Zig Zag

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)

Areas

	Name	Style	Climbs	Ascents	Height	Grade Band
121	Static Area Cliff	Trad,Sport	6	4	31m
122	Catch the Wind Area Cliff	Trad,Sport	7	68	30m

Routes

	Route	Grade	Style
1	Ethel The Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying Ahh, please no.. Start: Off the small ledge above where the path leaves the Zig Zag. FA: J.Smoothy,F.Lumsden, 1985	17	Trad 15m
2	Harpo FA: G.Short,P.Mort, 1999	17	Sport 20m
3	Grouchie FA: G.Short,P.Mort, 1999	19	Sport 18m
4	Just Go For It	20	Unknown 20m
5	Unknown 20 In Gully behind sector i. Rings. FA: Stumpy ,	20	Unknown 10m
6	Kcabyal Kcarc	14	Unknown 10m
7	Smearing Sucks	13	Unknown 12m
8	Stairway to Heaven	10	Unknown 12m
9	Sperm Covered Punk Bitches	19	Unknown 12m
10	Something Sinister	14	Unknown 14m
11	Blasphemy	21	Unknown 23m
12	Brass Monkey Start: This area is about 50m past Grouchie. FA: G.Owens,Daly,Smith, 2000	7	Trad 25m
13	Denali Blaster The first route that was denied rebolting. FA has since relented. FA: J.Boyton, 1985	14	Trad 35m
14	Deceptor FA: B.Mattick,G.Owens, 2000	10 R	Trad 40m
15	Rickapoodle Arete Goes 'free' at 14! FA: G.Owens,J.Lamb, 1973	13 M2	Aid 44m
16	Grigris, Hmmmmm	14	Unknown 30m
17	Rickapoodle FA: J.Wilson,G.Owens, 2000	9	Trad 30m
18	Giggles FA: W.King,S.Burns, 1989	16	Trad 50m
19	Wazzakstan FA: Short and Smoothy,	19	Unknown 30m
20	Toads Needs rebolting - like everything at Zig Zag! FA: K.carrigan,A.Penney, 1978	23 R	Trad 43m
21	Taipan FA: K.Bell,I.Thomas, 1975	19	Trad 40m
22	Taipan pitch 1	17	Unknown 25m
23	Taipan Variant	16	Unknown 20m
24	Fer De Lance FA: K.Bell,P.Giles, 1975	18	Trad 30m
25	Unknown 1	21	Unknown 15m
26	Catweazel The arete. FA: J.Smoothy, 1985	21	Trad 15m
27	Monty Madness FA: Ivan Valenta, Robert Dun,	22	Sport 10m
28	Army Exercises Starts from the ledge after 'Taipan' start. Head left. FA: W.King, 1990	21	Trad 20m
29	Wagget & Wegnut Start: Face above Army Exersises & Fer Der lance. FA: T.Wegnut, 1995	23	Trad 15m
30	Groovie Ferny chimney! FA: G.Owens,J.Wilson, 1968	12	Trad 30m
31	Frottage Wall They dreamt of drills didnt they? FA: T.Hunt,D.Eldridge, 1984	15 R	Trad 12m
32	Possession FA: J.Smoothy,T.Bernutt,A.Renney, 2000	22	Trad 35m
33	Truckstop Lawyers FA: Ivan Valenta, Robert Dun,	23	Sport 20m
34	Truckstop Lawyers Variant FA: Ivan and Bob,	19	Unknown 20m
35	Solo Chimney	6	Unknown 45m
36	Semi-Solo	8	Unknown 35m
37	Rumdoodle	7	Unknown 45m
38	Walkabout	11	Unknown 35m
39	The Land of Nod	5	Unknown 35m
40	Spaghetti Bolognaise	13	Unknown 43m
41	The Hounds of Hades	21	Unknown 20m
42	Slunt	16	Unknown 20m
43	Indecision	9	Unknown 32m
44	Black Betty FA: Ward,Leigh, 1988	17	Trad 20m
45	Penguins on Safari FA: Hunt,Robbins,Eldridge, 1984	14 R	Trad 35m
46	Bam Ba Lamb FA: Leigh Ward, 1988	18 R	Trad 40m
47	Winkle FA: H.Luxford,D.Darmanin, 1972	12	Trad 41m
48	Penguin Pete FA: T.Hunt, 2000	16	Trad 20m
49	Van FA: H.Luxford,D.Darmanin, 1972	16	Trad 44m
50	Rip FA: H.Luxford,D.Darmanin, 1972	14	Trad 20m
51	Lincoln's Mystery Route FA: Unknown Climb. Line of new carrots.,	18	Unknown 20m
52	I Did It For Love Awesome old school route, use anchors for SF! FFA: Michael Purvis-Smith, Natalia Rode, 2012 FA: Michael Purvis-Smith, Natalia Rode, 2012	9	Mixed 10m , 1
53	SF Rebolted 2006. Quite contrived as the difficulty depends on whether you bridge out onto the adjacent wall.	21	Sport 12m
54	Urako Rebolted 2006. FA: M.Grey,G.Weigand, 1982	21	Sport 12m
55	Fashion TV go up Urako to 1st bolt, traverse left, then head up to lower offs between arete and Urako. FA: , 2006	22	Sport 14m
56	Make It Nylons start up urako and traverse towards arete, fashion tv is essentially a rebolted version of this route FA: Smoothy,Lumsden,McManus, 1988	20	Trad 20m
57	The Mixture Start: 2 Pitches.Starts on ground level. Crack to ledge. Crack. FA: B.Mattick,G.Owens, 1968	11	Trad 47m
58	The Mighty Quinn FA: Ivan Valenta, Rob Dun,	21	Sport 15m
59	Dress Rehearsal Rag - 1st Pitch Desperate for 17.	17	Sport 10m
60	Dress Rehearsal Rag 15m (17) Solid at the grade, rising traverse past the carrots, a few medium wires available but not necessary. Cracking pitch. 20m (21)	20	Sport 40m
61	Destruction of Army Group Centre Start: As for DRR to ledge then take the left line. FA: M.Grey,G.Weigand, 1982	23 R	Trad 20m
62	Disaster Area Start: Marked IRA. FA: S.Bullen,G.Hill, 1983	23	Trad 15m
63	Dead Milkmen FA: W.King,I.Collins, 1989	16	Trad 15m
64	Fairy Tales Start: Lefthand route on the small wall. Has an extention all the way to the top (21).Take Care.	16 R	Trad 13m
65	Fairy Tales Direct Finish	21	Unknown 21m
66	Unknown 2	15	Unknown 10m
67	Goodie Gumdrops	24	Unknown 20m
68	Amok Time	18	Unknown 20m
69	Sidewinder	18	Unknown 30m
70	Revolt	9	Unknown 40m
71	The Carpenter	10	Unknown 25m
72	The Walrus	6	Unknown 30m
73	Crack to Nowhere	14	Unknown 12m
74	Upheaval	16	Unknown 33m
75	Twilight On 'S' Wall. Head right on 3 bolts to arete. Go up arete on right side on rings to rap point. FA: , 2006	14	Unknown 20m
76	S	17	Unknown 35m
77	Perfidious Rex	7	Unknown 28m
78	Black Bart Start: 'Arete' to the right of orange corner. FA: J.Smoothy,F.Lumsden, 1985	19	Trad 40m
79	Bumflute actual climb name is 'Bumflute' FA: G Short, P Mort,	17	Unknown 30m
80	Peacemaker Start: The orange corner. FFA: K.Bell,H.Luxford.M.Law, 1975	22 R	Trad 40m
81	Stuffed Start: Corner below roofs 10m left of Pacemaker. 22m (16) Block to crack then left into cave. Chimney to bollard. 22m (-) Chimney and corner to arete and belay ledge. 22m (-) Up to traverse line, right to easy corner. FA: B.Price,G.Owens, 1972	16	Trad 66m
82	Sadhu Rum Hard move off ground then brackets and bolts all the way up wall.	19	Unknown 30m
83	Whale Oil Beef Hooked Start: As for 'Stuffed' but right under the roof. Up the wall and around the corner to horizontal break. Rope drag! Finishes as for Pacemaker. FA: J.Smoothy,F.Lumsden, 1989	22	Trad 50m
84	Stuffed Direct Start	20	Unknown 4m
85	Pumping Chickens Start: 5m left of 'Stuffed'.Through roof to ledge and bollard. FA: S.Moon, 1985	22	Trad 20m
86	Geezer Pleaser FA: Rob Dun, Ivan Valenta,	21	Sport 30m
87	Just for Fun Start: As for 'Honey Dip'. 30m (15) Clip first bolt on 'Honey Dip', stem across gap.Right to middle of face, up veering right to cave.Across void onto arete. Inside of arete to ledge (rings - double rope abseil!) 20m (-) Up, veer right through overhang to ramp. FA: G.Short,P.Mort, 1995	15	Trad 50m
88	Just for Fun - pitch 1	15	Sport 30m
89	Honey Dip FA: H.Luxford,D.Darmanin, 1973	13	Trad 65m
90	The Racer's Edge FA: J.Smoothy, 1985	25	Sport 30m
91	The Racer's Edge Direct Finish	25	Unknown 30m
92	Shakes and Flakes Great climb. Since the 'rebolt' it should be renamed Flakes as you no longer get any Shakes! If you were lucky to have done it before the 'rebolt' consider yourself lucky to have experienced one of the best routes of the 'old' mountain tradition. Used to get 3! Still gets 2 but you dont get to talk about it in the pub so much FA: M.Law, M.Johnson, 1979	21	Sport 30m
93	Let's Nail God FA: J.Smoothy, 1990	23	Sport 30m
94	Tips for Troubadours FA: J.Smoothy, 1985	23	Sport 30m
95	Rainy Day Saturday FA: Luxford/ Darminin, 1973	14	Trad 60m
96	Turkish Delight FA: Mortimer / Hain, 1974	18	Trad 60m
97	Cheap Dive Re-bolted, FA: Law/ Pennet/ Smoothy, 1979	22	Sport 40m
98	Cheap Skate	22	Sport
99	Demeresque FA: Bell / Luxford, 1974	17	Trad 74m
100	No Pants FA: Price / Owens / Smith, 2000	14	Trad 76m
101	Meanderthal FA: Luxford / Edwards, 1974	13	Trad 43m
102	Mr Poopypants First moves are hard. 19 as per Blueys Guide. Definitely NOT 18 or 16 as claimed elsewhere.	19	Unknown 25m
103	327 To groove and up . . . Start: Start at cairn. FA: Mortimer / King, 1990	18	Trad 35m
104	Unknown left of 327 start off cairn to 'good' hold!	19	Unknown 25m
105	Baldaquin Thru roof and then scrubby crack. Start: 10 m left of 327 FA: Luxford / Bell, 1974	18	Trad 35m
106	Hey Jude Start: Start at short chimney FA: Bevan / Owens, 1971	15	Trad 30m
107	A Follows a left leaning seam. Actually quite good and unusual climbing and rock.. Grade 20? Start: On the rap ledge. FA: ?Stumpy Ed?, 2000	20	Unknown 12m
108	B A line of rings on the rap ledge. Splits into a left project (looks good) and right line (no tag, so must be done. Short and steep. Start: Directly above the FHs for rap into 'Catch the Wind'. 12m (-) -m (-) FA: ?stumpy Ed., 2000	?	Unknown 12m
109	Transcendental Meditation	22	Trad 30m
110	Knot the Mumma	20	Trad 15m
111	Birdsnest Soup Overgrown wide crack/chimney FA: Joe Friend, 1973	17	Trad 30m
112	Bad Moon Rising	23	Trad 50m
113	optimisation 6 RB,s left of Fandooglie on nice red rock. Pumpy last move after crux. FFA: Jessica Tam, 2012	22	Sport 13m , 6
114	Red Dwarf Stickclip first RB for bouldery start, up past another pockety sequence to steep jugs. FFA: Evan Wells, 2012	25	Sport 13m , 7
115	Fandooglie Another chimney	9	Trad 45m
116	Bloody . . . , Nice?! : Project Steep thin piton corner/crack through roof to hard crux through steep wall with possible serious fall. Drop test from crux lands at ~ 2m. Start: Right side of TM Cave - initialled. FA: Project Mac / Zac, FA: Unknown, 2000	X	Trad
117	BR	16	Trad 8m
118	Merchant of Nightmares: Project Short but steep finger crack to traverse. FA: Zac / Mac, 2000		Trad
119	Unknown	15	Trad 12m
120	Nameless!	21	Trad 15m

Site navigation

Zig Zag 133 routes in Crag

Section navigation

Areas

Routes

Open trips

	13	Honey Dip
	17	Dress Rehearsal Rag - 1st Pitch
	18	Turkish Delight
	19	Black Bart
	19	Taipan
	21	Catch the Wind
	21	Shakes and Flakes
	22	Passing Wind
	22	Cheap Dive
	22	Pumping Chickens

	13	Honey Dip
	15	Just for Fun
	17	Dress Rehearsal Rag - 1st Pitch
	19	Black Bart
	21	Catch the Wind
	22	Passing Wind

Site navigation

Zig Zag 133 routes in Crag

Section navigation

Areas

Routes

Open trips

Hello!

Sponsors

Crag Karma

Top contributors

Member photos

Crag Guru

Nearby Classics

Nearby Icons