South-East Face Guide

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Contributors

Thanks to the following people who have contributed to this crag guide:

Jake Forker Richard Pattison Dayle Gilliatt Vanessa Wills Andrew Connolly Philip C Tiburonny Luen Warneke Dylan Tubaro Kai

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1. South-East Face 8 in Cliff
2. Index by grade

1. South-East Face 8 routes in Cliff

Summary:

Seasonality

Mostly Trad climbing

Lat / Long: -42.270487, 145.829346

description

Dark, somewhat more broken than it appears from a distance, and often vert wet, this wall contains 2 important routes - The Sydney Route (the first route to breach the main cliffline in 1964), and The Chimes of Freedom (a rite of passage for grade 17 leaders and one of the great climbs in the state).

Like most other areas, the potential for new routes is limitless, with 100's of metres of cliffline, and a number of key pillars yet to have a single pitch on it. There is a lot of loose rock, particularly on The Sydney Route, although clean areas (with no routes on them yet) abound.

access issues

It's a 25km hike from the Lyell Highway.

inherited from Frenchmans Cap Area

approach

Follow the access notes to the East Face, continue to traverse around the base. For the Sydney Route Direct, head for the high mound directly beneath the route, around 30m L of the nose that marks the L end of the east face. For other routes, stay lower and follow the cliff around. For Chimes of Freedom, stay lower again, before ascending a dangerous couloir (ensure adequate spacing between members of your group and wear a helmet)

descent notes

Walk up to the summit, and then down the tourist track to Tahune Hut

ethic

Trad, but some bolts exist where trad is not possible.

Frenchmans Cap is in The Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and subject to the Tasmanian Wilderness Heritage Area Management Plan. Climbing is addressed on pages 143-14 of the plan. Some of the presceriptions related to climbing are:

• The area will be predominantly maintained as a traditional climbing area. • The establishment or maintenance of routes that are protected primarily or exclusively using fixed anchors (i.e. ‘sport’ climbs) is generally prohibited. • Existing routes in the 2013 minor boundary extension that use fixed anchors may be maintained. New routes may be established in existing locations where fixed anchors are utilised subject to approval by PWS. • Based on historical precedence, the occasional limited installation (or replacement) of permanent anchors at Mt Geryon, The Acropolis, Frenchmans Cap and Mt Anne is permitted. • Written authority must be obtained from the PWS before using power-driven equipment to install or replace any permanent anchor in the TWWHA.

inherited from Frenchmans Cap

	Route	Grade	Style
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1	★ Southern Parapet The route starts just below the South Col. Follow obvious ridge up and once it steepens go straight up to the summit. FA: R Sykes & M Douglas, 1963	10	Trad 200m
2	★★★ The Chimes of Freedom By no means a thorough description. For further information buy a guidebook. No idea about pitch lengths. This route eats hexes. Otherwise single rack from smallest c-3's to #3, with double #1 and double #2 for pitches 4 and 5. Depart hikers track to summit on faint trail leading to base of walls, head over spur and down across big wall all the way to loose scree chute, up this with care, under detached pinnacle at top, across with care until under right leaning ramp creating left facing corner. Approx 1.5hr approach from Tahune hut. The lines infamous traverse pitch can be spied from here as the piece of rock between two respective crack systems. Either rope up or up gradually unroped through first two pitches of blocks and vegetation veering slightly right through easiest terrain. Onto large terrace then back left to base of corner. Build belay. Rope up. Engaging wet pitch 3 up to big ledge with some bail tat on a block. Pitch 4 - Up crack, cruxy, and over top out of sight on very smooth sloping smears on right. Would need three or more #2 s to link into next pitch. Continue next pitch (5) up same crack with better feet, persist with crack, good #3 in very top before an easy scramble up small cleft, belay gear high up in back, cordelette handy. Pitch (6) - Direct up crack or step right up arette with steep pulls on big holds with good gear and huge exposure, onwards up to big ledge. Pitch (7) basically a solo ..lean out left, place small gear and begin traverse. Not much good gear, extend everything. Face climb delicately and keep hanging on. Eventually some good placements at base of corner, use them all and belay on small ledge on left, rather than going up into wet chimney for big gear, as the hanging belay is very uncomfortable and forces your leader straight up hard steep crack rather than easy out right as is described in guide. Pitch (8) - up to corner, then over to unprotected easy climbing a few meters right, then back left again and up to good ledge. Pitch (9) Up steepening crack then left onto small gear belay in back of exposed sloping ledge, for good belay. Pitch (10) - up loosening rock through steep crystalline choss jugs and strenuous runout, into crack then up then all the way to top weaving left around steep stuff, extending everything (36m), a #4 could be useful towards end of pitch however terrain is easy and rock quality is superb. This last pitch passes a few opportunities for belays however by now you probably want to topout. Stay roped up and hike 40m up hill to variety of belay options. Walk to summit. FA: John Ewbank & John Moore, 1968 FFA: C Dewhirst & D Neilson, 1970	17	Trad 270m, 10
3	Valerie 36m (8) - Climb a number of vegetated corners to slanting ledge and bollard belay 21m (8) - Traverse left for 6m then up to below overhanging wall 36m (13) - Climb down and left onto wall and up this to belay on top of huge block 27m (8) - Traverse left for 6m across good ledge then up diagonally to belay below and left of waterfall 33m (15) - Climb diagonally R and across waterfall to belay on ledge with two pitons and other gear 24m (14) - Traverse left again for 6m then up to bollard runner and back down again, cross back across the waterfall and belay on good ledge below huge death blocks 36m (15 M4) - Free climb waterfall for 15m then aid up for 15m followed by 6m of free climbing to small wet ledge 24m (16 M4) - Three aid pieces to hard and greasy free section to finish on good ledge under roof 36m (15) - Traverse R for 3m then up another 9m to diagonal traverse right until it leads to just above a crack then up chimney to belay 27m (11) - Continue up chimney until 9m below big overhang and belay 30m (14) - Traverse R and up diagonally to ledge and piton belay 36m (14) - Climb up series of corners and steep walls to belay on good ledge under chimney 27m (14 M1) - Up chimeny til it narrows then aid up to small ledge and belay 24m (14 M1) - Up crack with two aid pieces and top out, belay on pile of rubble FA: C Dewhirst, John Ewbank, J Moore & P Stranger, 1968	16 M4	Aid 390m, 14
4	★★ The Sydney Route / Thine is the Glory To get to the start, walk up main scree couloir below SE Face, from its base scramble up and right to belay on bollard below vegetated crack just left of small buttress 36m - Straight up crack then up right trending ramp to belay. 36m - Traverse right over vegetation and behind blocks to base of large chimney with gully of loose rocks at base, up this gully and behind flake to belay at top of chimney. 18m - Diagonally up left and across wall to belay on terrace covered in loose rock. 36m - Diagonally up right to small stance and belay at base of detached pinnacle. 24m - Up and slightly left into chimney with a handcrack in a pillar for 10-12m. Traverse out L along the ledge/under roof, over the bulge and continuing up to belay at the base of a vegetated chimney. Finger and hand sized cams for belay. Another pitch with quite suspect rock. 30m - Up chimney with delicate moves until its possible to pull onto right side of arête. Continue traversing up and right to belay at a stance below handcrack corner system. 20m - Handjams straight up the vegetated corner, passing an old piton and a ledge. Belay at the next slightly smaller ledge a couple of metres above. Belay takes hand sized cams. 30m - From belay, unlikely looking traverse 6-9m L around buttress, where you will pass a piton. The traverse has decent protection. Now head up the poorly protected groove, using the face when necessary. Exit to your left, continuing to run it out, past a big ledge to belay on top of a block. 21m - (Crux) This pitch is known as the Devils Staircase. Diagonally up and left across smooth, vertical wall on good protection with awesome exposure. The suggested belay at the end here is quite marginal. Recommend continuing up arête for 8m (left side runout but easier, right marginal gear, steeper) to next good protection on small sloping ledge. Takes 0.3 cams and nut. 33m - Traverse down and left into big chimney and up this to belay. Alternatively, the right hand side has less moss and okay rock. Continuing a little higher to one of the numerous other stances will gets you to the top in just 1 more pitch. 30m - Continue up chimney and up to belay on right of large boulder. 30m - Keep going up chimney before exiting out onto a large boulder and belay. 30m - Scramble up grass and rocks onto summit. FA: Bryden Allen † & Jack Pettigrew, 1965	16	Trad 380m, 13
5	★★ The Sydney Route Direct Start The preferred start for most parties as it avoids most of the vegetation of the original route. 27m (13) - Trend up left on the obvious line to chockstone belay on ledge 33m (14) - Continue up line trending left. Move out onto left wall about halfway up and up this to good ledge then up and right to belay at top of large chimney. FA: Bryden Allen † & Reg Williams, 1972	14	Trad 62m, 2
6	★ The Melbourne Variant Variant finish to the Sydney Route. Pitches 1-7 as for The Sydney Route 22m (14) - Very exposed traverse left to slight groove at 6m, keep going 9m longer to corner, down this around to the left into a small stance and belay 24m (15) - Diagonally up and left for 5m to tiny flake, traverse left around arete and up wall for 9m to stance on left and up to good belay left 27m (15) - Up rotten corner on left for 5m to shelf, traverse riht (delicately) to foot of overhanging crack and up this to ledge with moss and loose rock. Up mossy overhang and up to belay in chimney 36m (13) - Bypass large overhanging chockstone via the right wall, then easy climbing up to belay. Pitches 12-13 as for The Sydney Route FA: C Baxter & C Dewhirst, 1968	16	Trad 370m, 13
7	★ Brisbane Line 45m 17. Start as for Sydney Route Direct Start but go up L. 2. 35m. As for SR. Scramble over boulders to R, then ramp behind block. 3. 25m 15. Up out of chimney, then vegetated ramp to top. Go up and trend slightly R. Belay on ledge which slopes up R at top. 4. 35m 18. Up from belay to runner - make it a good one, it may be your last. Traverse up R to crack, then up R of detached pillar and belay behind this. (Some old gear may be in evidence here.) 5. 30m 14. Directly across L on good traverse. Up to chimney. Belay above blocks perched in cracks. 6-9. As for SR except start pitch six a little higher. 10. 50m 11. Angle up L of good holds into chimney, then up to "landing pad". 11. 30m 14. Chimney, heading R into other chimneys. Continue to mega-stance. 12. 50m 8. Step out on L wall. After a few moves stand up and run across pasture. Take L gully to top. 13. Wander up gully to summit. FA: Dayle Gilliatt & Phil Dolan, 1989	18	Trad 300m, 13
8	★ The Newcastle Expressway A very direct start to the Sydney route, starting to the north. Pitch 1 50 m Just to the left of the lowest part of the cliff, which coincides with E face changing to SE face is a grassy knoll. Scramble up this from the north to the first sloping terrace. Stepped rock with an incipient line heads up left, nearly meeting with the top of the knoll 2m up-it would be possible to step right from the high part to join the line. Up trending slightly left with spaced gear, back right at 15 m above a threader, then left aiming for a fused open book corner under a roof. Near the roof at 40 m step left around a blunt arete for 2 m to belay in a small alcove on small cams . Good quality rock. Spaced gear. P2 30 m straight up from belay to short corner (small wires) then step right onto featured slab . Up into stemming groove exiting left then step right onto wall and straight up to arrive at top of chasm where P 3 of Sydney route starts. FA: Vanessa Wills & David Gray, Feb 2021	19	Trad 80m, 2

2. Index by grade

Grade	Stars	Name	Style
10	★	Southern Parapet	Trad 200m
14	★★	The Sydney Route Direct Start	Trad 62m, 2
16	★	The Melbourne Variant	Trad 370m, 13
	★★	The Sydney Route	Trad 380m, 13
16 M4		Valerie	Aid 390m, 14
17	★★★	The Chimes of Freedom	Trad 270m, 10
18	★	Brisbane Line	Trad 300m, 13
19	★	The Newcastle Expressway	Trad 80m, 2