Reality Wall, Trad climbing

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Access issues inherited from Western Gara Gorge

Access to Dome Wall or Persian Carpets involves driving through private property to reach the Gara Gorge. Contact must be made with the landowners prior to heading out there:

Mike Coffey (Kenwood Park): 02 6775 3766

Pete and Susanne or Jeff Moore: 02 6775 3727

It is important to let the Coffeys know you’re coming (as access is very close to their house), and ask the Moores for permission to cross their land (providing the most efficient access to Dome Wall or Persian Carpets).

Good relations with these landowners are essential for New England climbers, and all visitors in the future, to access these excellent crags, so please treat them with respect. Leave all gates as you find them, cross fences at the strongest strainer post, etc etc. Access is likely to be refused if tenants are in the Moores’ ‘holiday’ house, so please be patient or better still ask about staying there yourself.

This is a link to a file you can use in Google Earth to see a map to The Dome Wall Parking area:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24251869/Dome%20Wall%20Etc%20Access.kmz

Approach

As for Dome Wall to where the vehicle track you are walking along descends into the little valley/gully. From here head off right and contour around right (facing gorge), then descend a little until you are on top of some good looking steep rock. There is a rubbly ledge on top where you leave your gear and abseil off trees to the base. You can also reach it by walking upstream from the top of Dome Wall.

History

History timeline chart

This area was discovered by Austin Ladler in April 1980 while nile swing around from Sweetheart’s buttress, which was the In Jon crag at the time. During that year he picked off the two obvious crack-lines, ‘That Slick Little Crack’ 16 and ‘Layaway Reality’ 17.

Despite having only two routes Reality Wall still managed to attract a few people to repeat ‘Layaway Reality’ which was to become somewhat of a local classic. On one such trip, visitor ?? Staszewskl noticed the slab to the right of ‘Layaway Reality’ and almost managed to top rope it with Al Stephens and Ed Sharp. Then began the talk and speculation about the slabs until eventually Stephens bolted the slab to the right of ‘Layaway Reality’ and ??? bolted a steeper route right of ‘That Slick Little Crack’. However Paul Colyvan (alias Animal) was to get in on the act before either of the above two routes were climbed by doing the obvious??? corner and slab right of Al’s route to give ‘Short back Slides’ 22 in January 1985. The next day Stephens climbed his route to give ‘Iron in the Soul’ 21 and Sharp, after attempting his, gave it to Animal, who completed it, producing ‘Rant and Rave’ 23. Another route added since was also by Animal who returned to add ‘Sudden Impact’ 22

The existing routes are of such high quality I'm sure it will always see visitors. It’s proximity to both 'Dome Wall' and 'Sweethearts' makes it an ideal venue for half a day here and half a day at either of the other two crags.

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FA: Dan Honeyman, 2008

Line following the system of layback cracks and under-clings on the downstream end of the slabs. Originally done with one or two points of aid in the top corner hut was freed by A. Legler and Ed Sharp in October 1980.

Start: At the far left of the slabs.

Up wall, traversing left at about 10m to gain a large ledge? at the base of the first layback crack.
Up flakes to small ledge.
(crux) Up cracks to fingery corner then exit to tree.

FA: Austin Legler & Ed Sharpe, 1980

Start: At the right-hand end of the main slab/wall.

Up to a small tree at 3m then swing left on jugs. Continue going upwards along the thin crack. Clip the first bolt then step up and right onto ledge, then step up and left to second bolt, then straight up the slab/wall past a third bolt to a belay ledge double bolt belay).
Up slabby wall via three bolt runners to small tree, then sharp crack to belay.

FA: Al Stephens & Simon Gay, 1985

Start: The seam/corner that goes straight up above the start of ‘Iron in the Soul’.

35m Up corner system to belay on ledge with bolt and nut.
15m (crux) Up corner to bolt. Step right and up slab past another halt to top.

FA: Paul Colyvan & Brian Birchall, 1985

There are a couple of spots on this route where a fail could be nasty.

Start: On the ledge 2m right of ‘Short Back and Slides’ at about half height.

Easily up to overlap, step right and up to bolt runner then continue to top, moving slightly left near the top.

FA: Paul Colyvan & Phil Parker, 1985

FA: Dan Honeyman, 2008

Start: The next line right of 'Short Back and Slides' at ground level.

Up hand crack which splits into two finger cracks below a tree, continue to blocky ledge. Scramble up corner then right then up.

FA: Austin Legler & D. Nehl, 1980

Start: The very clean crack system 3m right of ‘That Slick Little Crack’.

Juggy corner to ledge past bolt to bulge (crux).Over bulge past two bolt-runners, then crack to slab finish.

FA: Paul Colyvan & Al Stephens, 1985

Reality Wall Mostly Trad climbing 9 routes in area

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Access issues inherited from Western Gara Gorge

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Reality Wall Mostly Trad climbing 9 routes in area

Map

Access issues inherited from Western Gara Gorge

Approach

History

Tags

Plan your Trip

Routes

Did you know?

Top editors by karma

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