Routes as trad in The Columns

Mega off-width pitch, take some big gear.

Sustained on a impressive line, up higher at least... The steep crack on the S face of Upper Battlements Column. Most people rap in and climb the top 2 pitches only.

1. 36m Up crack and belay in shrubs.

2. 30m Up chimney (yuk), through rough and up crack to ledge

3. 36m Continue up crack to belay behind pillar

4. Easy climbing to the top

Clip the first two bolts on Dark Nebula, then step left and up past a few more bolts. A long traddy ramble follows (single set of cams and wires), before a thin finish past another 3 bolts to DBB.

The crack / chimney up the centre of the column is a varied classic adventure.

The line just left of Killer Canary. Up corner crack via. stems and laybacks to a flared crack on the face. Awesome but runout climbing past fiddly gear leads to a short flared crack before joining Killer Canary after it's traverse.

Small offset Aliens pretty much essential to protect adequately.

You can start from the grassy ledge at wide 16ish but it's not that great, a small ledge about 12m up is comfy and avoids it.

A nice line up the crack and arête just L of Where Eagles Dare Not.

Probably best to approach from above to avoid the fist pitch.

1. 15m 18 Climb pitch one of Where Eagles Dare Not, belaying at first obvious ledge.

2. 35m 22 Move L to the arête and ascend the discontinuous cracks just L of the arête. Step down and L onto the face and climb face and cracks to the top.

A steep, sustained and challenging crack that varies from a small seam to hand width, including v-grooves and a short chimney. Seeps longer than most climbs in the area. Climb the wall and thin seam to a thin corner, passing the bulge with finger jams. Continue up the thin-hands v-groove to pass another bulge at half height. Continue jamming up the second v-groove (thin seam) and short chimney above, then pull around a huge overhanging flake to a stance at the Hakea tree near the top. Either ascend your fixed rope for ~8m (recommended approach), climb awkwardly past the tree, or abseil-off the tree back to the ledge where you can abseil from bushes or down climb (grade 14) back to the base of Cossack column. The crack has been thoroughly cleaned as of Jan 2023, which should keep it tidy from moss for the coming years.

Starts off the Hakea ledge about 3m left of Hakea. Best accessed by rapping in (~55m). Lots of wide hands and fists, with perfect knee jams, and a couple of shrubberies.

The crack-line up the front of Cossack Column.

1. 40m. Up the short corner on the L, before stepping R at the small bush to gain the main crack. Climb over the bulge to a belay.

2. 20m. Follow the v-groove around the corner to an easier ground.

The corner and offwidth left of Tartarus. 2 pitches split at the 60s hex and tat

The prominent crack up the front of Cossack Column. One of the best routes at the Organ Pipes.

1. 15m (19) As for Tartarus. Belay in small corner just below narrow ledge that heads right.

2. 45m (20) Travers right to the arete and follow intermittent crack lines up the column. Exit right under the block to the DBB.

In the recess just R of Cossack Column there is a large black chimney with a large chockstone 20m up. Scramble up 12m to the base of the chimney.

1. 20m Up the chimney on the R to belay on a chockstone.

2. 30m Continue up and belay on a large, grassy ledge.

3. 12m Scramble up to the top

Old school bulimia? Follows the crack and groove lines that starts on a grassy ledge in a recess just R of Cossack Column.

1. 25m Climb the crack/groove at the LHS of the ledge.

2. 25m Continue up the corner until it is possible to finger traverse R into Battle-Axe Crack.

3. 25m Finish up Battle-Axe Crack.