Routes in Northern Rivers

Prepare to be dominated. Climb Miss Sixty to last bolt, then grapple the overlap diagonally R passing another 5 FH’s to shared anchor of next route. Absolute beast of a pitch. Super good.

5m L of X-Men up obscene steepness. Just awesome.

Behemoth is a beast mentioned in Job 40:15–24. The name has come to be used for any extremely large or powerful entity. 4m R. Stickclip first high bolt, but start waaay to the left up a vague ramp. Easy climbing up a corner, then smooth face to a sit down rest ledge (cave). Exit left out of this, and then - hold on to your hat! Super crazy amazing. Difficult to grade this endurance pitch.

1m R. Scramble up to start ledge from R, then carefully wander over to far L of ledge (chalky choss) to U-bolt above a chossy white V-groove. Route blasts up from here passing 5 FH’s to anchor. Steep, bouldery and thin with a spicy top section. A bit of care with the beautiful start flake, please.

Liwyāṯān is a sea monster referenced in the Old Testament. The word has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature. Climb as for Bohemoth to cave. Exit out the right edge of the cave, then 8 bolts of gradually steepening climbing to pull onto a rest ledge below final headwall arete. A seriously fierce boulder section on pockets past two bolts guards the anchors. The hardest moves on the wall.

5m R. Starts on high ledge near remains of a tree 5m off the deck. Access this by scrambling up from far R, then carefully walking back L. Clip first UB on Miss Sixty with long sling for safety while getting established on the line. Four clips (UB’s and FH’s) and very bouldery tension climbing. Anchors on smooth orange shield.

2m R. More steepness with some very big moves and a challenging and spectacular finale past the break. Was impressively onsighted in its original form but has since shed a major hold down low and is a bit harder. It has now shed a lot more holds and it will need some work before it is solid again

The line 10m R which blasts straight up the guts of the steepness. U-bolt, then 6 FH’s up the 45 degree overhung wall to an incredible finish with one of the best holds I’ve ever seen on the finishing ledge. Classic.

6m R. The cool-looking overhanging mini-corner-seam. Very bouldery and difficulty might be a bit height dependent? 6 FH’s to anchor. A grade or 2 harder now after broken holds **

Up past a few bolts to perch beneath roof overlap. Inventive moves to get over this before stepping right to encounter balancy Frog Buttress-style face climbing to the top.

Closed. 5m R of Garm at black corner crack. The rippled top arete is amazing with a heartbreaker finale! Take a handful of 1m slings to reduce drag. At least 20 clips.

The giant tree. Tricky slab start, then onwards past lots of climbing and rests to get established in a rest below the punchy final overhang. Hard to read moves. Solid.

The two-legged dragon with barbed tail, often seen as a symbol of strength and endurance. 10m R. Starts roughly in the middle of the wall, under the steepest looking section up high. Stickclip the first bolt for the tricky start, then it backs off for quite some time. At the point it becomes overhanging and you’ll jug haul through to a welcome camp in a cave where you can take your shoes off and ponder the view (24 to here?). From here, it’s all business pulling through the lip and into the superb stone of the 45 degree, powerful overhanging finale where you’ll either have some arms left, or not. 19 FH’s (long draws) to lower-off. Lowering off the top requires 80m rope. When it comes to cleaning, do it in two halves (chain+biner in cave).

5m R. Scramble up to high first bolt on far right of the choss ledge. A few bolts lead up and R (slab) until it kicks back. A long move to a flake begins the steep climbing. A pronounced crux lunge (stopper bloc?) leaves you with the last victory move to finishing jug.

Span start to jug on slabby feet, left rock is out. Ride it baby...

A big, bad beast of a route with an air of serious about it. Nary a straight-down pull on the pitch, it’s all pushing, laybacking, gastons and bridging. Loose in a few spots (robbing it of that elusive third star), but it’s cleaning up, and provides for some amazing climbing. Take about 15 draws. PLEASE NOTE: all routes right of the Huge Chimney off limits during Falcon season (AUGUST-DECEMBER) Thankyou

The best piece of stone on the wall. Vertical, pure technicality with a brick hard crux traverse. Channel your favourite 80s sport climbing hero, and remember to vulcanize. Ringbolts.

“Five cruxes!” Starts 4m R at black slab with tree against cliff. Tree can be climbed to pre-clip first bolt before starting from ground. Good solid rock the whole way with at least 15 quickdraws and a go-for-it attitude required. 70m rope might work - tie a stopper or use an 80m.

The monstrous hound Garm guards the entrance to Helheim, the Norse realm of the dead. 2m R. Another R-trending line. Stickclip, because it’s tricky just getting off the ground. Put a 1m sling on second bolt, and step R. Like Monster, you have a roof to pull at half height, but it’s a bit easier.

The white wall just right of fig tree roots. R-trending line up slab. As it steepens at about the 20m mark, there is a section which deviates 2m L to avoid a loose patch. Then, a tricky roof to negotiate on the orange rock, then steeply through blocky black overhang. Pumpy, with surprising incuts and jugs.

2m R. Stem off the boulder L past the bolt. Up the smooth tricky slab and then oodles of climbing which eventually runs into the multifaceted overhung corners just left of the big fig tree stump 30m up (steep!). The very top, up a runnel feature is super cool. The route features a number of tricky sections interspersed with good rests. May be on the easy side for 26 but I doubt there’ll be too many complaints.

Typhon was the largest and most fearsome of all creatures. His human upper half reached as high as the stars, and his hands reached east and west. Instead of a human head, a hundred dragon heads erupted from his neck and shoulders. 5m R. Up easy start just left of the platform, then orange wall, and steepness above. The finale through a steep little bulge is a heartbreaker.

Looks heinous!! Two FH's lead up and to the L to a rest before the crux at the third FH. Up past one BR to finish. Chain belay.

R of Ginsu. Climbs the steep blank wall with the "snail trail" and 5 or 6 FHs, using very few very small crimps. Thin is the word.

2016: The 'snail trail' mark no longer exists - but you can't miss the route. Blankest, meanest bit of cliff that has bolts on it.

Can be done either direction! Slippery and pumpy.

Watch your back! From pocket up and over with bad feet.

Layaway from jam crack to gaston on face, then out left to pocket.

Start sitting on block, up slapping right arete and thin holds on face to finish up large pocket on left side of face.

Tricky arete with bad feet, grade changes depending on sand level.

Start on sideways crimps, Out left to arete but transition onto face and exit up left

Sit start on underclings. heave up to sharp crimp and pounce to edge then top out

Start on the yellow tooth underclings. Haul left through underclings and top out via compression fridge

1. 7 - The approach slabs and traverse to get to the climb proper.

2. 24 - perhaps, hard mantling layaway using small arete and footer under roof to gain a respite on a decent ledge for a rest before launching up through a series of right leaning overhung handcrack breaks and bulges. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

3. 16 - slab to spear lilly belay, start off from the top of pitch 2 and go left around and underneath the spear lilly belay hanging blocks.

4. 25 - Start from spear lilly belay, head right up and across slab into the obvious corner, reach out for a fabulous jug on the mantle ledge, swing up onto ledge from whence the hard small traverse left starts, clip bolt and then continue left to establish oneself in obvious crack, up directly to belay. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

5. 20 - From belay trend left up blocky ramp being careful not to get sucked in too far left, continue up through the first easy system and then back to the right to find 2 widely spaced bolts, equalise these for a killer belay to observe the shenanigans of the roof coming up next.

6. 23 - Clip the high bolt of the belay before dropping down low and plugging a couple of aliens in out wide along the traverse line on almost non existent feet , drop a bit lower for good feet and then climb up directly under roof bolt. Yeah it`s goey hey, get on out there through that roof, campus up on rugositys to stand on the lip and then swim through the spear lilly to plug wide gear in crack behind lilly, continue up wide dirty crack to bomber anchor. Back this anchor up with a couple of cams as there is the distinct possibility of a climber falling direct on to this anchor due to the next section being so thin and poor gear direct off the belay. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

7. 24 - Work those aliens and wires in baby and hold on for the ride of your life fortunately this thin seam is not overhung unlike the hand crack which this seam leads to so test that gear bucko, continue up the overhung handcrack to where it blanks out to find yourself at a walrus ledge containing thin fingers and crimpers, belly flop on to that sloper walrus ledge to find yourself with one more block to get over before arriving at a fabulously comfortable belay complete with garden and at least one square foot of space to stand on, it's practically a bivvy ledge. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

8. 17 - Skirt right to skyline then trend left, take care to talk to your belayer as anchors are a direct rope fall/abseil above Pitch 8 anchors. By talking to your belayer you should be able to orient his voice to the line of fall as this slab can suck you in way left.

9. 16 - We did change out the Fixe hangers and leaver biners to Double rap ring Fixe hangers.

10. There is a possibility of adding a further pitch to this route to top out.

A big wall adventure in a real jungle. Epic access, some loose rock and wet weather make this one of the harder long routes in Australia. This route was originally aided at A2+ 17, then freed shortly after at 25. The route description is for the aid ascent. There was once a track cut through the thick jungle to the base of the wall, but this is most likely long gone. The walk-in was 3+ hours with the track. Without - expect to double that time or more. You cannot see the cliff until you are standing right under it.

Aid Ascent Gear Required: 2x60m ropes, double rack of wires + cams (up to size #5 SLCD), Slider nuts, 2 x regular skyhooks, 1 size each of short knifeblade pins + a few lost arrows, no bolt brackets are required - all bolts have fixed hangers.

There is much loose rock still on the route. From pitches 5-7 the route weaves around some seriously big widow makers. The pitches in this area are short so that the belayer is safe from falling rock. All of the belays, apart from the top of pitch 7, are hanging or semi hanging. The only area suitable for an uncomfortable bivi on the wall would be the vegetated ledge midway through pitch 8. Rock quality varies along the route with the rock improving in hardness above pitch 6.

1. 15m (8) Traverse diagonally left from spear-lillys across very easy slab to crack. Up for a few moves to single ring-bolt belay under bulging roof. FA Phil Box.

2. 35m (A2 14) Aid past 2 bolts to gain pocket and then crack. Up this overhung crack to stance. Continue up wide crack to DBB. FA Phil Box.

3. 15m (15) Slab up and left for ten metres, then back right to belay at spear-lilly and DBB. FFA Neil Monteith

4. 30m (A2) Up short slab to corner and FH. Up and right onto stance then bat-hook and bolt left two metres to crack. Up this onto slab and DBB. FA Nick McKinnon

5. 20m (A2+ 14) Straight up slab to climb thin cracks. Trend left and up blocky hand crack. When this blanks out aid up then move right to bolt, bat hook and finally free up to DBB. FA Neil Monteith

6. 20m (A2 16) 'Phil's Traverse' - Climb directly right to below overhanging left leaning ramp. Aid through overhang with bolt and pull over this to spear-lilly. Climb wonderful hand and fist crack for ten metres to DBB. FA Phil Box

7. 25m (A2+ 12) Aid thin seams off belay for three metres to super hand crack. When this finishes go right through bulges then easily up and left to DBB on good ledge. FA Nick McKinnon

8. 40m (15) Free climb on slabby ground up and right below overhang. Back left and up hand-crack then onto bushy ledge. Up a few more metres to DBB. FFA Neil Monteith

9. 50m (17) A rope stretcher! Straight up to gain left leading crack. Lay back up this then onto slab with bolt. After this run it out heading slightly left for ages to arrive at last DBB. A further 100m of slabby vegetated rock is above this. Unless you like evil bush-bashing, it's recommended to rap off here. FFA Neil Monteith

Descent: Pitch 9 to 8 50m Pitch 8 to 7 35m Pitch 7 to 4 50m Pitch 4 to 2 40m Pitch 2 to 1 40m Pitch 1 to ground 60m+ (walk off possible if slab is not wet)

4m R. The big corner with glue-in rings. Large R-leaning open book corner (some shattered rock), then left. Top crux will have you thinking. Crazy pockets up top are worth experiencing.

High first U-bolt on dark rock (stickclip off block). Fierce moves off the deck give a brief rest before fingerlock crux above bolt four. Continuous, R-leaning climbing past another eight bolts to lower off. Climbed on the famous 41 degree day.

A monstrous wolf. Start as for Balor to get on top of the stacked blocks, then wander 5m R to first bolt. Up black slab past four bolts to the gently overhung streaky black wall. Nice sporty moves up this to typical Crossroads mantle out. More varied climbing including a no holds mantle, and then steep jugging with a punchy finale. Good fun!

The god of death and the king of the Fomorians (a race of giants). Scramble up on stacked blocks to reach first bolt on black slab above. Slab to ledge, then through a steeper bit to another ledge and super quality shield of perfect stone. Tricky moves to breach this, then up to a technical mantle to below the upper steepness. Then, up.

Located left of Giant at black slab with low first bolt. Another difficult slab start leads up to the ledge. Grade 22 climbing for most of the way, until things start to steepen with a tricky crux in a clean corner where your arms begin to tire. Keep it together to negotiate the arete to corner-transition finale.

A fearsome giant with one body and three heads. He owned Orthrus. Start is just to the right of Cthulhu. Climb up the slab to a roof and pull through a minor crux then solid steep moves to the top.

A large cephalopod-like creature with a tentacled mouth, large wings, clawed hands and scaly skin. Starting at the tree seat. Climbs the orange rock through a bulge. Standard Crossroads wall climbing through bulges takes you beyond the half height anchor to a sit-down rest. Out of here the line snakes right and left - long slings will reduce drag. The final section pits you against an arete you must cross left to right. A very interesting assortment of moves and several very good rests to keep things sane. Take 23 quickdraws.

A creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle's talons as its front feet. 5m R. Up past bolt onto large platform at 5m. Up a balancy slab for 15m to ledge below the steepness. Now comes a series of punchy steep sections interspersed with good rests. The finale, traversing above the sucking void is particularly exciting.

15m R in central section of wall. Monster traverse - traverses about 15m R through a 45 degree overhung wall. A tribute to a very talented 12yo Italian climber on the day of his passing. 12 FH’s. Permadraws. Very chossy until the 2nd draw.

Starts same as above but takes the right-hand bolt line. Trends up and R passing monster flake (climbing corner L of this) to roof, through this on flakes. 9 FH’s then mantle to anchor above lip.

2m L of Ginsu. Climbs the steeper section of the wall following 6 or 7 camouflaged FHs and a few crimps.

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Up the initial deep V-gully to start from pointy pillar against the cliff. FH’s lead of R-trending corner. A delicate move left, then back R and up tricky headwall.

5m R. Climb on to pointy boulder to start and clip first bolt, then up past the jutty-outty block feature (surprisingly technical). Cool climbing on great rock with a no-holds-barred wrestle crux through the bulge. 12 bolts to lower-off.

The ‘bolt before the pub closes’ route. Stickclip for the boulder problem start, like all routes on this wall. Scoopy black awesomeness. Sensational! FH’s.

The frost giant. As the ground starts to rise there is a flat belay platform. Route goes up the easy black corner above this, and then past a major L-facing corner (awesome) and through a series of bulgy roofs. The top roof move is blind - good luck! Take at least three long slings to reduce drag. Probably 25, lol.

Closed.

Caution to be taken for the first two bolts. Recommend stick clipping the first (& potentially second). Tricky getting established on the wall, trend right after clipping the second, up the ledges & jugs. some cool moves & some gentle choss pulling as you move higher up the wall to mid-way anchors. Pass anchor to the overhung & airy top section with typical Crossroads mantles on good rock. Crux before the final slab, and glory-romp to anchors (double rings in roof). Intimidating!

Keep going! Directly up from cave to pull through a bulge onto a ledge. Clip long perma-sling, then up into the base of the stunning corner with perfect rock. Stem to glory. 16 FH’s to anchors.

Two-headed monster with one head of lion, and other of a goat, lion claws in front and goat legs behind, and a long snake tail. Easiest route on the wall so far. White slab start, then up a near-vertical orange wall to major R-facing corner. Climb the wall right of the corner, place one metre sling, then stem out left and through the roof above to ledge. An easy romp for 10m, then she’s steep, all the way to the anchors.

A large traversing line. First three bolts as for Flexion (long draw on second), then layback the monster flake to stance. Clip FH on R, then edge R-wards across the blank slab for about 8m to the point the line skyrockets up through the roof (super). The route keeps going up the headwall for about 10m on superb stone. Take some long slings. A 60m rope is more than sufficient as it’s a traverse.

Climb Extra Shot. Then bust R along the rail passing one FH to anchor of Glenn’s project. Back-jump.

4m R. Cool, punchy moves past chain permadraw and a steep finish. 6 FH’s to anchor. Hard!

6m L of Yellow Brick Road beneath a hard, smooth wall. 2 Bolt runners in the first third (hard to see). Then four FHs to a chain belay.

Follow pockets all the way to last pocket around arete then up. Wish it was longer.

Awkward, reachy and bad landing! Up blocky steps on steep face to jugs on lip, then reach of faith to large pocket way back.

Hug up block to pocket and tricky mantel on top, avoid blocks either side!

Off width, start on jug on right block, up left block with some bridging and foot jamming to top out on left block.

Nice steep little arete.

Sit start on broken jug, up holds on arete. Bad rock for feet, walking up slightly right side until standing on broken jug. Then straight up arete.

Layaway dirty crack to ferny break, out to slopers on rail arete, then side pull mantel.

Very cool kinda dyno, kinda sideways deadpoint. Start on two rails facing outwards in the middle of the boulder. Find a key foot and swing out to the left and up to a pocket. I could catch this out stretch but any smaller wingspan may need to properly dyno. From the pocket climb to the top and top out the boulder.

Sit start may also be possible at a higher grade. Also may be possible statically.

Stand start on sidepull crimps in the middle of the face. Span left to arete, then up face avoiding using right arete.

Sit start with very low left undercling jug, and right on a crimp near your face. Sidle up and right. Top out the tall section.

Crouch start with yellow-corner-underlings and foot in the big feature. Move up using underclings and crimps. Use holds to the left of the crack.

Same low start on the crimp rail, move out right then up fridge to top. Right ledges low are out for feet. Watch your back or be keelhauled along the boulder

Belay near small fig tree at right hand end of cave. Follow U bolts out past pocket breaks with bad feet to a few stiff moves then jugs to chain.

Steep, juggy and pumpy along the lip of cave to join 'M.M' and finish at lower off above headwall. DO NOT lower off single chain of 'M.M' unless you clip last perma draw from sit down pocket! Kinda chossy and sandy, but still worth a brush and send if you like steep climbs, hopefully it cleans up a little with some traffic.

tricky, balancy

Read warning below. This route does have bolts with SS carrots but they are quite well spaced apart at about 5 metres so pucker factor is a major issue. Top pitches are very sparsely bolted with 20 metre run outs. As this climb is rarely done algal growth can obscure the bolts. full trad rack is also necessary. There is a 110 metre traverse on the lip of a huge roof. Ability to re ascend a rope is a must in this area for self rescue if fallen off route you'll be dangling 100 metres above the apron. Possibility of a bivy ledge one pitch above traverse ledge. Two people can squeeze on to this tight ledge. There is a descent option from the top of this climb however finding the start to the rap route is problematic. Good luck finding it. Best option is to find start at bottom. Start is around 2/3rds across left from descent gully.

Abseil descent has had it's anchors replaced as of early July 2020. All anchors are SS.

Warning.

Recent ascent by Duncan Steel. He describes the top several pitches as having deteriorated badly since he did it 15 years ago. We discussed why and we came to a consensus that the black lichen and the north facing cliff bakes in the summer sun and the skin of the rock exfoliates in the very high summer sun. This route really needs renovation and a retro bolt. Duncan warms that this climb is no trivial matter and death or very serious injury could result from anyone just turning up and having a go.

The splitter crack - all trad, starting at the huge, deep pockets just off the ground. Bouldery start. Cool roof to negotiate at ⅔ height. Some friable rock above here, but opportunity to get lots of gear in. Bolted rap station. Take wires and a double rack of cams to #4 BD size.

Stickclip bouldery start then balancy climbing which will pump your left arm. FH’s.

Climbs the white-rock section to very high anchors on smooth slab.

Halfway anchors to aid in lowering off route with shorter ropes (60m rope is absolute minimum, 70m recommended). some valuable climbing in the lower half of the route but the top is where da party's at.

Scuttle up ramp or mantle ledge past bolt to start. Straight up on good rock and some tricky to read moves. Cuts left then back right to finish at same anchors.

2m R. Jug hauling on severely overhanging territory - should be popular. 5 bolts to low anchor just after the big break. Take care with the third clip.

4m R. 8 FH’s to anchor. High first bolt above the big crater feature, then enjoyable varied climbing on good rock with a steep and tricky finish. Low in the grade.

8m R. 6 FH’s to anchor. Reachy, bouldery climbing on steep, bomber rock to finish on big ledge. An interesting mix of slabby and steep sections

5m R of the warty tree. Up to first BR at the patch of white lichen. Traverse R and up to second BR. Up to FH and crux. Clip fourth BR and you're there. Chain belay.

Up to scoop and BR. Onwards past another three BR's to chain belay.

Side pull to pocket and crimps, often dirty at top!

From pockets up and then join J13.

From pockets straight up.

Get down low and go.

Low jug at back right to jug on lip with feet under roof, mantel.

From break slap right arete to pockets on face.

Follow holds on left side of block using smaller blocks for feet at start.