Thorn Buttress Guide

The narrow wall and arete just L of Breathless to a double bolt belay.

Start: The ragged corner 10M right of the blackberry filled gully.

Takes the line of bolts up the jagged arete just left of Gladiator's start. Re-equipped with a new lower-off.

Straight up the layback flake to the chains (or beyond).

Mixed pro.

Bolts L of Gladiator, stepping into that route to finish.

Takes the overhanging line just left of the corner (marked). Climb through the overhanging start (crux) to a stance just under a small roof, then reach out right and climb into the opposing corner. Continue up the line to a layback finish and chains.

Takes the poor-looking rock immediately left of the marked Olympus start, joining the upper corner via a reachy and powerful sequence. Was the original line until the loss of some holds.

Climbs 'Gladiator' until into the corner, then drops down and traverses right across the lip of the Olympus roof via some pockets. Once at the arete, blast straight on up the face, finishing at chains.

Climbs 'Gladiator Direct' into 'No Mustard' - thereby avoiding the contrived drop-down move. Very sustained. Recommended to stick clip the 1st traverse bolt from the ground prior to starting. Hard for the grade.

Sit-starts on the good edge left of the marked Olympus start (just right of 'Gladiator' Direct). Big move to the square jug at the start of Olympus, then reach right for underclings on the left edge of the small cave (feet on pillar only). Grab a positive edge on the lip, then dyno right to the large flared pinch. Swing feet onto the right-side of the cave and drop down to the finger jug at the start of 'The 'Warm Up' Traverse'. Has been linked into The 'Warm Up Traverse' & onwards up 'Japetus' Direct - which is worth 27 for effort!

Now superseded by 'Following A Feltch'. The original boulder problem start. 1st bolt is for belayers benefit. Stick clip 2nd, then boulder up and right to a small jug under roof, then span right to gain a sidepull and move into Kiss My Brain. Continue over the roof and finish directly up easy headwall.

Climbs the initial boulder problem start of Olympus, then breaks left through the main roof (instead of avoiding it - see 'Olympus') to join 'No Mustard On Withdrawal' at its crux. Continue up headwall then trend right to arete and climb to the Gladiator chain.

Starts as for Fred Radford then takes the Following a Feltch finish, ending at the chain of Gladiator.

The hardest route in Morialta. Boulder problem start through low roof above boulder (stick clip bolt shared with Olympus), 2m left of Pussy Cats. Join Following a Feltch through big roof then cut back right around arete via another bouldery sequence. Finish at loweroff shared with Kiss My Brain.

KMB to the roof and then follow the bolts to olympis finish rings

Climb Fred Radford start through roof then finish as for Kiss My Brain.

Strenuous boulder problem (stick clip very high bolt) starting by stepping off the block to a large undercling (right of Radford start), then trending up and left to arete (crux), and into the finish of Olympus to the piton. From here gain hold over roof and up to crimps in face, then diagonally left to finish at single bolt lower off.

Rarely done, mainly because it has a sport (bolted) start, then relies on trad (small wires) to finish. Climbs Pussycats start (crux) then trends left into Kiss My Brain (bolt and old piton). Over roof, but instead of taking the bolt line left (KMB), go up 2/3m then trent left to arete. Finish at top chain for maximum enjoyment.

Starts on the right side of the small cave at a jug and finger pocket (left of the start of 'Pussycats'). Traverse right past a large sloper and block undercling to a rest beneath the start of 'Sardine'. Keep traversing right via sidepulls to drop down onto the large jug at the start of 'Japetus'.

Climb The 'Warm Up Traverse' there and back.

Takes the line of ring bolts on the left side of 'Sardine', joining that route at its rest.

Starts just left of the 'Terrathea' corner and climbs up to the big sidepull sloper and two good edges. Clip the next bolt and launch out left (crux) to a big crank level with the small roof (rest). Cut back right - then left - until below the final face (rest). Continue to the chain. This route can also be done by going direct through the roof (at the same grade).

The good-looking corner crack just right of 'Sardine'. Cruxy start, then once level with Sardine's 2nd bolt, it eases off (but not completely). Best finished by traversing left to the 'Sardine' chains.

Climb the reachy boulder-problem off the deck just right of the Terrethea crackline via a big move to the dubious flat jug. Continue up to the 'shield' (which is living on borrowed time) - then onwards up the face.

A really good combo route. Start as for Terrethea, but prior to its crux reach out right for the big flake of 'Terra Incognita'. Match this and continue up the line. Effectively dismisses the original 'Terra Incognita' reachy crux.

Take 'Japetus' to the 'hole' - then launch up the left side of the arete past a small edge and a 'hidden' sidepull to the 'Japetus' break.

The original line continued up the face of 'Terra Incognita' - however cutting back right at the good rest and launching up the direct finish of 'Japetus' Direct makes for a far better route.

The original route. Now superseded by the direct finish.

Start: Takes the very overhanging arete from its base up to the 'hole', then tacts right around the steep arete and up to the big break via a good undercling. This original line then stepped left and finished up the 'Terra Incognita' face.

Originally established as a bold traditional outing by Kim Carrigan. Now retro-bolted with general consensus due to it residing in a largely sport-route populated area. Not surprisingly, it has now become one of the most travelled lines for its grade at 'Morialta'. Makes for a far better outing than the original. Once at the big break, climb straight up the continuation of the arete largely on its right border to finish at a chain.

A boulder problem traverse link up into Japetus Direct Finish. Start (sit) left of base of Olympus - dyno rightwards and climb across cave to juggy traverse that leads underneath Sardine etc to base of Japetus. Continue up that route. Best done with a top-rope clipped in prior to embarking on the route itself. Basically a V5/6 problem into an existing 23.

A more powerful version of 'Japetus'. Once at the large break, cut right up the rampline of 'Stench' and finish at that routes chain. Sustained.

A worthwhile variant. Start as for 'The Stench' then once past its roof climb up to its good 'ear' edge and make a reach out left to the 'Japetus' undercling. Finish as for 'Japetus' Direct.

One of the best routes in the Gorge. Climb the roof right of the undercut arete (Japetus) via a large undercling. Get your breath back over the lip, then launch up and left (or go direct) to the obvious rampline. One final hard move remains, then large holds lead to the chain in a runout position (Cam optional). Unfortunately the scene of some chipping circa 2005 when the crux slot on the face after the roof was altered to allow certain people's fingers to close crimp the hold. What they didn't know is that this route can be climbed direct up the face (slightly harder).

Begin at the Overhung Corner / Protruding Buttress right of Stench Before the Storm's face. Continue up the wall on good holds.

The line of bolts to the lower off on the short buttress R of the Hyperion corner. Stick clip recommended.

Start at for Kiss my Brain and then follow the easier line up to Olympis ring bolts.

KMB to the roof and then follow the bolts to the Ring bolt chains