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East Face

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Description

The jewel of Frenchmans Cap, this is by far the longest continuous cliffline in the area. It also contains 3 of its best routes - The Lorax (20), The Great Flake (22) and De-Gaulle's Nose (23).

For the (even) more adventurous, the inverted triangle headwall to the R of the top of Conquistador is completely unclimbed, covered with holds and is overhung for the entirety of its 70m length.

For most though it will be about conquering this mighty face - usually by the outstanding Lorax - the biggest of its kind in the country.

Access issues inherited from Frenchmans Cap Area

It's a 25km hike from the Lyell Highway.

Approach

Follow the summit track until flat ground traversing the tiers above Tahune Hut. You will find a small mound of rocks indicating you should turn around and continue up to the summit - ignore this and follow the vague path around to the left of the buttress to the L of the Tahune face. From here, descent directly across the boulder fields directly to the route of your choice.

Descent notes

Walk back from the edge of the cliff until you find the tourist track, then down it to Tahune Hut

Ethic inherited from Frenchmans Cap

Trad, but some bolts exist where trad is not possible.

Frenchmans Cap is in The Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and subject to the Tasmanian Wilderness Heritage Area Management Plan. Climbing is addressed on pages 143-14 of the plan. Some of the presceriptions related to climbing are:

• The area will be predominantly maintained as a traditional climbing area. • The establishment or maintenance of routes that are protected primarily or exclusively using fixed anchors (i.e. ‘sport’ climbs) is generally prohibited. • Existing routes in the 2013 minor boundary extension that use fixed anchors may be maintained. New routes may be established in existing locations where fixed anchors are utilised subject to approval by PWS. • Based on historical precedence, the occasional limited installation (or replacement) of permanent anchors at Mt Geryon, The Acropolis, Frenchmans Cap and Mt Anne is permitted. • Written authority must be obtained from the PWS before using power-driven equipment to install or replace any permanent anchor in the TWWHA.

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Routes

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Grade Route
  1. 50m (21) - Up wide corner then up the steepening moss filled cracks and up via loose blocks to left leaning ramp to top of ramp and belay.

  2. 15m (21) Right across face for 3m to small stance at base of small weakness in face, straight up this past FH to belay at stance.

  3. 50m (23) Left around arete to crack, up past roof and motor up overhanging crack to ramp. Up crack on left to big ledge and belay just off the left hand end of this.

  4. 50m (21) - Head right and then trend back left following the weekness and over small overlap. Follow a few corners up before going right on exposed face toward huge flake to belay on the back of this flake

  5. 50m (17) - Right to arete then easily up in a great position on good rock to belay off big ledge

  6. 40m (18) - Up front of buttress following the weakness to another big belay ledge.

  7. 45m (17) - Up arete, trending right to exit.

FA: Kim Carrigan & Mark Moorhead, 1983

Alternate 3rd pitch of De Gaulles Nose. Beginning from the top of the second pitch of the original route.

  1. 50m (21) As for De Gaulle's Nose

  2. 15m (21) As for De Gaulle's Nose

  3. 45m (25) Straight up the left of two shallow vertical corners for abour 10m before heading out right to the second corner following the holds and placements, up this corner to rest and FH. Up to rooflet and around the rooflet to BR with a fixed biner at stance. Up to one more FH before going left on small holds and up blank face towards thin crack and up to sloping ledge and ramp and left up this to belay on arete.

  4. 10m (18) - Up crack above belay for 6m to large ledge on arete to ledge at top of pitch three of the original route, across this all the way to the other side of the ledge to hanging belay. This is the end of the original's third pitch.

  5. 50m (21) As for De Gaulle's Nose P4

  6. 50m (17) As for De Gaulle's Nose P5

  7. 40m (18) As for De Gaulle's Nose P6

  8. 45m (17) As for De Gaulle's Nose P7

FA: Adam Donoghue Gareth Llewellin, 2008

"The best line of the cliff and one of the best adventure climbs in Australia"

  1. 50m (22)

  2. 30m (15)

  3. 35m (25)

  4. 15m (21)

  5. 45m (25) As for De Gaulle's Nose Direct

  6. 30m (26)

  7. 18m (23)

  8. 50m (20)

  9. 35m (18) As for De Gaulle's Nose

  10. 45m (19) As for De Gaulle's Nose

  11. 45m (17) As for De Gaulle's Nose

FA: Adam Donoghue, hamish jackson & Gareth Llewellin, 2020

  1. 90m - Up to foot of corner

  2. 25m (16) - Up corner to ledge on left

  3. 40m (20) - Go left for 8m then up shallow corner to small stance and belay

  4. 40m (20) - Up flake to ramp and follow this to foot of corner

  5. 40m (19) - Up corner to roof then up off-width to bulge. Step right onto face and up to sloping ledge

  6. 40m (22) - Around rofof then off-width crack to bulge. Trend right up to shallow corner on arete and then 5m right to belay

  7. 21m (21) - Up corner for 5m then step left for 8m into next corner and up to ledge and piton belay

  8. 40m (18) - Up short slab to top then up wall to ledge, go right around the roof and then left into shallow corner

  9. 30m (18) - Through roof and corner to ledge, go right for 5m then up to topout

FA: Kim Carrigan & Evelyn Lees, 1982

Approach - Climb easy ramps/vegetation to highest grassy ramp below the East Face (bollard belay)

  1. 55m - Diagonally left and up ramps for 5m then up wall to belay on left of ledge

  2. 50m - Up for 5m then left and up 10m to where the black rock meets the white rock. From here, diagonally right to ledge and bollard belay

  3. 35m (20) - Traverse left for 10m to small black cave then up overhanging finger crack to top of right leading corner and belay.

  4. 50m - Traverse left for 15m along ledge and up leaning corner to belay on ledge on left wall

  5. 37m - Step right around arete to ledge, up juggy wall and short but steep crack to belay on ledge

  6. 38m (19) - Up for 5m then step left for 6m. THen up short bottomless corner and wall above for 6m then left for 7m and up corner to belay ledge just right of big cleft

  7. 40m (18) - From left side of ledge up wall for 4m (crux) then step left and up the corner. Pass the small roof to gain ledge below mossy corner, then step up and right around the arete, then traverse easily right to top of small chimney and up to topout

FA: Peter Steane & Garne Cooper, 1988

A link up beginning from the top of pitch 3 of The Lorax and finishing at the start of the 9th pitch of Conquistador.

  1. 45m (19) - Head up right past loose flakes and up corner

  2. 10m - COntinue up little wall on right to join Conquistador at big long ledge

FA: Peter Steane & Colin Moorhead, 1997

Start at line of weakness directly below the LH end of the big ledge halfway up the East Face.

  1. 36m - Up to belay on big ledge beneath steep corner

  2. 36m - Up corner then slightly right to belay ledge

  3. 36m - Slightly right and up to good belay on top of block in corner

  4. 15m - Up with difficulty to good holds then left for 12m to good ledge and belay

  5. 36m - Climb the steep wall above to piton belay.

  6. 42m - Climb corner on loose rock and belay on the 'Bus stop ledge'

  7. 27m - Traverse left for 5m to start of corner, climb corner to bolted belay just below chimney.

  8. 36m - Up overhanging chimney for 24m then up to big ledge with piton belay

  9. 36m - Move along ledge and up corner to big ledge at 24m, keep climbing the corner above and onto small ledge on right wall to piton belay.

  10. 42m - Up and then right and up the wall to small ledge on top of detached block, diagonally up and left from this for 6m to ledge and piton belay.

  11. 24m - (Crux) Up to loose blocks, left and then back right. It has been said this pitch should be 22 instead of 20 and on the FA it was aided at M5

FA: C Dewhirst, D Neilson & I Ross, 1972

FFA: David Jenkins, Rohan Hyslop & Lucy Collaery, 1990

Pitch 1-4: As for Conquistador until the start of the traverse on pitch 4

  1. From start of traverse on p4 Conquistador, go striahgt up on loose flakes to top of large flake below Bus Stop ledge

  2. Downclimb other side of flake for 3m then follow the groove up for 13m then traverse 6m L on ledges then up 5m to L end of bus stop ledge

  3. As for pitches 7-9 of Conquistador

  4. Diagonally up and right to large grassy ledge below line of weakness through roof

  5. Up blank corner above ledge, tension left to corner, then up roof and exit right on huge loose blocks

FA: Simon Parsons & John Fantini, 1983

A variation of the Fantini/Parsons variant of Conquistador. The start of this route is just before the start of the 6m diagonal traverse below Bus Stop Ledge on the Fantini/Parsons version of Conquistador.

  1. 40m (19) - Obvious line just right of belay, then right round arete at chossy steepening at about 33m, up and theb back left to small belay ledge

  2. 30m (19) - Up for 3m then left to stance, continue left into corner and up this with aid moves, before going right to belay at a chossy horizontal below a number of roofs

  3. 15m - (Crux) Reach up to clip cam, tension right around the arete then mix of aid and free moves to a ledge on the right and up 3m to belay

  4. 45m - Traverse right to join North East Passage's last few pitches.

FA: Peter Steane & Garn Cooper, 1994

Start by climbing up greasy walls to grassy ledge below the right end of the East Face and move along this to foot of the dihedral.

  1. 48m (13) - Up gully and around mossy overhang to right and continue up chimney past abseil sling and up to small cave then belay off pitons on ledge to the right

  2. 33m (15) - Up past mossy bulge before moving left around overhang and continue up and left around an overhanging nose. Climb up to ledge on right wall before traversing delicately left and up small corner past a piton and small ledge to belay from

  3. 27m (14) - Straight up past a ledge as it steepens, passing a chockstone to a chock belay below mossy overhang

  4. 30m (14) - Exposed move to get established onto right wall and traverse diagonally up and right to ledge then diagonally up and left and back onto main line and up to small stance at base of chimney

  5. 27m (13) - Up chimney using crack to where it steepends, bridge up on smaller holds and up the left wall to good ledge and block belay

  6. 24m (15) - Up corner, then after 6m move onto right wall and diagonally up and right on small holds and up crack then layback round the overhang and continue up crack to col behind tower.

  7. 30m (15) - Downclimb to the right for 5m and up narrow chimney, before going up and right to small stance then left into crack to overhang. Move left across the lip of overhang and up around overhang to big ledge

  8. 26m (11) - From right end of ledge move up obivous ramp on left and then traverse easily back right up step to big ledge and belay

  9. 36m (16) - Serious pitch off marginal belay and with marginal gear. Straight up easily then straight up delicately (crux) to a 'psychological' belay on small bush

  10. 36m (12) - Straight up for 8m then traverse 5m right to break then straight up on sloping holds then easily onto large grassy terrace and belay. Scramble up to top.

FA: C Baxter, C Dewhirst, P Stranger & J Veasey, 1968

A more direct finish for Waterloo Road. Pitch 1-5 as for Waterloo Road

  1. 15m - Up wide crack in left corner to large pinnacle and belay on good ledge

  2. 39m - Straight up to belay on large grassy ledge

  3. 39m - Straight up and slightly left onto ledge and belay at start of left curving crack

  4. 45m - Up curving crack to large green ledge then straight up for 12m to summit.

FA: R Pauligk & P Canning, 1972

Start at the start of Waterloo Road

  1. 36m - As for pitch 1 Waterloo Road

  2. 12m - Up and traverse right under large block to belay on big ledge level with top of block

  3. 8m - Up to belay in base of chimney

  4. 33m - Up chimney to belay under roof

  5. 36m - Traverse right, then up wall to belay beneath small overhang

  6. 18m - Step right and climb juggy wall to block belay on top of tower

FA: P Canning & A Richardson, 1972

Start at the right trending crack in the gully right of Terrays Tower.

  1. 40m (16) - Up crack for 15m, then traverse 6m left and up to semi hanging belay beneath flake

  2. 25m (19) - (crux) Up flake and over bulge, then traverse 7m L go up and then back right.

  3. 40m (15) - Over to arete and up to bush platform

  4. 55m (16) - Left and up the front of the twoer. Up the bottomless chimney to finish on top of the tower

  5. 10m (4) - Traverse to back of tower.

Descent: Abseil into gully and up gully for a few hundred metres until angle lessens, then follow your nose to walking track.

FA: Peter Steane & Garn Cooper, 1986

An alternative to pitch 2 on the original which avoids the hardly protectable crux traverse in pitch 2. Rejoins original route at start of pitch 3. From belay at start of pitch two, up flake and over bulge. Follow the flake til it ends and place thin hands sized cams, then downclimb for 2m and traverse right for 3m on flat holds and up to just above in line with the cams, then continue up cracks and flakes and traverse back left to bush platform and the start of pitch 3.

FFA: Matt Johnston & Jeroen Jansen, 26 Dec 2019

Start at the foot of the left one of two chimneys in the second gully left of the Tahune Face.

  1. 33m - (Crux) Climb chimney to where it starts to become overhanging, then traverse left out along the wall and step around into the thin crack on left and up this to stance and spike belay

  2. 24m - Continue up crack for a few moves before traversing delicately across wall on rihgt into the chimney and up to good belay ledge

  3. 34m - Traverse left over death blocks then up into mext line on left. Climb up and right on horrendous rock to arete with ledge and piton belay

  4. 34m - Move up diagonally left into chimney and follow this around the huge chocks to a ledge on the right. Swing across into the thin crack on left wall to a bushy ledge and up a series of corners slightly to the left and to a small stance and bushes to a belay on the right.

  5. 24m - Traverse left for 3m, then up wall on small holds to big bushy ledge and belay

  6. 21m - Move easily right along ledge to base of obvious chimney

  7. 30m - Up chimney past chockstones and once it overhangs move onto face on right and move up and finish chimney above chockstone and exit to belay on right

  8. 12m - Straight up to col behind the tower.

To descend: Traverse down and right into gully and scramble up until the angle lessens and follow nose to the walking track.

FA: C Baxter & J Fahey, 1968

Alternative first pitch for Fleur-de-lis, avoiding the gully. Climb straight up the crack on the left wall of the chimney.

FA: P Jacobs & P Treby, 1972

A vague but historically interesting route. Start is just north of the huge chockstone in the second gully

  1. 18m - Up right hand side of chockstone on enormous curved flake to belay

  2. 24m - Through the cave

  3. 12m - left from the cave and on to wide terrace

  4. Traverse (level) south around buttress above chockstone into gully

  5. Continue traverse to base of tower

  6. 30m - Straight up north side of Terrays Tower

  7. 24m - Continue up to col behind tower

  8. 12m - From col, go right and up to belay stance belay block

  9. 36m - Climb block at and traverse left to face

  10. 27m - Straight up to stance

  11. 18m - (Crux) Continue up crack

  12. 30m - Traverse left across face, then up

  13. Up to summit plateau

FA: R Lidstone & P Sands, 1962

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Gerry Narkowicz

Date: 2021

ISBN: 9780646841946

Cracks, sea stacks, big walls, remote exotic locations, volcanic columns, no crowds and your choice of the predominant dolerite, some quartzite and a little sandstone to remind you of the mainland. Many a wilderness climbing experience can be had within a 2hr car trip from the main centers. By Gerry Narkowicz. This guide features 1280 routes.

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