Help

The Fortress

Seasonality

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

As you walk out towards the top of the Fortress from the walking track, down the hill to your left is a clump of boulders that mark the top of a buttress from where you can look at the down steam gully of the Fortress. Below this is a climb. Best access is by abseiling in off the belay bolts which can be a little tricky to find.

©

Access issues inherited from Upper Gara Gorge

Gara gorge is part of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and access is open:

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/Oxley-Wild-Rivers-National-Park

Ethic inherited from Upper Gara Gorge

Basically, the climbers of Armidale are a pretty laid back, free thinking group and as long as you don’t go out of your way to put people’s noses out of joint you’ll be amazed at how helpful they can be. The quickest way to piss people off is by ripping off projects. There are a few devoted locals making an effort and putting up quality new climbs. A lot of time, hard work and even money goes into their endeavours (cracks can be projects too) and there is too much unclimbed rock around to justify destroying someone else’s motivation. Any routes marked as such or not in the guide should be left alone. The simple courtesy of asking first may save you from being stripped naked and being staked out for the crows to pick your eyes out. If putting up new routes is your thing then please feel free. The only request is that you avoid placing hangers or conspicuous bolts around the Gara Boulders as we are already viewed as an environmental menace by the NPWS - bolting in National Parks is actually illegal.

Some content has been provided under license from: © University of New England Outdoor Club (Creative Commons - Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike)

Routes

Add route(s) Add topo Reorder Bulk edit Convert grades
Grade Route

The start of 'Pockets Full of Emptiness' is best reached by walking down the upstream gully for about 50m then traversing left.

But if you want to do 'Heaving Falcons' or 'Morning Glory' then either climb PFOE first, or only head down the gully for 30m and then do an ugly roped traverse, or better yet rap in from the 'Cloud Grazer' anchors.

Start: On the ledge that is reached by traversing in about 50m down the upstream gully. The clean orange corner one pitch below the obvious roof crack which faces west.

Up initially overhanging twin cracks, then a few nice moves find you back in the offwidth to finish. Belay back on ledge.

FA: Gordon Low & Al Stephens, 1996

Either climb 'Pockets Full of Emptiness' or do a roped easy traverse onto the ledge. Can also be accessed via the 'Cloud Grazer' abseil.

Up a flared off-width with two carrots, ignore the choss deep in the crack. Gain a semi decent rest at the roof, then bust right for 4m before heading directly through the burly roof crack, round the lip and on and upwards through more off-width to finish.

FA: Ben Vincent & Brendan Heywood, 21 Jul 2018

FFA: Ben Vincent & Brendan Heywood, 1 Aug 2018

A hidden tiny perfect hand crack. Almost a highball boulder except for the 50m cliff to your left.

FFA: Brendan Heywood & Ben Vincent, 1 Aug 2018

“Need a little time to wake up!”

Up layback flakes until they run out. Step right to some tricky wires then crimp up (crux) to slopey ledge before finishing up the final crack.

FA: Al Stephens & Gordon Low, 1996

Start on the large rock deep in the chasm, fairly straight up past 6 bolts to anchor on ledge

From the top of the Fortress you can easily walk south then slightly west / right to the lip and see down through the crack which is 'Dream Catcher'. It can be very convenient to thread a static rope straight down through the crack 6m back from the lip on some hexes which gives you an easy way to either jumar up to, or rap off from, the start of the route (which is the end of 'Foreplay'). From here skirt back north along the edge for 15m then zigzag back down 25m to descend to the start.

The original approach into Dream Catcher. Scramble onto the left ledge from below or above and then awkwardly and very carefully traverse around the long cantilevered nose and along the back of the roof.

Up to low angled crack slab to a stance. Then a fun move through the roof and up the next crack / slab deep into the back of the roof.

The outrageous roof crack so steep you climb downwards.

Start: Traverse in from the left or climb 'Foreplay' then reset anchor at the back of the roof.

Through offwidth crack which slowly tapers all the way down to nothing before opening up again and then up the headwall.

FA: Ben Vincent, 15 Feb 2021

Best reached by traversing up and right (downstream) from the bottom of the upstream gully. As you come around the corner from the chossy face below the balancing boulder you will come to a great double roof with a crack running all the way through. This is “Kiss Me Deadly”.

Start down on very small ledge (build a semi hanging belay). Follow easy ramp slightly right to first rooflet. Short boulder through this and up easy slab crack into the big main roof. Bust out this through the lip turn (crux). Continue up pumpy headwall then tackle the final third rooflet boulder problem to topout at DBB.

Original aided at 20 M1 and exited left through vegetated alcove, must do third rooflet for the full tick.

FA: Paul Bayne & John Lattanzio, 1982

FFA: Michael Moore, 26 Apr

20m up and right of “Kiss Me Deadly” is an almost vertical wall facing directly south. It can't be climbed from the ground, you must rap in to a hanging belay on two hangers.

Thin climbing in an amazing position. Rap in to hanging DBB. Climb up the project for 2 bolts and then left to the arete.

FA: Alan Ezzy, 14 Aug 2016

A direct line up the face that ratchets up the grade with each move

Set: Alan Ezzy, 2016

'Edge' is a couple meters right of 'Arrested development' but is accessible from the ground.

Some references are given from 'The Chop' which is the most obvious (it has the large, sharp flake hanging above it) and starts next to the large tree.

This is the obvious chimney which can be seen easily from The Bastille.

  1. 20m Up blocks to overhanging off-width, traverse right.

  2. 10m Up chimney to top.

FA: Richard Curtis & L. Kavalieris, 1975

Start: 25m left of “The Chop”.

  1. 28m Up over flakes then into the back of a chimney (strenuous). Then up to a large cutaway ledge.

  2. 12m Traverse right and up to crack. Up crack to top.

FA: Joe Friend & Brian Birchall, 1978

Start: 10m left of “The Chop”.

  1. 30m diagonally right from corner past one lefthand mantle-shelf to a spike runner. Up recess to roof.

  2. 20m out right in off width roof, and then up from ledge to finish as for C.N.P.

FA: Joe Friend & Brian Birchall, 1978

Start: At the large tree under two roofs.

  1. 25m Up over swiveling boulders and vines, pass to the right of a large roof, then up ramp/corner to more roofs. Up through roofs into crack with orchids, exit to the right.

  2. 15m Up to roof then left at ledge.

  3. 15m Up chimney to finish as for C.N.P.

FA: Joe Friend & Brian Birchall, 1978

Start: Mossy corner 20m down right from “The Chop”.

  1. 25m diagonally right up series of corners and small rooves to belay at good stance in corner capped by a big roof.

  2. 10m Exit right through the off-width onto the ledge to belay at the start of the beautiful flake.

  3. 15m Up splendid crack then slab to belay at tree.

FA: Gordon Low & Ross Hinckley, 1996

This starts off the ledge 30m below the last pitch of “Heritage Colours”. It is best to walk right from the boulders at the top of the Fortress and skirt around to tree at the top and abseil in.

Start: The ledge 10m off the ground right of H.C. at a double-bolt belay.

  1. 30m Up the scoop past three bolts, up over block (small cams), and up the short arête past two more bolts.

  2. 15m Finish up the crack as for third pitch of H.C.

FA: Gordon Low, Ross Hinckley & Scott Clelland, 1996

As you walk out towards the top of the Fortress from the walking track, down the hill to your left is a clump of boulders that mark the top of a buttress from where you can look at the down steam gully of the Fortress. Below this is a climb. Best access is by abseiling in off the belay bolts which can be a little tricky to find.

Follow this down until you are looking down a gully, high up on the left hand wall of which is a large dead tree. Above this is the start of the climb. Abseil down from large block, tending left(looking outwards) around various trees. If you end up under a 3m roof tangled up in a tree you are in the right place. (To the left, facing the cliff, is a double roof. That is not the climb)

Helmet strongly recommended for belayer.

  1. 25m Start short flakey offwidth, and up hand/fist jam crack to rest under roof. Place #3 camalot in vertical break, take deep breath, hang off knob, commit to rounded horizontal break (no footholds) 2-3m traverse to pair of nice arm bars and something for the feet. After pausing for breath, haul up into corner & a good no hands rest. Then up around a couple of blocks, slow down after these, as the natural momentum of the climb takes you past a good belay ledge to your left.

  2. 20m Climb to right of trees, avoid large loose flake (the ugly chain here is to sort of stabilize the flake. DO NOT CLIP) , once above this, comfortable layback to bottom of 8m slab.(pleasant belay here if you feel like it) 4 bolts & comfortable edges, which diminish towards final body smear and top out.

FA: Ross Hinckley & Phil Pisanu, 1997

Hello!

First time here?

theCrag.com is a free guide for rock climbing areas all over the world, collaboratively edited by keen rock climbers, boulderers and other nice folks.

You can log all your routes, connect and chat with other climbers and much more...

» go exploring, » learn more or » ask us a question

Accommodations nearby more Hide

Share this

Thu 27 Apr
Check out what is happening in The Fortress.

Get a detailed insight with a timeline showing

  • Ticks by climbers like you
  • Discussions of the community
  • Updates to the index by our users
  • and many more things.

Login to see the timeline!

Deutsch English Español Français Italiano 한국어 Português 中文