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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'.

Ethic inherited from Blue Mountains

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.

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

Routes Add route(s) Add topo Resequence Bulk edit

Grade Route
1
25 Stairway to Bevan Unknown 15m

FA: 2004

2
14 Blackfellas Barkoo Trad 25m

FA: B.Blunt,J.Lorinez, 1974

3
16 Pen Point Paranoia Trad 25m

Start as for horror show but follow the obvious line up and to the left toward blackfella barkoo, ascending to the right of the tree. The route is full of leaf litter from the tree on up. For TR access from the first lookout when leaving the carpark.

FA: G.Robins,J.Boyton, 1985

4
20 Horror Show Trad 25m

FA: J.Friend,K.Bell, 1974

Hide
5
23 ** Buddha and the Chocolate Box Sport 25m

FA: S.Camps,Wilson,Smoothy, 1986

6
22 * Engineering Feats of the 80s Sport 25m, 10

Great climbing on very unique, sharp mountains sandstone. A carrot or two and then fixed hangers all the way to the anchors. Has gone from under- to over-bolted thanks to the retrobolts added circa 2012. Currently 23 in the 2010 Blue Mountains Guide

FA: R.Weigand,G,Clark, 1983

7
23 * Pain In The Arse Sport 25m

Technical. Same start as Pain Of Glass, after 4th bolt go straight up then traverse back R to 6th bolt of Pain Of Glass

FA: A Farquhar, M Baker, 2010

8
27 ** Pain Of Glass Sport 25m

Technical and thin! Take 8 brackets, tops out.

FA: M Baker, A Farquhar, 2012

9
23 Macho Man Trad 30m

T the left of the arete before the 'Exhibition Wall'.

FA: A.Prehn,R.Young, 1982

10
23 The Fellowship of Bevan Unknown 25m

Serious direct start to Crystal Palace starting below arete of Iron in the Soul

FA: 2004

11
21 R * Iron in the Soul Trad 30m

Was rebolted...once.

FA: G.Robertson,S.Knight, 1982

12
21 R * Cardboard Wilderness Trad 30m

Stupid in fact! Like most of the routes on this wall they could do with a great deal of 'common sense' and a rebolt!

FA: R.Weigand, 1982

13
21 *** Exhibition Wall Sport 30m

Has been rebolted on huge, shiny fixed hangers!

FA: A.Penney,J.Smoothy, 1979

14
23 R ** The Rage this Season Trad 30m

Used to need small TCU's, but now its got shiny RBs all the way up to where it joins Exhibition Wall.

FA: R.Weigand,P,Greenwell, 1982

15
24 R ** The Age of Reason Trad 30m

Perhaps not...A most unsociable companion...Had been 'rebolted' then had the anchors removed. Take cams and a sling for a dubious thread.

FA: W.Baird, 1980

16
23 ** Software Freak Trad 30m

FA: R.Weigand, 1982

17
24 R ** The Age of Rubber Trad 30m

FA: M.Stacey, 1988

18
15 Ferny Groove Trad 30m

Choss corner to arete, right side of the wall.

FA: B.Blunt,J.Lorinez, 1974

19
17 REM state ruminations Mixed 25m, 8

start on the arete below Ferny Groove up arete past 2 bolts, then up the steep bit of Ferny Groove (cams). step left and up arete past bolts to lower off

FA: j smoothy g.short, 2012

20
22 * Crystal Palace Trad 60m

Traverse in the best of British tradition!

Start: As for RG then left and left again!

FA: P.Greenwell,R.Weigand, 1982

21
13 Trend Setters Bail Trad 20m

Dirty crack to rooflet.

Start: About 5m up Obstacle Course 'Gully' on the left side.

FA: P.Rees, 1984

22
23 R Green Slimy Death Trad 20m

Exactly!

Start: 7m LEFT of TDotSPF.

FA: Prehn,Kuehn,Donald,Smoothy, 1988

23
17 R * The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fary Trad 25m

Not well(?) protected!

Start: 20m right of the gully. Up an a ledge 20m above the track.

FA: R.Vining,W.Blunt, 1974

24
13 R Yellow Peril Trad 20m

An apt name! Apparently better than it looks.

Start: Corner 2m right.

FA: W.Blunt,W.Williams, 1974

25
16 Vulgate Trad 10m

Start: Up the corner for 10m. 5m right of previous climb.

FA: B Blunt, McTackett, R Vining

Hide
26
18 * Yank Ya Doodle Trad 12m

Layback an off width.

Start: 2m right again.

FA: R.Vining,G.Harrison, 1974

27
15 Pussy Footin' Trad 30m

Still off the ledge.

Start: 1m right again.

FA: W.Williams,R.Vining,Mr(?)Wilson, 1974

28
9 R Rusty Bucket Trad 20m

Start: 27m right of PF. Chimney - chockstones and a bucket that was rusty in 1974!

FA: P.Mara,W.Blunt, 1974

29
10 Nutmeg Trad 20m

Chimney!

Start: 4m right again.

FA: W.Blunt,Mr(?)Thornton,Mr(?)Thompson, 1974

30
21 * The Monster Off Width Trad 30m

Aided by Glenn Robbins, had numerous free attempts over a 5 year period.

Start: 17m right.Marked.

FA: W.Baird,D.Wagland, 1981

31
13 Sand Castle Trad 30m

"Only Joe could ever concieve a route up here. A fine companion to 'Apollo' at 'Sublime Point'. Dont forget to take a plastic bucket and shovel, you'll need them."

Start: As for TMO.

FA: J.Friend, 1974

32
11 Grub Trad 25m

Ramble up to ledge, across to corner and up.

Start: 20m right of TMO, right side of the sandy cave.

FA: P.Mara,W.Blunt, 1974

33
14 Grub Direct Finish Unknown
34
14 Subterranean Homesick Blues Trad 20m

Start: 38m right again. Wide crack. Name spells it out for you!

FA: R.Vining,W.Williams, 1974

35
13 Bristletail Trad 30m

Another Joe Friend classic - take care!

Start: As for SHSB.

FA: J.Friend, 1974

36
21 Knights Effort Trad 20m

As for SHSB to traverse line of B. Ignore traverse, up wall past bolt to top.

Start: As for SHSB.

FA: S.Knight, 1982

37
17 R * Syriac Trad 10m

The overhanging offwidth 20m to the left of the 'nothings'. Marked. Big nuts and jammed helmets!

FA: B.Blunt,W.Williams,R.Vining, 1974

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