Routes in Mitchells Ridge

Headpointing comes to the mountains. First ascent was done using toprope rehearsal in order to clean and find the line. A ground-up ascent is possible just committing.

Start on arete at base off steep gully and at the beginning of the left leading diagonal break.

Right side of Grace arete. Bouldery moves to get started!

Start: 2m right of MM.Finishes at MM chain.

Classic sustained technical arete. Start as for Mogmbo for a bolt then traverse right boldly and up the arete.

scramble down gully to ledge at 1/3rd height, walk along to belay. 1st pitch 20m up to ledge and double ringbolt belay. 2nd pitch continues straight up to top & double rings.

50m left of Apostle of Ahisma at Right end of buttress.

P1 (25m - 26) - Traverse left to arete and up past 3 bolts and wires to DBB.

P2 (27m - 21) - Slab past 3 bolts, then right of arete and up to top past nuts and more bolts.

First two bolts of Punks on the Pass then straight up the flake which blanks to crimps. Finish as for original route.

Start: 4m right of P. Jump to lip then follow bolts left of Pethadine!

Start: Stick clip ring behind the tree. Head up and left. Leavethe tree alone.

Right of vegetated corner. Fixed hangers to chain.

The first ascentist wrote this in 2019 "I removed all the bolts today as Requiem For A Whippet has only had a couple of ascents since I bolted it 21 years ago and as there are far really too many infrequently climbed average routes in the BM’s, I feel the blank rock is more aesthetic than the bolted version. This is the beginning of unbolting of my routes that are unrepeated or only occasionally repeated. Any of my routes that are fairly popular or that someone has made the effort to rebolt will be left."

Was originally graded 26 - but seems to have settled at 25 in the recent print guide.

Rebolted 2004

First route you come to on the main wall.

Start at black streak (that seeps) 3m left of I'm a Braddlefish. Up past 3 bolts to crux, then to break. Up through roof and steep wall past 3 more bolts.

Classic grit style rock, climbing and protection. This has probably only seen one day of action since the first ascent, on this day however the fall from the crux was tested a few times, all walked away happy. A photograph of the FA was published claiming it to be in 'Western Australia', had it been correct and described it as being in the Blue Mountains, this route would have surely seen more attention.

Start part way down the steep gully. Below the obvious shallow slopey layaway. Up to break and into the layaway, yes you have to leave that good foot hold.

Start: As for 'Glucosamine', then right and up.

Thin wall to under roof then right and up bouldery finish. Stickclip first bolt recommended.

Good quality trad climbing. Two very different pitches. A ground up ascent would be very possible and memorable but it could be worth checking how mossy the upper half is before committing.

To access this route abseil 45m off a tree anchor on the southern arete to the base of the cliff. Start at the crack in the obvious corner/groove just left of arete.

1. 33m (24) Climb initial corner stepping right onto arete a few meters up. Onto ledge (very thin gear) followed by tricky moves to gain good jams and jugs. Follow jugs up and to the right away from the hollow arete. Go straight up the wall following the wear steak, initially using the flake to the right and placing gear (sometimes thin) in horizontals. Belay on obvious ledge.

2. 12m (23) Exciting little headwall. Climb 5m off the belay to the only gear on the pitch, proceed on to and over rooflet to some slopey moves. If you are unsure of your ability it may be worth scoping and chalking this bit on the way down.

Accessed by Abseil. Start 25m Right of top of John Arthur Ray (looking out). Rap 40m from BB and tree to chain and small gear belay. Up past bolt and gear to stance below arete. Thin moves to roof, then steep moves on good holds to bulge. Through bulge then up and left on slab to another bulge, then top past 11 bolts. Bring a mixed rack of cams.

A great airy journey up an overhung wall and only 1 minute from the car! Starts in the middle of wall. Up subtle flake to first bolt then traverse up and right (shallow pockets) to creaky flake (take care). Continue traversing right and up to far right side of face, up a move then traverse back left and up juggy small grey corner. All ringbolts - no hangers required. Belay off small tree way back.

Squeezy and with poor rock. Same start as Snail's Special onto ledge - slab up to bolts just right of that route - through a bit of steepness via sandy scoop - then right and up finish of Public Spectacle via couple of BRs. Medium cams supplement the bolts.

Before doing this be aware that 2 bolts are in a large flake of questionable permanence.

50m right of Tomb Thumb at roof and thin crack.

1. 10m (23) Through roof (2 BR and #2.5 friend), corner to ledge.

2. 25m (23) Corner to roof. Right to arete )nuts) up.

Far right route on the wall. Start near right corner system. Past 3 bolts to ledge, then up faint line past more bolts to top. Bring large cams for upper section.

1m Right of Vitae. Climb crack then steep wall past 3 bolts.

This was apparently climbed by Chris Jones in 1999. Like the other routes here it is all trad the difference being the rock is of slightly lesser quality, worthwhile all the same.

Start as for 'Cirque de Soleil' but climb straight up arete all the way. It may be possible to step onto the route a little higher up.

North facing wall tucked around left of the main wall - starting on a higher ledge. Easy climbing to middle ledge passing 1 bolt, through overlap & follow rings up face above to double bolt anchor.

2m Left of To Know a Thief.

P1 (20m) - Up past Bolt to ledge and BB.

P2 (10m) - Up through roof and wall, then left and up to top.

4m Left of The Black Streak. Up past 2 bolts and range of gear to ledge. Left off ledge and through roof, then up past flakes to top via 7 bolts.

60m right of Workmates at grey left arete of orange and black wall. Start near narrow gully on left (at ground level). Up right to arete (hidden BR). #2 Friend and 2 BRs to runout wall.

Starts 4m right of Rollover on left end of ledge. BRs, cams and wires.

Impressive names on the first ascent - much less impressive route. Start on back (southern side) of Showpiece buttress below short left facing corner. This is looking pretty mossy.

1. 20m Up and left to arete (BR). 2 BRS to DBB and #1.5 Friend

2. 20m off left end of ledge (BR), left to stance (BR), up and right to lip (BR). Up.

Start from end of ledge 3m right of Pirouette. Three BR then right and through overlap to DBB. Up just right of arete. May have been rebolted with rings?

Climb the Right arete of the orange wall past 2 bolts to BB at top.

A crappier variant finish to Showpiece. Up that route to first bolt - then head left away from the arete into pocketed rock and up past a couple of BRs and jugs to finish on dirty jugs. Medium cams supplement the rusty bolts.

Starts up vegetated open corner to tree & ledge then straight up slab to line of closely spaced manky carrots going up overhung scoops and over a short roof. Finish up heading left up ramp on spaced gear to top and tree belay.

Easy shady line on left edge of cliff. Looks dirty but climbs ok.

2m right of Toot Beep. Climb up to break, then up past 1 bolt. The tree is reportedly "off route". Bring a medium cam for break.

Start at left edge of short orange wall. Traverse in from left to black streak, then up past 2 bolts.

Remarkably steep for the grade and probably the reason you came here. The route originally started with the same vegetated corner as previous 3 routes - but a much nicer start is the arete 5m right of the corner (protected by medium cams) up to right end of ledge. Traverse right boldly across slab to first BR just left of arete. Follow arete upwards with much air below the feet. Bring a single set of cams between 0.5 to 2 Camalot. Rebolted with unusual button head glue in machine bolts - removable hangers still work (you will need 5 for the route and 2 for the top belay).

25m right of Phalanx. Scramble to grassy ledge. Short corner to ledge, steep corner to small ledge. To roof, around and up wide steep corner

Diagonal crack to top. A couple of face moves to avoid shrubbery.

Diagonal crack just Left of Descent Chimney. Climb to crack, then to horizontal break. Traverse left to arete, and then up (2 bolts on left side). DBB at top.

Open-book corner 2m right of Workmates with flake and single FH near the top. Rap from bolt anchors on ledge equal to end of Workmates pitch 1.

Not to be mistaken for the much more popular route with the same name at The Fortress. Start 100m right of Loft Chimney. Walk right through scrub, cross creek below small waterfall at back of an open gully. 30m right of waterfall to thin corner on black rock. Up.

Flake 4m L of Loddle, then R diagonal crack

Up Phalanx p2. Left leading break to BR and up

Varied crack size and style to keep things interesting the whole way up. Start by traversing out along the nice foot rail from the tree(Other starts may be possible)and then follow the crack to glory.It will give you back all your requited crack love.

Approach: (5 minute approach) Before the rocky outcrop of sunset rock, take the gully to the left (south east) and head down. Following the left hand wall and take the highest goat track, continuing for approximately 60m. The climb starts at a new gully, just before it drops steeply. It is advisable for the belayer to anchor into the tree (and a possible big cam in the big block). You can belay of a tree at the top and walk off towards sunset rock but please be mindful of the houses close by.

Start at short, dirty crack on grey rock, approximately 40m Right of Town Tip Gully. Climb crack to ledge, then climb corner to roof. Move left, and then up.

Start 15m right of Pirouette. BR, through bulge and up to DBB. Walk left along ledge and up.

Has some of this fallen down? Large amounts of fresh rockfall and mini landslide thwarted attempts to cross check this route with original description. Original description reads: Start at big yellow corner capped by roof on right of cliff.

1. 20m Free for 7m then aid crack . Right across wall on BRs then free to BB on ledge.

2. 22m (crux) Traverse slight right on pitons, up crack past flake to roof., traverse right to ledge. Wall to tree belay.

3. 10m Left to corner then up.

Right of Time, Life, Books on left arete of the small buttress. Hard start, then climb right side of the arete to the top past 2 bolts. Bring wires and medium cams.

150m Right of One Down. Climb low angled vegetated corner (black slab on right) which steepens near the top.

Start at arete Right of Steve Steps Out. Behind tree to break, then up ramps on arete. Bring a large cam for break.