Nodes in Orroral area

The best area in the ACT if you love granite and/or trad, contains the classic ACT crags Booroomba and Orroral ridge

Like much of Canberra, Booroomba showcases the qualities of granite.

This is the ship-sized block you walk around about half-way up the Booroomba walk-in track.

Climb the block, leap the void onto the boulder - scramble to the top and retrace your steps. Once an initiation climb for the area and must only be climbed in volleys. Somewhat spookier now that it is mossy, but at least there's a log plugging the gap again.

Climb the rightward leaning diagonal line of holds with four bolts. Pull round onto the arete and up easily to a bolt belay.

Batman start. Excellent moves on an overhanging dyke of smooth granite on mostly big holds. 27 or 28.

As of May 2021, the crag remains affected from the January 2020 fires: https://canberraclimbing.org.au/access-submissions/booroomba-rocks-after-the-fires/

One of Booroomba's first modern face climbs, it takes a thin crack up the overhanging wall.

Painful slabbing. Start three metres right of 'The Promised Land'. Climb past 4 bolts, breaking through the pain barrier at the second.

A couple of excellent cracks hidden in the shade on a small line of boulders about 100 metres above the grunt-in track.

The outstanding curving line 30 meters to the left. An easy start... But then the crack fades out.

Two blocks right of High Roller is a good bolted route up the disappearing flake (gear to start).

The middle line, overtaken by blackberries and leaves at last sight. A slabby start, then progressively thinner.

A deceptively easy-looking rightwards-leaning crack just right of a pile of boulders forming a small cave.

The arete right of Crackers.

The crag warm-up on nicely featured rock. From Crackers head right 20m, round the next bolted arete and across the small gully.

A small cliff with a few good cracks, south of the Booroomba lookout. The climbs are described from left to right. At the left-hand end is 'Five Cracks Wall'.

The third crack from the left on 'five cracks wall'. Up the groove to the bulge then up the finger crack to the top. Tape recommended.

The fourth crack from the left on 'Five Cracks Wall' (a few metres right of 'Indelible Murtceps') with an overhanging start. Up past a tree to a chimney and hand crack.

Start in the corner to the right of 'Five Cracks Wall'. Up the chimney to a ledge. Continue to a chockstone then swing left.

The chimney right of 'Tears of Rage'.

The corner ramp with a crack just right of 'Elendil'.

The crack on the left wall of the large corner 10 metres right of 'Mordor'. Climb up the corner on the right, then back left into the crack and up. The direct start up the crack makes it even better, but a fair bit harder. Gear to blue camalot.

The chimney corner two metres right of 'Plastic Appearance', starting at a crack four metres right of the corner.

The South Buttress is shorter than some of the other areas at Booroomba, but packs a lot of punch nonetheless with a number of classic climbs. It rivals the North Buttress for popularity.

The Southern most cliff face of the South Buttress, up to 50m high with a variety of grades and styles.

At the bottom of the descent track is a small roof split by a hand crack. Resist the temptation to jump on this climb just because it is the first one you see walking down to the south buttress; this route is responsible for putting more people off crack climbing than any other! If you must join the hall of fame, climb to the roof and up into the crack above. Strenuous.

Eight metres to the left of Euryproctus is a large flake leaning against the cliff. An awkward move to start, then easily to the top of the flake. Swing left into the corner and up the crack.

Start beneath the curving flake three metres right of Running Crack. Up the wall and flake then lunge right into a groove. Alternatively go straight up the wall from the top of the flake.

A good intro to jamming. The crack 10 metres left of Big Flake; many people continue with the second pitch of Marmalade.

The crack left of Running Crack - just not quite as good, and often slower with all the bushes.

A popular beginners' climb. Start five metres left of Running Crack below a short, wide corner crack.

1. Up the corner crack and chimney to a huge ledge and tree belay.

2. Left over ledges then up the slanting corner. A tricky step right to a break, then the wide crack and corners lead easily to the top.

Takes a steeper and harder line right of A Little Dab'll Do Ya. Start at the tree and climb straight up past a crack and right to a bolt; move left and up to the sling belay below Dangermouse.

Start three metres right of Integral Crack. Up past incipient cracks to a nest of protection just right of Integral (shared with The Naked Chef), then up to a bolt. Slab up to the break and traverse right along it. Belay below Dangermouse.

Sharp arete left of the top pitch of Marmalade with four or five bolts. Rap station at the top.

A derivative route cooked up by Jamie and Oliver that combines a direct start to A Little Dab'll Do Ya with a continuation up the headwall to the right of Integral (six bolts plus gear).

Start 2m right of Integral. Up past a bolt to join ALDDY at the gear placements right of Integral. Follow ALDDY past another bolt and up the slab above. Follow the line of least resistance and most gear to the right and then back left to the first bolt on the headwall. Up past three more bolts.

First ascent done with supplementary gear in Integral to make it to the headwall - another bolt now removes the need for this.

The headwall can also be climbed independently by starting from the base of Dangermouse and traversing left to the line of bolts.

One of the absolute classics. Considered by many to be the best line at Booroomba, noting that much of the climbing is actually face climbing rather than pure crack. Excellent natural protection. Start eight metres left of Marmalade at the slabby crack. Take lots of wires and some medium sized cams to belay. There is a rap station off to the right, above Dangermouse.

Originally un-bolted, which caused some controversy when the climb was retroed! An unlikely line up the sustained wall three metres left of Integral Crack. Straight up the wall following the line of least resistance. Originally protected using Integral Crack, it now goes on the bolts - with a couple of finger cams adding extra protection.

A fine addition between No Beans and Roy's Crack. Sustained desperation. Bring your best rubber and lots of draws. There is an anchor station at the top. Double ropes are required for rap.

When climbers stare up at this crack/trench route they invariably mutter "old school" and move right along. It is in fact a pretty good romp and you will use the full bag of climbing tricks. Despite the good climbing, it is not suitable for learning to place protection, as it can be a bit tricky. Start: left of Integral and Equanimity.

Good sustained climbing with a reachy crux. Start at the thin crack two metres left of Roy's Crack. Straight up to the overlap, pull through into the crack and traverse right and up to the first bolt. Hard moves past this and the second bolt on enhanced holds, then up past two more bolts. Finish as for Moral Turpitude up the corner to the left, or up and right to the 'Equanimity' anchor.

A bold undertaking that was one of the first of the bolted routes at Booroomba. The placing of bolts caused some significant controversy at the time. Start as for Ruffles at the thin crack.

1. 30m - Up the crack to the overlap, then left to a break just before the arete. Up over the bulge, then up the wall past two bolts to another bulge. Move right to belay below the short corner crack.

2. 15m - Up the corner crack to finish.

Start just inside the entrance to Square Gully on the right-hand side. Up the vertical face for five metres. A hard move to pull over onto the slab, up the slab then vertical wall with sloping ramp. A tricky move to exit the face onto the top of the slab above. Head left up the slab to finish at the same anchor as African Walking Tree. 30m rap to ground.

An absolute classic and possibly the best at the grade at Booroomba. A steep start up the right wall of Square Gully, a few metres left of 'Don't You Know I'm Loco'. Climb the wall past two bolts (crux) and onto the slab. Follow the ramp and keep moving left into a corner system. Up to a double bolt belay.

Takes a thin corner system high on the right wall of Square Gully. Start opposite Modern Times. Teeter across the slab to a series of flakes and a corner. Follow this, trending left towards the top.

The layback to the right of Big Flake, with a bolt up above a small boulder roof problem, remains unclimbed.

The small buttress between Square Gully and Jacks Crack

A 'horrible subterranean grovel suitable only for troglodytes and masochists'. Scramble up the bed of the gully until confronted by a chimney.

1. 10m - Squirm up the chimney and over chockstones to a ledge (DBB).

2. 20m - Scramble up the gully until it again becomes a chimney. Ascend the chimney and belay in the "bowels of the earth" six metres back.

3. 20m - Move out left above the chockstones and scramble for 12 metres up the gully or ridge on the right. 3a. 15m - Variant finish. From "the bowels of the earth" chimney up and exit by a small hole in the roof.

Quite good, complete with overhead protection and escape jugs. This is the ramp/corner at the extreme right-hand end of the left wall.

Quite good if you like loose blocks and slapstick humour. Start at the corner two metres left of Gentlemen of Nerve. Up the corner then right through the blocky overhang to the top.

Nice wall climbing. Start one metre left of Cruel, Cruel Love. Up the wall past four bolts to the left hand end of the roof, then step left around the arete and make some easier moves up to the top.

Up wall past four bolts as for Modern Times to overlap / roof. Clip a bolt on the lip then blast up the headwall on jugs. Double rings to belay and rap.

Start as for Modern Times, at the edge of the boulder above the belay. Clip the first bolt on Modern Times. Step left past a second bolt, then up the vague open-book corner past some gear. Up the blunt arete past another bolt then more easily to the top.

Start at the dark hole at the edge of the ledge halfway up Square Gully. Crank out left along the jugs and slip, slide and heel hook up the crack.

A bit loose and poorly protected. Start below the small corner midway along the left wall of Square Gully. Up the thin corner to an easy crack on the front of the buttress. Follow this to a big ledge, then scramble off.

Start just inside the entrance to Square Gully on the left (North) side. Up the very-open book corner past 4 bolts, staying out of the darker rock of Jack of Diamonds. Pull over onto easier ground and up right to belay as for Peter Pan. Gear required above the fourth bolt. 30m rap into gully from a flat-topped boulder near the head of the gully.

A good climb on excellent rock. The moves from the top of the block are delicate and poorly protected, hence "Peter's Pan(ic)". Start left of Square Gully at a wide, rounded crack.

1. 11m - Climb the crack to a ledge next to a large block leaning against the face.

2. 37m - Up to the top of the block (large sling) and step onto the face - awkward for shorties - climb up for a few moves and then right to a thin crack. Up this to the top and what was a tree belay but now requires a topout.

Start 10 metres left as for Rise and Fall, but take the right-hand crack.

A "worthless and contrived girdle which follows the line of least resistance off the ground". Starts up Peter Pan and traverses the South Buttress from right to left finishing up Matrix. Apparently ties a lot of good stuff together.

A reachy little boulder problem on sharp holds. Start four metres left of and down from Peter Pan. Boulder up to and past the bolt to a thin crack. Up this and cruise to the top via Peter Pan or Confessions of a Stripper.

Nice moves but contrived. Start from the first belay of Peter Pan under a faint corner and a bolt. Up to the bolt, make a move right, then straight up to a horizontal break. Straight up the steep slab from here (keep out of Peter Pan!), stopping once more to place some protection. A good alternative is to move left into Purple Haze at the break.

See description above.

The sad result of an ambitious but thwarted attempt on the vertical wall above the ledge, giving Booroomba's second climb. Start 10 metres left of Peter Pan, below twin cracks with some leaning blocks at the base.

1. 18m - Climb the left crack to the large ledge on the left.

2. 12m - Move left across the ledge between the face and the large detached block and climb down the other side to the bottom of Jack's Crack.

Only a couple of hard moves, but they make the climb worthwhile. Gary Scott did the first section in 1977 but avoided the crux by traversing into Peter Pan along the horizontal break. Start midway along Rise and Fall where a small odd-shaped pinnacle allows access right onto the arete. Step off the pinnacle onto jugs and move right around the arete into a dyke-crack system. Up this and the wall above to the cracks at the top of Peter Pan.

Well protected and reasonably steep. Start just right of the big block and small spike at the top of Rise and Fall. Climb up the wall (without using the spike) past two bolts. Up the ramp to a third bolt, then move left slightly and up to some runners. Continue up the steep wall on good holds past another bolt, pull onto the slab and wander up to a tree belay.

The following four climbs are on the broken wall and blocks below 'Rise and Fall'.

Believed to have been done in the dark ages, but no one wrote it up. Start left of Rise and Fall at a poxy looking wall below and slightly right of a bush. Climb the wall, then the flake just right of the bush. Belay at the Purple Haze pinnacle.

Looks gross. Start at the off-width left of Rise and Fall. Up this and the shallow groove above the small roof.

"Just another classic" - but no stars! Start three metres left of Love Action. Up the wall to a bolt, then layback up the arete.

The poxy crack and chimney two metres left of Nirvana.

Tackles the steep orange wall starting left of the finish of 'Rise and Fall' (and 10m left of its start). Up past four bolts (crux at second) then generally straight up to an easier finish past some good placements.

Another good steep wall. Start five metres left of Static Cling, part-way up Jack's Crack. Place a side runner. Climb up past a bolt to a ledge and up to another bolt, crank past this to a second ledge. Finish up a short corner with a third bolt.

Worryingly loose. Marked start halfway up Jack's Crack. Follow the ramps up and right, eventually passing a bolt on Static Cling, then traverse back left to a ledge and step right past a balanced flake. Stop worrying, then go straight to the top.

So named because of Crushed's penchant for kangaroos (and vice versa). The obvious line left of Surface to Air; protection is dubious in places. Start as for Surface to Air. Climb Jack's Crack for a few moves until able to step back right into the line. Up this, with hard moves at the start, to a thin crack below a sloping ledge and onto the final ramp.

The South Buttress is shorter than some of the other areas at Booroomba, but packs a lot of punch nonetheless with a number of classic climbs. It rivals the North Buttress for popularity.

This is the easy angled, slanting crack 15 metres left of Rise and Fall. Scramble up a tree to start, walk up to another tree then up the crack.

Start 10 metres below and just to the left of Jack's Crack. A pathetic rising traverse left across a slab, then up a short corner. Scramble to the top as for the second pitch of Overhang Corner.

Start 10 metres right of Overhang Corner. Climb the crack to a good ledge. Move left and up the crack for four metres, through the bushes to a large block and up to a tree to finish.

Originally a worthless aid climb called Rurp Crack, now a 'worthless free climb'. It was freed by John Smart with a bridge move against the tree and graded 21 but on the second ascent it was found to be 24 without the tree. Start at the thin crack three metres left of Blood Lust. Extreme start and hard moves to overcome the bulge at the top.

Another obscure route. Start at the thin corner eight metres right of Overhang Corner. Up the thin corner and over the blocks at the top.

The first pitch is quite good, but the second is rubbish. Luckily you can just do P1 and rap down from the chain at the top of Cold Cuts. Start (crux) in the corner ten metres right of Aitchison's Needle.

1. 12m - Climb the corner crack to a huge ledge.

2. 20m - Traverse right then up to a tree. Scramble to the top.

Traverses left under the prominent overhang. Originally aided (16M3). Start at the top of the first pitch of Overhang Corner. Climb up to the roof. The crackless roof section is bypassed by climbing back down the vertical crack and traversing left along a weakness to about halfway, then climbing back up to the roof. A tricky end follows, then up to a belay on a bushy ledge.

From the ledge at the top of Overhang Corner, clmb up the orange crack and wall to the roof. Traverse left as for the original.

Start just left of Overhang Corner. Up the wall past one bolt, then more easily up the arete and a short wall to finish.

The slightly overhung wall with two bolts, opposite Aitchison's Needle. A hard bouldery start if you're short.

Shorter and slightly less appealing than its Scottish namesake. Up the vegetated line about three metres left of Cold Cuts.

Up Green Gully for a few metres, then traverse left (crux) and up.

Booroomba's first climb. The prominent pinnacle of rock standing a short distance out from the main face. It is climbed on its left edge as seen looking out from the main cliff.

A 'totally worthless addition'. The arete with a bolt on Aitchison's Needle, opposite the ordinary route; at last report, the bolt was falling out.

A pleasant pitch of jamming spoiled by too many ledges. The left-facing corner crack with a bush at its base, eight metres left of Aitchison's Needle. Climb up this to a large ledge and continue up to the roof. Diagonally left to join Possum and move right and up to the huge ledge. Finish up Possum or Carezzissima.

An alternate finish that is less contrived than the original. From the pillar at the start of the roof pull right up the flake and mossy wall above to the Possum ledge.

Exposed with an exciting finish. Climb up the third pitch of Possum, then traverse left for five metres past some dubious blocks and up the steepening ramp of blocks. The finish over the top is awkward and can be avoided by a short, bracing hand traverse left.

Jug hauling up the 'vast expanse of rock' between Carezza and Possum. Start on the ledge a few metres above the ground. A bouldery start through the overlap, then more easily up the unprotected wall to a thin crack. Up this to the Pseudopossum ledge.

Short pitches, but packs a lot of climbing in that space. Start below a ledge four metres left of Carezza - just right of a right-facing open corner in the alcove up and left from Aitchison's Needle.

1. 16m The first pitch involves some harder-than-13 moves to get off the deck, then fairly easily upwards and left until you get to a belay on top of the pillar below the traverse.

2. 22m The traverse pitch provides some classic moves and a bit of fun for the second - make sure you place your gear well for those following! Up easily for a few metres then head right to a big grassy ledge (take your pick for belay).

3. 12m Third pitch many take the alternate version (Carezzissima Finish) which goes more direct and at a harder grade. For the original, up the corner at the back of the ledge then a few harder-than-13 moves to get up and over a flake and then easily up and away to finish off.

An easier variant of Possum. Start from the first belay on Possum.

1. 16m - Right along the ledge from the belay then back left up a ramp to join the second pitch of Possum at the end of the traverse; up to the big ledge.

2. 10m - Walk up the slab and corner behind the trees.

A good find which takes you to the top of the first pitch of Possum. Start at the crack between Functor and Possum. Climb the crack and wall above.

A strenuous and committing route up the headwall between Possum and Functor. In a good position and the obvious continuation to Fall Guy. From the Possum ledge, traverse left under the diagonal overlap for about five metres to where it is split by a vertical crack. Up this to the top.

The steep orange wall with four bolts above the Possum traverse. Hard moves past the third bolt up to the fourth lead to the flake on Functor. Traverse right and finish up Sipple. Originally climbed with a rest on the top bolt.

An impressive, but unfashionably wide line up the slightly overhanging wall above Possum, originally 18M3. The first pitch was originally climbed as a variant start to Possum by Dave Shirra and Bill Wilson in October 1970. Start at the corner eight metres left of Possum.

1. 15m - Up the crack and the blocks to the Possum belay.

2. 20m - Up the off-width crack and chimney to a horizontal crack. Traverse right and up the crack as for Sipple.

Contrived, but the well spaced bolts produce photogenic plummets. From the first bolt on Kilowatt, move up left past another bolt and up Functor for four metres (#3 Friend). At the next bolt move around left onto the headwall and traverse four metres left to another bolt. Straight up the headwall to finish up the overhanging S-shaped crack. The bolted line up the headwall is a George Fieg project.