Showing all 19 routes.
Grade | Route | Gear style | Popularity | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | The Walltower Castle
Some good positions but really filthy climbing on the 2nd pitch. Start: Start about 15m R of 'Petite Fleur', just R of twin cracks.
FA: Richard Schmidt & John McLean, 1966 | 74m, 3 | |||
19 R | Maybe Utah
Pointless and dangerous. Take all cams. Start: Start at the foot of pitch 2 of 'The Walltower Castle'. FA: Kieran Loughran & Meg Sleeman, 1991 | 20m | |||
22 | ★★★ The Navigator
1
19
20m
2
22
40m
3
20
20m
4
15
15m
5
19
25m
Good climbing all the way up one of the compelling features of The Amphitheatre. All cams, with doubles up to 2½. The final three pitches could be cut to two with careful rope, equipment and mental management. The reachy start to the second pitch has been tamed with a cairn, combined tactics would be a preferable solution. Start: Start as for 'The Walltower Castle'.
FA: Kieran Loughran, Jane Wilkinson used a wandering approach to the roof in. Loughran added (2) in November 1991. As described: Loughran & Keith Lockwood November 1995., 1990 | 120m, 5 | |||
19 | ★★ The Navigator Alternative Second Pitch
We've done this variation a couple of times over the last few years but was waiting until we could add a bolt and clean it up a bit. I much prefer this variation to the original desperate bouldery grade 22 crux. We also added a bolt to the belay at the top of this pitch to replace the (now) crappy-looking carrot. If you do The Navigator via this pitch it makes the whole climb grade 21. It starts up the short bottomless orange L-facing corner-crack about 2.5m L of the rap / belay rings and about 6m R of the original cairned start on the ledge. After the corner continue up the clean grey slab (drifting slightly L) for about 12m to the steepening and a bolt. Tricky moves gain the flakes as for the original pitch. Note that this pitch is 32m long and will require a 70m rope if you wish to lower or rap off it. FA: Glenn Tempest & Karen Tempest, Nov 2014 | 32m, 1 | |||
19 | ★★ The Shining Path
This long sustained adventure is a classic at the grade. Starts as for the 'The Great Foaming Expresso Machine', which is in the middle of the Petite Fleur Face, L of its central green moss streak. Take a full trad rack (plus double cams) and a bunch of slings. The first and third pitches are sport and don't require trad gear. Every belay is U-bolted. You can climb to the top of the third pitch using a single 60m+ rope (two raps will get you to the ground from here) but you will need double ropes to complete the rest of the route. You'll also need double ropes for the rap descent. The rap descent chains are situated just 15m R of the finish of the climb. This route utilises 'The Great Foaming Expresso Machine' and parts of 'Sluice' and Gigi's Climb.
This route utilises 'The Great Foaming Expresso Machine' and parts of 'Sluice' and 'Gigis Climb'. FA: Glenn Tempest & Michael Hampton, 2013 | 110m, 5, 8 | |||
18 | ★ Politics of Plenty
Start as for Shining Path, following the brushed streak to the right. Committing slabbing with spaced cams to bolted anchors. FA: Michael Hampton & Geoff Butcher, 2014 | 30m | |||
20 | ★★ Spillway
An excellent and sustained outing offering well-protected slab and face climbing up the middle of the highest section of the wall. The 21 year-old carrots on the first pitch were recently replaced with glue-ins. Start: Scramble R up the diagonal ramp near the R side of the Green Wall and back L (best to rope up) to the base of a smooth water runnel (the direct start is grade 22).
The first pitch was originally climbed (as two very short pitches) and named Spillway by Gary Kerkin and Michael Stone in 1966, then freed by John Chapman in 1975. The route as described was climbed by Glenn Tempest and Karen Tempest when they added the second pitch in 2024. FA: Gary Kerkin & Michael Stone, 1966 FA: Glenn Tempest & Karen Tempest, 9 Mar | 75m, 3, 12 | |||
19 | ★★ Sweet Dreams
Great climbing including 'Spillway' and the best bit of 'Sluice', leading straight up to the apex in the huge overhangs. Take large cams. Start: Start as for 'Spillway'.
FA: Glenn Tempest & Kevin Lindorff, 1977 | 88m, 3 | |||
21 | ★ Adrift
A daunting lead up a beautiful grey slabby wall on perfect rock. Technically only grade 18 or 19 but there is no protection on the crux 8m run-out. This pitch climbs the best and boldest section of the old route Drifting (21). Start at the double ring belay at the top of the first pitch of Spillway. Up the juggy wall to skirt the far R side of the recessed ledge (the major flake/crack line above is Gigi's Climb). Drift R-wards and climb the easy shallow recessed flake. When it runs out, move up L-wards for a couple of metres to a short (200mm), but deep, finger-width crack. Load up with bomber pro and launch off up the superb wall above. You will eventually reach the Shining Path bolt on the arete. Continue as for the the Shining Path (up the slab, traverse R along the foot-traverse [Sluice] and up the short vertical crack to the belay rings below Shining Path's last pitch). Either continue as for the Shining Path (grade 19) or three rappels down (30m, 30m and 10m). FA: Glenn Tempest & Karen Tempest, Mar 2024 | 30m, 1 | |||
21 | ★★ Drifting
The second pitch is the main attraction. Two sets of cams for 1st pitch. Start: Scramble up the ramp to a notch. Start from the L side of the notch.
FA: James & Melanie McIntosh, 1992 | 80m, 2 | |||
19 | Drifting (Variant Finish)
A spectacular finish that was done to finish the Sluice/Spillway combination but would be more appropriate as a finish to 'Drifting'. FA: Andrew Macfarlane, Murray Judge (both NZ & lead unknown), 1998 | 12m | |||
18 | ★★ Sluice
1
18
35m
2
20m
3
20m
4
12m
5
10m
An historic route but much of the climb is quite easy, it wanders, and the best bits are included in 'Sweet Dreams' and 'Navarre'. Still, it's not a bad climb for parties that want a longish climb with a short, well-protected crux. The nasty version of the final traverse is memorable. Take large cams. Start: Scramble up the top of the easy diagonal ramp to below the major L-leading diagonal groove/corner, about 15m R of 'Spillway'.
FA: Ian Guild & Chris Davis (alt), 1965 FFA: Rod Young, 1977 | 97m, 5 | |||
19 | ★ Green Gate
Starting up 'Sluice' , find your way to the crux and go boldly out right through the exciting obvious traverse. Bomber gear, Grand exposure. Climb all the way into 'Green Rope Berets' and top out to belay off Large boulder. Double ropes ideal. Set: JakeSouthen | 35m | |||
18 R | Gigi's Climb
Devious and serious. Strangely, the hard climbing is after the spot that aid was used on the first ascent! Start: Start from the second belay on 'Sluice'. FA: Bruno Zeller & Clive Parker. FA John Chapman 1975., 1967 | 20m | |||
17 | Green Rope Berets
Climb direct up the orange-brown streak in the steep wall between 'Sluice' and 'Threadneedle'. Start: Scramble up to the top of the 'Threadneedle' ramp. FA: Pat Ford & Keith Lockwood, 2000 | 30m | |||
17 | ★★ Navarre
An elegant climb up the line delimiting the R side of the slabs. Start: Start as for 'Sluice'.
FA: John Moore, Phillip Stranger. FA Peter Watling & Peter Treby 1979., 1966 | 75m, 3 | |||
18 | ★★ There And Back
Lovely slabbing. Recently retro-bolted to make it reasonable for people climbing at the grade, but still needs a rack. Grade is likely to drop a little. Start at the top of pitch 1 of Navarre, near the left side of the terrace. Climb over the bulge and go easily up to a water streak. Up streak(FH), mantle (FH), step right and up (FH) to runner at horizontal break. On up face,(#2 cam essential) until almost able to reach corner on R. Instead, move easily out left (FH) and up to belay on Sluice traverse. FA: Kieran Loughran & Meg Sleeman, 1990 | 35m, 4 | |||
10 | ★★ Threadneedle
1
10
35m
2
10
25m
3
35m
4
20m
An adventure. There are at least 3 ways of getting past the cave. The way I consider best is used in the description and the alternatives are at the end. Start: Start at the base of diagonal ramp that 'Sluice' and other routes scramble up. For this route, it is probably easier to belay from the ground than to set up a belay at the top of the ramp.
FA: Steve Craddock, Sue Priestly, John Cargill (var), Bob Craddock & Jerry Grandage Easter., 1965 | 120m, 4 | |||
7 | Gunigalg Gully
A chasm. The chimney/gully between 'The Green Wall' and 'Taipan Wall'. Lots of scrambling and some roped climbing. The initial chimney often flows with water for long periods after rain. FA: Recorded by John Petheram, 2000 | 100m |
Showing all 19 routes.