Routes in Grampians for selected grade

Probably needs some bolts. Has only been top-roped. Wall right of Free To Good Home, keeping close to right arete.

Further along the cliff past the obvious cave with a crack in it. A powerful start past 2 bolts leads to very fun jugging rightward past some good gear, head up when you can past more gear to then head back leftwards on a rising traverse past 2 more bolts, with a tricky finish.

A classic concept around the right edge of, and then above, the great arch.

Start: Start below the centre of the arch.

A great first pitch up the corner but then the climbing eases dramatically and deteriorates in the second half of the climb.

Start: Below the huge corner on the left side of the smooth wall, just right of the large overhang. Clear initials BB.

1. 27m (24) The corner, exiting on left wall

2. 30m (17) Continue up the line passing first overhang on right.

3. 18m (-) Left and up to terrace

4. 21m (10) 6m up flake, step left, up to scrub, right to corner.

5. 33m (10) Up, veering right

Pulls around the left side of the RWaC roof (1m left of RWaC) and climbs up the left-hand crack past a bolt, then past another (as for Rebel Yelp).

Awesomely pumpy fun thugging. Start 8m left of 'Fading Fast'. Stick clip recommended. Diagonally R on shattered rock to FH, then steeply past UB to join major cliff-splitting R-wards diagonal. Pump 15m up R along this past 2nd UB, across Fading Fast & Contra, and 5m further to FH. Now straight up to lower-off (60m rope essential). Full set of cams incl. #4 camalot, plus medium wires. The original piker's version (Will Monks, Neil Monteith, 21/8/05) finished as for FF, & you can also pike by lowering off SaL's anchor.

He's good at climbing them, but hopeless at naming them! The finger crack with a bulge down low on the far left end of Upper Cut Lunch Walls to anchor.

Great climbing on excellent rock. Starts 3m right of blunt arête. Boulder start to gain crack (protected with a good, shallow wire at full stretch). Bomber gear and sustained climbing to below roof. Committing pull past bulge via crimps in the black streak to good #2 camalot placement.

3 bolts.

Tackles the attractive wall about ten metres right of The Enquiry. Up the left line with some intricate climbing past a bolt. (Simon Mentz, Glenn Tempest, Grampians Selected Climbs 2009)

A steep climb up the short but deceptively overhanging wall just left of where the track hits the cliff and turns right. Carrigan led this route onsight the day after his one-point ascent of the Seventh Pillar.

Start: Marked by small white square.

Sustained and technical climbing on Arapiles type rock. Starts 3m left of Iron Lady.

Climb the creases past a FH to the DBB. Take small and medium wires and small cams.

Located on north facing main wall with a large scooped base. Malcolm forgot his harness and had to belay Neil's dogging efforts with a sling around his waist! Three FHs up right leading steep scoops to gain broken crackline. Up this with fiddly trad pro to committing top out up grey wall.

Excellent, sustained climbing though a bit scary in places. Also the fixed gear on pitch 2 needs replacing. A direct link between pitches 3 and 4 has been attempted and should go within the grade. That would improve the route further.

Start: Start at ripply wall 3 metres right of the Last Rites (as for Debutante)

1. 30m (24) Easily straight up the wall to an overhang at 20 metres. Step right and over the bulge with a hard rockover. Undercling left to thin crack and up to tiny stance. It would be a good idea to move up and clip the first bolt on the next pitch as part of the belay.

2. 24m (23) Up fragile, expanding flake and BR. Up and follow flake right to corner (PR). Mantle into corner and swing right past bolt to arete. Follow arete, easier but runout and groove to small ledge.

3. 26m (22) Poorly protected and loose. Traverse left across slab and up thin open groove (corner immediately right of Last Rites pitch 3). Past little roof then more easily to long ledge.

4. 40m (22) Move the belay 8 metres right to below the 'Debutante' corner. Go up a few metres, then left to the next corner and go up this. A great pitch.

This climb tackles the smooth steep wall starting 3 metres right of The Dock. Up the flake then onwards past two bolts to the top. (Simon Mentz, Glenn Tempest, Grampians Selected Climbs 2009)

The good fight.

Start: Start 10m right of 'Chinese Water Torture' at the incipient corner.

An unlikely line that features a fierce crux at the end.

Start as for 'Begegnung'; at the bolt follow the horizontals rightwards (a bit up and down) for about ten meters to an obvious corner which you move up for a move or two, then step right again past another little corner onto a rest, before finishing easily to rap anchor.

So named because the FA had to get water by swimming out into a billabong and got mighty muddy! Palmistry at its best. Blank corner and right facing layback flake opposite main section of Peasant Wall. Stem up to short crack opening (#1 SLCD) then boldly up with nigh all handholds to FH. Lunge out rightwards with nigh all footholds to thank-god layback flake. Up this easily to ledge and lower-off anchor.

The face with a bolt, traverse L past a nut to the arete. The obvious direct is 25.

Start: Start 3m L of 'Reckless'.

Very pleasant. Crux at second BR, then sustained 21 to top. Wall 4m right of Uneasy Alliance. Seam starts above two low BRs. Follow this to ledge. Diagonally right up wall (two more BRs)to finish steeply.

Old school trad wall climbing. Some of the rock is a bit fragile in places.

Good mixed climbing. Starts 7m right of 'Us Esoterics' and 2m right of the arete (Wheels of Steel). The best spot for the belayer is on the ledge / block a few metres below. Boulder start up tiny corner (FH) to thin crux crack (FH). Wander up slabby jugs to blank bulge (FH) and onwards up steep juggy wall. Rap anchor. Full rack required including small wires.

The machine gun is beautiful. An excellent start leads to a finish where the crux seems to be avoiding the neighbouring routes.

The leftmost route on the wall starts from the ledge above the waterfall with a powerful undercut start. Climb past five FHs to reach the dyke, then head diagonally leftwards (ie climb above the dyke, but don't get drawn to the bolt above - that is for 'The Gloaming') past a couple of small cam placements to the anchor.

An alternative finish is to head straight up from the dyke (past a 0.4 camalot placement) to join the last 2 FH of 'The Gloaming'.

Fully engaging wall climb the whole way. Left line of the wall. Gear to size 1 cams.

A bouldery start (FH) leads into more moderate climbing, up the crack. Hard moves where the crack bends slightly L, then R at the horizontal and up to FH, where final hard reachy moves lead to slopey ledge. Bonus points for finishing direct up crack, without going into the corner.

Packs it in for a short route and is also reminiscent of technical gritstone. Would get a few more stars if it wasn't an overgrown boulder.

Start: Starts 2m right of 'Moral Vandal' at right edge of block. Marked.

Start: 35m R of Manolette. There is a prominent L leaning diagonal crack high up below capping ceiling.

1. 35m (22) Undercut start, then up and R. Up L around bulge to corner. Up this to DBB with FHs.

2. 30m (24) 'Diagonal' crack L under roof then up easily.

Sandy wide crack connects into hard sport route.

Start: Starts 2m right of 'Slippety Slope'.

Left of Tripitaka is an enormous wind eroded cave. Start at the left edge of this cave.

1. 18m Up seam/crack (crux) to right-leading roof flake. Follow this to an awkward exit on to small stance.

2. 27m (12) Up easily above, tending slightly right, to be lay from gum tree on big ledge.

3. 40m (14) Up short right leading ramp, then atmospherically back left along cramped ledge until possible to step on to slab above. Up this (spaced protection) to belay off large flat boulder on big scrubby ledge.

4. 15m (18) Boulder problem start through overhang then step up left around roof and follow horizontal break in side wall of roof out right to prow (enjoyably exposed), and so to summit.

Short bouldery section past RB.

Leftmost thin diagonal, 6 metres left of Give Me AIDS

Right variant to 'Sedition'. Much easier than the former route.

Direct start to Snail and improves the line immensely. Takes 3 FH left off the ledge and up to join the line (wires and small cams required).

Start on blunt arête just R of Jury Box (just near an active beehive at ground level - as of May 2020). Follow the 4 FH, after 4th FH stay R of arête on face for full value to a red/yellow BD C3 SLCD prior to topping out.

Bolted, 1 cam required to protect juggy top section.

Totally desperate.

Start: Instead of bailing off to the left, continue up the very thin face past a few more BR's. Unrepeated?

NOT the 'Nowra' classic!

Start: Start 4m right of Fretlin.

1 x FH

A bit unlikely. Start at the same spot as Horizon, but blast straight up past three FHs and natural gear to anchor at top. Might be harder than 24 for shorties.

Looks like a sensational overhanging headwall; but has a very difficult crux move. Start as for Cool Intentions in the major chasm just left of Agent of Cool.

1. 22, Traverse wide crack (large cams) and awkwardly around arete to a hanging DBB in corner (brackets required).

2. 24+, From DBB, up overhanging wall past 2 FH, and a fixed sling (Tat replaced, bolts look ok?). New rap ring for this climb (shared with MD).

Takes the line up the middle of the buttress.

Gain the crack in the middle of the wall, before stepping left to a poor stance before the rooflet. Steep moves past jugs and flakes lead to small stance, after which a few tough moves take you to the lower off.

Short, bolted and easy for the grade. Should be more popular! Originally climbed on trad it was then subsequently retro-bolted by Peter & Andrew Stevens one year later.

Start: The short overhanging wall opposite 'Red Wall'.

Sustained laybacks on perfect finger locks and edges. Take medium wires and cams. Starts at hanging crack 20m downhill from Mad Cow.

A selection of the various flowers, plus some nice poses of its own.

Start on top of the big boulder perched on the ledge between Atomic Tadpole and Tokyo Rose (but it's a better more sustained pitch if you start up UG). Trend R up the easy slab (adequate pro found on the R). Cross Tokyo Rose, then join Ukrainian Geranium for 8m over bulges to the start of the upper slab. Now traverse 3m R to FH in major grey streak, then up to break. Move R to join Sordid Orchids Direct past it's final 2 FHs, to rap anchor (28m). Full set of cams and wires, and several long draws (or double ropes).

Three ringbolts blasting up orange overhung wall to the left of 'The Pecking Order'. Shares first bolt of 'Rings Around'. The route features long moves between good holds and finishes at twin rings.

Nice looking wall with three bolts and sling anchor (which will inevitably need replacing). The start of this route has shed many holds, and the first two carrots have been overdriven such that getting a bolt plate onto them is a real crux.

Start at orange corner 15 metres left of Bushwalking In The Gramps.

Corner to roof and move right to easy ground

Start 2m R of original start then up.

Start on the terrace, at left side of wall.

Intricate bridging in sustained diagonal corner to a steep exit.

The desperate crank past the FH steps the grade up quite considerably.

Rarely repeated, which is a shame as this excellent steep wall and roof has some good moves. Ramble up the uninspiring start of 'Shades of Black' to the bird shit stained ledge at about 15m height. Hand traverse left here and head up pocketed wall past a FH to under big roof. 'Monkey' across this past another FH to finish. Bring medium wires, cams and slings.

Seam 5m R of CSTW past 2 bolts. Step L and follow crack L of obvious corner (which has been climbed at grade 17).

Originally involved clipping the second bolt of 'Total Recoil (Direct)', stepping right into Purple Haze to the sloping ramp, then back with difficulty to the third bolt of 'Total Recoil (Direct)' to finish as for that route.

These days most people only clip the first bolt of 'Total Recoil (Direct)' and finish up Purple Haze on trad... which still gets 24 for the start.

Finger-crack in middle of best section of wall, 25 m right of Road Runner.

Some fantastic slabbing in the prime central part of Taipan. Hard for 24. Start at the first belay of Lawrence of Arabia, which is most conveniently accessed by jugging 8m up the FB or Serpentine fixed ropes, if they're there. From the R end of the roof-like section of the horizontal, head up on pockets (thread, #3-4 cam). Continue slabbing past 4 hangerless bolts (rebolted 2011) to ledge below main roof. Traverse 5m R (small-med cams) to the first belay of Serpentine. Rap off (20m).

Novel undercling roof lip traverse with some less than perfect rock (name translates into something like 'some loose rock'). Climbs the lip of the cave right of 'Winged Corpse'. Scramble up ramp to chossy ledge, clip FH then monkey out left and up headwall. Crux is getting from the roof into the small corner via shoulder busting mantle pull. 5 FH's and some optional medium wires for juggy finish. Rap off chain.

Excellent, varied climbing up the dominant line on the proudest section of this wonderful wall. The spectacular and exposed finish is the icing on the cake. Take a reasonably full trad rack. Climb the first 6m as for 'Crank Start' to the obvious horizontal break. Move a metre right into the line and follow this up to surmount the rightward-leaning pillar to a seat beneath the final headwall. Move past a fixed hanger and around the little roof, then clip the next fixed hanger and make some spectacular moves up and right around the lip of the summit roof.

A tricky crux on sensational turtle shell rock. The route begins at the left hand end of the Trench. Follow three FH to a chain anchor. A #2 Rock will protect the start, or stick-clip the first bolt.

Bulging line 10 metres left of 'The Liquidator'

Two FHs then rightwards diagonal fingercrack. Bolted by Kent in the pouring rain using a manky sling as a harness. Hangers were recycled from one of Brookies past glories at Camels Hump. Route was abandoned to the elements for three years and finally climbed by Neil.

Noddy's physics need a brush up...there are three Newton's laws, not one! Start under the nice thin crack on the L side of the wall. A great thin crack to the walk-off ledge.

Start 5 metres right of black streak.

Off block, up, 3 bolts, fixed wire to anchors above horizontal break. Third bolt used for aid. Rap off.

A solid route in an excellent position on great rock.

1. 25m Up vertical crack in wall about 15m L of the Cold War. Balance up past BR and up to a flake. Pull up L on to ledge. Climb overhanging wall just R of orange streak (crux) to a belay stance.

2. 25m Follow crack-line up shallow concave wall (prominent feature). At the top, move R and up to jugs.

Wanders around like crazy in order to follow the 'weaknesses', but still worthwhile. Nearly all the bolts are in poor condition - please contribute to rebolting. You also need a light trad rack. Start at ground level at the prominent left-leading flake that is located towards the right end of the Spurt Wall bouldering traverse, directly below Venom.

1. 25m (23) Average. Climb the flake to gain a ledge, then move off its left end past a FH (rebolted 2011) then up face and right along ledge to DRB (placed ~2005, 14m rap).

2. 25m (24) Move up and right past FH to a horizontal break. Traverse right (med. cam) and up past FH to another horizontal (cams). Right again beneath FH in steep territory (incredibly awkward to clip from below, incredibly bold to clip from above), then make a hand-traverse back left just above FH, and onto ledge with DFH (25m rap possible).

3. 15m (24) Step R, up to roof, then L to FH. Dangle out R through overhangs past 2nd FH, ignore 3rd FH, and trend R to a delicate last move onto the terrace and DFH (35m rap). A harder alternative (25) is to head straight up past the 3rd FH (see 62a on topo).

4. 15m (23) Pull up to diagonal ramp and follow it up L to spike/jug on arete. Up steep face, moving L to faint groove (wire), to rap anchor back over the clifftop. The 50m rap straight to the deck is not recommended due to rope drag. Instead, lower back to the 3rd belay, then rap 35m off Rattlesnake Shake's DRB.

Straight up the sustained main wall between Spare Rib and Udder Shudder. Established with "minimal pro" and with no known repeats, the FA agreed to a retrobolt to make this sane. Probably a grade easier without the threat of death. Start 3m left of Udder Shudder. Up the face with RPs to start (or very high stick clip) to meet up with crack in the final headwall.

A fantastic sequence of tenuous moves up central waterstreak R of Wilderpeople. Tricky to get gear in for the traverse R into the line (could probably do with another bolt). At the top, head left up headwall to lower-off, or R and up Arete.

Seamed corner right of "Me Old Mate Darth", then wall to overlap. Step right onto slabby dish and up.

Possibly Nick's finest new route? A long intricate and technical wall with an exposed finish. Start at the base of ramp a little left of Gibber. Stem shallow corner to BR and pockets. Up past 2nd BR and more pockets to horizontal line. Right leading flake passed 3 FH's gains face just left of arête. Up superb face with small wires and cams before arête can be gained. Finish up arête.

A great pitch that goes all on natural gear. Follow the first pitch of Darwin's Theory to the second thread in the huecos (just below the piton). From the big thread, traverse out right across the weakness that is visible leading all the way across into Archimedes' Principle, finishing as for that route.

Wild climbing high on the stacked corners just right of 'Close At Hand'. The slightly conrived start robs the climb of a second star.

Start 2 metres right of 'Close At Hand'.

Up the first corner, moving slightly left at its apex to horizontal break. Traverse right to the next corner then straight up the 3 stacked corners to huge ledge.

An entertaining problem with an exciting finish; cruelly stolen from Ferret.

Start at the steep flake on the left side of the overhanging wall left of the obvious chimney/cleft.

tart up the flake and finish up the thin seam.

The second pitch goes up through the sensational overhangs with some runouts and several no-hands rests.

1. 15m (23) Sustained under-clinging leads to semi-hanging belay.

2. 25m (24) From belay, go right, up, and back left, weaving around arete to belay below final roof.

3. 15m (17) Step left, up, traverse right and up.

Climb the initial wall of 'Synthetic Venetian'. At the crack traverse left to the base of the prominent crackline right of 'The Iron Curtain'. Before the crack closes make a rising leftwards traverse (keeping below some loose rock) and then continue straight up slab (crux) and over roof passing 4 bolts to a rap station.

Start: Start as for 'Synthetic Venetian'.

Boulder problem rounded arete past 2 rings leads to easy naturally protected slab. Reachy crux.

Start: 'Arete' 3m right of 'Bass Rush'.

The second pitch has runout hard climbing. Objective danger in the form of a giant spider may be encountered on the final pitch.

Start: Start at the hand-crack 4 metres left of Passport To Insanity.

1. 35m (24) Overhanging hand-crack then the thinner crack to a stance at the bottom of a right-leading flake-line.

2. 35m (23) 'Layback' up the flake and then climb diagonally left across the bulging wall to a ledge on the arete. Step left around the arete and then go up the wall above to the second belay of Passport To Insanity.

3. 30m (20) Go diagonally left to a thin crack. Climb this and then move horizontally left to a blocky ledge. Finish strsight up the wall to the top.

Somewhat contrived.

Bridge the cleft right of Bad Boys for a few moves then traverse left along the horizontal (peg runner) to finish as for Bad Boys.

The line on 'Clicke Wall' where it meets the chimney with the 'Guernica' block. Probably about 24 and needs a glue-in bolt or two at the crux.

A grand route with solid climbing well out from runners.

Start: Start at the left end of the long ledge under the main wall, under a small flake high up.

1. 40m (24) Move up on the left, then balance delicately up right to a break. Move right then precariously up to the next break. Traverse back left then straight up to the flake. Step left at top of flake and boldly up wall above to stance.

2. 30m (-) Up, then tend left up wall until able to gain right-hand end of huge horizontal block at the summit overhang. Pull over roof-line to top.

A brilliant and well-protected climb.

Start: Start as for 'The Cold War'.

1. 25m (23) Climb corner, then step left onto wall and directly above rock 'fin' to gain crack. Climb this to belay at horizontal break.

2. 27m (24) Continue up shallow corner (crux) and exit onto wall above. Step right into corner system and follow this up. Beneath the overlap avoid pulling on the loose block; you'll need it to stand on! Gear: Wires, small and medium cams up to 1 camalot. (Note: This took around 5 months of solid attempts to bag the 1st ascent. A very dedicated leader rightly got his glorious prize after much hard work). DBB/Rings

Impressive roof climb in a truly spectacular setting.

Start from back of block (FH) at end of pinnacle.

Up corner to ledge. Step R then up bulges to rest. Step up to FH then monkey R on unexpected buckets. Turn the roof at scoop. Swing R to finish up white water wash then slightly L to RB lower off (note: near 50m lower off to top of pinnacle - tie rope end to belay FH).

Climb 7th Pillar LHV almost to end of rightwards traverse and go up scoopy line past 2 bolts to bolted anchor.

Start as for Snapper Crack. Step L up past 2FH and wires

Don't trust the pitons. Step out above the cave immediately right of Cloud Nine past PR and straight on up the wall to another horizontal (cloud nine). Up to another piton and left to good hold on the nose, then up.