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The Bastille

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Description

The high north facing cliff, clearly visible from the Threlfal loop track which has a lookout opposite on top of 'The Fortress'.

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Access issues inherited from Upper Gara Gorge

Gara gorge is part of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and access is open:

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/Oxley-Wild-Rivers-National-Park

Approach

Can be approached ground up from the river however, the base can be quite a weedy bush bash.

WALK IN: From the Gara car park, head south passing Tank Boulder and Crack Boulder crossing Powers Creek. Cross a gate at roughly -30.603763, 151.796476 and follow the fence line crossing another two smaller creeks. Continue following the fence line crossing another gate at roughly -30.604498, 151.802941. Continue following the fence line south passing another small creek. Once past the creek trend slightly south east towards the scramble in at roughly -30.607105547, 151.808515127 or head towards the top of the cliff for the rap in.

DRIVE IN: This access requires land owner's permission, instructions for same are on the description of 'Dome Wall'. After you turn north at the cattle yards keep heading north through another gate. Follow dual track until you get to a dam at roughly -30.609010, 151.804565, then turn east just before it continuing for another 300m and park at a set of large boulders at -30.60833672 151.80759513. Walk another 200m north east to the top of the cliff.

If it is your first time visiting it would be better to rap in via the top of the cliff and scramble out as the scramble in can be difficult to find on your first visit.

To rap in find a pair of rings at the top of the cliff above Chicks Dig Scars, do a very short rap onto the ledge directly above Chicks Dig Scars and then rap again off either the Chicks Dig Scars anchor (east side) or another anchor above Green Jam (west side).

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Ethic inherited from Upper Gara Gorge

Basically, the climbers of Armidale are a pretty laid back, free thinking group and as long as you don’t go out of your way to put people’s noses out of joint you’ll be amazed at how helpful they can be. The quickest way to piss people off is by ripping off projects. There are a few devoted locals making an effort and putting up quality new climbs. A lot of time, hard work and even money goes into their endeavours (cracks can be projects too) and there is too much unclimbed rock around to justify destroying someone else’s motivation. Any routes marked as such or not in the guide should be left alone. The simple courtesy of asking first may save you from being stripped naked and being staked out for the crows to pick your eyes out. If putting up new routes is your thing then please feel free. The only request is that you avoid placing hangers or conspicuous bolts around the Gara Boulders as we are already viewed as an environmental menace by the NPWS - bolting in National Parks is actually illegal.

Tags

Some content has been provided under license from: © University of New England Outdoor Club (Creative Commons - Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike)

Routes

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Grade Route

Most of the routes start from the "Sundeck" which is a large ledge system which can be accessed from the right side of the cliff (facing the cliff).

Start: at the right-hand end of the Sundeck, just left of the large chimney / gully. Take five brackets and a range of wires.

Wires to the first BR and between first and second bolt, then bolts to top. Bridging and wall climbing with a chimney to finish off. 2 bolt belay next to tree.

FA: Al Stephens & Paul Bayne, 1992

FFA: Al Stephens & Mark Colyvan, 1992

Start: The scalloped wall 8m left of “The Jaws of Life”.

Use short shallow corner to get established on the wall. Up past three bolts to friends in horizontal break, then two more bolts to bolt belay on ledge and a chain just above your head, around the roof.

FA: Paul Bayne & Al Stephens, 1992

Lovely hand size corner crack with a mix of laybacking and jamming to DBB on ledge.

FA: Michael Moore & Benji Dutaillis, 21 Jun 2022

10m right of CDS, hand/fist size crack with a deceptively steep and pumpy boulder finish to DBB

FA: Evan Patrick & Michael Moore, 11 Jun 2022

Start just left of GJ, mainly using the big crack until traversing left to mantle the ledge. Some delicate moves gain a good stance before the crux, fire out a very thin crux then head slightly left over the lip to DBB.

FFA: Michael Moore, 28 Apr 2023

About 30 - 40m left of Deep Thought is a buttress with a prominent lean headwall that starts about 15m up from the ledge. There are two obvious lines on this - a thin crack, which is Chicks Dig Scars (27), and a thin bolted face - this is No Frills (29).

Excellent finger crack to DBB at top of cliff. Mostly finger-sized gear, but some big cams (#4+) are essential to protect the first hard moves. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kandk/4117216050/in/photostream/

FA: Kyle Dunsire, 2001

Maint: May 2022

Start: The arête at the left end of the Buttress, before the big chimney corner. Start up the arête, trending right past the hangers to the horizontal break (big friend). Step up and power up the yellow streak past more hangers to lower-off under the block.

FA: Andreas Audetat, 1996

A more direct finish to the original route. The chimney left of No Frills.

From the top of Geronimo pitch 3. go directly up the off-width squeeze chimney, to some mank, then up crack on right to bulge. Through bulge and on to top.

As for the direct.

From the mank, before the route goes right up the crack, go diagonally left and up to belay at trees on top.

Start: 8m right of the scary step-around (which is where the original last pitch of Geronimo goes up over the blocks) on the Sundeck, left of the Geronimo direct chimney. A flake crack.

Easily up little flake crack, then short easy wall with horizontal breaks to ledge below hanging flake / spike. Clip first B. R. then layback spike past another B.R. before stepping onto easy slab. Up easy slabby to overhanging corner crack, a couple of metres left of the alternate finish to Geronimo. Jamb this to the top.

FA: Al Stephens & Matt Rizzuto, 1998

Best approached from top, skirting around the top around 80m dropping down about onto a dirtier left, then rapping in from anchors above 'Innocence' or 'Youth beauty fame'.

It can also be accessed from river level by scrambling directly up underneath it, starting behind the man made cave, and with a very easy 10m pitch to get you onto the Innocence ledge.

An absolute classic, best of its grade in New England!

Start: The obvious water streak that cuts a curving crack/flake at 2/3 height. Nicest is to rap in, or traverse about 30m down left along the narrow ledge from "C'mon everybody", or if approaching from the river climb an easy short pitch directly under it.

Take five brackets and a rack of cams. Straight up blocks to water streak. Up this, through overlap and up the easy finish. Belay off hangers.

FFA: Ed Sharpe & Brian Birchall, 1991

FA: Al Stephens, Ed Sharpe, L.Dixon, P.Horne & J.Deckin, 1991

Maint: 16 Jul 2023

Starts on the left side of the grassy ledge, about 2-3m right off innocence. Up trending right linking into 'Impunity' at the 4th hanger.

FA: Brendan Heywood & Michael Moore, 10 Sep 2023

Starts in the middle of the ledge above and right of the start of Innocence.

Juggy slab climbing trending left through 3 hangers, then through horizontal break (#3 or #4), then second break (#1) and finish up the last 4m of Innocence (optional #1).

Start as for 'Impunity' but splits after the first bolt. Up the small water streak then trend right through a sea of jugs, over the ledge and then up the short chimney feature.

FA: Brendan Heywood & Michael Moore, 10 Sep 2023

These routes are accessed by abseiling in from the Sundeck.

Start: On the ledge on the right-hand side of the giant block. Abseil in off the trees about 20m left of Deep Thought. Take a #4 friend and six brackets.

Up the strenuous layback, around the roof to the top of the block, then up the slabby wall and belay right back on trees.

FA: Al Stephens & Patrick Lemders, 1992

Start: In the descent gully aprox. 10m right of Geronimo and directly below the tree and ledge where the original route starts. Abseil or walk in.

Up the short poorly protected wall, going slightly leftwards then back right to the ledge and tree. Up as for original route.

FA: Mark Colyvan & Bas Van Fraassen, 1993

Start: Below the left side of the giant flake / block.

  1. 20m. Diagonally right up crack and pull onto ledge.

  2. 16m. Easily right across ledge and up jamb-crack.

  3. 13m. Up crack on left then up scalloped wall to large ledge with trees (the Sundeck).

  4. 30m. Left along ledge over blocks, to offwidth and into flaring roof (crux) then up to trees at top.

FA: Richard Curtis, Brian Birchall & Joe Friend, 1978

Starts on a DBB on a ledge left of end the first pitch of Geronimo.

Up first short slab to ledge, onto the right leaning rail and then step out onto the face with care. Up through a sea of jugs, pinches and sidepulls uncharacteristic for gara. DBB belay.

FA: Michael Moore & Brendan Heywood, 8 Sep 2022

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