Routes as trad in Central Tablelands

Gorgeous and impossible looking line. Absolute world-class classic. Batman on fix rope to start DUB anchor. Stout start at finger lock in horizontal break below anchor, progress steep terrain on pinkie locks, flairy hand jam, pinch, etc to double crimp. Enter wild crux through 60deg overhang with four consecutive finger locks, crimp, pocket, small dynos, etc to uncomfortable rest in break. From there it's easy gr26 but so good to under roof. Climb easy but very exposed roof to tricky exit gr23. Walk off with a smile. Cleaning is best by climbing it again to DUB anchor under roof, clean roof and lower from anchor clean gear to start anchor.

Please be careful with cams, although the rock is solid enough and immaculate for fingers , cams could damage this gem particularly in the crux section. Don't use cams in the finger locks, protect crux in crack above crimps and run it out. Protection is great in smaller sizes where fingers wont fit.

Start at tree right of corner, using pocket then straight up to roof and traverse left under roof and up shallow corner to ledge. Technical corner work then follow line to crux moves at very top . . . 'Cull The Sac' variant. Climb past roof and up to ledge at half-height ~23. Sling-horn to lower, then flick it off to retrieve.

The inverted squeeze chimney / bum-crack above the Camping Cave. Starting at the back of the cave, chimney up, invert from a fist jam, stick your feet up there and shuffle upside down to lip. Cut loose, work around lip, then cruise up offwidth vertical section. Has been done in various ways using the full range of offwidth techniques, needs a few 5 & 6 cams for roof.

Hardest climb listed at Tarana, maybe the hardest "wide" climb in Aus?

Three great pitches, varying in style. Start 3 metres right of The Birdcage.

1. 25m (24) A little sparsely bolted but well within the capabilities of anyone up for the next pitch. Trend right following 5 rings to the belay.

2. 12m (30) Very thin on beautiful rock. Up three bolts then right past another two, ignore the direct finish unless you are after a mighty challenge. Onto the grey rock and into belay cave.

3. 20m (23) Lovely way to finish it off. Follow rings up headwall and over the top to rap chain.

Elliot

Reportedly freed by Derek Thatcher and Zac Vertrees. Start up Aesthetic Images to its 2nd bolt, then rising traverse left to gain line of bolts right of Candle Power. About grade 29.

Amazing finger crack dividing the Disbelief Cave in two. Tricky easier start to shallow hueco below clean splitter (handy Z4#0.1 and bomber C4#4). From there, the angle is about 45-60deg and most of your body weight will be held up by 3 consecutive solid finger locks in some of the most outrageous moves with footwork at head height. Progress on good but shallow huecos to juggy section. Return to ceiling crack with several finger locks up to a fix wire at the end of the finger crack. Always dry and drizzle free. https://youtu.be/Wsu631XwrWU?si=GrCxwJvDCp9SW7Dq

Mind blowing line along the lip of a huge cave going from the bottom right to the top left. 15m of increasingly steep hand to wide hand/fist crack. Then 25m ceiling with a variety of fist/offwidth/jugs/chimney, ends where the ceiling crack meets the other side of the cave. No topout, backclean. If you stop at 15m just before the crack opens up and steepens to 80deg overhanging you can call it Disbelief (24)

Very well protected all the way. Steep section C4 1x#0.75, 1x#1, 2x#2, 3x#3 Ceiling section 8x#4, 2x#5, 1x#6

The whole crack is protected from rain and sun but will start seeping after several days of proper downpour.

An outstanding, naturally protected line up the obvious weakness through right side of the cave. The first half was originally climbed by Greg Child (and co) at grade 23 to the small stance just before the angle begins to steepen dramatically. From this point things get pumpy and you will need to draw on your bouldering nous. After the business is over be prepared for a longer-than-expected head wall above.

Starts behind pillar up at the back left. Climb Sloth Roof but keep going past the anchor for another 10 meters of mind blowing journey through a ceiling with tufa looking ironstone features. Ends a the opposite wall when your feet land onto a ledge after just another incredible 180 deg feet first cut loose.

The most obvious line through an enormous arrow head shaped stain. Fantastic steep crack, fingers, hands, chicken wings, funky dropknees, karate kicks, few pockets and few good crimps and jugs. Stops where the rock quality deteriorates after obvious bulge in ceiling. Lower off.

8m consistent overhang in 17m of height. Very well protected finger crack topping out the cliff. Very clean. Only one jug after the low first crux, then pumpfest on fingerlocks, then a last crux pinching the dyke to pumpy easier few metres. Top out past DRB anchor. Shady in summer, sunny in winter.

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Outrageous climbing on a 36º angle!! Bomber gear that is easy to place, with a few sections of committing climbing. Be aware of the big ledge !!! DBB.

A mega line linking improbable features up much steepness, and a contender for one of the best at the grade in the Blueys. Partially equipped by Emil, and finished years later by Paul.

Climb The Thin Line of Reprieve on gear (#6/Wires, 0.3, 2, & 3) to first rooflet and hard to clip bolt. Then bust out a rising traverse left with wild, gymnastic moves, before continuing more directly up steep prow to no hands rest. From the rest, dyno for all you're worth, then power through sustained steep climbing for 20m to the belay.

Classic test piece. Giles never really believed he could climb so hard. Start about 50m to the right after the waterfall. Still has some fragile rock; best to stick clip 1st bolt. Can be done only on the bolts, but a few cams are prudent (#1, 0.5/0.3, 3), as are rollers and extenders. 60m rope minimum.

The steep crack, hard though well protected. A Blue Mountains gem. Take double cams from 0.4 Camalot (yellow Alien) to 3 Camalot as well as single set of nuts. Double ring lower-off

Headpointing comes to the mountains. First ascent was done using toprope rehearsal in order to clean and find the line. A ground-up ascent is possible just committing.

Start on arete at base off steep gully and at the beginning of the left leading diagonal break.

Ben says it is hyperclassic. One look will make you think otherwise. The worst route in the area? The rock in the top half is terrible. Start about 60m right of the 'Junket Pumper' terrace. Walk along the path - not through the bush.

"This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper" (T. S. Elliot's The Hollow Men). Fantastic hard climbing. Big moves or big whippers! Stick clip the high first bolt and climb the awesome seam past another 7 or so fixed hangers. Bring trad for between the first two bolts (#0.4-#0.75 cams, small wires). Continue past the lower offs and top the cliff for full value - hopefully the anchor will be moved up next rebolt.

1. 12m (25)

2. 25m (27)

3. 20m (27)

Single 40m pitch overhanging ~12m, half on gear and half on bolts, starting from trad belay (BD #1 and #2) 6m left of the start of Two Nobodies.

Up flake feature past 5 bolts. Hard moves off #0.75/#1 cams, then 3 more bolts of punchy climbing to #1, #0.4 and #4 cams to major horizontal. 2 more bolts leads to the upper crux, rising traverse left across a weird hanging feature (avoid trending right into death choss). #2/#3 cams in break below the final roof, then punch out the roof and overhanging prow on amazing pocket jugs, protected by #0.3 and #0.5 cams, leading to final mantle and anchor.

Can escape the crag from here via P3 (22) of Two Nobodies.

Gear: BD #0.3 to #4, with doubles of #0.75, #1 and #2.

Start 6m left of Eternity.

Easiest access is to rap down Date with Density and walk 100m west along the base to the start. Or, rap 2/3rds the way down Slipstream to the big ledge/scree slope, then walk 30m to the left (looking out) on slopey ledge to DUB at top of arete. 30m rap to DUB then 35m rap to ground. U-Bolts and gear.

1. 33m (23) Up left-facing corner (large wires, cams up to hand-size) for 15m past bushes. Hand traverse L along ledge to u-bolt, then diagonally left to arete and up to DUB. 7 u-bolts and gear.

2. 30m (27) Up stunning arete. 8 U-bolts. If you rapped the line put a 1m sling on the 2nd bolt when rapping the route so you can get out if you can't pull the moves. Or bring a stick up to the ledge, or just rap off and escape up Slipstream.

Orsum Rock And Nice Gear Everywhere - Just Ask Mikl (O.R.A.N.G.E. J.A.M.)

The awesome crack 5m R of the start of Slipstream. Can be done in one pitch but be careful with rope length. This nook is surprisingly hot on sunny mornings; e.g. if the Boyce maximum is 7C with 30-50km/h W-SW wind, you will be too hot here in the sun. The route goes into shade about 1pm.

1. 20m 27 The crack, to DRB. Lots of thin gear, some is not easy to place on lead.

2. 37m 19, dirtier but easier. 1 FH. U-bolts and carrots at back of ledge for belay.

Walk 20m L and finish up pitches 3-5 of Slipstream.

1. 30m Start up CL for half a dozen bolts or so before drifting left into Excelsior at about 3/4 height. Some small cams for the crack or very runout to DRBB.

2. 23m (27) Bronco style up arete and through roof to join Bareback.

Steve's contribution to trad climbing. A bit cruxy since a hold broke, but still well worthwhile. The crux is bolt protected. Take 2 or 3 #0.5 camalots, plus singles up to #3.

Up to first bolt, up.

Start: As for LL.

Some of the finest and most "out-there" arete climbing in the Blueys, with tonnes of exposure, and situated on one of the most sought-after bits of real estate around.

Access as for The Horror.

1. 15m (21) As for P1 of The Horror. This pitch can (and should) be linked into the next one (and was on the FA). 1 Bolt, 2 x #0.75, #1, #3, #4.

2. 25m (23) All trad! Up the face to gain hanging fused corner system, then sporty moves up linked corners, flakes and prows to semi-hanging belay on small ledge. #0.2, #0.3, #0.4, 2 x #1, 2 x #2, 2 x #3, 2 x #4, #5.

3. 32m (27) Hard, sustained, steep, scary. One of the best bits of arete climbing in the Blueys. Up the arete, though several rooflets, concluding with a wild finale to gain a cozy belay on a hanging prow. 8 Bolts, optional #0.5 near the top.

4. 35m (23) Very hard moves to gain the second bolt above the roof (its about gr21 if you pull up to the first bolt), then easier face climbing on gear to bolt near the top. Straight up the face from here, then -where it turns to dirt- truck right on obvious break (#2) to prow, and up this to anchor. 3 Bolts, Thread, #0.2/0.3, 2 x #0.75, 2 x #1, 3 x #2, 2 x #3, #4.

Frothy Thomson on the First Ascent of Darkest Congo

A proper long and overhanging monster. The money pitch is 65m long, and overhangs more than 20m!!! Surely there isn't much like that in the Blueys at the grade? Suffice to say, you will get pumped.

Rock quality is Bell-esque, so adjust stars accordingly.

1. 65m (27) - Intimidating! 11 bolts to join Gaze a Gazely stare just above the roof, then continue upwards forever. Strategic long/giant runners, and roller biners essential ! See Gaze for necessary rack for this pitch.

2. 10m (20) - 1 Bolt, to #0.4 and bolt belay.

2 Bolt Belay. Bring 1x #0.4 (x2 if linking P1 and P2), #0.75, #1, #4.

1. 30m (27) - 7 Bolts and a #0.4 Cam (to protect the final move to the anchor).

2. 20m (24) - 2 Bolts, #4, #0.4, Bolt, #0.75 and #1 Cam to anchor.

3. 25m (21) - 5 Bolts to anchor.

The bolts were bad 20 years ago!

Start: 12m right of RTT. cairn.

Amazing climbing up a long blunt arete, but quite tough. Just a single aid move low-down on the route! Bring a light rack for the initial start up Mixed Business.

Start as for Mixed Business. Up to first bolt on MB, then follow line of bolts heading left to the arete. Aid off first bolt on the arete, then climb free to the top.

Not very nice.

Start: 5 or 6m down left of SoH.

Climb buttress past 5 BR then when 5m above last BR, traverse right into SoH.

Good, hard slab climbing!

Start: Step right 1.5m from the belay of 'The Howling'. Brushed strip past 2BR to bulge, hard moves over this past BR to stance, head up slab past BR to belay as per TH.

Amazing steep line following the crack where the roof of the cave joins the wall. Stickclip and Batman 4m to DUB anchor on ledge avoiding damaging vegetation. Climb steep corner on jugs and small crimps and follow crack under roof. Exit roof and follow easy crack for few meters. Downclimb and back clean, no anchors.

Arapiles style Trad climbing with bouldery moves and rad jugs. Bomber gear and easy to place... get on it.. DBB.

Start: Wall on right. Bolts.

Short. Start a few metres left of the "39 Steps" ladder on ledge at brightly painted "T".

Start: Right of S. Up the prow.

50m left of Apostle of Ahisma at Right end of buttress.

P1 (25m - 26) - Traverse left to arete and up past 3 bolts and wires to DBB.

P2 (27m - 21) - Slab past 3 bolts, then right of arete and up to top past nuts and more bolts.

"Life without meaning".

An old-school outing. Obsessively climbs the arête between Big Red and It Came From Outer Space for the entire length of the buttress, sharing about 20m of climbing with ICFOS.

Can be climbed as anywhere from 1 to 4 pitches, with the First Ascent being climbed as a 15m pitch and a 55m pitch, belayed from the ground the entire time.

1. 15m (21) - Committing. Start up Big Red for a few moves (wires) until you can clip the carrot out right. Traverse hard right across the face to hanging-arête, then up this trending right (to follow the arête) with committing moves above gear to gain carrot, and eventually 2 x carrot bolt belay. (2 x carrots, Wires, BD #0.4, #3, #4).

2. 25m (26) - Up the arête with a very hard start past 2 x U-bolts, then intimidating and sustained climbing directly up the arête on carrots and gear to 3 x carrot bolt belay. Be very careful with how the rope runs on this pitch to avoid wear/cutting. (3 x carrots, 2 x U-Bolts, 2 x BD #0.5, #0.3).

3. 15m (23) - As for It Came From Outer Space: up insecure arête with a rather demanding crux section to 2 x carrot bolt belay. (6 x carrots).

4. 15m (21) - Directly up the arête with a few tricky moves to top-out and belay chain. 3 x carrots, 1 x U-bolt, BD #1).

Start 2m left of Charity.

Mixed extension to Once You Bolt Crack. Pass the anchors and 5 bolts get you through the crux, then gear to the top. Gear is quite specific. FA placed green and yellow aliens, single set of C4s from 0.5 to 2, though more could be placed.

Seam crack through roof. Originally attempted on gear by Damian Taylor and sundry.Chris Coghill, added some bolts when his gear started falling out. Rohan took offense, chopped the bolts and climbed this natural masterpiece And the world was a more ethical and morally brighter place. Amen.

A wild pitch of face climbing, starting from the major ledge halfway down the wall right of Echo Crack. Rather complicated to get to.

Mostly bolted, but sparsely so. Bring cams 0.3 to 0.75 for the traverse exit to P2.

1. 40m (26) Traverse right from the belay, then very hard moves to get started, followed by sustained face climbing with some wild runouts. 2 Bolt belay.

2. 10m (18) As for Alive in a Bitter Sea, traverse left past carrots and some trad gear to belay at the top of Echo Crack.

Entry level at the grade -but very involved, despite the objectively soft grading.

2 Bolt Belay. Bring 1 x #0.3, #0.4, #0.5, #0.75, #4; 3 x #3; 4 x #1; and at least 7 Long Runners.

1. 45m (26) - Gear in Order: Bolt + LR, #0.3 + #2 + XLR, Bolt + LR, #1, #3 (Optional), Bolt, #3, #0.5 (Optional), Bolt, Bolt, Bolt, #4 (Optional), #1 + LR, Bolt + LR, Bolt + LR, Bolt + XLR, #1 (Optional), #0.4, #0.75/#1 (Optional), #3, Bolt, to 2 Bolt anchor.

2. 10m (20) - 1 Bolt, to #0.4 and Bolt anchor.

Significantly harder than its righthand neighbour.

As for Gaze a Gazely Stare to the #3 Cam slot above its 3rd bolt, then take the lefthand line.

Gaze, then: Bolt, Bolt, Bolt, #0.3, Bolt, #4, #0.4, Bolt, #0.3, #1, #0.3, #.75, Bolt, #1.

Seam 5m right of GD, left of the arete.

Mostly trad with four ring bolts. "If you fall off the top you may strip all the gear".

Starts just left of blunt arete below the vague headwall flake/crack. You should be able to see an old biner on the second bolt. Climb 30m or so of moderate, very runout, weird, grit stone slabbing past two bolts and some very questionable trad to a small stance. From here boulder past two more bolts and steel yourself for the final run up the incipient flake feature on some average gear. Finishes at DBB above little roof, either rap 60m back to the ground or scramble off right.

You can access the top of this route for pre-inspection (recommended) by walking to the commercial abseiling spot with rungs and 10000 sets of anchors and setting up on the left most ones (looking in). Run the rope through the buses to the climbers left of the main abseil route and you should be able to abseil diagonally left to find the bolts at the top.

The all free version of Gigantor. Listed separately to the aid version, as aiding Gigantor is still quite popular.

Atmospheric and extremely engaging! A true sustained cliff-splitter.

As a free route, it has a bit of everything - Jamming, armbars, pinkys, pockets and the occasional edge. Some loose rock and the occasional runout. Belays are all ok -provided you equalise everything and make use of any natural pro you can find.

Don't even think of rebolting this one!!

Traverse right at the bolt ladder near the top, and follow the line of least resistance.

Watch this Video with Zac Vertrees about the route.

18M6 or free at 26 R.

Start: Main corner/crack system on left side wall. Good rock and climbing down low, becoming more serious and difficult towards the top.

Birdbeaks/Peckers may be advisable as increasingly the original fixed pitons are breaking…

Frothy Thomson working Titan

The site of a bloody showdown of conflicting ethics, wherein fact and fiction have become conflated throughout history to produce an epic tale of Tolkienesque proportions. Finally put to a rest by a third party almost a decade after the conflict began.

Start at fused right-facing seam/corner/crack/roof thing. Bold-ish face climbing, with a couple of gymnastic cruxes. Be careful, as a fall or blown gear at a few points might lead to a trip to hospital. Bring a rack 0.3 to #2 (consider micros, depending on your definition of acceptable risk) and maybe a tin of spinach (or a joint).

Extension-Project (Trad) Macca: Continue up from the big block straight up the steepening with limited small to medium large gear options turn the lip and up 5m to belay on ledge. Good gear is available here but bolts might be placed to allow lowering or continue to top...

Did You Know: Moons can have their own moons, and they're called MoonMoons !!!

Bring a full double rack 0.3 to 4, and a full rack of wires. For P2, some offset small cams, and offset wires can be crucial (see pitch gear beta below).

1. 25m (19) Belay from 2 x #4. An awesome right-leaning crack, marred only by some patches of average rock. Bring your full double rack on this one, and place gear wherever you see it.

2. 35m (26 R) Gritstone comes to the Blueys. Very very sustained, and also somewhat bold. Links features where the crack peters out, resulting in some giant runouts (both sideways, and upwards). Pitch specific gear: Piton + 0.5 (Belay), 0.75, 0.3, 1 + 2, 2 x 0.3, 0.2, 0.75, 2 + 1 + Black Wire (medium), 0.4 + G/Y offset alien, Optional offset wires, Piton, 0.75 + 0.4 + 3.5/4, Piton, Bolted Anchor.

Boulder problem to arete.

Start: On boulder 50m NW of the buttress. Start 2m right of the SW facing corner. Desperate boulder problem to start. Stick clip first BR and fall upwards, moving R to the arete.

Start 30m right of TWW.

1. 40m (25) stick clip BR cruxy up and left past BR. Up seam( piton, cam) all the way over bulge,then move L onto ledge. Sustained climbing ( good large wires, pr, br) up the upper section of seam to sloping ledge, then traverse right around nose up to belay.

2. Not very nice and recommended. Up wall to large ledge. Left and up flake/ corner. Up to tree

Closed Project

An eclectic collection of four pitches, all with mixed climbing up the left hand side of this impressive cliff. Bring a single set of nuts, a single set of cams from BD #0.1 to #4 and 14+ draws and extenders.

1. 30m PROJECT A very consistent and pumpy traverse pitch which takes you out of and across the exposed lip of the cave. Start at break under vague corner with two bolts (rope tarp stashed in break for belaying - please return it as you found it). A #1 protects moves to high first bolt, then climb past another bolt to large break where you can place a #0.1 and/or #0.2 to protect moves to next break. Traverse left along this break which accepts anything from #2-#4 before 8 more bolts take you to semi-hanging DBB below the massive flake crack. Long draws handy. Leader and seconder should carry prussiks.

2. 25m (21) The arching corner/flake crack on superb rock. Pull on anchor to clip high first bolt, then traverse low right off the belay before heading straight up. Up passing two more bolts before gaining the excellent corner. Trad bliss to DUBB on good ledge.

3. 25m PROJECT Sustained face climbing on delicious rock, followed by a romp up the juggy corner. Starts on the bright orange streak above boulder on the sandy ledge up left of the belay. Tough moves to get past the first 3 bolts - take care above the ledge. Six bolts, then nuts and small cams up to semi-hanging DUBB on ledge.

4. 20m (16) An inoffensive exit pitch. Bit of a reach to clip high first bolt, then fun moves up the corner on the left to gain a break which accepts a #4. Follow the flake above this on gear to top out the short wall. Wander up a few more ledges passing a single bolt on slab to DBB on ledge.

"How DOOM hold heat then preach non-violence? Shhh, he about to start the speech, c'mon, silence..."

A unique first pitch with gymnastic steep climbing up a strange, incipient crack feature, on radical rock. One of the best at the grade!

Starts atop a rock pedestal approximately 50m left of the base of the descent slot. Bring a double rack #0.2 to #1 cams, with singles of #2, #3 and #4, and triples of #0.5, as well as a rack of small-medium wires. There are lots of options to pre-place gear to tame the runouts, but most of it is near-impossible to place on lead, so the actual FFA used significantly less gear than the above.

1. 20m (25) Up incipient crack with wild, gymnastic moves, and a fair bit of committment. Save a #0.75 for the upper crux (placed left of the big flake), and a #0.5 for a key slot immediately after it. Belay from fixed wire, #0.2 and #0.3 cams at ledge. Do not place gear behind the detached flake out right (lest you rip it off and kill yourself + your belayer).

2. 35m (21) Continue up the weakness, with surprisingly technical and committing moves. Save a #3 for right near the very top. Belay from trees back from the edge.

Courtesy note: Repeat ascensionists should bring a spirit of their choice to top up the emergency supply of liquid courage located at the base of the route.

First pitch (35m approx) is great crack with good gear which might feel spaced at times (crux). Most climbing involves various techniques as opposed to pure splitters. Lots of face climbing and the jamming isn't totally straight forward. Very cruxy, most climbing is around grade 20ish apart from two short sections. Second pitch (20m) can definitely go straight up (slightly left) at grade 20ish but be warned that rock quality is nowhere as good as first pitch and the gear is mostly rattly tricam type of thing with only few ok cams. It seems like there might an escape pitch(es?)to the left involving fairly unprotected traverse on easy ground. Grades, FA, FA 2nd pitch, name are unknown and will be updated.

The crack bisecting the wall just left of access ramp. Up left of fern easily for 10m. Martial your TCUs, and finger size cams, and small to medium offset wires and launch up the overhanging seam. Hand size gear for the finish at DBB just before the moss sets in. The route has been done to the top.

Start on the left side of the century box feature to gain the obvious crack. A mixture of bolts and cams.

Start as for SoF. Up flake trending right to 3rd bolt (optional #2 cam in a break down low), then break left and up the face through overlap and roof. 2 x carrot anchor on ledge at the top.

On the headwall above Candy Man. Carrots.

Not the usual Bluies jug haul. Bring a cut-down trad rack - double cams to handcrack size and no wires. Named in memory of Nick Kaz, who was killed on the same day as this route was established.

Start: Rap descent as for I Scream.

1. 30m (22) Start as for I Scream pitch 1 at wide sandy corner crack. At 2nd bolt step right (trad) and up steep flake crack, mostly on finger/small hand sized cams. One bolt when the flake gets wafer thin. Finish up wall on bomber micro cams. Belay on comfy ledge right of orange wall.

2. 20m (23) Stellar! Left across orange face to breach roof on left side. Up exposed techy arete to belay ledge. A sport pitch.

3. 20m (25) Stretch those calves and chalk those palms! Traverse left to stunning fused bridging corner that's lovingly cleaned to perfection. Four bolts then final finger crack on cams.

4. 15m (15) Easy juggy ironstone slab trending left. Belay on big vegetated ledge.

5. 35m (21) Surprisingly sustained face which looks like an ironstone jug haul from below. Bring three bolt hangers for the occasional random carrot.

Obvious roof crack 5 metres right of Bunny Bucket’s pitch 6 start. Use the first 3 bolts of BBB’s pitch 6, climb up to ceiling and then traverse right (size 6 cam to protect) to enter the roof crack. Requires two 5s and one 6 size cams.

Climb easy face and finish at trad belay on obvious ledge (BD 2 and small wires).

Rope drag is manageable on a single rope with 1-2 roller carabiners and several long slings.

Rappel from trad anchor to clean face (60m rope is fine). Re-lead and then back clean roof and traverse.

Some call this overhung crack splitting an amphitheatre the best multi-pitch trad route in the Blue Mountains. Every pitch is great and the access is surprisingly easy. It is however quite difficult to retreat once a couple of pitches off the deck due to the steepness. Bring prussics! This route was originally climbed ground up with an overnight bivy on one of the small ledges and with several sections of aid. Recent rebolting of the original aid bolts ladders has reduced the original bolt count by at least 3 - it's more airy but the bolts are better!

Access via the rap route described separately.

Double rack of cams, micros to Camalot #4, a single set of wires, #2 RP up, and 5 bolt plates does the trick.

1. 15m (19) The first 5m or so have average rock quality (1 carrot) then onto the slab with polished hard sandstone and RP seam. Ignore TBB below cramped little rooflet, and climb to DBB up and left with spacious foot ledge. Don't let the RPs scare you - it's not very hard.

2. 35m (25) Tricky moves at start past two RBs, right along break to rejoin the crack line and up into chimney, then steep cracks. Belay from good ledge on bolt and medium cams and wires.

3. 20m (23) Awkward moves to get established in splitter layback tips crack. Brief excitement leads to a good belay stance (RB, trad).

4. 35m (22) The corner on good gear using crack and face holds. At a carrot at 3/4 height move up right (optional #4 Camalot in break) to thin flake and 2nd carrot, a sling on this second carrot keeps the rope from jamming in the flake. Climb to small ledge and then to ledge with short corner above. Tricky moves past one more carrot leads to big ledge and DBB. 4a. 8m (23) up the corner, traverse R to arête, up arête (one BR then a runout), to rejoin the original for its final two bolts. Lots of fragile rock (and exposure) on this pitch. Prussics!).

5. 25m (22) This would be a good rap-in and climb-out pitch in its own right if you aren't up for the rest. Follow left leaning crack until it peters out, step right then up scoop to fragile short headwall with 2 carrots. Take care mantling the grass and dirt slope (yum) and on the 10m scramble up to path. DBB.

6. 20m (22) The left side of the arête above the cave on Lunch Ledge (4m left of the bolted routes). Bold runout start off rock ledge with a key thread at 4m then easier and better protected above this. Most people skip this pitch and just walk off.

Climbs a rad orange streak in this grey wall next to Grasshopper, in a great exposed position. P2 and P3 can be combined for a long, continuous pitch of challenging face-climbing. Start as for Grasshopper.

1. 10m (15) Grasshopper P1.

2. 15m (23) 9 Bolts. Up Grasshopper for a move or two (until you can clip the bolt out right), then step out right and follow the line of bolts up the face, getting progressively harder all the way to the anchors below the small rooflet. This pitch can be combined with the next pitch.

3. 20m (25) 7 Bolts. A great technical pitch, but kinda wandery. From the belay, up reinforced flake system, and bust out left to bright orange streak (crux). Up this for 2m, then back right via hard moves on flakes to other orange streak. Up thin face to horizontal break, then up through a final thin sequence to the anchors.

Classic hairline splitter crack, with a mix of crack and technical face climbing. Visible on your left as you head down the main Pierces Pass walking track. You can access the top rap-anchors for Grasshopper wall via this route: Grasshopper Wall Top Approach GPS Tracklog. Bring a full rack from micro sizes to #3 Cam, with extra small-medium wires (and a set of larger RPs). Start directly below the main crack. 80m rope gets you to the ground.

1. 8m (18) - Short, dirty corner and face to ledge with 2 ringbolts. Harder than you want it to be.

2. 32m (25) - Low-angle splitter crack of varying sizes. Climb to the little rooflet with rings out left. Skip them and continue into the next section past the rooflet and wall above. Bring lots of wires on this pitch (including the small ones).

Upgraded in latest guide. Start at the crack 1m or so R of Samson Gets a #1 and follow this up to the arete. Go around the arete and past one bolt (has a biner on it as of 04/18) to desperate, disintegrating and gripping crux sequence that gets harder every time someone pulls on. If you manage to old school your way through this, continue up the slowly falling apart crack to the ledge. Rap off the block above Samson.

Starts from the top of a block, 10m right of BO. It's a great shame p2 is bracketed by the rubbish of p1&3, as it is one of the finest pieces of crack climbing you will find in the Mountains, blasting up a beautiful orange wall on mostly great rock in a stunning position.

1. 20m 16. Start off block on good holds left of the death blocks and traverse right on sandy, chossy jugs to crack and ledge. Follow poxy corner crack to ledge (new DRB, old carrot). Very poor rock and pro for 10m, then okay cams in horizontals after that (but the rock is still bad).

2. 35m 25. Step down then right from the belay to the amazing leftwards diagonal hand and finger crack, to new DRB. Has humbled most repeat attempts, emphasising Steve's impressive onsight FFA. Double rack #0.2 to #3 with triples from #0.3 to #2 handy, especially for cleaning.

3. 25m. Not part of the original route (which ended at fixed wires), and adds less than zero value, so feel free to skip this deathy unprotected grovel to DRB over the top. You can either step left and pull the roof (unprotected) then quest up to the top OR traverse a long ways right to the Telstar exit (also unprotected). Or rap off...

Through pockets and move at U bolt 5m R of ECOT. Then Cams (#0.4 , #0.5 , #0.75 , #3) to line of hangers and RB , staying in the orange rock and finishing at Ecot lower off. Hard cruxes with a nice jug in the middle.

All bolts and anchors removed 7/5/19

Start: As for FYU but right.

Arete 40m left of 'Catch the Wind'. Follow faint path underneath amphitheatre to Arete or rap 40m down route from top anchors.

Rebolted March 2016.

Stick clip new ring and aid your way to hanging belay. (best to have belayer on the ground).

1. 20m (23) Thin, balancy traverse to 'Arete' then up to DBB passing 4 more bolts and cam (0.5 C4).

2. 10m (25) Up face following 2 rings to start of crack. Up spectacular overhanging seam (past old FH, possibly not needed) to lip and up a long way to DBB.

Climb the arete direct for the last few bolts (the original traverses left up the face away from the arete for 2 bolts).

Amazing, sustained, old-school-demanding mixed climbing up an eye-catching face and arete, with two desperate mantles to make you realise how weak you really are.

Start: 'Small' flake right of undercut arete. 10m right of IMaMfOS.

Recommended rack: 12 bolt plates, small-medium wires, single cams #1 and #2, double cams #0.3, #0.4, #0.5, #0.75, #3.

1. 35m (25) 'Flake', mantle, then left above the undercut past 2 carrots. Up to below the footledge. Left to arete and bolt. Up via hellish mantle to another bolt, then face and arete past 4 more carrots and gear to hanging belay on carrots. 8 carrot bolts.

2. 20m (23) Shale ledge to steep arete. To break then left side of arete. Wall and arete to ledge belay. 5 carrot bolts, no supplemental gear.

3. 15m (19) 'Small' bulge on bad rock and flakes right of the belay. Up past 2 carrots and gear, trending left to arete and topout (1 carrot + bollard). 2 carrot bolts.

Direct start to PB.

Start: Rap to the bottom. Corner on the right side of the butress (looking in). Up to belay of PB, then up.

Direct finish to I was a Teenager for the CIA. 26 in the guidebook.

The bolts on this route are glued in hilti studs with hangers attached (not expansion bolts as some people have suggested).

The face left of 'Solomon' pitch 2 and right of 'Tipster' with a few old carrots. Start: As for 'Solomon'.

Start as for The Kraken. Takes the steepish wall 3-4m R of The Kraken. Check if it's still got bolts; there was talk of debolting this one.

Starts as for Faith P2, go to second bolt, then step down and traverse left until half way across the wall. Up flakes.

Start 3m left of HB.

Start as for TW. Then up and left.

A few moves up Eternity, then right and up long face. Old bolts that seem ok, but the high crux is a series of chipped pockets.

The right route. Either starts up right facing flake for aprox 8m then traverse left onto bolted face - or maybe starts at the corner to the left. Either way - its trad at the start then a mix of carrots and FHs in the upper section. At least 5 bolts visible from the ground - no anchor visible.

Scene of Rob Lebreton's near death groundfall when a bolt pulled. Starts 5m right of Big Meaty at bolt.

1. 10m 24. Stickclip and up along lip to flake. Flake (bolt) to ledge (good pitch).

2. 35m 25. Out left and up wall and bulge to Big Meaty's rap chain. 6 bolts and medium cams.

Stunning and varied adventurous arete climbing of consistently high quality. Some very spaced gear in sections, and the first few carrots are not looking great as at 2022.

Access by rapping down A Date with Density, and traversing carefully to the right (facing out) (SE) along the base of the cliff. This takes you across the base of a seep/waterfall, which in wet seasons requires great caution above a 15m drop, but it still can be done.

Can also rap ~200m from the Red Edge top anchor (check access description for this area).

Bring a double rack of Cams, and bolt plates.

1. 40m (23) - Use a wire to stick-clip the first carrot bolt (very hard moves off the ground). Up knife-blade arete-feature and technical face above, wandering around a bit to find gear and climb the line of least resistance. DBB.

2. 40m (25 or 22M0) - Very hard bouldery start off the belay (or pull on a single bolt). Head right to the arete, and climb the left side of the arete on very spaced gear to a major horizontal break. Head back left at this break to carrot, then up trending towards the arete following carrots and gear. DBB.

3. 30m (23) - Climb the tricky slab on the right side of the arete past 3 carrots, then up trending left via slightly steep technical face climbing. DBB.

4. 25m (25 or 24M0) - Climb carefully up rotten rock to a very high carrot, and up to ring. Clip 2nd ring out left of undercut roof. Either aid on this bolt to gain the next and free from here (24M0) or climb up to the right of the FIRST ring until above it, traverse back left, then DOWN to the 3rd ring. Exciting (and photogenic) moves to gain and turn the arete, then up face on left-side of arete past 2 more carrots and gear. DBB.

5. 35m (24) - Sustained power-endurance climbing up the left side of the arete past 4 bolts and gear. Bolt & tree belay.

6. 20m (10) - Scramble up to the "black tree" where you started.

Start: QUICK ACCESS TO P2: Climb spikes 20m left of Superbug/Firebug and then traverse left 15m to get to the start of P2.

ORIGINAL ACCESS:

Traverse in around ledge at the bottom of 'Solo Gully'. This is easy but a bit scarey. Can be protected with a couple of medium cams. Belay on double rings

1. 25m (22) Descend and climb out to arete. Ring just around the corner. Now traverse right and slightly downward on pumpy jugs to double ring semi-hanging belay.

2. 25m (25) Crank and heelhook madly up to the horizontal break for a lie down rest in the slot. Thin and reachy power cranking gets you up the next blank section, then more easily up to the steep headwall. Straight up to double rings in the cave roof, or (the original line), traverse right and up to the Angels belay.

3. 25m (23) Move to double rings at the left end of the cave. Pull up through the roof crack and then onto the hanging orange wall. Up the wall diagonally right and then pull through the roof above to the left of the rings. Double rings belay over to the left.

Probably climbed before 2013, but when inquiries were made at the time no one knew anyone who had done it. Pitch lengths are an estimate based upon the route next door.

The obvious radical roof crack above the steep fingers splitter just left of La Nina. You can rap the route off the tree with a 70m rope.

1. 18m (25) Starts with a steep, thin finger crack to a ledge then up through a stellar horizontal roof crack, turn the lip and finish on the comfy ledge. Two carrots with perma hangers and biners for the belay. AWESOME climbing, funky moves. Classic.

2. 25m (21) Follows some old carrots (backed up by and supplemented with gear) straight up from the belay (exciting). An interesting mixed pitch at the grade that ends in a brilliant splitter crack. Belay off single very old carrot backed up with some gear or link into the next pitch.

3. 15m (21) Up through bulge on dirty and questionable rock then step left to finish on snappy, steep, orange rock with a number of hand placed bash in stainless carrots. Belay off trees on top.

Monster roof crack, with easier moves than you might think -considering the steepness. A proper goal for any Blueys crack enthusiast.

Start up Big Boyce Blouse for 4 bolts to small stance (possible belay here), then blast upwards on gear through steepening terrain, with moves (and gear) getting more difficult as you go -culminating in a gnarly sequence at the end of the roof. 2 bolt anchor on ledge above crack, with an optional short pitch to top-out if you want.

Recommended gear is variable, as there are lots of options, placing the fiddly gear at the crux is hard, and there's a big difference between "preplaced gear" and "placing gear on lead." What follows is the FFA's gear list:

2 x 0.2; 2 x 0.3; 1 x 0.4, 1 x 0.5; 2 x 0.75; 1 x 1; 1 x 3; selection of small wires. An additional 0.4 is very useful for aiding or climbing on preplaced (but very hard to place on lead).

First two pitches are sport on rings, gear is needed for the third pitch.

1. 20m (22)

2. 18m (20)

3. 22m (25)

Start: At left end of the crag.

Bring 4 bolt plates, and 0.4, 0.75 and #3 cams for P2.

1. 20m (20) As for Lucifer's Hammer.

2. 40m (25) As for Lucifer's Hammer for 2 FHs, then head up a scary arete (carrots). Barndoor all the way! Old anchor.

Apparently ok, but rarely done. Start right of Chook Lotto, off the same boulder.

Apparently very good - "if you have the nerves." The traverse bolts have been re-positioned, but the next few are still hard to clip. The top is still a little run out... unless you take a cam. Start off the same ledge as Vanity Case but traverse leftwards for 10m off the ledge, then up. Put extenders/rollers on bolts 3-6. Has a direct start which is still a closed project.

Start: 5m up SCC. Traverse left and up. Finish as for SVDM or rap.

This is the splitter crack out the humungous roofs. Very well protected with various sizes of cams. Has a double ring bolt lower off.

Start at the slab directly below the lower hand crack of TWotF at carrot. Take BD cams 0.3 - #3 WITH doubles of #1 and #2 and either a #4 OR #5.

Up slab past carrot and gear to hand crack (shared with TWotF). Up hand crack and break left where crack splits (TWotF continues more directly up and right), and up into dihedral past more gear to a bolt. Then up finger crack to ledge. Left a move, then continue up past 7 more bolts following the line of the bolts to anchors on top ledge of stunning red wall. Can also continue up Mixed Business or The Wake of the Flood (P3) to top out.

Sporty climbing up a linked series of features with a hard crux, and a mix of gear and bolts. Take a full rack. Can lower off from the top with a 70m rope.

Start up thin crack left of The Wake of the Flood. Up crack on gear and flake features, following the line of bolts in the middle of the wall (with gear along the way) to crack at the top of the wall, and up short corner-thing to anchors.

Winter connies = velcro! Up FoS corner for a couple of metres then traverse hard right across hard wall (two bolts) and around arete onto mostly trad protected face. About 6 bolts + single set of cam to #4 and couple of long runners. First ascentists used two ropes to reduce rope drag.

Steep, burly and traddy. Bolted roof and trad protected steep flake crack just above the start of the fixed rope traverse across to Highlander. #0.75 Camalot protects crux on lip of roof - and the rest of the flake is protected by a single rack of finger/fist sized cams and medium/large wires. Save a #0.3 Camalot for vital shallow placement just below the top bolt. Rap anchor at top.