The East End Mostly Sport climbing 5 routes in sector

A good route not in the usual vain of Swinburne in that this is a Trad route with bolts when and where there is no Trad gear. The abseil and belay stances are also bolted. The line uses natural lines of weakness to get to the very top grasslands of Rensbergs' Kop. The summit beacon is 15 mins hike from the top stance.

It however remains essentially a Trad route and climbers need a good sense of mountain craft and Trad skills. The first and second pitches need 3 or 4 size 5 and 6 cams. For the descent a minimum 2 x 50m ropes and 4 abseils. If using 60m ropes it can probably be done in 3 abseils.

Route

1. 23m (17): Climb up the wide crack to the foot of a narrow chimney. Move up this, passing 2 bolts in a narrow section then exit onto a ledge. Move 1m right, then up a slab to a ledge. This is with a huge crack to the left and an a overhang of rock above. Two bolts on this pitch.

2. 23m (16): The money pitch. Climb the slab with several large cams for protection. Then right over easy slabs to below a bolt. Climb delicately past the bolt to a semi-hanging stance below a bushy recess. One bolt on this pitch.

3. 25m (15): From the stance move right into a V shaped recess, then diagonally right up a slab to a step up in a recess and past a chock-stone. Then up left to a vegetated ledge and chains. (This is the final abseil point on descent if using 50m ropes) Note: the large cams are no longer needed and can be left at this point and fetched on return abseil. Three bolts on this pitch.

4. 23m (12): From the chains, move left 9m to an easy ramp up a small buttress. Then around the left and pull up onto the platform on top of the buttress to chains. Three bolts on this pitch.

5. 48m (14): A long and easy pitch, but requires good rope management, as rope drag can be an issue. From the chains, climb up the easy slab for 5m to a long ledge. Move 18 m left to a scruffy recess and step over this to a bolt, then up easy slabs till it steepens. Climb the juggy face, then right to a bolt and up to chains. Five bolts on this pitch.

6. 35m (18): From the stance move right to a bolt and then up easy stepped slabs with trees on either side. Then right to the edge of a bushy recess. Climb pasts bolts up the steep face to a bolted stance just under the final overhangs. Five bolts on this pitch.

7. 18m (18): Scramble into the deep recess, then back left using a tree to stand on (this becomes much easier if able stand as high as possible on the tree). Pass 2 bolts and pull awkwardly onto an easy slab. Move up and then traverse left. Gain another ledge and then up to another to the final chains. Five bolts on this pitch.

Descent

1. 45m From the top of pitch 7 to the top of pitch. It is best to pull the ropes down from the left (facing the rock) of the trees or they may tangle in them.

2. 48m Top of pitch 5 to the top of pitch 4 on the small buttress. Take the straightest line possible to avoid rope friction. It is best to pass above the trees in the gully - this line will take you past an older set of abseil anchors and this may be a good place to stop as there will be less friction when pulling the ropes.

3. 10m Short abseil to the vegetated ledge. This will be longer if you stopped at the older anchor mentioned above.

4. 45m to the ground.

Note:

From the top of pitch 7, it is possible to hike up to the summit beacon then hike and scramble south to along the mountain until able to descend and back to Appin Farm. This is a fairly long walk and navigation is not entirely straight forward.

Originally lead/soloed by Joffrey & Martin as an access route up the main face, turned out to have 2 damn fine pitches. It starts on a short grey face about 70m left of MIRACLE FOUNTAIN. This route is still evolving and since it was an access route some of the bolts are not ideal! Please note that this route as yet does not go all the way to the top.

1. 19 (6D,A) 13m Straight up to the grassy ledge. You may want to climb past the anchors and onto the grassy ledge. There are anchors to use about 2-3m to the left on the face.

2. 18 (10D,A) 26m An excellent pitch up some surprisingly solid rock, climbs up two bulges to a tree. Tie a knot in the end of the rope!

3. 10 (4D,A) Walk right from the tree along the ledge until you can see anchors in a vegetated gully. From here do a mantle move with a big slab above and climb diagonally to your left traversing quite a bit after clipping the first bolt.

4. 16 (7D,A) Follow the bolts to the chains.

5. 13 (A) Top anchors only, climb up rightward toward the forest. This is for access only and hence no bolts but is very easy climbing and allows for a great view!

First Ascent: Jul 2000 Pitches 2-4 led on trad (or can you say so if no gear was placed?).

Pitches 1 & 2 bolted by Martin Bruning & Joffrey Hyman. Pitches 3 & 4 bolted by Dylan Morgan.

Starts just right of a tree, 3m right of Pick Pocket and about 50m left of Miracle Fountain on a large rounded grey face 'leaning' against the main face.