Routes as trad in Central Gully Right

Take the easiest line up the face via plenty of horizontals. Start on the nice blob of rock which is uphill and L of Saraband.

A bit harder. Start 2m R of BMUS. Up via small flake then R-ish.

The LH crack on the small pinnacle 20m further uphill from Reaper. On the L side of the Saraband pinnacle find a corner with some hollow sounding rock (alternatively, start one metre down the hill to access the short hand crack). Up this past some fantastic sidepulls, then aim for the LH crack which maintains interest to the top.

Up the R side of the buttress. At the head wall head directly up the crack to the right of the arete

Up the R side of the buttress. The DF up the top crack is reachy 24, the 22 way is to climb the breaks R of the arete. Start just R of S.

Not too bad really. A tricky start to easier climbing. Start at the obvious chimney bounding the L side of the main Reaper Buttress. Probably best to start up left and move right to below the line and good gear with belayer spotting (or stick-place a wire). Move up to and up the chimney to ledges at 25m. The climb originally continued up very easy ground to behind the Reaper buttress (50m abseil down Josie's Climb) or descend the awkward gully or find the abseil bolts for Reaper from the ledge on the right.

Tough around roof onto wall and into crackline on L. Start 2m R of the L arete of the west-facing wall, above Armpit.

The overhang and wall R of AW. Start just R of AW.

Spectacular. Start 3m R of The Sting. Use holds on arete to gain hanging corner and to ledge. Over roof to join crack and arete.

A flawed route with no need for the chipped holds. Back to the front (main) wall. Up Armpit then access diagonal rampline rightwards past a bolt. Cross Reaper and finish up headwall just right of arete. No reliable gear before the bolt (needs replacing) and route is quite runout on the headwall.

Start beneath the major crack in the middle of the face. Easily and best climbed in a single pitch, use extenders or double ropes for rope drag mitigation. 25m rap to the ground from the end of the second pitch.

1. 15m (21) The steep crack up to the base of the major sickle crack. Trad belay.

2. 25m (22) Follow the L-curving sickle crack to the top. Double bolt belay.

From the cave at the end of the sickle (of Reaper) traverse 2-3m right and pull over bulge. Follow right leading flake until it ends (ignoring the RBs just to the right), then move right and up past FH and very old piton.

A link up of Reaper and the Direct Finish. From near the finish of the Reaper sickle line (about 5m before you get to the DRB), go up past 2 ringbolts and trad to final FH and (bad) piton on Reaper Direct Finish. This is best done as one mega pitch from the ground. There’s no anchor: the Taste Sensation rap chains are 8m to the right (33m rap), or if you want to lower off to strip the gear it’s ok to reverse to and thread the last ring.

Climb Reaper to the prominent chalked jug in the middle of the diagonal on pitch 2. Step right and ooze up the unlikely seam past a FH to gain the upper traverse on Taste Sensation. Step right again and climb the excellent face above passing a second FH, and staying R of the last FH of Taste Sensation. Rejoin Taste Sensation at its final crack, to chains (33m).

From the 1st belay of Reaper, go up then traverse 4m right into exposed terrain above Incest (past bolt), then head up over bulge to gorgeous hanging slab (2 FHs) to roof. Now traverse R and finish up Wild Oats.

From Reaper's 1st belay, head up Reaper 2nd pitch for 5m to where it curves left, then traverse 2m right to below FH. Pull over bulge and up crack to break. Traverse 5m left along break, up L to blocky flake, up to a FH, then back R to a short crack and chains (33m). Best done in 1 pitch from the ground.

Taste Sensation to the big horizontal, then near the left end of this don't go up L to the blocky flake of Taste Sensation, instead launch straight up into Grimstone's finish. Best done in 1 pitch from the ground.

From 1st belay of Reaper, follow Girl Germs to the roof, then pump up the power to pull the lip and onwards to glory. Can do from the ground in one big awesome pitch and lower off Taste Sensation chains with 70m rope.

From the 1st belay of Reaper, drop down then traverse R across Incest to the first ledge of Wild Oats.

There are some old bolts in the impressive but blank sweep of stone below Reaper's first belay. Details unknown.

Best of the lot - cheekily described as the Serpentine of Arapiles which is a bit of a stretch but it does have a lot of climbing on it. Incest into Taste Sensation Direct. 70m rope gets you to the boulder beneath Reaper.

Back at ground level, 15m R of Reaper and 2m L of the weakness of Wild Oats. Head up delightful techie seams onto slab, make sure of your pro, then slight runout leftwards to 2 prominent bolts. White marbled slab then up the burly hanging corner. From here the original stepped left to the first belay of Reaper but you can also continue at same grade up past another FH to join Taste Sensation.

Up Incest to the pair of bolts, then directly upwards past a bolt and peg to roof (shared with Wild Reaper Connection to the left). Step right and pull through bulge. Easier climbing leads to the top.

An enjoyable long pitch if linked, but do two pitches if the second is any chance of dropping the crux near the ground. Start as for Wild Oats.

1. 18m (20) Boulder problem start then boldly up thin seam to belay at stance level with Reaper belay. Note this pitch is given 21 under the Fine Arts description.

2. 22m (19) Up crack then break left. Straight up past shattered rock (avoidable) and spaced pro to finish up thin crack near arete.

Descend by making a roped traverse left, either 5m to (an easy) reverse mantle to the chains of Taste Sensation (33m rap) or 15m to the DRB of Berserk (25m rap).

Start as for Wild Oats. (... although there is a lonely FH 2m L of Red Parrot. Not clear if this is the start of Fine Arts, or whether it starts further L as for Wild Oats? Clarification welcome.).

1. 30m (21) Climb directly to the ledge from the RH start, not much pro.

2. 15m (23) Traverse L a few metres then up to R-curving flake which leads to ledge.

3. 20m (23) Walk R then climb the steep East face of the buttress, just L of the arete.

Start under the SE arete of the Reaper Buttress, 2m R of Incest and 6m L of Red Parrot Chasm.

1. 25m (20) Bouldery crux start up weakness, then step R (going straight up is the scary 21 first pitch of Fine Arts). Join twin cracks to ledge. Still quite runout though easier.

2. 25m (15) Up to horizontal then head L around arete for about 10m and up the main crack.

3. 20m (-) Traverse easily off L, or don your crampons for the summit.

The monumental chimney on the R side of Reaper Buttress. The smooth crux section can be done either by stemming on the outside or grunting on the inside, but either way the pro is a bit skimpy.

Start as for Jilted then halfway across the traverseline, bust straight up slightly overhung face. Yet to be equipped.

Back wall. Approach via Skyline Walls, Dreadnought Gully or Josie's Climb. Very steep start past bolt then rightwards along lip of roof (BRs) to a tricky exit (cam or small wire).

Back wall. A mini Slopin' Sleazin'? Unconventional moves up an interesting feature left of Jilted. Start as for that route to its first BR, then head straight up to 2nd BR and span left to the base of unlikely arete/groove feature. Climb this to good pocket (BR), then continue past undercling to top.

If you follow the instruction to Chaconne in Lou's guide, you'll probably find this instead. On the small pillar in front of Reaper there's a wall facing the same direction as Reaper Wall. Up the diagonal seam on R side of the face to hard move onto arete and up. TR'd a DF which is better and slightly harder.

On the small pillar in front of Reaper there's a wall facing the same direction as Reaper Wall. The steep crack on the L side of the buttress. Surprisingly better than it looks, although it does look bloody awful.

Up the R side of the buttress. The DF up the top crack is reachy 24, the 22 way is to climb the breaks R of the arete. Start just R of S.

Start at the top left end of the wall, 3m R of the major chimney (Red Parrot Chasm - described on the Reaper Buttress page).

1. 30m 12. Up the wide crack then through sculpted territory, eventually stepping left to rap anchor on ledge.

2. 20m 11. Finish up the gross wall with no pro, or move L to finish up the chimney.

First pitch/rap off point is a little longer than the 25m mentioned in the 2008 Arapiles Selected Climbs guidebook. A 60m rope still easily touches ground though.

Start 5m R of Red Parrot Chasm on the juggy water-washed slab. Climb the white streak to a two bolt lower-off.

Start 1m R of SC. Trend a bit R to a smooth grey bulge with no pro (the gully just to the R is NOT an escape gully despite appearances). Walk R to the rap station at the L end of the Pillars.

Quite good. The abseil route comes down the first pitch so watch out for traffic and don't monopolise the bolt anchors if the area is busy. Start at a wide crack just left of the block leaning against the cliff.

1. 20m (11) Up crack and bulge then dicky moves past bolt to ledge and bolt anchors.

2. 40m (10) Steep groove on left then up wall, veering right-wards to finish.

This airy arête can be a second pitch to Native Companion, or an alternative finish to Transylvania. It’s the prominently visible arête directly above Subliminal Cut.

From the first belay of Transylvania, move left and climb arête all the way.

Good fun with fairly good protection. Start 12m R of Subliminal Cut, just right of the large block leaning against the cliff, or under the block itself. Up the wall past the right side of the block. Smooth slab, crux, from ledge on top of the block (there is a wire but short people will have to get up to it) then easier ground up line of least resistance to the headwall. Step left and climb diagonally left to the rap anchors.

Start 3m R of the big block. Short thin seam and up to ledge.

Start 2m R of MG. Up the wall for 8m then step R across cleft, up past small overhang and the unprotected wall to finish.

The major skanky diagonal cleft.

A fine balancy slab which is harder for the vertically challenged. Start 1m R of Diagonal Crack.

The thin crack. After the crack eases the easiest finish is on the L, but pulling direct over the little overlap and up the short wall above is better.

Start 2m R of RS.

1. 25m (20) Boldly up the face to the cave.

2. 10m (-) Move L and up short face to the Pillars.

Start 10m L of Minstrel Pinnacle, at the easy crack just L of a perched block. Can be lead in one pitch at the same grade if you leave the crack and head diagonally R about 8m below the top of p1. However this increases the risk of a grounder on rope stretch when the second is on the crux start.

1. 25m (11) A tough start gains the deep crack, which is followed to a ledge.

2. 15m (8) Wander R along the ledge for a few metres to the next line, and head up this to the Pillars.

Start 8m R of D. The wide crack, then the roof and wall.

Start directly opposite the L (western) side of Minstrel Pinnacle, on the main wall. The crack for 7m to tricky roof. Onwards to ledge then steep crack. Step R across a gap then more easily.

Start at the Pillars (i.e. at the top of the previous routes). The overhang above the cave.

Start at the line between Stalagmite and Preludes. The crack to break, then tiny R-facing corner past a bolt. Continue past R side of prominent nose and up the buttress to ledge. Finish past a bolt through the pumpy overhang.

Start at the beginning of the gully, in the gap behind Minstrel Pinnacle. Good tricky and enjoyable crack climbing, but with some questionable rock.

Start 1m R of Preludes. Up to small stance. A couple of commiting moves lead up to a bolt, then a slippery crux gains a shallow R-facing corner to rap anchors on the ledge. Lower off.

Alternatively at the top go up the finger crack of Stalagmite for a few moves and then right up the headwall. It feels a bit loose up there so take care and warn people below.

Thin and bold. Start R of Preludes, and directly opposite Scourge (which is on Minstrel Pinnacle).

Short crack, then trend R at bulge to large flake. Up L to 2nd bulge then roof.

Start as for Marginal Era but instead of traversing right, head straight up slab (limited pro). Climb R of chossy blocks to rap ledge.

Start R of A. The rib on the L of the smooth wall, past break, until it eases off. Now traverse R then go up.

Start on the featured arête just right of the overgrown corner crack down and right of the gully, opposite the broken east edge of Minstrel Pinnacle. Easy climbing leads to a distinct crux off a ledge. More easy climbing follows.

Start around corner from 'Frankenstein'. Up wall on left through steep bulge.

Start right of Smeg and the Heads just left of crack. Up wall to break then up more.

This is on the lower tier of the Minstrel Pinnacle. The obvious chimney.

Start about five metres right of Red Parrot Jism. Up onto slab then left into short crack. Up this to top.

Take the easiest way up the face. Start on the southwest face of the pinnacle (which faces into Central Gully). Short corner then (crux) traverse 4-5m L (nasty pendulum potential for the seconder), to gain the nice easy crack to the summit. There's also a more direct start about 6m further L which is a little harder and not as well protected, but with much reduced pendulum potential.

Bold. Don't forget the mattress.

Start: Right of Wild Rose at obvious crack.

Up crack swinging right to arete and stance. Back up left onto arete. Wander to top.

Climb the little crack which starts on the lip of the roof. Gain it from the left. The fixed wire and slings at the start of the crack are long gone and it is probably quite bold to place your own on the lead.

Start: Start on the west face (the face looking up Central Gully).

The recent addition of a bolt has seen this route suddenly become a lot more popular. The short arete and wall (bolt) just R of 'Scourge'.

The central line with poor pro at first.

Start: Start in the chasm, in the middle of the north face of Minstrel Pinnacle.

Straightens out Jon Muir's old route which climbed mostly off to the L. Starts immediately L of 'Scourge'. A difficult pull or two leads up past two bolts and finishes directly up the seam above and up the middle of the final headwall.

Directly up the wall.

Start: Start L of 'Scourge', and just R of the arete.

The start is desperate and poorly protected.

Start: Start on the L side of the arete, L of TGFoF.

Not bad.

Up the crack on the east face (the one that looks towards camp), then the SE arete (the one which looks towards the Organ Pipes).

Up past 'Oh Bondage' there's a tight gully with a slender buttress in it. Obvious but not worthwhile. Probably should be in 'Skyline Walls' section.

Start up orange flake 2m R of major crack then scramble up ledges. Finish through overhang.

A great little face route reminiscent of Blue Mts sandstone. A few intricate gear placements (interspersed by obvious ones) keeps the pulse up along the way.

Start: Left side of Wind Wall.

Bit of a squeeze job that adds a direct finish to 'Not Like a Hurricane' Climb 'Not Like a Hurricane' past horizontal break and mantle onto ledge. Clip the bolt and continue up and slightly right to top.

Start as for 'Oh Bondage' for 5m, step right to a small thread, up past break to ledge, instead of mantling traverse right to jugs and your final gear before blasting straight up to finish.

Carrigans variant. Basically a totally different route to the original. From the good crimps just after the 2nd carrot bolt cut back left diagonally up the wall to wire placements and the last bit of Not Like a Hurricane.

Moorhead had placed the first bolt but not been able to get through the next sequence. He talked Yosemite Stonemaster Mike Graham into rapping the line (which he did blindfolded!) - then he went for it on lead. The last half of the route was established onsight in an amazing effort. Micro crimping past two carrot bolts leads to the mental aspect of the route - which quite arguably is the crux. Big fall potential off virtually half height gear if you lose it at the top grade 23 slab move. Employ a good belayer.

As for RLTW, but when you hit the top break, gear up for a final boulder problem! Heartbreaking, mainly because if you fall off the hard finish (well protected), you have to go back down and re-climb the the real business! Established at grade 27 - you might wonder why it was ever downgraded.

Start: As for RLTW.

(Potentially) unrepeated after 33+ years and with good reason.

Rusty PR, then dodgy and loose but critical undercling block (do NOT put gear behind this), a rusty BR that's too high to clip, then R into 'Windsong' and up to small roof. Then L a bit and over bulge past another BR as for Windsong's new and improved finish.

Start: Start 6m R of RLtW beneath rusty peg.

Arguably 'Arapiles' boldest route. Technically easier than RLTW but as stated within Gordy's 330 of the Best Guide "a 20 metre fall is a distinct possibility". Given that this fall will have you penduluming into the base of 'Los Endos', it's also a lot more serious than the latter. A technical face climb with the main crux well protected, but which stores a nightmare sequence of intricate footwork and a last minute slab rockover just where you don't need it (the last 3 metres). Use extreme caution.

Start: Start as for 'Windsong'.

Start as for Windsong but continue straight up instead of traversing right. Exit the Crux bulge above with small RP's for protection ( difficult to place on lead). The route then rejoins Windsong. Finish as for Breezin and Ride Like The Wind Direct Finish.

Starts off the far right end of the ledge (ample gear options for building a belay). Up to FH, then to flake (sling it), before lurching L to groove and up it, to arrive at a hands free stance. From here there are a few variants, but the best option (as shown in topo) is to head up and left to the fixed hanger, where more difficult moves await.

The original (23) wimped out by following jugs R around arete. The first direct finish (24) increased quality and boldness by moving right but staying just L of the 'Los Endos' arete.

A bold journey through technical terrain and good but spaced gear. Start easily (either up the corner or traverse in from the left) to reach a prominent horizontal break, and follow this to the right. Reachy moves lead to a reinforced flake. You can soon reach left to clip a bolt (on Windsong), before arriving at a stance. From here, avoid the temptation to follow the juggy line right around the arete (you will be punished with mediocre climbing and phenomenal rope drag); instead, establish yourself on the arete and enjoy the crisp edges and outrageous exposure to the top. Double ropes are handy.

R on suss rock, up short crack, R below bulge, then straight up to roof and beyond.

Start: Start at the same spot as LE.

Follow break across Starless to finish up arete.

Start: Start below LE.

The ugly black crack beneath the belay of LE.

Start: Start R of SS.

The short crack leading to the end of LF's initial traverse. Place a wire with a stick before starting.

Start: Start 2m R of LEDS.

An unwitting retrobolt of the first section of GSTQ.

Start: Start as for GSTQ.

Was very bold until the death flake departed and the retrobolts arrived.

Start: Start 4m R of LFDS.

Climb a little tree to gain a jug with a fixed wire. Now head R and over a bulge.

Start: Start 1.5m R of GSTQ.

Climb the shallow groove with a bolt.

Start: Start just L of SaBB.

Start: Start at the major line jagging it\'s way up the buttress.

1. 20m (22) Tough jamming up first groove to gain jugs, then go L to a belay.

2. 20m (22) Tiring jamming leads up L of the major bulge to a roof.

Head up L from the terrace past 2 bolts. Descend by downclimbing the crack to the R.

Start: Start R of SaBB just above the top of 'Dreadnought Gully', at a terrace on the R.

Very bouldery past 2 BRs, then L to flake.

Start: This route is actually located on the top section of 'Preludes Wall', but is included in this section as it is approached from above if done separately (but it's just as easy to approach it by climbing 'Subliminal Cut' on 'Preludes' Wall). Anyway, from the base of Wind Wall, head SW towards the top of 'Reaper Buttress', to find the top of a hanging gully. Scramble down the gully to find the bolts.

A shady outing for a hot day, starting in 'Dreadnought Gully' then taking the rock between the Dreadnought and Starless Buttresses. Nod and Norm did it years ago but detoured around some challenges on the second pitch. Nod and Kieran have now straightened it out with the addition of a comforting bolt.

1. 25m (14) Up grey rib directly opposite Dreadnought, finishing up the roof crack left of the chains. Belay, then walk up the gully 20m to where the Dreadnought Buttress abuts the main cliffline at a corner.

2. 40m (16) Climb the water-polished line 3m left of the corner, trending right after about 10m. Continue trending up the grey wall right of some yellow patches of rock, then straight up centrally via a distinctive line of white spots (no, it’s not chalk) followed by a bulge, where a BR shows the way.

3. 40m The gothic headwall above features an obvious black water streak. Traverse right from the gulch and follow black streak to the top.

This is an easier version of The Catacombs. A pretty shady climb.

1. 30m As for The Catacombs – finishing via the chains (?M1) if you don’t want to do the grade 14 roof.

2. 30m Up the steep juggy crack as for The Catacombs second pitch for about 12m, then trend right up the grey wall just left of the corner. Belay in the chasm behind the top of Dreadnought Butttress.

3. 15m Climb the upper side wall of the chasm, left of a gnarly chimney.

4. 40m Follow the prominent steep crackline up the headwall, left of the final pitch of The Catacombs.

Fun climbing. Good for a hot day as its mainly in the shade.

1. 25m (14) Up first pitch of The Catacombs. Belay then walk up 20 meters, under the giant chockstone until you can see a big corner crack.

2. 13m (15) Climb corner crack and belay at top. Watch out for loose block at the top.

3. 30m (16) Climb directly up face for around 5 meters with no holds into crack. Climb crack and traverse right onto slab. Slab starts on a corner ledge and goes up for around 20 meters past bolt. Belay from top of giant round boulder roughly 8 meters above bolt. In the first section it's a bit run out if you're into that sort of thing.

I will go back next trip and install some anchors so lowering off is an option instead of having to climb the headwall (super easy).

This one is on the L side of the gully, opposite all the other routes. You need to scramble up the wall opposite Dreadnought to find it. Out the roof on the L, past a hidden BR. Very bold getting to bucket, around which you need to place a long sling for your next piece of pro.

High up on the Dreadnought Buttress. Approach as for Short Time. Start at the gully 1.5m right of an arete and left of Short Time. Take the overhang, up to small roof, BR, then L to arete. Over bulge, then up until you find a bollard good enough to rap off.

Takes the southwest arete of the Dreadnought Buttress, from a ledge above Intergalactic Space Patrol. Approach the ledge via a crack just right of Cranking for Jesus.

This route used to have a cairn of boulders - from which you would lean across the Dreadnought Gully void to reach the opposite wall - but they're no longer there (seeing that they would be built on a downward sloping ledge, that's not too surprising, and it's probably not a great OH&S practice either). Apparently this route used to have a fixed wire too. Even with those things in place, it would probably still be a Moorhead sandbag.

Once you're past the bouldery start, the difficulties soon ease.

Originally established at 25 by taking a breather on the half-height ledge on the opposite side of the gully! To reach the start of the route, scramble up the wall opposite Dreadnought, to the big chockstone in the depths of the gully.

Up short corner, then to the arete past bolt, then up and left to thin crack, then through overhangs to bolt, before moving up into left-facing corner.

The original version of Last Temptation. Climb the short arete, then up to roof. Break right over the hanging slab and join Great Temptation at its redpoint crux (also the point where the ledge is nearest). Finish as for that route.