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Whale Blocks

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Description

Ocean-side sandstone blocks with plenty of options, located on the rock platform at the northern end of Whale Beach. This is a nice summer afternoon option with a sea breeze and quite some shade, especially in the afternoon.

Access issues inherited from New South Wales and ACT

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Approach

Located at the Northern end of Whale Beach, park at the (free) public 4P car park opposite 244 Whale Beach Rd and walk down the public pathway straight to the north end of the beach. Alternatively park in the main beach car park and walk up the beach to the boulders. The boulders are described left to right as you get to them from the beach.

Walk to the northern end of the beach, follow the shore line to see the boulders after 100m.

Routes

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Grade Route

Sit start and up arete.

Sit start low jug, up and over.

Sit start and straight up. Stand start would be graded VB.

Sit start on ledge and make way up through jugs.

The first climb you get to from the beach. Sitstart.

The problem that has you reaching full span on this boulder, right hand under cling and right foot lots of tension on the start whilst reaching out with the left hand continue slapping up the rock at full reach with the left hand and then go over the top, cool moves in the start.

Sitstart on corner

Awkward hard sitstart to small crimps

Sitstart Right corner.

Sitstart up left edge only.

Sit start using right side of crack only

Sitstart on low side pull. Powerful two move wonder. (Crack left is out) 2m

Start as low as you can on the lowest holds below under cling feet on the boulder only, can either tension move up to under cling and dyno out or work feet around all the way upto limp and toe hook.

Both hands in the high undercling with feet on the rock-shelf below. Reach or dyno for the lip of the block and traverse right, finishing up Dab Not. See the first ascent Here: https://youtu.be/7KKS1qnl78A

FA: Roman Rosen, 24 Jun 2018

Resurfacing variation.

Tom Ilchef

Establish double toe-hook on lip from high undercling, and match hands on undercling to start.

Reach for lip, and top out as per Resurfacing + Dab Not.

FA: tom ilchef, 2 Sep 2023

Sitstart with low left hand. Up steep arete

Start low on the sloper rail right of Dab Not. Up right arete to top

FA: Martijn van Eijkelenborg, 10 May 2018

Up the slopers. Short but interesting

One move wonder crimper campussing

FA: Peter Rothwell, Jan 2015

Traverse along the line of slopers and finish up via the arete. Great.

Desperate move to the last hold

FA: Peter Rothwell, Jan 2015

Hard start then easy.

One hard move to start, then up the line of finger-tip pockets.

Stand start and up the narrow slab.

FA: Jack Folkes, 19 Jan 2019

Sit start to Noah. Weirdly hard.

Sit start on crimps. 3 moves to the top.

Sit start on sloper and make way left and up.

Sit start on jug and make way left and up.

On the back of the boulder with Do Dab, tucked away behind/above Whale Beach. Great moves with a crumbly desperate mantle finish.

FA: Matthew Matheson, 10 Dec 2016

Standstart up the left arete

FA: Martijn van Eijkelenborg, 5 May 2018

Crouch start on flake on right of boulder. Follow the flake up and left to top out.

Wide stand start on sidepulls. Move to top, then up.

Sit start on the slopey rail. Big move up to a tough mantle.

Sit start on RH sidepull and shitty LH crimp/pinch thing. Move straight up to top out.

FA: Peter Rothwell, Feb 2015

Match at the start under the boulder, very tricky start then work for each move

FA: Peter Rothwell, Feb 2015

Sit start as for Whale Tail. Head left out the arete instead of straight up.

FA done with a roll over and not bumping. Could be easier but not as fun.

Emmanuel Madayag

FA: Jack Folkes, 19 Jan 2019

Sitstart match and up the steep arete.

FA: Martijn van Eijkelenborg, 20 May 2018

The following steep boulder is located a little further along under the large nose roof sticking out from the headland, just before you turn the corner towards Palm Beach. Rockpool and The Drain can be climbed at any time, but the other 3 climbs will get your crashpad soaking wet unless you bring a hose or bucket to drain the rockpool. They are worth the effort though and once drained it will remain dry until it rains or until extremely high swell.

Climb the left arete and top out slightly right.

Sitstart 1 m right of The Drain and straight up

Sitstart straight up the middle of the boulder.

FA: Martijn van Eijkelenborg, 10 May 2018

Steep boulder 2m left of Rockpool. Crouch start (or akward sitstart for no extra points)

FA: Martijn van Eijkelenborg, 10 May 2018

Sitstart on the large sloper. Good climbing on slopers and edges. Classic.

FA: Matthew Matheson, 2 Jan 2017

Stand start and follow the slopey arete up and right to top at the peak.

Up the slab via underclings and a big move right. Watch out for the bad landing. Spotter recommended...

Low start in the gap (standing), move up with the right arete to top.

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Mike Forward and Peter Balint

Date: 2023

With 2065 bouldering problems ranging from V0-V15 across 57 areas nestled around Sydney, the all new Sydney Bouldering Guide will keep you occupied for years to come. Just because we live in Sydney we'll try not to be biased but honestly this city has some amazing bouldering and usually not more than a few minutes off the road or some even near parks and train stations. There's no need to camp out and trek for hours to get to world class problems, they're right on your door step.

Authors Mike Forward and Peter Balint spent over 7 years putting this guide together and is the first new bouldering guide for Sydney in over 20 years. It's over 350 colour pages including 600+ colour photo tops, crag tops, amazing images and more.

Author(s): Neil Monteith & Simon Carter

Date: 2021

ISBN: 9780645299908

Featuring 1142 climbing routes located at 24 of the best crags in the Sydney area, this A5 size guide book is super user friendly with easy to use colour cliff topos and access maps. Covers sport and trad climbing at a variety of grades, something for everyone.

Accommodations nearby more Hide

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