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Stairs Left

  • Grade context: AU
  • Ascents: 16
9

Seasonality

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Summary

The vertical cliff line left of the stairs.

Description

This area compromises of vertical to slightly overhung walls between 3m and 5m high. Most landings are good, if a little sloped downhill. Climbing consists of edges and small feet. Lots of potential for more problems. Problems are new so some need cleaning and care should be taken as there may be some loose rock. Nice setting in the bush overlooking Lithgow. Great spot on a cool sunny day.

Access issues inherited from Bracey's Lookout

Easy access. Short walk up hill.

Approach

150m up Bracey's stairs. Then left. Easily accessible and easy to find. Problems are listed from closet to stairs to furthest way. Just walk along cliff line to find the next one.

Ethic inherited from Blue Mountains

Although sport climbing is well entrenched as the most popular form of Blueys climbing, mixed-climbing on gear and bolts has generally been the rule over the long term. Please try to use available natural gear where possible, and do not bolt cracks or potential trad climbs. If you do the bolts may be removed.

Because of the softness of Blue Mountains sandstone, bolting should only be done by those with a solid knowledge of glue-in equipping. A recent fatality serves as a reminder that this is not an area to experiment with bolting.

If you do need to top rope, please do it through your own gear as the wear on the anchors is both difficult and expensive to maintain.

At many Blue Mountains crags, the somewhat close spacing of routes and prolific horizontal featuring means that it is easy to envisage literally hundreds of trivial linkups. By all means climb these to your hearts content but, unless it is an exceptional case due to some significant objective merit, please generally refrain from writing up linkups. A proliferation of descriptions of trivial linkups would only clutter up the guide and add confusion and will generally not add value to your fellow climbers. (If you still can't resist, consider adding a brief note to the parent route description, rather than cluttering up the guide with a whole new route entry).

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/

It would be appreciated if brushing of holds and minimisation/removal of tick marks becomes part of your climbing routine. Consider bringing a water squirt bottle and mop-up rag to better remove chalk. Only use soft (hair/nylon) bristled brushes, never steel brushes.

The removal of vegetation - both from the cliff bases and the climbs - is not seen as beneficial to aesthetics of the environment nor to our access to it.

Remember, to maintain access our best approach is to 'Respect Native Habitat, Tread Softly and Leave No Trace'. Do not cut flora and keep any tracks and infrastructure as minimal as possible or risk possible closures.

For the latest access related information, or to report something of concern, visit the Australian Climbing Association NSW Blue Mountains page at https://acansw.org.au/blue-mountains/

Tags

Routes

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Grade Route

Up right side of obvious slab. Sit start and up to right to good edge. Couple of thin moves to good holds. High.

FA: Evan Hudson, 2 Sep 2023

Stand start left of GK. Right hand under cling and left side pull. Up through obvious mantle. Scarier than it is hard. Add a grade if you do the sit start.

FA: Evan Hudson, 2 Sep 2023

Left side of arete 1m left of MM. Start on jug rail. Up to pocket and small edge. Big moves through jugs. Stay left of arete at all times. DO NOT touch death block at start. Even with your feet.

FA: Evan Hudson, 9 Sep 2023

Sit Start on obvious big open jug. Up to slopey hole then up right. Finish up and left on manky ledge. Exit carefully off left or down climb.

FA: Evan Hudson, 2 Sep 2023

Sit start on edges right of small cave. Big move up to ironstone rail. Out left to good hold then up on surprisingly great jugs.

FA: Evan Hudson, 2 Sep 2023

Sit start. Hands in crack. Feet MUST be on left side of crack to start for full grade. Don't use massive obvious square block. Cool moves to easy top out.

FA: Evan Hudson, 2 Sep 2023

Start on gravel rail on left side of cave. Move left and up through jug and under cling. Use crimps to reach jug rail then big move to good side pull. Finish on obvious rail. Move carefully right to get back to the ground.

FA: Evan Hudson, 9 Sep 2023

20m past the Equation. A boulder leaning on the other. Start on furthest left jug. Big move up to big hole. Cross then up to flat ledge. Escape out left.

FA: Evan Hudson, 9 Sep 2023

Start on wall right of Lean To. Cannot use left wall at all. Start on left bulge and right crimp. Up to small edge and pocket on left arete. Up through mono and edge to obvious jug. Now mantle. Best climb here.

FA: Michael Cassidy, 9 Sep 2023

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Simon Carter

Date: 2019

ISBN: 9780958079082

The latest comprehensive, latest and greatest Blue Mountains Climbing Guide is here and it has more routes than you can poke a clip stick at! 3421 to be exact. You are not going to get bored.

Author(s): Simon Carter

Date: 2019

ISBN: 9780958079075

Simon Carter's "Best of the Blue" is the latest selected climbing guide book for the Blue Mountains and covers 1000 routes and 19 different climbing areas. For all the sport climbers out there, the travellers, or just anyone who doesn't want to lug around the big guide that's more than 3 times the size - cut out the riff-raff and get to the good stuff! This will pretty much cover everything you need!

Accommodations nearby more Hide

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Wed 24 May
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