Grade | Route | Gear style | Popularity | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Katoomba Cliffs Closed The Three Sisters Honeymoon Point | |||||
13 | ★★★ The Mantleshelf
FA: David Roots, 1953 | 21m | |||
14 M3 | Cheesecake Roof
| 32m | |||
6 | Tourist Route
| 30m | |||
7 | ★ Tourist Traverse
| 40m | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Closed The Three Sisters Eastern Block | |||||
21 | ★ Check-point Charlie
Leftmost route (facing the crag). | 35m, 9 | |||
20 | ★★ Another Brick in the Wall
About 2m right of CC. 10 carrots, plus some cams. There are 3 carrots on a large boulder about 5m past the top-out. The route goes left of the 8th and 9th bolts. Beware the large loose block on the ledge just above the cave! | 35m, 10 | |||
22 | The Oderneisse Line
| 40m | |||
23 | Kamtjatka Coachline
| 39m, 7 | |||
21 | Merry Xmas Comrade Ceausescu
| 30m, 9 | |||
20 | Peter Ward's Wall Route
Start 2m left of VIK. Very dirty. Start under short nose to ledge. Trend leftwards to ramp at top. | 32m, 7 | |||
22 | Vampires in Katoomba
Start at decent sized Angophora. | 30m, 9 | |||
15 | ★★★ Peter Ward's Crack Route
The obvious offwidth near the right end of the crag. | 30m, 3 | |||
21 | Prague Spring
Line just to the right of the crack. | 30m, 8 | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Closed The Three Sisters East Face | |||||
12 M1 | Sleepwalk
| 92m | |||
14 | Easy Route
| 20m | |||
20 M0 | Boys Boags and Blues
| 20m | |||
18 | Treatment Works
| 20m | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Closed The Three Sisters Southern Routes | |||||
12 | Dick Me Chimney
| 96m | |||
14 | ★ Elephant Walk
| 96m | |||
16 | ★★★ South West Buttress
| 200m | |||
12 | ★★★ West Wall
| 290m | |||
8 | Garden Route
| 240m | |||
14 | ★★★ Skyline Traverse
| 240m | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Closed The Three Sisters Halfway Ledge | |||||
16 | Vertical Diarrhoea
| 90m | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Echo Point Echo Point Walls | |||||
23 | ★★ Jezreel
Amazing position right next to Katoomba Falls, with an airy, mixed-quality set of pitches. You can be seen by the tourists from about five different vantage points, so expect some cheering\heckling\posing. Bring a rack of cams 0.3 to 4, and 5 bolts plates as well as the usual kit. Approach by walking down the creek above Katoomba Falls (yes, in the creek - access from below Katoomba Cascades) until near the top of the main falls. Be careful as the rock is extremely slippery, and with enough rainfall the water can be quite high and fast-flowing. Belay carefully from shrubs near the top of the main falls.
To find your way back to the path, bush bash straight up the hill until you reach the main pathway. | 35m, 3, 2 | |||
23 | ★★ Don't Wet Yourself
| 20m | |||
22 | ★★★ Wally World
1
22
45m
2
22
30m
One of the best mini-multis for a quick, exposed and scenic adventure in the Blue Mountains. This route is highly visible to the tourist hoards passing overhead on the Scenic Skyway cablecar and nearby lookouts. On a busy weekend expect to be hassled and photographed relentlessly. There have been reported incidents of police meeting climbers on the top-out after tourists thought the climbers were stuck and rang 000. This route can be done as a run-out sport route (bring 15+ draws) or a saner mixed route with the addition of a single set of cams from #0.75 to #3 Camalot. Long runners are useful to reduce rope-drag and for a thread on pitch 1. This route no longer requires bolt plates. Start: Make your way to the lookout on the Prince Henry Cliff Walk directly below the Katoomba side of the Scenic Skyway. From the lookout the rap point is on the small but obvious rock platform 30m down and to the left. There is a well beaten dirt track leading to this spot (it's a popular Instagram selfie area) There are 2 ringbolts to rap off hidden back from the edge obscured by some bushes. Do NOT rap off the 2 carrot bolts a few metres further left. Fix a 70m rope to these anchors and rap down to the major vegetated starting ledge. It is possible to rap and pull ropes if you build an anchor that gets over the top edge. 30m to the mid height rap chain followed by a 40m rap to the bottom of the route. Facing the cliff, the route starts on a ledge a few metres up and to the left of where you touch down with a single bolt belay.
FA: S Moon's, 1990 | 75m, 2 | |||
22 | ★ Wayne's World
| 75m | |||
20 | ★ You can't stop the Music
Named after the remorseless tunes the Scenic Railway plays across the valley. Good climbing, take the usual rack of big cams plus extra medium cams and lots of wires. 8 or 9 bolt plates. A few runouts on easy ground, average scary Blueys trad. Walk up to Ice :- walk down Furber Steps or catch the scenic railway down, turn east. A few minutes past the creek there's a boulder 6m above the track with a info sign below it. A minute or so past this is a huge yellow boulder 15m above the track with a well worn track up to it. Up here. Ice is in the left side of a huge gully 100m above all this. Walk left 60m, past a fused corner with a retreat bolt and tatt at 12m, to a thin right facing corner with a roof at 10m. Short fist crack on the right wall.
FA: mikl law & neil monteith, 2013 | 160m, 5 | |||
22 R | ★★ Ice
1
17
10m
2
22
45m
3
17 R
20m
4
18 R
40m
5
17
50m
Mixed climbing masterpiece. The excellent final pitch can be seen easily from the lookouts on Cliff Drive. Start: Huge right facing corner directly beneath Wollumni Look out. Best access is to walk-in via Furbers Steps, left at the bottom and follow track to HUGE boulder on left about 250m after crossing the creek. Head directly up the hill towards the cliff. The route has a substantial tree at its base that you use to get established on the rock and there is a NY cap with a rock on it at the base.
FA: M.Wilson & J.Clark, 1994 | 170m, 5 | |||
21 | Shaken & Stirred
| 65m | |||
24 | ★★★ Ice Cubes
| 45m | |||
22 | ★★★ Ice Cream
8m past Wollemi lookout, climb the fence and walk to the right below a small boulder to find the abseil rings above you. Abseil just left of the small tree (looking out) to 2 x rings 15m down, and keep on abseiling clipping some bolts along the way to keep in contact with the wall. A 60m rope JUST reaches in 1 abseil on stretch (tie a knot in the end). This is the last route off the right side of the small, exposed footledge. Take at least 12 bolt plates, a single rack (BD 0.3 - 3) and some mid-sized wires.
| 65m, 2, 16 | |||
24 | Driving Home
| 85m | |||
24 | ★★★ Storm From The East
Approached along the main tourist clifftop track from Wally World direction. From Allambie Lookout, the route is visible as the arete down and 40m to the left (looking out). Continue walking towards the Three Sisters to next promontory and 2m before wooden drain crosses track (small cliff line to your left); head down right through bush for 6m (down 1m rock step) and around left to 2 ring rap station. Abseil 6m diagonally left to single ringbolt on clifftop (the route anchors are 3m further down on grey slab). Re-belay abseil rope and abseil 35m+ down overhanging arete and onto wall and left (looking in) to 3RBB on small foot ledge. Make sure to bounce off the wall and clip into draws on the way down. Fix a 60m abseil rope from the top station all the way down; and climb on another rope. Good climbing, great exposure. FA: Phil Sage, 2004 | 40m, 10 | |||
18 | Tarzan
FA: J Ewbank & C Monteath, 1969 | 160m, 7 | |||
19 M4 | Slipstream
| 200m | |||
22 | ★★ Tailspin
| 200m | |||
23 M1 | Ypsilon
| 120m | |||
24 | ★★ Dauntless
Start: Corner right of detached flake about 80m left of GwtW.
FA: I.Brown & T.Williams, 1993 | 170m, 7 | |||
27 R | ★★ Gone With the Wind
Start: Below the steep corner at top of cliff left of 'Echo Crack'.
FFA: K.Carrigan FA: (J.Ewbank & J.Pickard), 1968 | 180m, 7 | |||
Upriver - CLOSED PROJECT
CLOSED PROJECT This The route starts from a hanging belay in a dihedral above the void. the ledge belay below Echo Crack P3 (the crux pitch). Access by heading down the Echo Crack exit track from Echo Point to the first set of double rings, and abseiling 70m down the arete to the hanging belay (some trickery needed to avoid getting stuck in space).
From here, bush-bash left up gully to regain the Echo Crack exit track. | 3 | ||||
23 | ★ Silent Echo
| 75m | |||
25 | ★★ The Horror
An old-school, bowel-loosening journey across one of the most exposed bits of rock in the Blueys. Mostly trad, but with just enough bolts to keep it ever-so-slightly on the right side of insanity. Mostly great rock, and wild moves (pitches 2 and 3 will blow your mind!). Bring double cams #0.5 to #3, with singles of #0.3, #0.4, #4 and #5, and all the usual paraphernalia necessary for a RADventure. Ascensionists must be comfortable climbing well above gear on easier terrain. The cruxes can be aided past -with some craftiness- but the traversing (and very steep) nature of the route means both leader and second must be capable of ascending the rope in the event of a fall. The route starts from the ledge belay below Echo Crack P3 (the crux pitch). Access by either climbing P1 and P2 of Echo Crack. Or, better yet, walk to the top of Echo Crack from Echo Point, and abseil 80m down the top 2 pitches of that route (some trickery needed to avoid getting stuck in space). If you need to bail, you can either rap right down Echo Crack to the ground with 2 x 60m ropes and walk back up the giant staircase. Or, if you've accessed this route from above, and managed to keep the tail of the rap line in place (eg. threading it through the belay bolts below echo crack) you can reverse the climb and jumaar back up it.
From here, bush-bash left up gully to regain the Echo Crack exit track. FFA: Paul Frothy Thomson, David Dearnley, Simmo & Match | 100m, 4 | |||
27 | ★★★ Darkest Congo
Some of the finest and most "out-there" arete climbing in the Blueys, with tonnes of exposure, and situated on one of the most sought-after bits of real estate around. Access as for The Horror.
Frothy Thomson on the First Ascent of Darkest Congo FFA: Paul Frothy Thomson, Simmo & Jared Anderson, 13 May 2023 | 100m, 4 | |||
25 | ★★★ Echo Crack
Huge crack underneath main lookout, requires standard rack with the addition of up to ten #3 camalots.
FA: John Ewbank & J Davis, 1968 FFA: Gilbert Meunier & Garth Miller, 1995 | 190m, 4 | |||
26 | ★ 26++
A wild pitch of face climbing, starting from the major ledge halfway down the wall right of Echo Crack. Rather complicated to get to. Mostly bolted, but sparsely so. Bring cams 0.3 to 0.75 for the traverse exit to P2.
FFA: Dan Honeyman & Duncan Hunter | 40m, 2 | |||
25 R | ★★ Alive in a Bitter Sea
Classic Blueys steep face climbing in an inspiring location, but with the old-school epic of extremely bold climbing above gear. Original bolts replaced (like for like) with Glue-in Stainless Carrots in 2016! Access either by walking to the top of the route from Echo Point and rapping the route (recommended), or by climbing the lower pitches of Echo Crack or Silent Echo to the huge shale-band ledge at half height. To access from the top, make your way from Echo Point Upper Viewing Platform, down the ramp and head towards the Lower Viewing Platform. 30m after you turn left from the bottom of the ramp (heading towards the lower platform), there is a yellow mark on the fence on your right. Step over this, then down scrub heading vaguely right through bush to rock pagoda. Keep the rock on your right initially as you head down the hill, following a vague weakness and a number of yellow arrows. When the next cliffline appears on your left, hug that and down a number of small shelves to arrive at 2 x carrot + 1 fixed hanger belay directly above Echo Crack. The top of Alive in a Bitter Sea is at 2 Stainless carrots (and one original Bash-in) atop a series of big teetering blocks, approximately 10m across the wall directly in front of you, at the same height as the Echo Crack top-out.
Walk back up to Echo Point. FA: Warick Baird | 90m, 4, 8 | |||
24 | Alive in a Bitter Sea Variant
| 190m | |||
23 | Exercising the Devils
First two pitches as for Iron Lady the out left and up face to eventually traverse back to Echo Crack and the walk off there. | 100m, 5 | |||
23 R | ★★ Iron Lady
A proud, soaring, intimidating and bold rising traverse across the wall below Echo Point. Very committing and involved, with tricky route finding and old bolts... But a brilliant climb despite all of this. Bring Cams 0.3 to 4, with doubles of 0.5 to 3. Optional #5 cam, #2 (yellow) C3/X4, and a light rack of small wires. To access, either climb the first 2 pitches of Echo Crack, or approach from the Echo Point Lookout by walking down climbers track until above Echo Crack and abseiling in (Rap 80m down Echo Crack, bouncing to stay in contact with the wall, and placing a few bits of gear to redirect the rope (2nd to clean on the way down) to arrive at the Echo Crack belay).
To escape, carefully follow the vegetated cliffline to the right, meandering upwards where possible until you can gain the major gully system. Up the gully, then up the hill to the path. Go home, quit climbing, take up croquet . FA: Warwick Baird, 1986 | 120m, 4 | |||
16 | Iron Lady Variant
| ||||
23 | ★ Bryden's Dinky
| 160m | |||
22 | ★★ Genghis Khan
A fantastic trad route up a very striking line. In 2020 a large box sized section of rock fell off at the start of pitch 3. The route has been re-established with the addition of a couple of bolts in this section. All other fixed gear was replaced in 2021. The most straightforward way to access this climb is probably to go up the gully and fixed ropes as for Echo Crack and then wander right (facing the cliff) for 130m. Bring a standard double rack (BD 0.3-3), one BD 4 & 5 and a few very small cams. And maybe some extras in the hand range if you want to be really comfy. Don't forget wires either, this route eats them! Start at low angled black wall with vegetated crack 130m right of Echo Crack.
FFA: Michael Law & Kim Carrigan FA: J.Ewbank & J.Prickard, 1968 | 170m, 5, 5 | |||
22 | The New Right
A steep, clean, direct variant finish to Genghis Khan from midway through the Traverse on pitch 4 with some excellent rock and great protection.
FFA: Tom Williams, 1985 | 40m | |||
21/22 | Sharp End Tremors
Another (fairly average looking) variant to Genghis Khan. Instead of climbing the awesome finalpitch of the aforementioned route, instead traverse out left and head up the mossy, dirty face following the line of carrots. Finish up final corner as for Genghis Khan. | 70m, 5 | |||
16 | ★ Orange Slice
The nearest climb you can do to the now banned Three Sisters! (They are only 20m away). Rack: 4 bolt plates, wires and cams (max #3 Camelot size) Approach: walk down tourist track to bridge going across to the Three Sisters (Honeymoon Bridge). Scramble down to under this bridge and head down very steep vegetated gully towards Scenic World. There isn't much sign of a track and lots of rubbish from tourists. About 50m down the gully is a vegetated ledge system. Orange Slice is 10m right (facing out) of the approach gully.
| 75m | |||
Echo Point Bolt Route
The Original route up 'Echo Point'. FA: B Allen / J Ewbank, 2000 | |||||
Katoomba Cliffs Malaita Wall Merl Wall | |||||
23 | ★ Scratching the Itch
An arete route right of Merl - don't get the two confused (easy to do if you use the print guidebook). It doesn't appear safe to walk from Merl to wherever this route is due to sketchy choss ledge (and tourists below). Presume rap in and climb out? Brings wires, cams #0 to #3 to supplement up to 12 carrots per pitch. Double ropes recommend for pitch 2.
FA: Mark Wilson & Justin Clarke, 1995 | 75m, 12 | |||
25 | ★★ Merl
A spectacularly positioned climb up the wall just left of an undercut arete. Has not had a lot of repeats so expect a few spider webs and lichen spots. The 2nd pitch in particular is very sustained and cryptic. Crux on pitch1 can be done direct at 25+ or with a minor variation at 23/24. All bolts on this route are rusted bash-in carrots and should be treated with caution. Most do not have fixed bolt plates - bring at least 10 of your own. Don't forget to wave the tourists below! This is not quite a sport route - bring a single set of cams from 0.25 to #2 to supplement the aging bolts on P2 - and one vital #1 camalot for pitch 1 traverse section.
FA: W Moon, S Moon & B Cameron, 1993 FFA: Giles Bradbury, 1994 | 70m, 3 | |||
25 | ★★★ Hurl
Fantastic steep wall of waterwashed rock on ringbolts. Some of the best rock in Toon Town. This was an old Steve "Moss" Moon project from 1993 that was rebolted and tried, and then finally freed in 2023 accidentally by climbers believing they were on a rebolted Merl! It's easy to combine the first two pitches into one mega pitch which is the recommend way of doing the route.
Set: Steve Moss Moon, 1993 NA: Steve Moss Moon, 2019 FA: Paul Frothy Thomson, Heath Black & Simmo, 8 Jan 2023 | 62m, 3 | |||
18 | 50 Million Beers
Major corner 10m left of Merl. FA: Greg Moore & Bruce Cameron, 1995 | 70m | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Malaita Wall | |||||
17 | ★ Pinnacle Route
| 200m | |||
13 | ★ Malaita Point
| 250m | |||
19 | ★ Menluff
| 70m | |||
18 | Malaita Crack
| 70m | |||
20 | Crack of Despair
| 70m | |||
19 | ★★ Crack of Doom
| 80m | |||
17 | Evisceration
| 80m | |||
17 | Arete of Terrible Disfigurement
| 80m | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Dogface Lower Wall | |||||
M6 | Charybdis
Start: Left of black streak and spray waterfall on left of wall. Thin cracks leading to corner, roof and up .. FA: Ewbank / Kennedy, 1968 | 85m, 4 | |||
14 M5 R | Polyphemus
Start: Center of wall at right corner right of black streak. For a bit of an idea see the 2007 Calendar FA: Ewbank / Tyrel, 1968 FFA: BF Brian / Darragh, 2005 | 90m, 1 | |||
15 M5 R | Scylla
Strong line up the massive leaning corner of choss... Start at obvious right hand corner. Up corner through roofs. Goes free at 24 by traversing 20m left at top ledge. FA: Ewbank / Davis, 1968 FFA: BF Brian / Darragh?, 2004 | 120m, 4 | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Dogface Left Wall | |||||
20 | Jormungand
Climbs full length of left cliff, starting down in the scree... 4 pitchs of the lower wall get you to the Main halfway ledge and another 3 pitches on left wall get you to the top. FA: Ewbank & Campbell, 1967 FFA: Ewbank & Campbell, 2004 | 200m, 7 | |||
23 | ★ Fingal
Big corner around the arete from Landslide Chimney. Start: Downhill left from Landslide Chimney. Left and up into corner. Up corner to overlap, thru short steepness and thrutch to glory. Originally 18 M4 by Ewbank FFA: BF Brian / Darragh FA: Ewbank / Campbell, 2000 | 100m, 3 | |||
18 | ★★ Landslide Chimney
Start: At the bottom of the huge corner/chimney. FA: Allen / Batty, 2000 | 100m | |||
20 | Jormagund
Start: Actuall starts way down the bottom right of the 'Left Wall' FA: Ewbank / Campbell, 1969 | ||||
Katoomba Cliffs Dogface Main Wall | |||||
26 R | ★★ Titan
18M6 or free at 26 R. Start: Main corner/crack system on left side wall. Good rock and climbing down low, becoming more serious and difficult towards the top. Birdbeaks/Peckers may be advisable as increasingly the original fixed pitons are breaking… FFA: - Monks/Mentz FA: Ewbanks & Campbell | 110m, 4 | |||
M7 X | 21st Century Aid (Project)
First new aid route on this cliff in decades. Tricky aid on variable rock. Maybe a tad dangerous. Be careful! Further pitches could be 'fun' also. Start: Start of the ridge in middle of main wall at thin seam.
Removed from 2015 BM guide because Simone Cartier got her knickers in a knot ... FA: Macciza (Aid Solo), 2005 | 25m, 2 | |||
M6 R | ★★★ Colossus
Up slanting crack for 50m. Up to 10m pin traverse along clay band then up to roof below lookout. Through roof and up to lookout. If your into aid you cant get lost. Start: Slanting crack in the middle of 'Main Wall'.
FA: Ewbank/Giles, 1969 | 150m, 6 | |||
M8 X | ★★★ The Pecker Route
The original bolt route on the wall - c. 1965, chopped 1967, reclimbed 2005. Take lot's of peckers and various hooks, leave them in the hope they'll catch you if you fall - then just don't fall! I actually had my bivvy almost below me for psych support Start: Few metres left of Gigantors start at some barely noticeable chopped bolts beneath the line of even less noticeable chopped bolts. Pecker Extension Project underway. Removed from 2015 BM guide because Simone Cartier got her knickers in a knot ... FA: Macciza (Aid Solo), 2005 | 20m | |||
M5 R | ★★★ Gigantor
The obvious cliff-splitter. "The most direct and outstanding line on the face" -John Ewbank. Trade aid route - goes clean ie no pins, some hooking, occasional free moves... Also goes completely free. Fixed belay anchors in reasonable condition for old carrots, consider backing up with extra gear/rap line etc if you’re so inclined. P1 (~ 25meters) - Either direct or traverse in from left to reach the base of the crack. Mixed aid (~C1/C2) and free. Bolted belay. P2 (~28 meters) - Standard aid, hooking (or free moves) up to C2. Multiple bolt belay station. People have bivied here for fun. Can be linked with P3 but long rope recommended P3 (~28 meters-depending on belay position) - Few aid moves to aid crux (C2+), then up crack finishing on carrot-ladder to ledge, and final free move to top. Carrot belay on a boulder ~15m back or just belay off a few of the trees. Exit up gully track to Landslide Lookout. Watch this Video with Zac Vertrees about the route. FA: Ewbank/Campbell, 1967 FFA: Mac & Zac Vertrees, 2005 | 100m | |||
26 R | ★★★ Gigantor (free version)
The all free version of Gigantor. Listed separately to the aid version, as aiding Gigantor is still quite popular. Atmospheric and extremely engaging! A true sustained cliff-splitter. As a free route, it has a bit of everything - Jamming, armbars, pinkys, pockets and the occasional edge. Some loose rock and the occasional runout. Belays are all ok -provided you equalise everything and make use of any natural pro you can find. Don't even think of rebolting this one!! Traverse right at the bolt ladder near the top, and follow the line of least resistance. Watch this Video with Zac Vertrees about the route. FA: Ewbank/Campbell, 1967 FFA: Macciza a.k.a. Macca & zachary vertrees, 2005 | 100m, 3 | |||
25 M1 | ★★ Change Planets
Rap in and climb out on worrisome metal in worrisome rock with worrisome air. Absolutely awesome - come on, step up . . 'Excellent' engaging rope solo . . Start: Head south fro, lookout down track in gully to chain on block several metres from cliff edge. Rap in past lots of fixed stuff to belay in middle of wall. Frothy Thomson attempting to Onsight Change Planets FA: Claw, 2000 | 40m | |||
17 M5 | Ogre
“Contains sustained, free and mechanical climbing of an awkward nature. Contains an awkward pendulum and a manky start to the first pitch” J. Ewbank. Up through shockingly lose shale to the base of the wall proper, and up thin crack to hanging belay. Switch gears and arc up and right on bolts, hooks and drilled holes to tatters of primitive lower-off and pendulum to the (now dead) tree belay at base of corner on right side of wall. Up corner to top. Perhaps dry tooling would be better . . . FA: Ewbank, Tyrrel & Pickard, 1967 | 130m, 3 | |||
24 | ★ Giant
Wide crack cruxy start near the coffin cave gets you to a good cave ledge. Pop up onto the main face and up and around arete. Up grey slab above. FFA: Matheson/Mentz FA: FA Ewbank, Tyrell, FFA Matheson & Mentz | 110m, 4 | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Dogface Gorgo Wall | |||||
18 M4 | Gorgo
FA: J. Ewbank & A. Campbell, 1967 | 120m, 4 | |||
28 | ★★ Gargantuan
Similar to 'Gorgon' in grade and nature. Again most of the climbing is free. Start: 'Trident' cracks on left wall of 'Leviathan' corner FA: J Ewbank & A Campbell, 1967 | 110m | |||
16 M4 | Leviathan
FA: J. Ewbank, L. Smith & R. Reynolds, 1967 | 120m, 6 | |||
14 M5 R | Cyclops
\' predominantly mechanical route taking a thin crack to its natural conclusion\' J. Ewbank Start: The crack on the right corner of the corner. Start marked.
FA: J Ewbank, A Campbell & S Tyrell, 1967 | 120m, 3 | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Dogface Right Wall | |||||
16 M6 | Goliath
FA: Ewbank/Pickard, 2000 | 130m | |||
22 | ★★ Gorgon
A classic katoomba cliffs trad route with great position and climbing. Most of the rock on this route is of descent quality with the exception of the shale band on pitch 3. Good gear (doubles BD 0.3 - 3, 1 x 4, Wires and Hexes), and only one move at grade 22 (most of the climbing is in the 19-20 range) make this a good introduction to Dogface free-climbing. Access via Furber steps (or Golden Staircase) to landslide. Find Gorgon wall (next wall right of the landslide main wall, with huge stepped roof half-way up) then bush-bash up loose scree and vegetation until you are below Gorgon Wall.
To escape, head up the hill to the cliffline. Traverse right under the cliffline to cliff edge at gully. Scramble up carefully, then back left under cliffline for 100m until you reach a short gully. Scramble up this, and continue up the hill to the main walking track. Head left on the track back to Landslide lookout, and then up the track to the road. FFA: Wilson/Williams FA: Ewbank/Davis, 2000 | 170m, 6 | |||
20 M0 | Gorgon Variant
| ||||
18 | Charlemagne
FA: Ewbank/Kennedy, 2000 | 190m | |||
Katoomba Cliffs Dogface The Citadel | |||||
20 M7 X | Left Wall of the Citadel
Apparently unrepeatable ?? But has been attempted and seen rescuing required ..? Certainly sounds interesting ... Up main Citadel corner then left . FA: Ewbank/Campbell, 1969 | 110m | |||
22 R | ★ The Citadel
The line up the huge corner. Some loose rock. Bolt belays. Start: Solo up the landslide over steep loose rubble and blocks till you reach the start of the rock and you should be at a crack that you can use for your first belay. If you aren't then head left or right till you are, or keep going up . . Belay from here. FA: Ewbank/Campbell, 1969 FFA: BareFoot Brian/Mad Mac, 2006 | 90m | |||
13 M5 R | Right Wall of the Citadel
FA: Ewbank/Campbell, 1969 | 130m | |||
Narrow Neck Rhum Dhu | |||||
23 | ★★ Welcome to the Jungle
Awesome steep hand crack, located just to the North of Therabulat Lookout, overlooking Nellies Glen, Katoomba. Access via Stuarts Road. Rap off trees to ledge approx 30m down. Its quite tricky landing on the ledge as its so steep. Either pre place the gear on rap to help get you on the ledge or lasso the rope onto the pile of detached blocks and pull yourself in. Sounds dodgy but actually works. P1. Isn't recommended. Grade 21 with hard moves off ledges. P2. Belay 1 carrot, #1 and #2 BD cam. Classic steep hand crack that overhangs by 30 degrees. Take triple in size #1,2&3 BD cam and single rack in the rest. Route history unknown.....Please update if you do know. Hugh Ward freed it on 29/08/2019 FFA: Hugh Ward & Marty Doolan, 29 Aug 2019 | 60m, 2 | |||
15 | Burgundy Buttress
1
15
12m
2
21m
3
21m
4
15m
5
15m
Topo notional, route not confirmed. #Historical Abseil down "near the waterfall" (hard to find climb start), or walk down Nellies Glen until climb "stands out as obvious crack between a wall and detached buttress". [BA] Current access unknown.
"Magnificent rock and a clean finish." [BA] "Grand climbing." [JME] FA: E. Paris, D. Litchfield, B. Cunningham, K. Westren & K. Cooke, 1958 | 84m, 5 | |||
11 | Dry Sherry Pinnacle
1
16m
2
11
22m
#Historical Topo notional, route not confirmed. A short climb and .. "probably not worth the walk" [BA] .. "which is useful as a descent route" [JME] Start: On the right of a nose just before the waterfall.
FA: D. Litchfield, B. Cunningham, K. Westren, K. Cooke, P. Hardy, R. Adams & M. Montague, 1958 | 38m, 2 |