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Lunar Walls

  • Grade context: AU
  • Ascents: 42
23

Seasonality

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Access issues inherited from Eastern Mt Difficult Range

The Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan, Map 4C, shows that climbing is currently permitted (Nov 2022) on the following crags: Syria, Lebanon (including Hezbollah), Pine Wall and Lunar Walls.

The status of the other crags in this area, including one of the best ones between the permitted climbing areas of Lebanon and Pine Wall, i.e. The Promised Land, is unclear.

Approach

Drive 8.7km from Halls Gap along the Halls Gap/Mt Zero Road. (MAP) Turn left into rough dirt road and follow this to T junction (4WD required). Turn left and drive aprox. 300m along this road past a small creek crossing and park. If you don't have a 4WD take care when parking, the edges of the track are very soft and you WILL get bogged. Bush bash uphill following the pink tape markers for 10 minutes to base of Lower Lunar Crag. To reach the upper cliffs walk to far right of the lower cliff and upwards to obvious big red cave. If you don't have a 4WD walking time is aprox 25min.

Ethic inherited from Grampians

Grampians / Gariwerd access issues have emerged (2019) due to potential risk to the environment and cultural sites. Climbers need to be aware that there are significant Aboriginal sites in the Grampians, especially in cave areas. Please take time to understand the access situation. Leave no trace and climb responsibly.

Please note that due to the fact that the Grampians is a National Park, dogs and other pets are not allowed in the park except in vehicles on sealed roads and in sealed car parks.

===Cliffcare Climber’s Code===

  • Find out about and observe access restrictions and agreements.

  • Use existing access tracks to minimise erosion - keep to hard ground & rock surfaces.

  • Do not disturb nesting birds or other wildlife.

  • Protect all native vegetation, especially at the base of cliffs. Wire brushing to remove mosses and 'gardening' in cracks and gullies is not permitted. Use slings to protect trees while belaying or abseiling if belay anchors are not provided.

  • Respect sites of geological, cultural, or other scientific interest. Do NOT develop new climbs in or near Cultural Heritage sites.

  • Chalk has high visual impact - minimise your use of it. Parks Victoria have requested the use of coloured chalk in Gariwerd.

  • Minimise the placement of fixed equipment, especially where Trad gear is available. Respect any "no bolting" areas.

  • Do not leave any rubbish - take it home with you.

  • Dispose of human waste in a sanitary manner (bury, or even better pack it out). Do not pollute water supplies.

  • Off-road driving is illegal in Gariwerd.

  • Keep campsites clean, and do not light campfires outside of official metal fire pits.

For more detailed information visit https://www.cliffcare.org.au/education

History

History timeline chart

Discovered in 1998 by Neil Monteith. This was the first crag he discovered and bolted at in Victoria.

Tags

Routes

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Grade Route

80m left of PM. Two move wonder. Up wall on edges to bulging smooth section. Desperatly up this on small crimpers to juggy top. Top-rope only.

Set: Heath Black, 1998

Deep crack/groove up left side of buttress about 15m right of where cairned track climbs through lower cliff to upper cliff. Up wide crack [loose rock], then crack through bulge, traverse right to middle of buttress and up.

FA: Jerry Maddox & Philip Armstrong, 2006

Three metres right of Moonee Valley, wide shallow groove up front of buttress. Up groove on suspect rock to bulge, right up diagonal line to ledge, up short crack, bulge and face to top.

FA: Philip Armstrong & Christopher Armstrong, 2006

Buttress about 20m right of Moonee Ponds has a hanging corner on its front. Up to and up corner.

FA: Jeremy Maddox & John Bohills, 2006

Left arête of buttress 4m right of Blinded By The Moon. Arête past FH to ledge. Move right to parallel thin cracks, up these then back left above bulge to finish up middle of buttress.

FA: Philip Armstrong & Jeremy Maddox, 2006

Enjoyable, sustained and well protected climbing. Buzz Aldrin and the next two routes are all on an attractive buttress of good rock 5m right of Mare Crisium [and about 30m left of Pommy On The Moon]. Start at the lefthand toe of the buttress. Seam to bulge. Up and right over bulge. Step back left and up seam to ledge below overhang. Short [roped] pitch to top or abseil off pillar.

FA: Philip Armstrong, Jeremy Maddox, John Bohills & Christopher Armstrong, 2006

Immediately right of Buzz Aldrin. Follow right leading weakness over first bulge then step left and up central seams.

FA: Philip Armstrong & Peter Cody, 2006

Three metres right of Michael Collins. Up orange groove and crack through bulge. Up to next bulge, step left and pull through bulge. Take top bulge at seam near right arête.

FA: Philip Armstrong & Peter Cody, 2006

Climbs the highest and nicest part of the lower wall. Up wide crack to ledge. Up line in loose slab to nice orange rock. Climb right side of this to big break (#4 cam) then crank up bulging thin line above on small wires to top and tree belay.

FA: Heath Black & Mat Shears (UK), 1998

Short buttress at far righthand end of cliff with a distinctive closed flake up its right front. Nice climbing but fiddly to protect [it is worth finding and placing the one good small wire that goes in the flake around half height].

FA: Philip Armstrong, Jerry Maddox & Peter Cody, 2006

The first four routes are located on the tall buttress at right side of crag. A single FH backed up with SLCD's and small wires services the belay on the summit. Scramble down the back.

Easy slab with good protection at the far right side of Left Side Lunar Crag. Step off block and up to top of 'pillar' with a single FH for belay. Downclimb the northern side of the pillar to descend.

FA: Heath Black & Mat Shears (UK), 1998

Pleasant slab. Start just down left of Apollo at a small pillar.Up the pillar, then continue up just left of the arete.

FA: Wayne Maher, Melanie McIntosh, James McIntosh & Peter Cunningham, 1998

Thin face with two FH's. Hard moves are located in the bottom half. The top half is technically easy but hard to protect.

Set: Heath Black

FA: Paul Christoffersen, Heath Black & Nick McKinnon, 1998

Climb groove at left arete of the Lost in Space Pillar until about 8m above the ground, step right then up the left edge of the wall.

FA: Peter Cunningham, James McIntosh, Wayne Maher & Derek Vissor, 1998

3m left of LL. Diagonal crack in right wall of gully left of Lunar Lander. The finish is dirty.

FA: Chris Baxter & Geoff Gledhill, 2000

The slab just left of Falun Gong. Start in the centre of this on a ledge below two cracks forming a V. Climb cracks to a narrow ledge then slab (crux) to another narrow ledge. Follow the flake then up slightly right to a larger ledge with tree. Marginal protection makes for engaging climbing.

FA: David Jupp & Matthew Jones, 2000

The next climbs are 5m left on a textured grey wall. A rap station is situated above Sea of Tranquility.

Surmount bulge at start then up to break. Hard moves in shallow corner (FH) lead to a juggy overhang. Over this then upwards to belay ledge.

Set: Heath Black

FA: Paul Christoffersen, Nick McKinnon & Heath Black, 1998

2m left of ZG. Start as for Sea of Tranquility but heads up and right to FH. Up hard wall then twin seams above keeping left of Zero Gravity. A bit contrived.

Thin start with limited protection to break then more hard moves to seam and jugs. Up reachy bulgy wall to rap station on ledge.

Thin start with limited protection to break then more hard moves to seam and jugs. Up reachy bulgy wall to rap station on ledge.

3m left of ST. Great seam and face on left side of the wall. From large block step across to crack and motor up this to blank section. Over this (crux) then up to jugs. Into faint corner (FH) and up to break. Step right and climb bulge and sloping face to top. Rap off anchors above Sea of Tranquility.

FA: Heath Black & Matt Shears, 1998

2m left of CC. Tricky moves up the closed obvious corner for eight metres then bridge up to roof passing a FH. Jam left across crack and around to corner. Jam up this to top. Bring heaps of wires for this classic grunt fest.

FA: Heath Black, Poul Christofferson & Thomas Wimmer, 1999

The following route is found on a black wall about 60m left of Mercury.

Thin layback flake on ledge up and right of main wall. Finish up blocks to tree belay.

FA: Heath Black & Poul Christofferson, 1999

40m left of Cosmonaut Flake is a small creek. The next route is on the wall on the right side of the creek.

On the left side of the wall. Up overhung start on jugs to FH. Tricky balancy moves on crimpers leads to second FH. Step left onto arete and crimp up on layaways to good holds. Upwards to sloping ledge (cams). Surmount overhang on jugs to ledge. Up over next overhang on limited protection but excellent rock.

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Steve Toal

Date: 2019

The Central Grampians Comprehensive Guide books are the most extensive climbing guide to the Grampians. With two volumes they cover the popular areas but also many of which have never been in print before.

Volume 1 of the Central Grampians guide covers the North and East regions and features over 1400 routes spread over 124 crags. Painstakingly put together by Steve Toal, his guides have now become the go-to for climbers for the area.

Author(s): Steve Toal

Date: 2019

The Central Grampians Comprehensive Guide books are the most extensive climbing guide to the Grampians. With two volumes they cover the popular areas but also many of which have never been in print before.

Volume 2 of the Central Grampians guide covers the West and South regions and features over 970 routes spread over 55 crags. Painstakingly put together by Steve Toal, his guides have now become the go-to for climbers for the area.

Author(s): Simon Madden, Ross Taylor, David Peason and Taylor Parsons

Date: 2016

ISBN: 9780646955544

"Australia's premier bouldering destination! The new 2016 Edition Grampians Boulder guide authored by Simon Madden, Ross Taylor, David Peason and Taylor Parsons. It contains more than 1300 problems which is double the original guide. Heaps of new information on established areas as well as the inclusion of plenty of boulders and crags not published before. It also features update idiot proof layout and expanded history and culture notes. Get one and start cranking!"

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