Routes in Katoomba Area

Julian Saunders closed project. A hellishly long jump to join Treadstone.

Full of funky sequences and memorable holds. Start as per Treadstone but continue up for one bolt more before moving left, over vague lip and into the shallow groove. Some awesome sections above may have you think you are all done. Wrong! Opinion is mixed as to whether it is 27 or 28.

It is not uncommon to hear whimpering from high up on this super classic. Start as per Treadstone but head straight up the seam and onto the arete above. Continue up the face onto the white streaked, water washed stone, where the bolts cease and the fun factor goes redline.

Open project. Starts 5m right of Treadstone in the 'bowl'. Gently left and up to join Fallopian Jezabels.

Start as for Dumbo Love then left over top of scoop. Punchy crux then nice low angle climbing to the top. Crux punch may be morpho, 5'8" and under it could be very hard. 6ft it's hard. 6'3" could be easy. Hard to grade. 29-31?

Start on the right side of the bowl and climb up and into the corner above. A trady feeling pitch.

Start 2m right of Dumbo Love project. An absolute cracker!

The scene of yet another ethics debacle, where visions collide, egos are bruised and Negotiation is a primitive wallflower. Fact 1. Emil, after considering the amount of available gear placements across the whole route, and much discussion with other developers at Elphinstone, opted to bolt the line and subsequently did the first ascent. Fact 2. Rowan returned from overseas and took umbrage with Emil since he wanted to attempt it on gear. After having had numerous ascents Rowan chopped the routes bolts. One bolt was left in the route toward the top, presumedly due to lack of gear.

Start as per Person of interest sans bolts. After entering the corner head right past a bolt and up the arete to rejoin Person of interest at its last remaining bolt.

Simon Atkins closed project.

The first route as you arrive.. If you like steep and thuggy then this is your number. Be careful on the first couple of bolts as the ground isn't far away.

Easily the easiest route here. The warm up... if you're a pumper. Jug along with glee.

Doesnt get as much attention as 'Headshot' but just as good. Perhaps a little more thuggy?

A tricky sequence at the start leads to a good rest then mostly good grips for great sustained fun.

Glow true! The long-awaited direct start to the "Funky Monkey Glow Linkup". A tough boulder problem to gain the pockets, grade needs confirming.

Took 5 days to bolt with much head scratching, almost didn't happen. Thought it would be 21. Maybe it is?

The warm up if you aren't a pumper. The most popular route here. Good climbing!

Hard and sustained edges from half height, is considered solid for the grade now with the direct finish.

Like a Cornetto... no boring parts! A great climb if you like mountains pockets and the hardest of the 4s at this crag. At least 2 grades harder than Funky!

The climbing and the rock is awesome, a grade harder after every move! . Hard for 28 but who wants a soft tick?

Same start as the last two climbs but keeps drifting right to anchors on the arête. Sent as horizontal hail arrived.

Stick clip ring on the lip and pass rope through the hooks in the roof. A hold broke several years ago, this climb should probably be removed..

Start: marked A under big left-leaning corner 15m L of JH arete.

1. Up big arching orange/red corner capped by a roof.

2. Second pitch probably goes left up a high flake system through a towering red wall with potential - or actual - direct start up crack below.

Further details forthcoming from Keith Bell

Interesting climbing up a seam and slab. Take wires, small & med. cams. Start: Thin seam just L of Sunshine Crack.

1. 30m (16) Up seam to FH [crux]. Up wall with pockets for cams, slab to BR, run-­‐out easy wall/slab, BR, up to belay for SC.

2. 15m (12) Up JH arête to tree belay.

Nice crack, slab and nose. Start: As for JH arête, at small tree, crack system 8 M L of JH arête.

1. 30m (12) Up a few moves of JH, BR L to base of crack and up with good pro and climbing. Up to DBB and cam. (Old BR off route found here?)

2. 15m (12) Right 3m from belay to nose, up as for JH.

Long, laid back, good-­‐looking arête. Take a few mixed cams. Has been done in one pitch. Start: The obvious soaring arête L of Angophora Crack. Start at small tree.

1. 15m (14) Up behind small tree to BR. Best to stick clip. Move R to arête base. Up passing BR’s, to FH, L [crux] to stance and lower offs for Skyfall.

2. 35m (12) Spaced BR’s and cams on nose/arête to belay tree.

Excellent climbing up finger crack with some thin upper face moves. Start: Thin lightning bolt crack on black wall, R of Jen Hawkins nose.

1. 15m (19) Up crack to fixed peg and small cams. Up closed crack section [crux] to vertical finger crack, left (passing FH) to belay as for JH (lower offs).

2. 40m Up arête or rap off.

Nice varied crack climbing. The first pitch is superb. Start: Obvious aesthetic crack splitting the face at track level L of DOC crack.

1. 10m (15) Up hand crack and face. Great. Belay on small ledge/tree.

2. 45m (16) Move L and up ramp/corner to hanging knuckle size cnr. Up and follow cracks through steep bulges (crux), follow crack to top to belay trees.

Great crack climbing up a spectacular line. Original route possibly Pandora.

Start: Obvious striking crack with single fern above broken chimney. Best to combine pitches 1 and 2.

1. 10m (10) Easy up to start of crack.

2. 25m (19) Up cracks and chimney to little roof, up splitting crack, follow crack [fern] with good pro. Belay at rap point in gully.

3. 15m (12) Up cracks/gully. *Abseil access from trees near rock platform at track end to fixed rap-­‐point in Gilby’s Gully. 15 M rap to rap station. 30 M rap down Red Alert wall to slabs with care. Also rap point on The Terrace 20 M below.

A good climb with a hard start.

Start: 75m left of The Country Boys in a small corner capped by a fern at 4m.

1. 27m Up to fern, swing out onto right wall, up a little, back into crack and straight up to ledge (bolt belay).

2. 21m (crux) Right and up arete to loose blocks, up over bulge, trend right up wall above to tree belay.

Excellent thin crack and seam. Start: Up easy grey slabs with ease to crack.

1. 10m (6) Easy slab to start of main crack/climb proper.

2. 25m (23) Up and R, BR/SLCD’s at fused section [crux] up past FH to wide corner. Up onto ledge with shared belay. Best to rap from here.

3. 15m (12) Up cracks/gully.

Striking line of orange and grey rock up central high buttress. Rings. Start: As for base of Rap. Locate BB on ramp.

1. Left of low first ring. Technical to gain orange flake. Up through bulges to gain RB’s. Easier ground to top. DRBB.

Short corner and fused crack. Start: 5m left of Radar Arête at track level. At base of abseil rope descent. Up corner, cams, then up with wires and small cams to fixed rap point/belay.

A short compact arête on featured rock. Start: At arête with orange streak below Red Alert at track level. Up orange boulder problem start, cams, up arête to FH, cams in horizontals to terrace ledge, fixed rap point /belay.

An interesting route with lots of little corners!! Better than it looks. Start: Yellow crack 15m right of DOC.

1. 12m (12) Up corner with good cams move R to tree on ledge.

2. 28m (12) Up orange weakness on left, up corners and up left to cams/belay at base of hanging corner of TBC.

3. 15m (6) Up scrambling left to small wall and tree belay.

A varied route with reasonable rock and protection. Start: At flake with roof above, 10m right of The Putty Road.

1. 12m (17) Up thin flake to wide crack capped by roof. Right to BR, right to exit crack. Up with cams to tree on ledge. Or do P1. as for TPR at 12. Much nicer.

2. 18m (14) Up orange sloping thin crack corner. Up past fern, back left to join TPR, belay above finger corner.

3. 10m (16) Up right on orange rock/scoop to FH. Right 3m across weakness to fused corner. BR and small/med cam belay.

4. 12m (8) Up to ledge, up to hanging corner/flake to trees.

Great hanging cnr. on good rock. An alternate finish to TPR. Start: The obvious steep hanging cnr. at the top of TPR last pitch. Up steep corner, easier as you go. Tree belay after slot.

Additional unknown route marked F on right wall of this corner.

A pleasant enough climb (accurate details lost).

Start: 75m right of Pandora in leftward leading corner.

1. 18m Up comer and small face to tree belay.

2. 18m Up rest of comer behind.

An easy enough climb (accurate details lost).

Start: 3m right of The Country Boys in grey inverted V chimney with ferns which closes in at 3m. Chipped and paint marked CC.

1. 18m Up chimney and corner above to tree belay.

2. 18m Up rest of corner / crack on left.

Thin on the crux (accurate details lost). Retrobolted by more recent routes with carrots at and above nose.

Start: 10m right of Chimney Corner at base of crack at left end of horizontal cave. Faintly chipped FA behind small cut tree.

1. 21m Up crack and nose directly below overhang then up to top.

Varied crack, face and bulges. Start: Straight up slightly left off the angophora up into the corner crack, continue up through cave/ ledge and traverse right along shelf to finish as for D. Locate FH for belay backed onto DRBB. Take Cams, slings and wires of all sizes. Ben Sanford, Bradley Cameron, Bruce Cameron. 14.4.15

Varied climbing up a series of fused corners and bulges. Start: Follow open ledge above track height from dog wall. Left of (OH) 15m. Locate fused angophora in start of thin crack system. Pitch 1: Up thin crack past angophora, gain ledge. Continue through steeper ground locating two BR on right bulge. Finish large ledge as for OH. Locate DRBB. Ben Sanford, Bradley Cameron March 2015

Start: As for DD traversing immediately right off block to thin ledge. Pitch 1: Traverse right gaining FH. Up on good holds. Cams. Engaging crux section mid way on positive holds. Easier ground to top. Finish large ledge as for OH. Locate FH for belay backed onto DRBB. Ben Sanford, Tom Gilbert. March 2015

Start: Directly below FH on P traverse. Undercut ‘access cave’. Pitch 1: Pre-­‐ clip FH as for P traverse. Cams in slot also. Jump to slot, then straight up towards FH. Intermediate holds to jugs. Up as for P. Finish large ledge as for OH. Locate FH for belay backed onto DRBB. Ben Sanford, Bradley Cameron August 2015

Jump start to Jug. Pleasant climbing on good rock. Far left route on the dog wall.

Start 3m right of CDV. Hard overhung start though the bulge leads to easier fun climbing .

Good climbing up a featured face. Average quality protection towards top. Small/Med cams and wires.

Start: Off small boulder on the L side of Dog Wall overhang bulge, 5m L of OH.

1. Short wall to small ledge gaining good protection. Trend L through juggy wall. Small cams and wires. Arc R gaining average protection at top to large ledge. DRBB.

Great climbing up a featured slab. Start: 2m right of RUFUS. Follow the 4 carrots.

Can be used to exit the crag. Top out and head left (facing the cliff). Passing the DBB scramble up passing one fixed hanger. Continue heading up/right past another fixed hanger.

Scramble up to the above cliff line then head left to find the descent gully approx 30m away.

A nice wall climb with good rock and protection.

Start: 10m right of Forever Amber.

1. 37m Up wall trending left to tree belay on large ledge.

2. 12m Gymnastically through overhang and up to top.

Original route The Oracle.

Interesting wall climbing with a thin crux. Just enough pro.

Start: Wall just left of detached pinnacle. Up wall 10 meters left of belay chain descent.

1. Up R end of wall to BR. Up passing small to med. cam breaks. Up BR, final wall to DRBB one ledge. OR traverse to DRBB on CM.

A nice wall climb.

Start: Just left of rock "pulpit".

1. 23m (crux) Up wall to ledge and tree belay.

2. 11m Up overhang to top.

Beautiful wall climbing, good rock but poor protection.

Start: 7m right of The Oracle on black wall above rise in track.

1. 30m (crux) Up wall to bulge, slightly right over bulge and up wall above to block belay in gully.

2. 9m Up wall on left of gully to tree belay.

Pleasant climbing up central Dog Wall.

Start: 3 meters right of OH.

1. Up to prominent orange circle and angled bulge to gain BR. Negotiate bulge. Up to BR. Good med. size cams. Finish DRBB.

Original Route Taken In.

Nice rock and climbing up a blunt arête. An easy route out of the cliff.

Start: Climb the black blunt nose/arête 2m left of Easy Gully.

1. 15m (11) Up nose to BR. Up, cams and BR, arête left to DRBB. Alt. DBB in cave.

A thin-looking arete climb.

Start: Left arete of Easy Gully, 7m right of The Elysian Field.

1. 18m (crux) Up left arete of Easy Gully.

2. 20m As you will to top, (accurate details lost). Grade 3 scramble with one grade 6 move up left wall of Easy Gully.

Harder than it looks.

Start: In large chimney with gully above (right edge of Dog Wall).

1. 15m (crux) Up chimney and gully to large ledge.

2. 15m Up crack behind to tree belay (details lost). Short section of chimney.

Balance wall-climbing with good rock but poor protection.

Start: Right arete of Easy Gully (5m left of Virgo).

1. 27m (crux) Up arete for 8m then right to nose and up slab trending right to ledge below corner in overhang and piton belay.

2. 12m Up corner to ledge, trend left and up overhang to top and bollard belay.

Original route Libra P1.

Start: Black wall and hanging slab, R of Easy Gully. Start at base rap chain descent just L of RR.

1. 20m [13] Up wall to BR. Continue BR [crux], swing L and up hanging slab BR’s. Up orange bulge with small cams to L. Finish at obvious DRBB. Lower off.

Excellent climbing up twin cracks and wall.

Start: Thin twin cracks just left of PM, right of chimney/gully. Start at base rap chain descent, R of BTWD.

1. Up thin cracks, cams, to BR. [Crux] Over bulge, BR above on wall. Join PM, R to cams/BR at shallow corner and bulge/small bush, BR on headwall, L to TBB.

Original route probably Virgo.

Nice climbing up an interesting orange and black wall.

Start: Black wall at base of rap chain decent with orange flake above, obvious horizontal slot on orange wall.

1. Up wall with 2 BR’s to orange section/flake. Up, good cams in horizontal, left to hanging slab, BR, move R and up to cams at bulge, up hanging corner BR, BR behind bush on headwall, L to TBB.

An average black slab.

Start: Arête/slab right of rap route, finish at rap anchors.

1. Up to ledge and right side of black arête and BR’s, left near top, over bulge BR. TBB.

Hard, fair rock.

Start: 5m right of Libra at right of rise in track below open corner with one yellow wall.

1. 26m (crux) Up wall to yellow overlap, over and up wall into corner up to small roof up on left side and up wall to first below of Libra.

2. 12m Pitch 2 of Libra.

A classic layback start.

Start: 7m left of Zodiac Crack in obvious layback crack on ground level.

1. 9m (crux). Up crack and traverse right 6m to piton belay.

2. 23m Traverse right to arete and up to bushy ledge and tree belay.

3. 12m As for Zodiac Crack.

Good crack/slab climbing on nice rock.

Start: Obvious clean diagonal crack at bottom track level.

1. 12m [15] Up interesting crack to belay on ledge. Scramble up R to Banksia tree to belay for next pitch.

2. 35m [12] Up crack and bulge follow thin crack up black slab. Nice climbing. Follow up black wall to BR and weaknesses with cams to trees.

A chimney with rightward leaning open crack/cave at mid height with good dark rock. Strenuous.

Start: Right-leaning corner crack 4m left of Aries, marked ZC.

1. 18m (crux) Up wide crack to ledge, then up rightward trending crack when roof closes in to block or nut belay on ledge below overhang.

2. 12m Up overhang and corner above to ledge (tree belay).

3. 12m Up wall, onto ledge and up juggy wall (tree belay).

Original route probably Aries.

Varied and exposed on good rock. The big obvious hanging arête.

Start: At white scar on rock at track level near little cnr. 5m R of Zodiac Crack.

1. 20m [12] Up little cnr. to gain weakness 5m R of ZC. Up to semi-hanging belay on med. Cams.

2. 25m [16] Traverse out right from belay following lower horizontal with cams, head to BR on arête. Up R side of arête and up to finger size cam, up to FH [crux] then slightly L to better holds and up to tree. Belay at tree.

3. 15m Easy ground L and up or best to rap off belay trees. 2 x 50 m ropes required.

A hard traverse.

Start: In flared dirty crack 4m right of Zodiac Crack.

1. 21m Up crack to ledge and gully behind, out onto right wall and up to fern-covered ledge and nut or bollard belay.

2. 30m (crux) Up to next ledge, delicately edge right to ramp, then up nose under small roof and on to left wall and up to tree belay.

Second pitch exposed.

Start: 15m right of Aries at broken orange corner capped by roof, paint marked S at track level.

1. 18m Up crack trending right to overhang (M0 thread aid) then up to ledge above and bolt belay.

2. 21m (crux) Up to mossy ledge, left a few feet, up to tree runner, diagonally left over bulge, up next bulge and easily to top (tree belay).

A beautiful crack and an interesting chimney.

Start: 5m right of Sagittarius in red crack capped by small overhang.

1. 24m (crux) Up crack to overhang, traverse right 2m, mantleshelf onto ledge, up chimney onto scrubby ledge on right (tree belay).

2. 12m Traverse right to, and up, corner (tree belay).

A delicate, awkward corner.

Start: In yellow corner 10m left of [old] abseil point.

1. 24m (crux) Up easily to ledge, up to top of corner, traverse right to ledge, up overhang (tricky) and crack to ledge (tree belay).

2. Up pitch 2 corner of Taurus.

A strenuous crack, good jamb protection.

Start: Obvious crack marked A, just left of broken corners below vegetated gully which appears to be the old abseil point.

1. 20m (crux) Up crack to broken ledge below overhang, left around nose and bulge (or mantleshelf onto it) then up to sloping ledge and up juggy wall behind.

2. 6m Up crack behind (tree belay).

An exposed, direct line on good rock.

Start: Centre of grey wall to right of old abseil point.

1. 11m Straight up steep wall to ledge and bolt belay. Rusty old carrot visible 2m above ledge at 6m.

2. 21m Delicately up red corner to roof, right onto nose and up overhang and wall above to ledge (tree belay).

3. 12m Easily up wall behind (tree belay).

Much better than it looks. Great route for beginners to top rope.

Start: Up orange wall through grey slab. 4 carrots to DRLO.

The name says it all, this route is actually fun, but needs another bolt between the 2nd and third, otherwise theres about a 5m run out on easy ground.

A weakness/thin crack in the grey wall 5 metres left of FM. Up crack and wall tending R. Up black wall to R to DBB.

Pockets/seam and black wall on good rock. Up pockets/seam 2 RBs, over bulge RB, up black wall, FH to DFLO as for ETJ.

Start: 4m R of ETJ at thin crack and pockets.

A nice wall climb, better and harder than it looks. Up wall passing 4 BR and FH through top bulge to DFLO at very top of cliff.

Start: 6 M R of Fibro Majestic.

A good wall and rib. This climb celebrates Harry’s 80th birthday and over 50 years of climbing. Start: 3 metres right of H. Up wall with 3 BR and cams if you desire. Up to DFLO at ledge.

optional cams

A little bit dirty... but a good little route. Start 2m right of 80 Great Years. Climb the rounded outer edge of the grey wall to 80 GY anchors. Spaced small/medium cams and thread.

Pleasant climbing on a hanging slab/arête. Up, verging right onto orange hanging slab/arête. 4 BR to DFLO as for TE.

Start: 3m left of TE.

Great climbing on a featured orange/grey wall. Up MMC stepping left onto wall at FH. Up, passing cam (BD. C4. 2) and 2 FH to DFLO.

Start: As for MMC. Obvious orange wall.

A great little corner. First route completed. Good rock and gear. Start: The obvious easy corner crack L of grey slab. Up cnr. moving R at top. Tree belay or right to DRBLO for slab routes.

B and BE Cameron 11/7/2013

An easy-featured grey slab. Start: As for MMC, up and immediately veer R, following slab & 4 BR, up to DRLO.

BE & B Cameron 9/8/15

Stick clip FH. A great slab route, pleasant climbing after a hard start.

Start: 5 M Right of MMC in middle of grey slab.

Stick clip FH. Hard start verging right onto jugs.

Start: 6 M Right of MMC.

Clip FH. Traverse through orange section and straight up through to the anchors.

Note: I am yet to put in another bolt so this route doesn't wander on to mysticism use the mysticism bolt for now. Not a big deal.

Stick clip FH. Climb through orange overhang up to jug; punch through crimps and on to an easy finish. If 22 is your limit, probably best you climb Beorn then equip the route or you'll hate placing bolt plates while crimping for your life. Long draw for the third bolt so you can clip off the jug before getting into the hard moves.

Definitely not the best climbing I've done. Was a fairly sketchy FA. Crack is still dirty so gear is limited. Fairly awkward climbing but worth a go.

Sustained bouldery climbing leading up into the scoops, and a tricky head wall to finish. Just don't forget to check the nest is actually empty. If anyone knows the actual route name please amend.

Start: About 4m right of 'Kookaburra Crack'

Through the rooflet then left around the arete to shared lower offs with unknown. Looks harder than 21.

Start: About 6m left of 'Super Shine'

Excellent. A nice climb up grey and stunning orange rock. Start: At Angophora tree, up fused/thin corner to wall, RB. Up wall [4 RB’s] and orange steep slab to DFHLO below jutting roof.

Excellent. A nice variant climb to SS up grey & orange rock. Start: Up as for Weasel Words, L at second FH, up wall FH, L to RB on SS, up wall/orange steep slab, RB to DFHLO below jutting roof.

Excellent. Climbs the twisted hanging arête on great rock. Steep start FH, move R to FH, following arête & featured steep slab to DRBLO below jutting roof.

Start: 2m R of SS.

Good climbing on great rock. Start: As for WW. R at 2nd FH, transverse R to FH, up to FH at flake, up to bulge FH, up slightly L to join WW and FH’s to DRBLO as for WW.

This route has most likely been climbed in the past due to its quality. Continue 400m from narkocam. Look for a handline, go up 10m of cliff to ledge. Obvious corner crack.

A good corner system with excellent climbing up a steep crack.

From the bottom of the access abseil, walk left facing the cliff for approx. 200m until you reach the obvious fused, clean corner with a hanging corner above.

1. 18m (18) Up fused corner with pockets then into crack and over bulges to belay ledge. Bolt, piton and cam belay.

2. 32m (19) Up a few metres then left over small roof and into steep finger/knuckle corner crack. Follow this system up to a stance. From here avoid the top vegetated corner by climbing the nose and wall to the right of the corner which is easy climbing on good rock. Climb up to tree belay and then do a roped scramble back to main area track.

From base of abseil walk left facing in 50m from start of boiler plate slab. Route starts of a ledge few metres up of ground. Pitch 1 25m- steep start leads to great moderate climbing with great pro. Pitch 2- 20m , take care on this pitch. Continue up crack step left and round arete, up to tree. Rap of.

A great finger crack followed by an awesome 35m slab.

Climb the crack and line of bolts that follows the same line as the access abseil. Take 8 bolt plates.

1. 20m (14) Hard start to gain easier finger crack up slab/wall. Belay off angophora tree.

2. 35m (15) Gain slab just off big ledge. Follow BR's and small cams to a short head wall. Continue following BR's up right to the main rap/belay anchor. A great pitch.

3. 10m Roped scramble back up to main ledge.

A good climb with a rad first pitch followed by some gripping and adventurous but less inspiring easy climbing.

Facing the cliff, walk around to the right from the abseil point until you get to an awesome finger crack up an orange corner with an undercut start.

1. 25m (19) Up finger crack with small gear to juggy slab. Climb the slab up past the first big ledge to cam and sapling belay.

2. 25m (15) Follow slab up past committing undercut move, deviating slightly left on to the orange wall before traversing right to belay in the gully.

3. 30m (15) Head left and continue up mostly easy slab, passing one hard move and into some slightly rotten rock to top out. One large cam and two slings.

First route at left hand end of the cave, past motorpussy