Effort Mixed trad 25m, 3

For many years this route was incorrectly shown in the print guide as the arete left of Confessions. The route is actually the subtle seam crack right of Confessions and 1m left of Refusal - and directly behind an old dead tree stump. A rusty carrot is about 5m up. Original description was "1m right of Oblivion Variant Start. BR to ledge, wall (2 BR), escape right to crack. avoiding obvious finish up wall". The obvious finish is now Confessions' finish.

FA: S.Moon & J.Smoothy, 1983

11
14 ★ Refusal Trad 25m

Corner to the right of ME.

FA: B.Blunt & J.Lorinez, 1974

12
17 ★ The Knights of Nee Trad 20m

FA: J.Smoothy & F.Lumsden, 1984

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Blue Mountains Climbing Guide

Author(s): Simon Carter

Date: 2019

ISBN: 9780958079082

The latest comprehensive, latest and greatest Blue Mountains Climbing Guide is here and it has more routes than you can poke a clip stick at! 3421 to be exact. You are not going to get bored.

Buy
ⓘ
Best Of The Blue Blue Mountains Select Guide

Author(s): Simon Carter

Date: 2019

ISBN: 9780958079075

Simon Carter's "Best of the Blue" is the latest selected climbing guide book for the Blue Mountains and covers 1000 routes and 19 different climbing areas. For all the sport climbers out there, the travellers, or just anyone who doesn't want to lug around the big guide that's more than 3 times the size - cut out the riff-raff and get to the good stuff! This will pretty much cover everything you need!

Buy
ⓘ

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14 ★★ The Obituary
20 ★★ Atomic Punk

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Sandy Lamond on ★★ The Obituary 14

★★ The Obituary 14 - IMG_0294.JPG

Keith Davison on ★★ The Obituary 14 - IMG_9713.JPG

David Eckstein on ★★ The Obituary 14 - David Eckstein laybacking THE OBITUARY

Sun 23 Apr
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