The Phoenix
4 routes
in Crag
- Avg. Height: 31m
- Style: ?,Trad
- Approach time: Bottom - 35min, Top - 25min
- Ascents: 13
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KML- Description:
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Small crag with some unique trad climbs. Finger cracks!
- Access Issues: inherited from Blue Mountains
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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'.
- Approach:
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BOTTOM ACCESS - Megalong Valley ~35min:
Overgrown and hard to find. Drive down Megalong Rd and park at the start of the Coachwood Glen 'Nature Trail'. Cross the creek. At the large boulders take the spur up the gully following cairns. At about half height head right into the gully and up to the base of cliff. Head right to the climbs. Watch out for leaches in summer.
TOP ACCESS (NEW) - Medlow Bath ~25min:
Driving West on Great Western Highway, pass through Medlow Bath and bear left just past the Hydro Majestic Hotel onto Belgravia St. Continue straight ahead onto well-maintained dirt road. Just over 1.1km along this track there are two clearings on the left, park at the second clearing (marked with Tan-coloured tape on a tree at the back, a small cairn near the track, and graffiti "AT" on a tree on the left side of the clearing.
Continue down the marked track at the back of the clearing for 200m. When you reach a large fallen tree (marked by tan-coloured tape, and a large cairn on the right), turn right and head down the trail, following cairns, pink marking tape, and red-coloured tape around trees as necessary. At first rocky outcropping, bear left (not right!) as you scramble down (marked) and continue down along rock face. The track cuts right to another rocky outcropping, then zig-zags down a gully.
Where the trail flattens out, hug the right rock-wall and head down to an exposed ledge below an arete. Follow the ledge to the right carefully, scramble down a prominant red dusty chute, continue right to small chossy red cave (good for keeping packs dry). Rack up here, and traverse down and around the right rock-wall (exposed, rope-up if concerned) to the anchors for The Phoenix. Rap here 45m to the ground.
- Ethic: inherited from Blue Mountains
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Mixed-climbing on gear and bolts has generally been the rule in the Blueies. Please try to use available natural gear where possible, and do not bolt cracks or potential trad climbs.
Because of the softness of Blue Mountains sandstone, bolting should only be done by those with a solid knowledge of glue-in equipping. A recent fatality serves as a reminder that this is not an area to experiment with bolting.
If you do need to top rope, please do it through your own gear as the wear on the anchors is both difficult and expensive to maintain.
It would be appreciated if brushing of holds becomes part of your climbing routine - do it with a soft bristled brush and never a steel brush!
The removal of vegetation - both from the cliff bases and the climbs - is not seen as beneficial to aesthetics of the environment nor to our access to it. Generally it's best to leave all this sort of stuff to the local climbers.
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