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Description:

The long grey wall running along Major Mitchell Gully.

Access Issues: inherited from Arapiles

State Park

Descent Notes:

Rap anchors above Feral Chicken, Morfydd and a couple of others. Or scramble down Ali's.

Ethic: inherited from Arapiles
Well established

Mount Arapiles is first and foremost a trad climbing area. The few sport climbs tend to be in the higher grades where no natural pro is available.

Bolting, particularly retro-bolting, is discouraged and should only be undertaken after extensive consultation with the local climbers, first ascensionists, etc. Inappropriately placed bolts have been chopped.

Do not chip the rock.

Look after the park.

  • Stick to the paths.

  • Don't disturb the wildlife.

  • Routes near peregrine falcon nesting sites are closed in the spring.

  • Minimise the impact of your camping (fuel stoves not fires, take your rubbish with you, etc).

Tags:
Quartzite

Some content has been provided under license from: © Australian Climbing Association Queensland (Creative Commons, Attribution, Share-Alike 2.5 AU)

Routes

RouteGradeStylePopularity
1 Rocky

From the bottom left of the small wall, step up R then up the left hand line.

Start: Start up high in 'Major Mitchell Gully', above the massive boulder, and opposite 'Brontosaurus' (described under 'Dunes' Buttress).

FA: Paul Hoskins, Greg Pritchard, 1993

24
Trad 12m
2 Bullwinkle

Up out to the RH arete, take this to the buckets, then go L and up seam to a block.

Start: Start 1.5m R of R.

FA: Paul Hoskins, Greg Pritchard, 1993

23
Trad 12m
3 Natchez Trace

A sloping corner crack then jam through the overhang at the top.

Start: Start above 'Trench Warfare', under a little wall which faces 'Dunes Buttress' and is on the same level as the start of 'Thunder Crack' (which is described under the 'Bluff Major' section).

FA: Rod Young, Jeremy Boreham, 1977

18
Trad 15m
RouteGradeStylePopularity
4 Anxious Boys with Power Toys

Plenty of angst here.

Start: Start 10m up L from 'Trench Warfare'.

FA: Gordon Poultney, Donna Bridge, David Jones + 1, 1993

26
Mixed 15m , 2
5 Trench Warfare

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to thrutch leftwards up the long diagonal, starting with a tricky traverse in from the L, and finishing rather strenuously.

Start: Start towards the uphill end of the wall, although quite a way down from the massive boulder which blocks the gully.

FA: Kevin Lindorff, Tony Marian, 1980

24
Trad 35m
6 * Firedance

The subtle weakness in frictional rock takes tiny RPs.

Start: Start 20m up L from DT.

FA: Kevin Lindorff, Keith Egerton, late '., 1977

20 R
Trad 15m
7 * Deeply Techo

Climb boldly to first bolt then traverse left to second bolt. Employ some inventive footwork to reach the alcove, a good rest and a nest of gear. Take a breath then move left and motor up on slopers to the top.

Start: Start as for 'Feral Chicken'.

FA: Mike Law, 1981

24
Trad 20m
8 ** Feral Chicken

Climb warily to first ring bolt on good holds. Move right a move and up to (often seeping) pocket. Continue upwards via bomber gear to a horizontal. Move up past perfect wire slot, then head left into corner past large scar and some tricky moves on slopes to finish.

Start: Start 3m L of L.

FA: Mike Law, Chris Baxter, 1980

22
Trad 20m
9 Feral Fee-box

Fridge hugging.

Start: Start 2m R of FC.

FA: Gordon Poultney, Chris Shepherd + 3, 1994

25
Mixed 12m , 3
10 Lennox

Thrash up the steep flaring chimney, finishing R.

Start: Start under the chimney in the centre of the wall.

FA: Phillip Stranger, Chris Dewhirst, 1967

15
Trad 30m
11 * Slap the Philanthropist
21
Trad 30m
12 The Philanthropist

3m up 'Lennox', then head diagonally R to ledge, 2m further R, then up flake. Take lots of cams.

Start: Start as for L.

FA: Kieran Loughran, Chris Baxter, 1984

15
Trad 30m
13 Petrol Solutions

As for 'Slap Happy' to the ledge, then follow the bolts.

Start: Start as for SH.

FA: Chris Shepherd, Gordon Poultney, 1994

24
Mixed 30m , 2
14 * Slap Happy

Short crack, bulge past bolt and gain the ledge near the R end of The Philanthropist's diagonal. Continue straight up the thin crack above the ledge.

Start: Start 2m R of L.

FA: Chris Shepherd, Rod Young, 1980

23
Mixed 30m , 1
15 * Kincaid

A sweet slab.

FA: Mike Law, Chris Baxter, 1980

18
Trad 20m
16 Housemaid's Knee

The L arete of the chimney, with a small yellow groove.

Start: Start just L of G.

FA: Dave Gairns, Chris Baxter, 1985

18
Trad 15m
17 * Gazollika

Start on the L wall, then the R. Bridge airily to an awkward and runout finish L around the roof.

Start: Start on the next buttress uphill from 'Morfydd', at a chimney with a square roof.

FA: Chris Baxter, Dorothy McManus, 1968

9
Trad 20m
18 No Place for Foxes

Pull up the buckety arete, then up the wall.

Start: Start just R of G.

FA: Paul Daniels, Maureen Gallagher, 1984

15
Trad 30m
19 * No Standing

Choose either crack (both tough), to follow the thin diagonal past an old piton.

Start: Start in the middle of the buttress L of 'Morfydd'.

FA: Kim Carrigan, Chris Peisker, 1979

24
Trad 25m
20 Standing on Principles

Short groove with piton to join NS. Where NS goes L, step R and up seam.

Start: Start 2m R of NS.

FA: Paul Hoskins, Kim Carrigan, 1985

25
Trad 20m
21 Stillborn

The line delineating the L side of the pillar is unpleasant and has a tough start.

Start: Start on the L side of the 'Morfydd' Pillar.

FA: Phillip Stranger, Chris Dewhirst, Keith Lockwood, 1967

19
Trad 20m
22 Master Blaster

Weakness with PR, to ledge. Either pike off L into the scrappy finish of 'Stillborn', or step R to finish up Morfyne's fine wall (the latter looks a much better outing).

Start: Start 1m R of S.

FA: Glenn Tempest, Carole Bradley, 1980

24
Trad 28m
23 * Morfyne

Close to 'Morfydd' at times, but still a very appealing wall.

Start: Start 3m L of 'Morfydd'.

FA: Kim Carrigan, Glenn Tempest, Louise Shepherd, Eddy Ozols, 1979

24
Trad 30m
24 *** Morfydd

Not given many stars until recently, this is now widely considered one of the finest 19s at 'Arapiles'. It used to be 20 so don't expect a soft touch.

Start: Start under the prominent line up the south face of the pinnacle.

FA: John Moore, Chris Dewhirst, 1968

19
Trad 30m
25 Visual Laxative

Originally 22, but harder since a hold on pitch 1 snapped off.

Start: Start 5m R of 'Morfydd'.

  1. 15m (-) Shallow groove to ledge then L and up to 2nd ledge.

  2. 20m (-) Straight up face keeping L of arete.

FA: Kim Carrigan, Natalie Green, 1979

22
Trad 35m
26 Bygone

The retrobolt eliminated serious fall potential, making this route a must for confident leaders at the grade ... but don't expect to be sewing it up with gear every metre.

Start: The east face of the 'Morfydd' pinnacle faces the back of 'Fang Buttress'. Start under this face.

FA: Chris Dewhirst, Phillip Stranger, 1967

12
Mixed 30m , 1
27 * The Munchkins Stole My Water Bottle

Start: Start in the gully right of 'Bygone', below the crack near arete.

FA: Hoskins, Smith, 1995

24
Trad 25m