North-West Mt Difficult Range Guide

A bit loose or as Bangla would say "This is the worst route I have ever seconded." Midway betwen 'Spectre' and the right hand end of the cliff is a small descent gully. This route is 10m right of this.

One of the major lines of the cliff. Sustained climbing on excellent rock. Starts 400m left of the creek at good looking clean corner.

1. 18m (21) The corner to the small roof, left around this and onto the ledge.

2. 30m (21) Move the belay 3m right to below the continuation of the corner. Through the roof (bolt) and up the corner to the top.

Approximately 40m left of Spectre is a left-ward rising ramp.

1. 35m Head up the ramp and over the bulge, then climb the left-leaning corner to belay under the short chimney.

2. 30m Climb the chimney a short distance, then go up the right arete of the gully.

From the creek follow the cliff along past a cave (20 minutes) and the first major descent gully (10 minutes) to a prominent left curving corner and roof line. This can (apparently) be seen from the camp site.

1. 30m (18) Surmount the initial overhang and move along the ledge to below the line. Follow the left curving corner line to a stance below the second (upper) roofs.

2. 20m (18) Traverse left 3m, then move up to a break in the ceiling above. Right around through this to the top. (Exit gully on the left.)

The MAJOR line 8m left of 'Spectre'. Incomplete aid scarefest (of choss) and not recommended. Full aid rack required including hooks, pitons - anything goes.

1. 15m (14 M1) Scramble up first few metres to reach overhung thin crack. Up and over this to wide crack which turns into a protectionless chossy easy corner. Arrive at sloping ledge and single bolt belay. If you are sane rap off here with skull intact.

2. 17m (10 M6) OK - you asked for it. Incomplete. Out left and up overhung wall on poor quality rock, trying to make anything hold your weight. After 8m of sketchy rubbish a thin crack appears which quickly disintegrates as quickly as it appeared. A real crack arrives courtesy of a large loose block, which moves alarmingly when gear is put behind it. Neil ripped four pieces in a row here, placed a bolt and rapped off vowing never to return. The loose block should be treated with extreme caution. It effectively blocks further progress unless another aid bolt is placed on the blank wall to the side.

Follow the main track for about 5-600m past 'Gale Force' until about 30-50 metres past the creek. Takes left-hand side of prominent. 5 FH and1ring (sticking way out), lead right through steep moves until you reach the easier face above (lots of natural pro). DBB/rings lower off Approx 25m to ground.

Hard to see why anyone would bother. Start at rap anchor of 'He who walks through Shallow Water'. Move left about 6-8 metres along large ledge to obvious crack around 2-3m from far LH end. up this with difficulty to very easy ground above.

Start: Shares the start of 'He who walks through shallow water' until #9 nut, then traverses left past steep thin moves past 3rd FH into scoop. Up and left out of this to easier ground and DBB. Move right on large ledge to Abseil station. Not as sustained as 'He who walks through shallow water'

Good fun steep wall climbing.

Start: Start approximately 200m left of Strutting Through The Stratosphere and about 150m left of the big roof that marks the aid route Hard Day's Night at an attractive looking orange & black wall above a white arrow on the walking track.

Remarkably overhung off-width chimney a few metres left of 'Birthday Suit'

The right-facing corner 18 metres left of 'The Hard Days Night'.

10m left of HDN, not the world's best route but a filler at the end of the day. A few bolts, rps and big cam.

Distinctive crack aided through bulges.

Initialled flaring crack starting from terrace above the track. Rap off.

Start immediately right of 'Entree Direct Start', marked with a square 2m up. use tree to gain face via tricky move then up wall above

Good easy fun. At the end of orange overhanging wall, 6m above track and 9m right of Entree DS. Up wall then right into corner.

Worthless gully 6 metres left of 'Vee Line'.

A definite V corner 30m left of Ke Bab. Great, sustained first pitch followed by experiential squeeze through big roof over chockstones. With any luck, there'll be something to rap off or meander to the top.

Up wall on P1 to gorgeous, featured arete on P2. The second pitch has historically been given grade 22: this was an error and it turns out that it's actually about grade 17.

1. 15m (22) Clip the rusty carrot then move gingerly up flake that offers little protection. Pass another two carrots before reaching double carrot belay.

2. 35m (17) A rightwards rising traverse gains the heavily featured blunt arete. Keep pulling on flakes past a bolt before reaching a terrace with a bunch of tat at its left end (~45m rap to ground).

3. 25m (-)

Because P2 is easier (and more memorable) than P1, if you'd rather do two pitches at a more similar grade and style, a good option is to start up Procrastination for a few metres before doing a rising traverse to the left, at about grade 19. This will land you at the double carrot belay at the end of P1.

Obvious crack 5m left of Ke Bab.

Varied and sustained climbing. A 5-inch cam is useful at the technical crux even though it's not an off-width move and multiple 4-inch cams are handy on the wide flake. 40 metre abseil from top of flake. Best to lower the ropes inside the crack and start the abseil down the crack - throwing the ropes over the outside of the flake risks them catching on the opposite buttress and lands you in the middle of the unpleasant vegetation at the foot of the gully

Nice looking wall with three bolts and sling anchor (which will inevitably need replacing). The start of this route has shed many holds, and the first two carrots have been overdriven such that getting a bolt plate onto them is a real crux.

Deep, dark and dank cleft to get lost in 40m left of Kabana

Easy slab left of mossy corner (Kabana direct) then back into line.

Mossy corner 16m left of B.

Deep flaring crack 15m left of QB

Climbs fragile face between Beeline and Bumble Variant. Climb wall almost anywhere until roof, which is taken at the obvious notch. Continue directly past blank bit to a good ledge. Abseil off horn.

Loose and poorly protected route up the proud arête right of Queen Bee. Pitches of 25m, 25m 15m. Start up Guillotine then move left onto the face. Back right at around 25 to 30m to belay in corner. Horizontally left onto arête proper, straight up to ledge. Bail here to avoid further complications. Traverse down and across to major ledge, rap from tree on Queen Bee.

Pleasant climbing on sound rock. Starts at faint initials BV, about 8m right of Beeline and 7m left of Queen Bee.

1. Climb the crack past the tree to where the crack runs out. Traverse diagonally right to a good ledge.

2. (crux) Traverse left to the obvious flake. Delightful climbing up the flake brings jugs to hand which lead to a big bushy ledge. Move left to Beeline.

An excellent climb that gets progressively harder. It starts at the overhung flake 6m left of SB.

1. 46m (10) Up rounded features to join the crack system, to belay on ledge above a tricky move

2. 20m (17) Move up, then right into finger crack, before gaining a ledge. Traverse left on this - with poor feet - to the flake. Belay at the left end of the ledge. This pitch has long been given the grade 15. It deserves an upgrade seeing that it is far more pumpy than any of the 18s at this crag!

3. 15m (12) As for 'Beeline'

Corner on other side of buttress, about 18 metres left of 'Guillotine'. Initialled.

Cliff-splitting chimney on left side of grey wall. about 30 metres left of where the track hits the cliff.

Be warned that pitch 2 has a very long (25m) runout and a dodgy piton runner has to be placed on lead on the crux pitch. Start at the left of two flake-lines about 15 metres left of where the track meets the cliff.

1. 15m (20) Flake and slab past a carrot bolt (located a few metres left of arete) to ledge and carrot bolt.

2. 42m (17) Up left from belay for about 8 metres, past carrot bolt at 4 metres then traverse right to below the prominent left-hand crack. Up crack and traverse right to belay behind big detached flake.

3. 28m (21) Traverse back left to base of left-hand crack. Up this (peg runner needed but not in place. FA hand-placed and tied-off a long-dong nut tool), passing the bulge above on its left side. Up face next to arete to roof, step left around arete to belay on the ledge above the corner.

4. 12m Finish as for 'Nostalgia'

First pitch is excellent and many parties abseil from that point. The route 'Up, Up and Away' was essentially a repeat of this climb. Start: 10 metres above ground-level where the track first meets the cliff.

1. 35m (18) Up past big blocks and flakes then thin seam. When the seam finishes, continue straight up, to the bolted belay just next to gumtree. This pitch is technically only 17 but the protection can be sparse.

2. 27m (17) Shift the belay a few metres left behind the big flake to below the right-hand of two crack-lines. Climb this crack then make a leftward rising traverse past the arete. Step around this arete to base of a big chimney.

3. 12m (17) Up the right-hand line in the chimney-gully and up a short, overhanging jam crack

Esay line 5 metres left of 1st pitch to base of shallow corner.

Every pitch is good, with the third being particularly intimidating. Takes the slab and flakes 15 metres right of where the track meets the cliff, 5 metres left of 'Abseil Gully'.

1. 30m (20) The grey slab past 2 bolts to base of shallow, right-facing corner at 12 metres. Up to horizontal traverse line coming in from right and move right 3-4 metres to belay.

2. 30m (22) Move back left to the line and go up until the corner ends at a small roof. Swing around left onto the slab and DBB.

3. 20m (22) Step up right, then straight up steeply until 5-6 metres above belay and the first runners in horizontal. Tend right and up to gain the rising left line. Follow this line around the bulge to the ramp and easier ground above.

Start as for 'Rollmop' in 'Abseil Gully' and up the slab just right of the wide crack for 5 metres or so then out left onto the wall left of 'Rollmop' and up the line to the horizontal fault of the first belay of 'Mission To Mars'.

Jump for a jug and continue up steep wall.

Start: Start approximately 10 metres along the left-hand side of the boulder.

Right arete of cave with sit-start

Reverse lowest break from right to join 'Godel Traverse' and continue left. Optional extra : go back along 'Godel Traverse'.

Up and right to break, right along break, up to next break, up to next break, right to gully.

Start: Start at 'Easy Arete'

Sit-start a metre or two right of "Pumping Station". Slopes, right to jug, up to shallow twin pockets, right to arete.

On the L side of the cliff is a small but prominent buttress. The small hanging corner and roof at the front of this buttress. Up corner to roof [amazing pockets in LH wall]. Step R to arete and up to next roof. Step R, pull though roof and then boldly up on rounded holds to top. Scramble of L from back of buttress.

The top pitch is the main attraction. The final hand traverse is a beauty.

Start: On the R side of the 'Copacabana' buttress about 2m up from a yellow square.

1. 25m (-) Up to and up the big leaning crack to the ramp then move 5m up L to belay.

2. 20m (-) A few moves straight up then tend L to the top of the pillar.

3. 25m (-) Walk back to main cliff then up to a big ledge on the R.

4. 40m (17) Climb the corner to a ledge, up a little then follow the thin crack up R. Up the slab then the sickle to the roof. Hand traverse R into 'Inner Votion'. Up. In the interests of avoiding rope drag and maintaining good communications you might want to split this pitch at the top of the corner or a bit higher below the chimney.

This description is a slight variation on the original route, but done this way the second pitch is longer and even better.

Start: Brandywine, Withywindle and Inner Votion are all in a small amphitheatre up R of Imagination [see photo above]. Scramble up immediately R of Imagination staying on the L until level with a bushy ledge. At the far RH side of the bushy ledge is a steep chimney [Brandywine]. Some people may wish to rope up for this this approach. From the top of these climbs [and Imagination] it is possible to scramble down to the L, eventually descending underneath the big recent rockfall to reach the descent track in the gully.

The steep corner chimney at the RH end of the ledge.

1. 26m (14) Up the chimney to where it narrows. Bridge out around the narrowing (exciting). Up corner to belay on good ledge.

2. 30m (14) Move L past the tree, pull over the bulge and head up on lovely rock to the first crack L of the corner, up this. An utterly delightful pitch.

The start of the traverse on the second pitch is a bit wild. Originally graded 13, I don't know what we were thinking.

Some bits of this have been swapped with 'Brandywine' to improve that climb.

Start: At the chimney referred to in the access details [Brandywine]

1. 28m (18) Up chimney to overhang on the L. Traverse L under the overhang to the arete. Up obvious line of weakness to bushy ledge.

2. 30m (16) Climb bulge behind ledge. Traverse L past bush to the second crack L of the chimney corner. Up to awkward exit.

An alternative to scrambling up the gully. About 10m R of the access gully for 'Brandywine' is a chimney. Up this then broken ground above. Easier than it looks.

The filthy top pitch is best avoided by finishing up 'Brandywine'

Start: Around the rib, 4m R of 'Brandywine'.

1. 32m (12) Up corner crack with some enjoyable jamming. Up chimney crack to ledge.

2. 30m (12) Up wide corner chimney, out and up through bushes and up final short corner chimney. Not pleasant.

A worthless variant on existing routes with about 15m of new climbing, and that is dirty, vegetated and loose. You don't even want to know where it goes.

A grand excursion through intimidating roofs.

Start: The start is marked by a small square 15m left of 'Epaminondas'. With grade 17 traversing required on two pitches, the second climber needs to be every bit as confident and competent as the leader.

1. 40m (10) Up the front of the buttress to a commodious ledge beneath the obvious corner.

2. 30m (17) Up the crack then right to the seam. Follow this to the corner. Climb the corner to the roof then hand-traverse right to a small ledge and semi-hanging belay.

3. 30m (17) Continue up right to an awkward exit into the V-chimney.

Takes in some wonderful airy positions. The first pitch is excellent and the second and third pitches, though not in the same class, aren't bad.

Start: Starts in a little bay in the middle of the wall (initialled).

1. 40m (11) Climb straight up the buttress, the angle easing with height. Belay level with a rightward leading horizontal traverse.

2. 45m (10) Traverse 6m right to a delectable crack which leads up to the overhang. Continue up the line, into and up a small chimney.

3. 15m (-) The chimney to the top.

An interesting excursion which can be split into 2 pitches of around the same grade. Instead of traversing R at the start of P2 of Epaminondas head straight up the obvious crack through the overhang. Continue up and R to the thin R curving crack which joins Epaminondas at the chimney.

Magnificent face climbing up buttress R of 'Epaminondas' that delivers more than appearances would suggest. Pitches one and two are both very good, although the first pitch is undoubtably the highlight. After these 2 pitches it is possible and preferable to move L and finish up 'Epaminondas'. [Pelopidas was the right hand man of the Theban General Epaminondas]

Start: Scramble to ledge 5m up and R of 'Epaminondas'. At the left hand end of this ledge is a rounded flake.

1. 40m (18) Climb the flake, then lurch L around the bulge. At this point the route shares a few holds of Epaminondas, before veering R ward to hand traverse R below green lichen streak and up thin crack.

2. 25m (17) Pass the first bulge on the R, then tend back L to follow crack feature in slightly rotten rock. When the crack finishes, stay on the face to go straight over bulge to good ledge.

3. 25m (-) Up R then steeply around R side of roof to ledge on R.

4. 20m (-) Up easily

A classic middle grade adventure. A lot of people get lost on the top pitch of this route. This is odd as at the top of this buttress there are two pronounced corner lines. 'Rum Truffle' finishes up the R hand one and MM the L hand. That's all you really need to know. Both of these corners are R of a large bottomless chimney [MM variant finish]. The only tricky aspect is that MM accesses the LH corner via an easier crack on the arete a few meters R of the foot of the main LH corner rather than climbing directly into the line [see photo below].

Start: Drop down from 'Epaminondas' and head around to the next major buttress. Starts at the back of the scrubby bay between the 'Epaminondas' buttress and this next buttress [the 'Rum Truffle' Buttress].

1. 28m (10) Begin at the toe of the slab. Climb the L edge of the slab then trend R past a distinctive pocket to easier ground and up to tree belay.

2. 36m (12) Climb the weakness in the overhang above then easily up to large ledge. Move 8m R to belay below the two corner lines.

3. 26m (14) Climb the shallow corner near the L arete of the wall between the 2 corner lines for 8m. Step L and up to climb main R facing corner.

Climbed numerous times by people lost looking for the top pitch of MM. This chimney is a prominent feature several meters L of the two corners of MM and RT. Written up at least once.

Start: At top of Pitch 2 of MM move 3m R instead of 8m to belay below bottomless chimney. Up short steep wall to chimney. Up this.

VCC Mt Difficult update has FA as Michael Giacometti, John Maher. 05.03

Exposed and sustained, a worthwhile outing. Some suspect rock low down. It is possible to do one long 45metre first pitch but you will need a lot of gear and two ropes to avoid bad rope drag.

Start: The pronounced diagonal crack on the right wall of the 'Monkey Man' bay.

1. 35m (16) A break leads up and right into the line. Follow line up left to where the angle eases off slightly above a fairly fraught section. Small stance in crack.

2. 20m (15) Unlikely climbing up steep continuation of the crack then more easily up to large ledge below the 'Monkey Man' headwall.

3. 25m (14) Finish up 'Monkey Man' variant finish.

Some quite good climbing, however the unprotected start to the fourth pitch rather detracts from the experience.

Start: The front of the buttress R of the MM bay. Around R of TSOTH. Just R of a prominent pair of roofs low down on the front of the buttress.

1. 27m (14) Up wall until blocked by long, narrow overhang. Traverse L above lower roof then pull up onto a slab and move L a bit above the second roof to a break in the long overhang. Up though break to belay.

2. 30m (11) Continue up deep line to ledge. Move up L onto face and climb steep wall via a large flake into a chimney. Up chimney and wall to ledge.

3. 10m (-) Move L off end of ledge and scramble up to foot of obvious corner. This is the RH corner leading up to the roofs and the LH one is MM.

4. 26m (14) The difficult start on L wall has no protection and a very nasty landing. It is harder the shorter you are. With a bit of stuffing around and 2 ropes you can climb 6m up MM and place big gear in that climb to protect the start, the second then needs to climb up and down climb to get it out. After the start move R into line and up to huge roof. Traverse R around arete.

5. 4m (-) Up chimney.

One of the plum pitches of the crag and a real corker of a line.

Start: About 300m right of the 'Epaminondas Buttress' is a prominent, seductive face crack perched above a cracked slab. Fortunately, though the relentlessly overhanging crack is wide, there are holds aplenty.

1. 25m (21) The cracked slab.

2. 25m (21) You won't get lost.

50m up the gully from Catch The Wind, below two left-leaning cracks, and just right of an undercut section.

1. 20m Head up right to a flake and then climb this until it’s possible to move left and up to a cramped belay under an off-width in the roof.

2. 20m Traverse right to a big ledge.

3. 15m Climb the weakness above the left end of the ledge.

4. 20m Head up the crack.

If you skip the top pitch and scramble off left this turns into a really good grade 14. There is a large corner system on the left side of the main slab. This climb is to the left of this on an arete and starts on a terrace a little way up the descent gully.

1. 35m Head up the right edge of the wall and step around the arete to belay under the roof.

2. 35m Climb up awkwardly through the weakness in the roof and then move right to belay at a corner.

3. 15m Climb the crack to a ramp.

4. 15m (Crux) Take the steep crack and then move right to the arete and continue up.

10m right of a large flake leaning against the slabby face.

1. 45m Climb up an easy slab until it’s possible to belay under the first overlap.

2. 20m Climb up the break above and then go left through the second overlap. Head left and up to below a small overhang for the belay.

3. 25m Go back down a little then left to the end of a long ledge to belay.

4. 30m Head leftward to reach the other end of the ledge.

5. 35m Go left to the bottom of a large chimney and climb it to finish below a very large chockstone.

The original description was written up six years after the climb was done, so is a tad vague. Head up diagonally left along a narrow ramp at the lip of the retaining wall of a sickle feature. Roughly follow the sickle feature up the walls (which are hard to protect) until it’s possible to move up right on a large vegetated ramp.

150m right of the descent gully is a major line splitting a prow.

1. 32m Follow a crack up to below an overhang.

2. 35m Climb the steep crack and the short difficult corner to a ledge.

3. 46m Head around right, go to the large corner, and then climb this to the top.

Approximately 50m right of First Blood, left of a prominent arete, is a major corner high up on the cliff.

1. 25m Start below the arete and head up the slab. Climb through the overlap at the flake and then move left to belay under the corner.

2. 25m Go up and along the major flake.

3. 25m Head up the cracks immediately left of the arete.

4. 25m Continue up the cracks.

At the left side of the slabs is a corner. Climb up a seam and then reach left to the bottom of the corner. Climb the corner for a few metres then move right to a face crack. Head up to the roof at the top of the slabs then move left on pockets through the roof. The abseil is 35m from a tree.

Far left of The Worst Journey In The World and approximately 200m right of Coup De Grace (Epaminondas Buttress) is a recessed wall. The start is a thin left-facing corner that peters out approximately 15m up.

1. 30m Climb the corner then step left and go up an easy off-width into a belay cave.

2. 35m Climb past a desperate start into the chimney.

Near the centre of the crag, at it’s highest point, is a small pale slab approximately 7m above the ground. Climb up to below the hanging corner/overlap. (Crux) Climb up to, and up, the corner and over the bulge at the top of the slab. Continue up, heading slightly right, then up the right-facing corner at the top of the wall until an overhang is reached. Move left and then climb the arete to the top.

Up wall 4 metres right of The B. Desh Memorial Buttress and immediately right of a substantial conifer. Pull through overhang two metres right of the pale slab at 7 metres, on BDMB, and up to distinctive left facing flake. Up right to climb right wall of BDMB’s final corner. Move right up ramp near the top to avoid a loose block.

Approximately 100m right of the B. Desh Memorial Buttress is a large boulder. It has a thin diagonal crack and one end is shaped like an egg. “Iron cross” into the diagonal line then head up the diagonal crack for 6m to a horizontal break. Hand traverse left to a stance and then follow the thin seams up the slab (RPs).

5-10mins right of the B. Desh Memorial Buttress is an outcrop with some overhangs. Start at the main corner at the right end. Climb onto the undercut arete on the left and head up and right into the line. Keep left to avoid vegetation until it’s possible to climb the final corner.

Head right from Haddock’s Revenge to the left end of a large crag. Continue along some broken buttresses until the crag steepens into a wall with two prominent crack-lines that are undercut. The left one splits into two thin cracks at about 20m, and the right one turns into a corner. This is the left crack.

1. 25m Climb up into the undercut, overhanging chimney and then bridge up until it’s possible to climb up steeply on large holds (crux). Continue up to where the crack splits and follow the cracks to a small stance.

2. 15m Climb the slabs to an abseil tree.

Climb the crack to the right of Gariwerd Dreaming.

Start 50m to the right of Gariwerd Dreaming. Climb up 2m to an undercut wall then step onto the natural cairn feature and breach the bulge. Climb the wall on pockets until they become slopes then move right and up to a rest. Head up the overhanging crack-line left of the corner and then up a groove in the wall above. Continue up until the groove peters out and move right to a left-trending crack system that leads to the top.