Routes

Companion route to Mesa. Start in chimney left of that route and follow the arete. Exit R to rap chain above Mesa.

Originally graded 6 via the ordinary chimney, and not highly rated. Now that the loose bits are gone, the start has been straightened out up the face off the boulder, and a lower-off has been added, this is one of the best easy grade routes in this part of Araps, with a wide variety of climbing.

Start: Start off the top of the big boulder on the ledge.

Completes the trilogy of nice easy climbs in this area. Think of it as an indirect start to 'Predator'. Step off the 'Mesa' boulder and head up right to the airy arete. Continue steeply over the right side of the roof and up juggy groove to ledge. The 'Mesa' rap anchor is just to the left.

Can be climbed in one pitch if you have a 70m rope. In that case minimize protection on the first pitch and extend as much as possible (sensible) to reduce rope drag.

1. Up corner then traverse left along ledge with committing move around arete up to belay. Gear belay.

2. Straight up off belay, trending vaguely right through juggy terrain. Up to DRB.

34m rap from double ring bolts above the climb - 70m rope or doubles required. Can be done in two raps using a 60 and the mid-station, or walk right and down the gully.

The major crackline running up the middle of D Minor pinnacle. This climb has excellent protection but has a sad history of death and serious injury from people taking long falls off the top overhang onto the easy-angled middle section of the climb. Please take care to place multi-directional runners on the top overhangs so that lower runners are not pulled out by rope tension during a fall. Can be done in a single pitch taking care with rope management.

1. (25m, 10) Follow the crack on fine holds until jugs lead up a steepening. Easy angled ground leads to a great belay spot under the overhangs.

2. (10m, 14) Follow the crack through the overhangs.

1. 18m (11) Climb the front of the pipe past smooth bulge to small ledge. This cramped belay is usually avoided.

2. 15m (11) Continue up to top bulge which is easiest on right. Downclimb far side of pinnacle into Organ Pipes Gully to get off.

Take the easiest way up the face. Start on the southwest face of the pinnacle (which faces into Central Gully). Short corner then (crux) traverse 4-5m L (nasty pendulum potential for the seconder), to gain the nice easy crack to the summit. There's also a more direct start about 6m further L which is a little harder and not as well protected, but with much reduced pendulum potential.

Start on the L wall, then the R. Bridge airily to an awkward and runout finish L around the roof. Start on the next buttress uphill from Morfydd, at a chimney with a square roof.

A climbing route that follows Ali's, then goes up to the top of Bard Buttress. Not great rock but a great position. Start 10m left of Ali's.

1. 55m 8. Ramble up the slab for ~20m (minimal pro). Clip a bolt on Ali's, and cross to the R, over a small lip, onto a ledge at the base of ridgeline going up Bard Buttress.

2. 25m 10. Traverse R onto the arete/ridgeline, and follow the ridge to the top.

Climb the corner system, which these days is laced with long lengths of fixed chains to ease the way for soloing (this being the fastest way to get up to the Bluffs climbing areas). If you do decide to solo up or down it, don't underestimate the polished rock and the deathfall potential; consider using a suitable running tether. Start 15m R of Bygone, under the huge left-facing corner system, behind Fang Buttress.

Start: Start 2m R of FoF.

Start at the top of TK, at the south side of the slot. Chimney out above the Keyhole towards Central Gully, then move around arete onto the south face of Bluff Minor, which is easy but exposed, to bag the summit.

The easiest route to the summit of Bluff Major is pure class, providing delicate groove climbing in a grand position.

Start about 50m uphill from John's Pinnacle, under the obvious cleft in the south face of the Bluffs which divides Bluff Major and Bluff Minor. Up 4m juggy wall, go R underneath roof for 5m, then thrash up the obvious slot. Exit to the north onto Blockbuster Ledge.

1. 24m (8) Follow Phoenix for 8 metres to thread runner then out right and up past all 'Highway' 8 sign to shallow corner. Up to ledge.

2. 25m (9) Gain the line just to the right and up to crawl through hole to ledge.

3. 30m (9) Traverse 6 metres left to crack and up this to big ledge.

4. 20m (8) Walk 12 metres left and up tricky wall to right end of Flinders Lane.

A way to the top of the cliff. Unfortunately it breaks down very quickly into an unpleasant gully.

20m (8) From the right end of Flinders Lane, climb a juggy corner into a chimney. Belay on second ledge. 45m (4) Up the chimney-gully.

A fine old classic whose grade seems to be gradually creeping up. Used to be grade 8 back in the day. Many variations are possible. Start at the chimney 7 metres right of Five Fingered Mary.

1. 25m (12) Follow the chimney until the line divides at 25 metres. Step right to a ledge.

2. 20m (11) Step back left then up the steep right-hand crack. Exit right onto ledge below steep bushy chimney.

3. 20m (11) Traverse 6 metres left and around nose of rock. Up onto wall, then continue up until able to traverse right to base of short slot.

4. 10m (11) The slot is desperately slick. Alternatively, climb the steep juggy wall on the right. The pitch finishes at the big ledge of the Tennis Court.

5. 43m (8) From the top of pedestal climb tricky weakness left of red overhang. Up to subsidiary summit, step across gap, then up to summit. This is as for the last 2 pitches of Spiral Staircase and may be split as for that climb.

Another great outing up the front of the Pharos. Start 9 metres right of Hurricane Lamp Cracks at the foot of a deep crack.

1. 28m (6) Climb the buttress on the left to a good belay ledge.

2. 22m (10) Traverse 5 metres right, stepping across a wide crack, then follow the steep, clean line on the right to another good ledge.

3. 25m (10) Step left and climb the front of the buttress to gain the deep V-line on the left. Pass the spectacular roof on the left and up to the Tennis Court.

4. 43m (8) From the top of pedestal climb tricky weakness left of red overhang. Up to subsidiary summit, step across gap, then up to summit. This is as for the last 2 pitches of Spiral Staircase and may be split as for that climb.

Instead of going up to the front, follow the track around and up onto the north shoulder of the Pharos. Start at a low-angled, blunt spur just left of a vegetated gully.

1. 43m (8) Up the buttress to a small ledge. Continue on steeper rock to another small ledge. Step off right side of ledge (straight up is grade 14) then up to a ledge below a short gully.

2. 15m (4) Up the gully to a large ledge. Continue up to the next ledge, the Tennis Court.

3. 20m (8) From the top of the pedestal, climb the tricky weakness left of the red overhang. Belay on the first good ledge.

4. 23m (7) Up to subsidiary summit, step across gap then up to summit.

The major corner-chimney bounding the left side of the black slab, mainly climbed on the slab.

Steep, juggy corner on right edge of chimney.

"The climbers were so thick they were like ordinary trees". Good to do if the other routes are busy though there could be a bottleneck on the last pitches of 'Tiptoe Ridge'.

Start: Start below big right-facing corner system.

1. 30m (5) Up easy slab to rock rib just right of corner. Belay in gap between main face and small pinnacle.

2. 10m (1) Wander across left to a stance closer to the corner where the 'Tiptoe Ridge' buttress meets the main face.

3. 50m (6) 'Excellent' climbing up the corner to the notch behind the 'Tiptoe Ridge' pinnacle.

4. 50m (4) Finish up the last 2 pitches of 'Tiptoe Ridge'.

The first recorded route at 'Arapiles'.

The original route wandered around a lot more than the route as described here. It is fairly safe to say that all of the rock between 'Siren' and 'Ordinary Trees' has been climbed.

Start: Start on the right side of the 'Tiptoe Ridge' buttress, about 10 metres right of a major corner (Ordinary Trees), where two detached blocks are sitting just off the ground. There's an overhang about 6 metres up and a large dead tree marking the top of the pitch.

1. 25m (4) Up the wall, passing the overhang on the left, then up to the dead tree.

2. 40m (2) Up the easy face left of the scrubby gully to large ledge.

3. 35m (5) Directly up face until about 8 metres below the Eagle's Eyrie (prominent cave). Traverse 8m metres left, passing under roof and up to ledge level with the Eagle's Eyrie. Climbing direct to the Eagle's Eyrie and then traversing left is grade 10

4. 35m (4) Step left and up chimney right of 'Tiptoe Ridge', joining that route near the top.

A wonderful long classic, climbed at the same time as Introductory Route. A remarkably well-conceived line, it culminates in a magnificent final corner.

Start as for Introductory Route, on the right side of the Tiptoe Ridge buttress, about 10 metres right of a major corner (Ordinary Trees), where two detached blocks are sitting just off the ground. There's an overhang about 6 metres up and a large dead tree marking the top of the pitch.

1. 25m (4) Up the wall, passing the overhang on the left, then up to the dead tree, as for the first pitch of Introductory Route.

2. 35m (8) Move right and up a little crack then follow prominent right-leading diagonal to a spectacular ledge on the arete. Note that the climb originally climbed the latter part of this pitch out right near the arete, now included in the second pitch of Xena.

3. 35m (8) A mildly terrifying step across the void leads to easy climbing diagonally right. A few tricky moves then lead to a comfortable ledge below the big corner, with DRB.

4. 25m (6) Up corner to next ledge or carry on up the next pitch.

5. 25m (9) Up corner which finishes with a few rounded layback moves, then continue up little wall and belay on terrace.

From here either walk off left along terrace and scramble up little gully and wall to top or climb little right-facing corner just left of final belay. This is grade 11.