Nodes in Hocus Pocus Area

The Blue Mountains are a World Heritage listed area. The Grose Valley, the cliffs around Katoomba and much of the Narrow Neck peninsula are part of the Blue Mountains National Park which is managed by the NPWS. The Western Escarpment - where most of the climbing is - is Crown Land managed by the BMCC. While the NPWS Plan of Management nominates several locations in the National Park where rock climbing is deemed appropriate, the majority of the climbing remains unacknowledged. 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.

Practically all crags are either in National Park or in council reserve: dog owners are reminded that dogs are not allowed in National Parks at any time and fines have been issued, while for crags on council reserve the BMCC leash law requires that dogs be on-leash.

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/

Start: Approximately 25m to the left of 'Idiot'. Left side of the buttress.

1. 9m (11) Easy to tree.

2. 27m (11) Up, mantle, right and up to ledge and tree.

3. 16m (11) Left and up.

Start: Corner 5m left again.

1. 27m (16) Corner, roof and wall to rest. Wall and ramp.

2. 25m (12) Up.

Start: 7m left again. Right of arete.

The first route at Mt Piddington, and still one of the best. If you're at this end of the crag at the end of the day this route is a nice way to significantly shorten the walk out. It's not too hard to climb it with packs on, then do a 200m bush bash due east along the ridge to the firetrail. Start 17m left of 'Infidel' opposite the Cottage Boulder. It is the left most route on the slab. Now has a million bolts which didn't originally exist.

1. 30m Up slab to bulge, hand traverse around to the right and up to belay with an eclectic assortment of hardware.

2. Up slab, veering left and up. Pitches 1 and 2 can be run together if you have double ropes, or even on a single rope if you think about which bolts to skip and which to extend.

1. As for Hocus Pocus to top of initial slab. Over bulge, up slab to Hocus Pocus belay.

2. Head diagonally right to top.

Start: As for Withdrawal. Follow line of carrots right of the flakeline.

Easy slab, slight corner, right onto slab. Up.

Start: 1.5m right of Curtain Call.

Start: 1.5m right of Curtain Call.

Start: Crack system to the left of Hocus Pocus.

Start: As for Curtain Call.

1. 24m (14) Up to ledge then delicately left on slab past two manky carrots.

2. 30m (14) Left into gully then trend right up arete past bolt to rap station.

The Blue Mountains are a World Heritage listed area. The Grose Valley, the cliffs around Katoomba and much of the Narrow Neck peninsula are part of the Blue Mountains National Park which is managed by the NPWS. The Western Escarpment - where most of the climbing is - is Crown Land managed by the BMCC. While the NPWS Plan of Management nominates several locations in the National Park where rock climbing is deemed appropriate, the majority of the climbing remains unacknowledged. 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.

Practically all crags are either in National Park or in council reserve: dog owners are reminded that dogs are not allowed in National Parks at any time and fines have been issued, while for crags on council reserve the BMCC leash law requires that dogs be on-leash.

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/

Slab to face just left of Curtain Call. One tough move over the bulge. Finishes at ledge with chain - easy to lower-off and clean or top out and go home up the fixed rope.

Start: 5m left of CC.

Rambly trad first pitch and fun bolted arete 2nd pitch. It's easy to rap in and climb out the top pitch without doing the bottom one.

Start 9m left of 'El Bungle'. Dirty crack.

1. 25m (16) Not much gear but it's there when you need it. Start in the centre of the dirty grey slab beneath the right hand end of the Solomon Overhang (or just wherever looks most approachable). Easily up vague dirty crack to small tree than generally rightwards to blunt arete and up to very comfy belay ledge (bolt belay).

2. 22m (21) Wall left of arete, then up the steep arete (ringbolts). Runout easy finish to bolt belay on top of cliff.

If you like aiding up bolt ladders you will love this. Free climb up Quits for 2 bolts - then aid to glory up shitty bolt ladder (blank rock - not free climbable).

One of the best routes at Piddo and something a little bit different from the usual fair. Rebolted 2021.

1. 25m (16R) Average. As for the first pitch of Beginner's Steps wandering up right on grey slab to bolt belay on small ledge.

2. 40m (21R) Pure class. Climb boldly left from the belay along juggy rail eventually reaching the first bolt (be very careful getting to this - there is a slab below to hit). Continue left and up via some exciting slabbing past another bolt to reach break and old bolt ladder (clip the jumbo bolt hanger). Steel thyself for the memorable journey leftwards passing one more bolt and a lot less gear than you'd like. When you get to the arete you can either finish easily up this (probably the better option) or, for those looking to get the maximum amount of sideways mileage, continue around the corner and finish up the top of Solomon. Belay from trees etc.

Too blank to free - kind of stupid. Climb seam crack start of TSLA to slabby shelf ledge below bolted orange wall. Up orange wall (aid on old carrot bolts for a couple of moves) then up to join Quits traverse. Continue straight up (more old bolts and more aid moves because rock is blank). A couple of metres of free climbing to finish. This route is 90% bolted with bash-in carrots - only a couple of cams required.

Start: 5m left of TSLA.

1. 15m (15) Wandery grey slab to belay from bolt, piton and small cams/wires at base of knifeblade crack.

2. 35m (24) A hard start (pull on 2nd bolt to make this 23M1) to gain slab. #0.3, #0.75 and small wires to traverse line. Hard traverse left to bolt (#1 and #2 cams - long runners advised!). Funky face climbing to rooflet, stemming corner and stance below final boulder (#0.4 and #0.75 cams). Bolt, crimpy boulder problem, and run it out up easing arete to the top. Belay from tree.