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Description

The Needle is readily identified from the Grand High Tops as the rocky spire E of Belougery Spire. This is the smallest of the four major spires in the park, being about 60 m high. Although Eric Dark, Dot English and party attempted this peak in 1936, they were unsuccessful and the first recorded ascent was by members of the University of New England Mountaineering Club in 1959.

Climbs are described anticlockwise from SW Arete.

Access issues

The crag is on private property so permission must be sought first. The 1994 guide recommended phoning Coonabarabran Bushwalking Club. Please update this section if you have any information about how to gain access.

Approach

It may be reached from the Grand High Tops after a bit of walking. Alternatively, access directly through the private land after gaining permission.

Descent is by double-rope abseil from a bolt belay down the east side, or double-rope abseil from rap station atop The Kiruna Crooner.

Some content has been provided under license from: © Australian Climbing Association Queensland (Creative Commons, Attribution, Share-Alike 2.5 AU)

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Routes

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1
8 * The Climb Trad 39m, 2

Short and pleasant. The original descent route. Start at the left hand end of the east face. Scramble up onto large ledge.

  1. 9m Up corner at right hand end of ledge to obvious stance.

  2. 30m There are two ribs to choose from, the left being trickier.

FA: Members of New England (Uni) Mountaineering Club, 1959

2
11 Colour-blind Trad 35m

Start just L of middle of E Face, L of tree and 2 m L of abseil gully. Overlapping crack for 15m, then R to vegetated crack. Up.

FA: B Spry, A Gallagher & M Thornton, 1979

3
11 Safe Bet Trad 35m

The next major line R is quite vegetated. This is the E Face abseil descent route.

Small pillar just R of abseil gully, then L side of loose-looking arete.

FA: Greg Croft & Paul Croft, 1991

4
12 Dreaming Trad 35m

Start at crack 1 m L of Optical Illusion. Crack in ramp for 12 m, then R and up vegetated crack on R of loose-looking arete/prow. Poor rock.

FA: Greg Croft, Graeme Bowden & Dan Croft, 1990

5
13 Optical Illusion Trad 35m

Crack 1 m L of Deception; loose rock and grass.

FA: Warwick Williams & William Blunt, 1979

6
12 Deception Trad 35m

Start on east face, 1.5 m left of arete. Thin, twin cracks.

FA: Warwick Williams, William Blunt & J.Gallagher, 1979

7
14 Northern Lights Trad 35m

Pleasant and well protected. Start at clean arete on N side. This is the first climb reached when approaching from sealed road to TV tower. Overhanging start, then past bolt to ledge. Continue up arete past three bolts to bolt belay on L.

FA: Andrew Penney & Carl Joan Jagusch, 1989

8
16 Suns and Stars Trad 35m

Crack in ramp on W side of N arete, to join Northern LIghts at three-quarters height.

FA: Rod Kerr & John McKenna, 1991

9
22 M1 Northern Gusto Aid 35m

Groove in middle of clean W Face. Bolts. Two rests.

FA: Steve Waite, Greg Croft & Alison Greenhalgh, 1994

10
19 ** Eugowra Trad 35m

Sustained and beautiful; best line on cliff. Crack between two bolted routes on W Face.

FA: Greg Croft & Rod Kerr, 1993

11
19 Line of Stars Trad 35m

Line 1 m R of Eugowra. Bolts.

FA: Steve Waite, Greg Croft & Alison Greenhalgh, 1994

12
15 Cold Summer Day Trad 30m

Wide crack L of The Kiruna Crooner with large chockstone at one-third height.

FA: Steve Waite, Greg Croft & Alison Greenhalgh, 1994

13
21 * The Kiruna Crooner Trad 35m

Start 40m R of Northern Lights, in middle of W Face below wide crack on R of overhanging face split by three cracks. Up R to bolt, then wall and arete to top of pillar (six bolts; small wires and cams on R side of arete at half-height and at top). Over boulder, then step across wide crack. Up to ledge, bolt belay.

FA: Andrew Penney & Carl-Joan Jagusch, 1989

14
14 Forgotten Climb Trad 40m

Broken line on NW corner.

FA: Warwick Williams & L Thompson, 1975

15
16 Windy Ways Trad 48m

Start in middle of W Face, just R of small arete. Up 5 m, then L to arete. Arete (poor rock), then L into crack/corner.

FA: Phil Draper & John Yealds, 1991

16
15 Unnamed Climb Trad 51m, 2

Start at old bolt at base of roof-capped corner a few m round L of Ramshead South.

1-2) The line.

FA: Unknown

17
12 Ramshead South / The West Face Trad 51m, 3

Start at crack on lowest rib of SW Face.

  1. 15m Up crack then through squeeze hole.

  2. 21m The crack on the righthand side of gully past bolts. Bolt belay.

  3. 21m Scramble up right.

FA: Alec Campbell & John Pickard, 1965

18
18 Irish Nightmare Trad 50m, 3

Start at R corner at base of S Buttress.

1-3) Corner to chockstone, then up nose. Regain corner after 10 m, then up to stance. L to nose, then face to loose ground (poor rock).

FA: Jim Brown & Greg Croft, 1990

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