Routes in Lower Taipan

Despite the good climbing, the dangerous batman start off a jammed knot is likely to discourage people. It's not clear whether the first ascent used the batman technique or abseiled in to a hanging belay 5m above the deck! Maybe the tatty slings should go and people should place a hook from a long stick and batman up to it.

Start: Start about 20m L of 'Slap and Tickle'.

24 (!!)

Start: L of 'Natural Wastage'

Good, hard climb up a gorgeous wall.

Start: Start a few m L of 'The Rubicon'.

A stream in wet weather.

Start: The major vertical corner from the terrace.

They shall not perch.

Start: Start 5m R of 'The Rubicon'.

Burning bright.

Start beneath the overhanging corner 20m R of 'The Rubicon'. A burly start leads into the corner which takes you to the roof, which has three manky pitons (and bomber gear). From here there is a tough move at the lip and 2 FHs before the lower off.

An old style route. (There is another climb called 'Time Warp' near Hall's Gap).

Start: Start about 10m R of Tyger, Tyger.

Hardly.

Start: The second line R of Tyger, Tyger.

The first 20m or so of this route is excellent. It basically follows the blunt arete 5m L of 'Centaur'. Strenuous climbing but on huge holds. (There is another climb called 'Blunt Instrument' at Black Ian's).

Start: Start just L of the arete.

An enjoyable lower grade climb up a great line, which should become more popular now that it has a rap chain (since May '07).

Start: Back down at ground level, just before the track passes under the overhangs there is a major corner.

1. 21m (13) The crack just L of the corner to a ledge. Up the chimney to another ledge below a large roof.

2. 22m (13) Step across the gap and move around the roof and up the corner. The route originally topped out, but a chain has been added allowing a 30m abseil to a ledge 2m off the ground at the base of the climb. People using this abseil should wear helmets because of the fragile nature of the rock.

You have to clip about 12 lousy bolts before getting to the climbing. Has been done without hammering by Kirsty Hamilton. Overall grade is 11 M4 - but it is not clear whether each pitch deserves the grade.

Start: Start 15m R of 'Centaur' below the first weakness in the huge overhang.

1. 37m (11 M4) Follow bolts and the odd other piece to lip of roof. Continue up line until able to free to a ledge.

2. 24m (11 M4) Move L of the line, up the overhanging crack and up to the top.

The creme de la creme. Sit start on crimp, punch up then across right and up a series of shallow pockets via a rad cross move, finishing on jug under the bolt.

~8m to the right of Zeus, start on the block with the odd pinch inside. Out left to shallow pocket, big lockoff to sidepulls and finish directly above on flat edge.

Something of a hybrid. The first pitch is free except for one long aid point. The less significant second pitch still holds a few aids.

Start: The next hanging corner R of 'Icarus' is now easily identifiable by 2 shiny new FHs on the steeply undercut face below the corner. (This is a closed project which is attempting to free the batman start (extremely bouldery)).

1. 24m (31 M2) Batman to the first bolt above the FHs, continue up corner past dodgy old "Pollitt ring-bolts" to abseil anchor.

2. 31m (- M2) Free up to ledge below crack across roof. Aid roof and up to top.

Magnificent. HB almost freed it (30M1 - 1 point) but it took another 15 years for Ben to finish it off, by the skin of his teeth. So far he's suggested "maybe 30, 31" for the grade - we'll go with the latter!

Start: 10m R of 'Pegasus'.

1. 35m (31) Hard moves take you R through the roof 10m R of 'Pegasus' to crux into bottomless corner. On up corner to belay.

2. 27m (-) Easy ground.

About 10m L of 'Inkido Roof' is a line of FHs and RBs leading into an appealing orange corner/seam above the big roof, with DRB halfway up the corner where the climbing obviously eases.

This steep and powerful roof looks like fantastic climbing, but unfortunately the bolts have not aged well and it is mostly only 4-5m off the ground requiring care to avoid groundfalls.

Start: Start 25m R of 'Gilgamesh' at the R end of the low rooves.

This is a sport route after you do the first 5m of Zeus on trad. Start as for Artemis, but from the 1st bolt go 5m further L to narrow ledge. Great sustained moves up orange flakes and L over roof, onto the long pumpy headwall, finishing at a lower-off. NOTE: a 60m rope is probably NOT enough to lower off (a 70m should reach, but check first!).

This is a sport route after you do the first 5m of Zeus on trad. Up Zeus for 5m then traverse 5m L. Builds up nicely to a fun roof at the top.

Start as for Zeus, but after 4m take the shallow orange corner 2m L. Straight through overhangs, then move R at final roof to finish up Zeus. Good climbing, with spaced but adequate pro.

Start 8m R of 'Inkido Roof' at the first easier line after all the steepness.

1. 25m (17) The crack.

2. 15m (-) The chimney, then step L to the jugs. The quickest walk-down is the gully between Lower 'Taipan' and 'Reprisal Wall'. Find this by bashing 50m back to 'Afterglow Wall', then go 80m R until you're underneath 'Between the Sheeps' bouldering area. Turn R away from the rock and after 30m you're at the top of the gully.

Bouldery start with no pro (a high runner in 'Centaur' may help).

Start: Start 2m L of 'Centaur'.

Bouldery start with no pro (a high runner in 'Centaur' may help).

Start: Start 2m L of 'Centaur'.

Start as for Black Swan and either clip its first bolt or go for the Purity and place gear the whole way. Head up trending left following great holds and gear to top out and lower off the anchors of Black Swan.

If you have done the other two 24s then why not finish yourself of with this one! More of the same thin face climbing. Four bolts finish at same anchors of Act of War.

Excellent thin face climbing up the orange streak left of Midnight's Children. Four ring bolts to anchor.

Beautiful thin, overhanging, grey face. There should be 50 metres of it. The first move is a nice boulder problem. Anchor is just 2 fixed hangers.

The first line on the cliff.

Start: Start below and L of the line.

1. 33m (8) Climb to a ledge, move R and past the bush on the R. Follow the line to below the overhang.

2. 7m (8) Easily out L and up.

Steep moves to gain the line which is followed until it ends. Continue up the walls to the first overhang which is breached from the R. Move R, and onto the block, then to the top.

Start: Start at the discontinuous line a few m R of 'Wasted Dreams'.

Takes the R-leaning diagonal.

Start: Start 4m L of 'Past Glories', near some broken flakes.

1. 30m (13) 'Steep' moves to gain the start of the diagonal which is followed past a cave and a flake to a belay ledge.

2. 15m (13) Move a little L, chin through the roof and easily up R to top or move R from belay and finish up 'Past Glories'.

The second (R-most) of the prominent lines.

The crack, followed by a juggy wall.

Start: The L-most and widest of three cracks in the wall.