Ascents in Mt Barney by Trent Williams

This pitch continues up the rock cone then breaks right towards the main face and up a chimney. Beware of loose blocks within the chimney that funnel down onto the two pitches below. Near the top the route breaks out right of the chimney to a ledge with precariously balanced tree.

Climb up through the corner over a slight overhang. At some points you can climb out right to avoid the difficult parts. Continue to the top over lots of loose rock and vegetation. The next belay stance is a good size located underneath the summit overhangs.

Traverse out and up to the right over delicate slabs. Just before the belay beware of the fridge size loose block. Try not to touch it as you climb under it. Small stance at the belay. This pitch requires a confident seconder as the falls would be very exciting for them. Its best not to link the next pitch with this one.

Follow bolts through two overhangs and slabs in the middle. The first overhang can be easily avoided by climbing right. Belay at small ledge.

Tricky climbing up to a good belay stance.

Hard moves straight of the deck, with ugly falls if you don't make it to the first bolt. Continue up through some interesting vertical climbing over broken rock. Surprise surprise, beware of more loose rock.

More tricky climbing that traverses out slight right to a large corner. Some crazy moves will find you on the other side. Continue straight up (next bolt is hidden) to belay rings. As you climb this pitch the Popes Nose bivey ledge is off to the right.

This pitch has good bolting, nice falls, and wicked exposure. Definitely a stand-out pitch. Climb up through some sustained and interesting vertical face climbing. As always on this route, beware of loose blocks throughout.

Starts nice and hard straight of the deck. Follow bolts up over multiple cruxes to rings on a very small ledge.

Head out right around bulge. Climb straight over it if you're feeling strong. Move up over slab and into rotten vertical climbing to rings on a small ledge.

Nice slab climbing to the belay rings. This pitch finishes 2-meters below the bushwalking track.

The first give-me pitch! Slight traverse out right through vegetation. Beware of ledge fall potential at a few points. The pitch ends at the top of the large centre overhangs a good sized vegetated ledge.

Death blocks, overhangs, and scrubery. Climb up to the roof and clip bolt just over the lip. Don't touch the loose blocks under the overhang unless you want to kill your seconder and yourself. Tricky moves over the roof and continue for a couple of bolts. When it starts to get too vegetated, bust a move out left through the overhang, past your last bolt. From here you should see the belay rings. A few more powerful moves will get you to the semi-hanging belay.

Traverse out and up to the right over delicate slabs. Just before the belay beware of the fridge size loose block. Try not to touch it as you climb under it. Small stance at the belay. This pitch requires a confident seconder as the falls would be very exciting for them. Its best not to link the next pitch with this one.

Climb up to the right through the rotten rock. Difficult moves through the overhang with good falls, but more terrible rock. Clip a few more bolts and then straight up over a tricky mantle. Here you get the full exposure of the East Face. Continue up to the belay.

A mountaineering style adventure up through the highest and steepest part of Mt Barney's imposing East Face. This is a very sustained route with very few easy pitches. The individual pitches themselves are also sustained. This route has mega exposure, good falls, and a lot of rotten rock that should make your belayer shake in their pants. At the end of the Governor it will leave you wondering why on earth someone would bolt this line, while you nurse your very sore body.

At points this climb lacks line, but what ever the case it definitely required vision and effort to establish. This highest climb in Queensland is not for your average sport climber, and would best suit those with a sense of adventure and a taste for mountaineering.

I half jugged/climbed pitches 13-14 in the dark. The rest was done onsight, with a few dogs, and seconds thrown in.