Routes in Booroomba Rocks fa between 1998-00-00 and 2030-12-31

The line of bolts just right of Echidna (sharing the first bolt).

1. 40m (19) Sustained, 8 bolts. Its possible to climb the route just on bolts but if you want to fill in the gaps take some some small cams and wires. Originally done on 5 bolts. Belay at the good ledge to the right of Echidna with double bolt anchors and twist shackles. Rap possible with double ropes.

2. 45m (15). Slab to the right of Echidna. Climb up over the short wall onto the slab and up past two bolts (run out, possible to place a cam in a pocket). Follow the right-trending shallow slab/groove to chain belay. Walk off or rap down for more climbing.

Fantastic slab climbing on small edges. Just left of Mind and Body, this route is well equipped with bolts to rap anchors. Some gear is handy at the Zog Traverse (sloping ledge). 35m lower-off - 70m rope required. It is possible to continue up Astradyne or Mind and Body, both of which are run-out with 1 bolt and minimal gear; or up Lepton pitch 4 (nice climbing with good gear).

Start just inside the entrance to Square Gully on the left (North) side. Up the very-open book corner past 4 bolts, staying out of the darker rock of Jack of Diamonds. Pull over onto easier ground and up right to belay as for Peter Pan. Gear required above the fourth bolt. 30m rap into gully from a flat-topped boulder near the head of the gully.

A fine addition between No Beans and Roy's Crack. Sustained desperation. Bring your best rubber and lots of draws. There is an anchor station at the top. Double ropes are required for rap.

Batman start. Excellent moves on an overhanging dyke of smooth granite on mostly big holds. 27 or 28.

Batman start. Excellent moves on an overhanging dyke of smooth granite on mostly big holds. 27 or 28.

Up wall past four bolts as for Modern Times to overlap / roof. Clip a bolt on the lip then blast up the headwall on jugs. Double rings to belay and rap.

Now the longest route in the ACT at over 600 metres. An awesome low commitment adventure and perfect on a sunny Winter day.

Start up 'Melmoth' and then reverse 'The Girdle Traverse: Extended Dance Mix' all the way to join 'Hermes' and up this route then climb the scrubby gully and some 4th Class scrambling above to top out at the summit of the mountain.

The First Ascent was done mainly simul climbing in 4 huge pitches but it can be done in as many pitches as you need or are comfortable with as there are many options along the way for belays.

Now the longest route in the ACT at over 600 metres. An awesome low commitment adventure and perfect on a sunny Winter day.

Start up 'Melmoth' and then reverse 'The Girdle Traverse: Extended Dance Mix' all the way to join 'Hermes' and up this route then climb the scrubby gully and some 4th Class scrambling above to top out at the summit of the mountain.

The First Ascent was done mainly simul climbing in 4 huge pitches but it can be done in as many pitches as you need or are comfortable with as there are many options along the way for belays.

Start on the block above the third pitch of Determinant, or at DBB level with the start of the crack.

1. 20m (18) Up the left crack on the left side of the buttress to DBB as for Yellow Brick Road. (Once upon a time, this was YBR).

2. 40m (20) Initially as for Yellow Brick Road to second bolt, then go left to a third bolt. Straight up from here.

Up Jacob, then onto the slab and straight up past two bolts to a reachy crux and lower-off.

A comparatively direct and well-protected route up the left side of the central slabs. Take a light rack and plenty of quickdraws. Start 20m left of Outer Limit, just left of the access rope for the Snickers Wall ledge.

1. 20m (16) Easily up the broken slab past a few bolts to belay next to a 2m spike below a corner.

2. 25m (20) Straight up the fused corner past a few bolts until the overlap. Through the overlap at the jug (good gear), stand up and clip a bolt. Slab up then right to DBB as for 'Outer Limit' P1.

3. 15m (18) Directly and carefully up from the belay on holds and scoops (as for 'Jubilate Direct Start'; small wires provide protection four metres up). Continue to the upper ramp. Right along this to DBB.

4. 40m (19 or 21) Step right and up the short corner, then traverse left again above the belay to your choice of two variants - right (B1, 21) or left (B2, 19). B1 and B2 merge after about 15m. Either way slab up, trending slightly right following the bolts, until you reach a DBB. From here go horizontally right to the last pitch of Outer Limit, or continue up and right another 8m to a second DBB, directly below the start of Dry Route. Finish up Rooty Hill, Dry Route or Outer Limit. B1 variant has a direct start: step left and crank up from the belay past a bolt (pre-clip from the belay), and continue up B1.

An obvious line that looks a bit unpleasant and menacing. Surprisingly steep for the Northern Slabs.

Start 25m left of Picnic at a thin crack in a slab beneath a small overhang.

Up crack to overlap, climb overlap then either right or left to surmount the small overhang. Continue up the slab to the start of Aquanaut. Either finish up Aquanaut or scramble left along the vegetated ramp to return to the base of the cliff.

Start just inside the entrance to Square Gully on the right-hand side. Up the vertical face for five metres. A hard move to pull over onto the slab, up the slab then vertical wall with sloping ramp. A tricky move to exit the face onto the top of the slab above. Head left up the slab to finish at the same anchor as African Walking Tree. 30m rap to ground.

The second longest route in the ACT, and one of the longest in Australia. Probably just less than 500 metres, but potential over that if you get lost along the way.

The description for this is basically as per "The Girdle Traverse", but add a lot more climbing to the end to make the route traverse the Northern Buttress in its entirety.

Traverses the 'North Buttress' from right to left at a fairly even standard, if you don't get lost... (see various topos). Start below the prominent chimney of 'Roderick' ('Cave wall' lower tier).

When the Original traverse gets to "Denethor" continue traversing left across the Northern Slabs past the second rap station of "Counterbalance" ", the second last belay of "Equilibrium", the last belay of "Hands Free", then traverse an unknown line left under an overlap to join "Sunstroke" halfway through its last pitch, continue left and finish up the last pitch of "Drunken Delight".

This was done in a bunch of mostly rope stretching 50+ metre pitches, in 10 pitches in total. It could be done in many other pitch combinations so just follow your nose and belay wherever seems appropriate for you.

It may be a girdle link up, BUT this makes for a stellar day out on a great wall and is the closest thing to a big wall free route that you could hope for in the ACT. Well worth a long, fun day out!

Will this sporty route re-ignite the slab-climbing craze of Booroomba's heyday? Try it yourself to find out. Start 25m left of 'Closer In'. Do some pull-ups on a nearby tree to warm up for the first-move crux.

1. 12m (22) Up the slab past three bolts to a large bushy ledge. Belay at the tree.

2. 25m (21) Boulder past the first bolt then crimpy slabbing up the wall above, using the black flake right of the bolts for a few metres then back left. 10 bolts. Double bolt belay on the main traverse ledge.

3. 54m (19) Up easily past two bolts then up the corner to the right (gear), crossing Jubilate and joining the start of Space Waltz. Crux move past the bolt up and left off the ledge, then follow comfy positive flakes up the steep slab. When the bolts run out head straight up to double bolt belay at the back of the recess. 10 bolts.

A derivative route cooked up by Jamie and Oliver that combines a direct start to A Little Dab'll Do Ya with a continuation up the headwall to the right of Integral (six bolts plus gear).

Start 2m right of Integral. Up past a bolt to join ALDDY at the gear placements right of Integral. Follow ALDDY past another bolt and up the slab above. Follow the line of least resistance and most gear to the right and then back left to the first bolt on the headwall. Up past three more bolts.

First ascent done with supplementary gear in Integral to make it to the headwall - another bolt now removes the need for this.

The headwall can also be climbed independently by starting from the base of Dangermouse and traversing left to the line of bolts.

Start as for Jubilate.

1. 45m (18) – Up a short crack to a bushy ramp (optional tree belay here). Up the flaky corner right of the belay tree. Continue straight up where it divides to gain the right-trending v-corner. Jam, grovel or bridge your way up this. Exit onto the slab and up past two bolts to trad belay out right. Variant, better but harder: start up Double Canasta to the ledge.

2. 55m (21) – Up the rounded wall past two bolts to a scoopy ledge (gear). Head up and right to a shallow vertical layback flake. Exit the top of this (crux, bolt) to reach better holds. Follow your nose up and slightly right to eventually join ‘Closer In’ at the top of the pitch. Nine bolts all up.

Has an entertaining and unusual move in each pitch.

Start at the 2nd belay of Equilibrium.

1. 18m - Step left 4m and climb the corner in the overlap (as for Tachyon). Spot the thin flake on the next overlap, at about 1 o'clock. Easily up the slab to belay near the flake.

2. 14m - Climb the very thin slightly overhanging flake (strenuous) to the higher slab. Move right along the top edge of the flake for about 5m then up the third overlap to belay. Watch out for loose rock above the last overlap. Pitches can be combined but rope drag can be a problem.

Update (2019): the top of the flake on P2 is cracked and likely will come off with a big tug.

1. 35m - Up Liz for 35m to small ledge on left.

2. 10m - Up weakness on left, then up & right to short, steep corner.

Start as for Boy's Brigade to the good holds on the traverse then take the water streak straight up, following the bolts, for a muscle fatiguing experience. A desperate direct start past one bolt awaits an ascent.

An excellent direct climb up the slabs and headwall. Start left of the pillar of 'Closer In' and just right of 'Space Wasted', directly below bolts in blankness. The third pitch could now be one of the best at Booroomba.

1. 45m (23) – An initial delicate slab crux then enjoyable climbing following the bolts straight up to double-bolt anchor.

2. 50m (21) – Straight up the slab, crossing 'Closer In' at about 25m, and continue up the water-streak just left of the lichen. Move slightly right near the top, up a small pleasant vertical wall on good edges to an anchor below the orange corner of 'Space Wasted'.

3. 40m (24) – Up the impressive overhanging orange corner on good gear, as for 'Space Wasted'. Continue straight up the open-book corner, with more great climbing up to a bolt. Bust out right and transition from dangling to slabbing. Continue up to a second bolt, follow the left-trending flake on good holds (brilliantly exposed) above, then straight up to DBB.

The right leaning off-width 2m right of Punk.

The chimney 3m left of Magnum Force.

From the 3rd belay on Denethor, move past the start to the Ivory Coast crack, then follow the rising, featured scoop with good gear, to the barren slab. Straight up the steepening slab to shallow grooves and the large flake for some welcome protection. Around right or over the flake to the top.

The right leaning chimney capped by a large chockstone.

The flared hand crack in the alcove 30m down hill from Magnum Force.

Start as for Modern Times, at the edge of the boulder above the belay. Clip the first bolt on Modern Times. Step left past a second bolt, then up the vague open-book corner past some gear. Up the blunt arete past another bolt then more easily to the top.

Start 5m left and down from the start of Incisor just right of the arete. Climb up through two horizontal breaks then up left around the arete to finish more easily up a groove to the belay for Incisor/Indecision. It is well protected with natural gear.

The bolts just to the left of Cakes and Ale. Shares anchors with Cakes and Ale.

The crag warm-up on nicely featured rock. From Crackers head right 20m, round the next bolted arete and across the small gully.

The arete right of Crackers.

A balancy, exposed climb unfortunately marred by too much lichen. Start at the 2nd belay of 'Bird of Prey'. Take long slings to reduce rope drag.

Move left from the belay, then up and right to the slab above the belay. Climb right below the overlap then down and around the prow and up the slab until it’s possible to pull up left onto the higher slab. Easier climbing diagonally left to join Ephemeros at the 2nd belay (about 20m away).

Two blocks right of High Roller is a good bolted route up the disappearing flake (gear to start).