Routes in Eastern Bluff

A climb perfect for beginners or a first multi-pitch.

1. Start on the slab left of the gully. Up slab and headwall to DRB. 10 bolts + anchor

2. Step R and up slab, through crux to easy ground to DRB. Can walk off left here. 8 bolts + anchor

3. Straight up slab to DBB. Can also walk off here. 8 bolts + anchor

4. Walk R 5m on ledge to slab. Traverse slab R to DRB. 5 bolts + anchor

5. Up slab through corner to DRB. 7 bolts + anchor

The vegetated route to the R of Insight P1 and immediately L of the gully.

Don't bother. Up the gully / chimney to next platform. Continue through cave and up chimney then over large chockstone to scramble up vegetated gully to belay at fig tree and crack.

Up arete to DRB. About a 21 if you do not stem against the opposite wall - about a 16 if you do. High first bolt. Runout near the top. Potential for bad fall. Bolts not recessed.

Starting at "Vision Variant Start", follow the natural seem the goes to the anchors of "Unnamed 1".

Left of Insight P3. Up the layback feature to DRB.

The short but sweet bolder problem L of Edibles.

A short but sweet beginner climb. DRB.

Starting at "JLC Project 3". Up slab to jug and trend left to join into Edibles and DRB.

Start at ramp and up through boulder problem to lower-off DRB.

Start at ramp and up through boulder problem to lower-off DRB. If you use the ramp on left it's an 18.

Just to the right of "JLC Project 3". Up slab to corner weakness over lip to Edibles DRB.

An alternative traverse to P4 Insight. A bit chossy.

P4 of Insight but in reverse.

Approach via walking down the gully. Up slab to DRB of P4 Insight.

Starts down and R of Swinging Giants. Up slightly vegetated crack, through crux to a slightly loose top out. Belay at Swinging Giants DRB.

Starts to the right of Swinging Giants at Feast for fools. Up the right seem to Insight patch for anchors.

From the anchors of "Unnamed 1" and go left on platform to crack. Continue to climb up the crack past the V corner and follow the crack out. Some be chossy blocks near the top. Use the VVS anchors (Rusty bolts). Can lead on Trad (small gear) although runout and not well-protected.

Start at Googly Eyes and follow the natural seem traversing left and up diagonal. Do not use the rock behind/beside you. Step over bulge to anchors of GE / DP.

Even though it follows the natural seem, the route is a little bit contrived as you could easily scramble next to it near Scramble.

Up diagonal crack to lip and step out left to interesting features. Up ad trend slightly R to tree and DRB.

Up diagonal crack to lip to step out right onto ledge. Up slab to join back into "Googly eyes". Belay at tree and DRB.

Left of Rusty Bolts. Up face between the two large blocks. Up through nice rock to tree and DRB.

1. Start on right side of gully 5m from Insight as for VVS. Follow line of U-bolts up slabby, pocketed face to DUB.

2. Follow left-hand line of U bolts to DUB anchor.

3. Layback up pillar, stepping on to face to be confronted by technical movement with a slabby, right trending finish finish.

Starts as for Hindsight. Follow well protected line, veering right at top to fixed hanger anchors at base of "Rusty bolts". Can be climbed in 1 or two pitches.

Initialised 'TS'. Starts 3m R of Vision Variant Start. An obvious offwidth between the block on first pitch of Vision and the main wall. Finishes at the chains of the first pitch of Vision.

Start up "Thrutch Sity" and traverse R at the flake and into "Coffee and confessions".

A delicate start, to short slab before, crack at top.

Start up Coffee and confessions and finish out R.

Starts ~30m above ground at the blunt arête L of the 3rd pitch of Vision. The route with the ugly brown carrots. Bolt brackets and good judgement regarding the bolts is required.

Starting from Vision P2 anchors. Scramble left along ledge to gully and up to the Widowmaker Track.

Links in from Hindsight to Vision pitch 2 anchors.

A 'Castle Hill' classic. A great climb to do in the afternoon. The route was rebolted in late 1998 and again in 2017 to make it completely safe. Simply great climbing with excellent positions up the top.

Start: Starts a few metres down R of TS. If you can't find TS, walk past the bouldering wall, keeping an eye out for a wide chimney (landmark) up through the grass on your L. Continue past this for a few metres, keeping on the track until you hit the (overall) third railing on the track. Once here, punch up the hill through the grass for 10m (no track) to the base of the blunt arête of the large, slightly detached block that is the start of the climb. You'll know you're on track if you see a series of big, silver 90 degree FHs quite close together up the face.

1. 20m (18) A tricky lead with some insecure moves. Easily to clip the first FH. Cruxy moves through to third FH. More FHs until you reach the crack where the climb eases. Chain belay behind the tree. 'Escape' off L (chains) is possible here, but keep climbing because the next pitches are better.

2. 20m (16) From the DBB behind the tree, step up onto the cheat stone and L onto the thin face past first FH. Nice moves past some thin stuff with odd thank-you-God jug will lead you past FHs to the massive, exposed slab with fantastic views, easy moves. More FHs up the slab until the ledge and DBB. A great pitch. You can scramble off L here if needed.

3. 30m (19) Step R using the slightly loose block to clip the first FH above the belay. Now instead of traversing R for the Vision Original Finish, continue straight up through the crux at midway following the bolts to the DBB.

You'll need 12 quickdraws + something for the DBB the anchor.

Speed Record

The current speed ascent record is held by Jarrah Brand-Adams & Christopher Glastonbury with a time of 7 minutes 15 seconds.

Glen Hayford & Sam Lavender 17:54.

18-12-19 Jarrah Brand-Adams & Christopher Glastonbury 10:45.

22-12-19 J B-A & CG 8:06.

22-12-19 J B-A & CG 7:15.

From Vision P2 DBB, clip the first FH of Vision and traverse R and up to clip the second FH - clean the first FH. Keep traversing R to clip the third FH - some climbers choose to now traverse back and clean the first FH to reduce rope drag. Head up to the fourth using a long sling and unclip from third bolt. Continue up and R past FHs to the corner. Sustained moves up the pocketed corner to the top. Use Vision anchors.

The Vision Direct Finish is a far more popular route these days due to the elimination of the traverse and rope drag.

The old DRB, along with the chains, can be found 4m back from the edge.

Bypass start by traversing in right from ramp on vision pitch 1

Starts 5m right of vision. Option to bypass start by traversing in from ramp on vision pitch 1. Can reach vision ledge via one bolt extension.

A good alternative to Vision's first pitch. Up "One for the Kids" to the third FH then L and up the steepening slab to mantle ledge (crucial 2.5 cam). Continue up L past 4th FH to finish up the thin crack to the top of the 1st pitch of Vision.

Starts about 7m R of Vision. Up flakes to clip first FH then up to second FH and up onto the slab and third FH. Now trend easily up and R to finish at double rings. A popular and fun sport route. 3 FHs.

Starts 4m R of OFTK just L of the tree. Up to clip first FH, move L and up 4m to clip second FH. Hard moves past this (crux) leads to jug and third FH. Mantle onto slab, runout past pockets and more slab to rings. Grade 22 for shorties.

Starting immediately R of Toy Wall and about 25m right of Vision is the incredibly obvious 100m high, super-sustained 'Hardman Wall'.

1. 45m (19 crux) Starts 2m R of COA, R of the tree at the far L of the Hardman Wall. You'll need 5 hangers and 14 draws for this pitch in addition to gear for the bolted belay stations. Bridge up using the tree, then move R into the groove with optional cam slot (creates rope drag). Continue following line of bolts tending R up slab and steep headwall to chains.

2. 30m (17) From chains traverse up and right 7m to first FH, hard moves past next two FHs to thin crack. Follow this to chains on hollow ledge.

3. 40m (16) Obvious crack up steep wall till it trends R. Follow this on natural gear to join up with SAS for the last few BRs. Climbs the wall L of the major groove L of the Saint. DBB (need hangers).

A couple of carrots in the middle of the Hardman Wall.

Starts down L from SAS and L of the spiky tree.

1. 35m (~22) Climbs up and then crosses over through the first pitch of SAS, through a small rooflet to the chains. The rest of the route will finish up R of the Saint.

Project: Joe Kippax 10/98.

Another classic on Castle Hill. "Saint" for obvious reasons, and "Sinner" because of the dynabolts. It needs to be rebolted.

There are four rap stations on the route and about 50 bolts in total. You'll need about 14 quickdraws and five hangers.

Starting on the far R of Hardman Wall uphill and R of the spiky pandanus tree; the direct start starts to the L of the spiky tree and is a similar grade.

1. 21 35m This pitch has 12 bolts and goes up some sustained territory with the crux above the 9th bolt. A real endurance-fest. Starting R of the tree, up to ledge, then L onto face and up following bolts.

2. 18 25m Follow the bolts to zig R up the slab, and then zag back L to chains.

3. 22 27m (crux) A wandery crux pitch. Up and R out the heavily bolted traverse, up, then an unlikely looking traverse L at the flake. Up the groove and R around final roof to chains.

4. 15 37m Up the crack (2 FH's) and find the line of hangerless bolts up the wall L of the major groove L of the Saint.

On this L gully wall there are a couple of white streaks running down the wall. The L-most white streak up a water scoop is the first pitch of an aid climb. Rusty thin bolts, rusty pitons and 316 stainless rivets run up the climb. The climb goes to the rap chains and beyond another couple of pitches. You'll need multiple birdbeaks, hooks, RURPs, thin nailing gear, pitons, rivets, a hand drill and a bunch of other stuff...

Up balancy face, then choose to quest up the groove or the often wet crack. Pull over bulge, then tiptoe up enjoyable slab to anchors. Permadraw at bulge to help when cleaning.

Traverse right from 'Maid in France' anchor then up exposed finish.

Stickclip first bolt and trend right using finger strength and balance. Over left to white streak, up crack to chains.

A clean line on exceptionally solid rock with intense crimps and pockets.

Break left 10m up Spitfire through a tricky bulge and featured face above.

Straight up the white streak

Start as for Hammerhart.

Stickclip first bolt below undercling flake, up this with tricky feet. Crimp through bulge to rest, then balance out right over to jugs

Stickclip first bolt below undercling flake, up this with tricky feet. Crimp through bulge to rest, then balance out right over to jugs, bail here (Hammerhalf 26) or continue up the quality face.

Reachy start with an optional batman to the first jug. Sustained and enjoyable with closely spaced bolts.

Put on a happy face for cruxy moves off the ground!

A challenging start!

Extension to Wings of Steel - a real slab adventure for true slab ambassadors!

Climb on some unbelievable scoops followed by a crimpy crux to the midway anchor.

A good crag warm up. A tricky start and finish with a flowery middle!

A shorter beginner climb. Use the tree as the anchor. It has 2 main trunks that are well established. BEWARE OF LOOSE ROCK AT TOP. A thorough clean is planned.

A gloriously varied and fully bolted multipitch passing the iconic 'Saint' high above Alias Wall. Outstanding climbing on the fourth and fifth pitches. Take 16 quickdraws.

1. Climb French Braids.

2. Some cruxy moves up headwall then trend left to crimps. Balance up slab heading right to pockets and then easily left to DBB.

3. Up vertical start then slab up to water streaked head wall with great crimps and edges. Move left to grey rock and jugs. Up diagonally right to delicate finish under steep wall.

4. Immaculate rock and quality climbing at the grade. Steep start with bouldery moves to jug shield. Left to amazing pockets and edges. Eases off over lip to anchors.

5. Up face avoiding huge detached pillar on the left next to the 'Saint'. Up to pockets and exposed jug hauling. Motor up face to cave below overhanging block. Step right around bulging block, high step up ramp moving left onto face. Jugs to finish on summit ledge with DBB.

Scramble up to tourist lookout (watch for broken glass) or abseil back down with a 60m rope.

The name say's it all!

A decent route, blessed with some good jugs.

Up the ramp to steep and funky orange groove.

Uphill from Bramble Scramble. Up slabby start to rib feature, over bulge then up continuous corner.

Break right from the 3rd bolt of MS to gain the corner. Funky crux through the roof to the engaging 3D groove above.

Starts on the L wall of the major gully about halfway up, about 30m right of the Aid Route. It's the most obvious line on the wall; it's also slightly vegetated. Take some big gear and a helmet for the seconder - there are a few potentially loose death blocks up high.

17-20 60m Follow the large flake up which trends right and then back slightly left to a large ledge with a fig tree on the far side. From here, you can rap off the fig tree (if you have a long enough rope), or belay from natural pro and fig tree and then continue up pitch two and scramble off, or just do it in one full length and top belay from FHs at the top. From the fig tree, step R and up potentially loose blocks to an easy scramble to the Summit Track.

Further up the hill, this route is a 3 pitch project of Brad Mann's - 1998.

Starts 5m right of Open Project #3. Follow the first 5 bolts straight up over the crux to a right traverse then a easy climb to the DRB.

Scramble across the loose, washed-out gully to small piece at base and an awkward belay. Up to FH and up trending R slightly to next FH. Continue up to TCC lookout and belay.