Routes as trad in Orchidview Terrace

Double ropes advised.

Start at right hand end of the ‘Orchid View Terrace’ below a curving, fingery layback crack.

1. Climb over the first huge orchid patch taking care not to damage it and up the layback to exit left at the top. Traverse about 6m left then straight up to a one metre high flake and continue up to bulges. Left around rib to semi-hanging belay.

2. Traverse Right, then awkwardly up onto a large ledge and then, at its right hand end up to a second ledge and a Kurrajong tree.

3. Scramble to the top ... carefully!

(This was the scene of a near death experience for the first ascentionists when Curtis, scrambling up the easy exit, dislodged a block the size of a small fridge which trashed both ropes and missed Oddie’s head by about half a metre, hitting the Kurrajong tree to which he was belayed before disappearing into the void.)

Approach by abseil from the point where the cliff starts to lose height at the downstream end. Abseil to a terrace with a diagonal ramp/corner crack at it’s right-hand end. NB. The position of the climb on the topo may not be reliable.

1. approx. 35m Climb the corner to an awkward rest where it eases to vertical. Make a difficult move back into the line and continue to the top.