Nodes in South-East Mt Difficult Range

Climbing restrictions apply to many crags in Gariwerd/Grampians. Some of these restrictions are likely to change over time as assessments are completed. Tags are being applied to most crags to reflect their current status. Additional access-notes are provided to clarify restrictions where required (and will over-ride this notice). Current and further Parks Victoria advice can be found at https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/grampians-national-park/rock-climbing-in-gariwerd

A Designated Climbing Area close to Halls Gap with relatively easy access and a decent number of moderate routes.

This area encompasses all buttresses and faces to the left of the Main Face. There is a wide variety of short, quality routes scattered across different faces.

Buttress 80m left of left end of main cliff. Best approached by walking up the gully left of Carry on Regardless then following the cliff line left. Takes the prominent slabby arête of the buttress providing pleasant climbing with a FH at the start. Finish at the ledge and abseil anchor.

The face just right of Upstanding. Up the crack and face past a FH to a ledge. Up the wide crack then step right and climb the thin seam up the middle of the short headwall to finish at the abseil anchor.

The buttress up the gully right of Black Fingernail. Climb the left arete to a narrow ledge above the second FH. Traverse right 2m and finish up the short flake to lower offs.

The next buttress right of the Upstanding pillar. Take the attractive thin seam up the slabby face on the left side of the buttress passing a FH to finish up the seam in the steep headwall. Good climbing all the way. Small wires and cams are needed. Abseil descent.

The thin crack up the steep wall just left of the first pitch of The Scarlet Pumpernickel finishing up that climb.

Four meters right of Robespierre.

1. 12m The crack on the front of the pillar to a ledge.

2. 8m Sidle around the massive detached pinnacle then climb the central seam in the upper face to the Robespierre abseil anchors.

On the right hand side of the gully right of The Scarlet Pumpernickel is a clean slabby rib. Climb the middle of the rib past 2 fixed hangers to lower offs.

Walk up the gully left of Carry on Regardless about 30m to a short clean face. Up the middle of the face to the abseil anchors. Small cams required [nothing larger than a BD 0.3 was used on the first ascent].

Nice short problem. At the left hand edge of the main cliff are 2 smaller buttresses. The left one. Climb short steep flake on right side of buttress. Pull over bulge above flake then up and left onto front of buttress, up to lower offs.

The short buttress just right of Carry on Regardless. Climb the thin crack to a fixed hanger. Up and left to another fixed hanger then back right to finish up a short groove. DBB/lower off.

The access trail joins the Main Face at Codd’s Flat Buttress. This area is the tallest part of the crag.

1. 20m (17) Up L) arete of Don’t Wet The Car Buttress past 4x FH, into crack system via trad. Continuing up past 2x FH to DBB.

2. 30m (11) from the belay tending up and right through weakness in bulge. From here, tending back left to continue up arete to top of pillar.

Climbing restrictions apply to many crags in Gariwerd/Grampians. Some of these restrictions are likely to change over time as assessments are completed. Tags are being applied to most crags to reflect their current status. Additional access-notes are provided to clarify restrictions where required (and will over-ride this notice). Current and further Parks Victoria advice can be found at https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/grampians-national-park/rock-climbing-in-gariwerd

Climbs the tallest buttress of the cliff, which is at the left end of the main face.

1. 45m Up bulging crack just right of the foot of the buttress, then easily up the major line until you can move left on to the front of the buttress. Climb middle of buttress to top of pinnacle.

2. 20m Step right across top of chimney, right on ledge to easy line, up this then up left.

Start in gully right of 'Don’t Wet The Car' [this gully is the lefthand of the big chimney lines on the main face].

1. 30m [crux] rightward out of gully onto front of buttress. Up middle of buttress via seams, steep orange wall and short central groove to large ledge below overhangs.

2. 25m Line through overhangs and up.

Revolting first pitch leads to nice exposed chimney through big roof.

1. 30m Major chimney line right of the Codds Flat buttress to ledge below overhangs.

2. 20m Chimney through roof.

3. 10m Easy buttress right of gully.

The distinct buttress between C.O.U.T.C. and T.K.O.K. has a major clean crack line from the ground up the centre. Committing moves for the first few metres (solid pro) which then eases off to about grade 12. Climb the crack to about 1 third height where it becomes a gully. Step right (possible belay here) and follow the line up the rib staying slightly right. Belay on top of the buttress from lower offs in the orange wall under the roof. Could be an alternate first pitch to C.O.U.T.C.

Start at the foot of The Khazi of Kalabar chimney. Head up and left past a fixed hanger to the horizontal crack though the bulge. Swing left on this then up to join Bastide de Domme at the ledge. Continue up the rib on BdD to the abseil bolts.

Chimney line 10m right of 'Carry On Up The Chimney'.

1. 40m Start in the back of the chimney and chimney up and out to front. Up line to big ledge below steep walls.

2. 15m [crux] Steep wide crack in back corner of bay.

1. 20m Crack up buttress right of The Khasi Of Kalabar to ledge.

2. 20m Up on jugs to big ledge. Scramble off down right [possibly roped].

Right of The Barbara Windsor Mammorial Buttress is a corner chimney with a thin seam on its right wall. Approach from the right and follow the seam [micro cams] past a fixed hanger to a ledge where the line becomes a gully. Step out right and climb the arete to finish at the lower offs.

Crack 10m right of 'Barbara Windsor Mammorial Buttress'.

Start at the arete just right of The Rumpo Kid. Up past 2 fixed hangers to finish up a short shallow groove on the right. Pull over the bulge to the lower offs.

Start 2 metres right of Rumpo Kid. Up the right edge of the face, small cams are useful.

The corner just right of Melon Peel

From the Main Face, continue around the trail to the right and upward to join the cliffline at “Krak des Chevaliers”.

Near the right end of the cliff are two deep chimney-clefts. Scramble up L past large conifer to sloping grassy terrace just left of left cleft. Follow right leading crack up slabby left wall of cleft to ceiling. An exposed pull up right gains the chimney. Up.

Starts just right of “Don’t Wet Yourself”. Follow low diagonal for a few moves on big holds. Up face of wall to cross DWY at half height. Continue directly up, following left orange streak until able to step left to ledge, just under the big roof.

Start 4m right of DWY. Up right side of wall to meet DWY a few meters below roof. Up to join horizontals and traverse left under roof, to ledge.

Very enjoyable and varied outing. 15m right of Don’t Wet Yourself. Between the 2 major chimneys, on the shorter righthand section of the cliff, there is a buttress with an overhang across its width at 8m. Start at the short crack in the middle of this buttress.

1. 20m [crux] Thin moves up and right past FH to overhang. Up steep crack around right end of overhang exiting left onto right arête of buttress. Up shallow groove to ledge below roof.

2. 20m Up to crack through roof, exciting haul over roof and up.

Start 25 metres right of Krak de Chevaliers around the right arete of the major buttress. Climb the recessed chimney corner. A very old fashioned outing.

Interesting climbing up the thin cracks and seams in the middle of the buttress 5m right of Garderobe. Finish at an abseil anchor.

The buttress right of Carcassonne. Start 6m right of Carcassonne at a short detached flake/pillar. Climb the pillar then continue up the buttress past a FH to a ledge. Head up and left to the arete following this to a large ledge. Climb the short wall to a lower off point.

Two metres right of Alcazar. Climb the short buttress just right of the wide crack to a ledge with a large tree. Up a short crack to get onto the right arete of the buttress. Up the arete and headwall to DBB/lower off. Some small cams and wires are useful.

Far Right encompasses all areas scattered across small cliffs and buttresses right of Pierrefonds Buttress

50m right of Pierrefonds, down overgrown trail. Gain access to the right face of the buttress via diagonal weakness. Up wall past 2x FH, through bulge tending left via small trad gear to lower off.

Easy to get to with a few decent routes.

Possibly the best climbing area within walking distance of Halls Gap, the Watchtower offers some good single pitch mixed, sport and trad routes, easily accessible on a 40m high outcrop. The area is shady and the grey rock provides some slabby to near vertical terrain. Just a heads up, local guiding companies frequent this site and often use Flat Tack, and the easier climbs to the left of it, as well as the Beezlbub/ Nerds Day Out area.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

Track works have been completed August 2023. Previously the track was in a dire state.

(Possible repeat?) Located on the next terrace up and L of Hickory's Handle gully. Up crack system in centre of wall L of corner, veering L to arete and up block. Scramble to find belay amongst the scrub. Walk off: up and R to area above Jugular Pulse, then scramble down to start of Jugular Pulse.

Located to the far left of the Watchtower; walk left from when the base of cliff is reached, passing 2 terraces. This opens to Hickory’s Handle Gully. Comprising of a pocket of easy to moderate sport routes including “Flat Tack”, “Jugular Pulse” and “Silvertop”; this area is favoured by local guides such as Absolute Outdoors as well as sport climbers alike.

1. 25m. Follow easily up until ground steepens. Tending left and upwards until ledge at 25m.

2. 10m. Up wall above the ledge until top.

Added as there was a bush growing in the path of the original Duckmans.

1. 25m. Follow slope upwards but move left to crack that goes to very small overhang. Upwards onto face, (BEWARE rock is very crumbly here) until mossy ledge at 25m with vertical crack for placements.

2. 10m. Up slab face above the ledge until top out.

(Only higher grade than Duckman due to crumbling rock.)

Located on the arete at the bottom of the third terraced area/gully uphill and L of main cliff. Start at arete, up steep juggy section to small ledge. Traverse 2m R, then up to a ledge. Move into the gully/groove on the R and up.

Sport route 10m L of Jugular Pulse.

Starts R of HH and 5m down L of Jugular Pulse. Up flakes to rooflet below top. Finish up the L side of the flake that forms the rooflet.

Looks like the linking ring bolt on this has been chopped. See Chockstone for the diatribe.

Located on a platform high on the third terraced area/gully uphill and L of main cliff. LH line passing through mini rooflets then up to anchor trying not to escape left.

Grey streaked line just R of Jugular Pulse. No longer shares anchor with JP.

Now has an independent start. Start as for Silvertop but climb the line of bolts R of Silvertop. Continue R up rising traverse to anchors. Crimpy Goodness.

Start as for The Sky is Crying, climb this past its first bolt before a move L to a jug on the arete. Boulder some feisty moves up the arete to the top.

Seam just R of the arete opposite Silvertop.

Up LH crack opposite Jugular onto boulder, then up flakes on face to top

Left veering hand crack up flake 6m R of The Sky Is Crying.

Start at L end of upper tier of main face round right of In Step. R leading flake line.

This terrace offers some of the Watchtower’s most popular trad routes with the landmark “Beelzebub” dividing the two walls. Whilst the left side offers easier routes with “Nerds Day Out” and “Empty Pockets”; the right holds residency to the harder “Mr. Ed” and “Wilbur”.

Note: the face right of “Beelzebub” is often utilised for commercial abseiling by guides and companies; making these routes somewhat clustered or inaccessible.

Located just R of the L arete of the Beelzebub terrace. Finish up and right after bulge. Stick clip first bolt to save your ankles. 4 bolts, Lower off, rebolted with permission of FA - Safer Cliffs.

Start about 10m (?) R of Empty Pockets. Up and slightly R to a small stance at about 4m, up and through bulge 1m L of Negative Gearing.

It's hard (impossible?) to make sense of the above description: would be great if someone could update it or draw it on a topo!

Slabby wall 3m R of Empty Pockets then step L and finish up crack. Probably not a good idea to make this your first Grade 17 trad lead, as there isn't a great amount of pro in the first 8m or so.

Crack system 2m L of Beelzebub.

Up Beelzebub for 8m, L under roof and up wall R of Nerd's Day Out.

Distinctive corner on the second terrace L and uphill from the bottom cliff. DBB above this route - do not use tree as anchor.

Up 'Beelzebub' until holds right past 'Wilbur'. Until bulge, then reach high for hold. Then left at 23 or right at 22. Then past bolt on 'Wilbur'. Then tends right to top.

Start as for Mr Ed but head straight up.

Start just R of Beelzebub, traverse up past BR and follow weakness up through overlaps.

Start 2m R of original start then up.

The first terrace after walking left past the main cliff holds two moderate grade routes. “Happy Jack” offers moderate grade mixed climbing, whilst “Boschanova” to the right is harder slabby sport climbing.

Start up the slab and vague corner to the bulge, almost into Happy Jack, before moving steeply L to the arete. Follow this to the top and loweroff.

This mixed route is located on the first terrace/alcove (uphill and L of main cliff). Slabby seam L of chimney.

The line of fixed hangers 1.5m right of Happy Jack.

The access trail meets the cliff line at “Flying Buttress”. These first encountered routes offer middle-grade trad climbing, making them accessible to most; whilst either side offer moderate to harder grade challenges for the more experienced. This sector of cliff doesn’t see as much climbers as the more popular “Hickory’s Handle Gully”, yet still offers some classic harder lines.

Mixed route located at the very L arete of the main cliff. Descend from the Purple Haze rap rings.