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Contributors
Thanks to the following people who have contributed to this crag guide:
Adrian Kladnig Mikl Law Lee McDougall Brendan Heywood Phil Ward Phillip Booth Brendon Flanagan Gabriele G Sam Small David Muir
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Table of contents
- 1. Slabs 68 in Area
- 2. Index by grade
1. Slabs 68 routes in Area
- Summary:
-
Mostly Sport climbing
Lat / Long: -33.714044, 151.259174
description
As the name suggests not only is there plenty of slabby climbing to be had, but there's also quite a few roof routes in the cave at the end.
Bring Bolt Plates!
Most routes are sport - on a combination of bolts, fixed hangers and rings. Having said this there are a number of mixed routes, so check your guide before you set off - an occasional cam may be required. Most routes are equipped with lower-offs.
Climate / Conditions
The cliffline faces south and the sun moves pretty much over head. During the middle of the day you'll be climbing staring into the sun.
The cliff itself can be quite damp so leave a few days after rain for it to dry out. On a hot day it can be quite humid and mosquitos are ever present. Watch out for leeches.
The cave at the far end of the crag is permanently dry should it rain.
access issues
NOTE: When accessing 'Steep Side', please use the newly installed stile and do not damage the fence where it attaches to the rock. There was a recent encounter with Northern Beaches Council, so please exercise respect and discretion.
And don't park contrary to the signs in the RMS inspection bay.
approach
The Narrabeen Slabs climbing area is located on the Wakehurst Parkway 700m west of the turn-off for the Sydney Academy of Sport.
Described first from the Sydney side:- ABout 2km North of the traffic lights at Oxfoird Falls are 2 Heavy Vehicle inspection bay signs, parking just before the 2nd one near (but NOT blocking a locked gate) on the shoulder on the left. This is parking area B on the topo. To turn around, go up 200m to the RMS heavy vehicle area or the Academy of Sport.
Heading from the Narrabeen side you will pass the Academy of Sport; then after 500m a large layby on your right; then 200m further on is the access for the crag is at the locked gate on the right (just before the first sweeping lefthand corner). There is enough space on the road shoulder to park opposite the gate on the left side of the road. This is parking area C on the topo.
From the gate follow the well established track for 300m, then right and then up the hill.
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
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Left sideThe first part of the wall that you get to, climbs left to right | ||||||||
2 |
★ Dunning Kruger Wall
Easy looking wall 10m L of where the track hits the cliff. Start behind a nice block for sunbathing. FA: Michael Law, 2018 | 20 | 7m, 3 | |||||
3 |
★ A spoonful of Sugar
Mantel start 1.5m R of Dunning Kruger Wall and right to seam. FA: Claire Fox, 2018 | 16 | 7m, 4 | |||||
4 |
★ Stiction
Cute boulder problem to start. Wall 4m R of where the track hits the cliff. FA: Michael Law, 2018 | 22 | 13m, 3 | |||||
5 |
★ Lindsay's easy warmup
Easy looking line 6m R of where the track hits the cliff. 3 funky cruxes. Up and left. FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2018 | 20 | 13m, 4 | |||||
6 |
★ Son of a Bad Man
Start below obvious flake about 15m R of where the access track hits the crag. FA: Chris Yeomans, 2005 | 24 | 12m, 4 | |||||
7 |
★★ Stan Lee Steamer
Thin seam about 10m of Lindsay's Easy Warmup, hard start then laybacks and face holds to avoid jams FA: Michael Law | 20 | 12m | |||||
8 |
★★ Hampsters
2m right of Son of a Bad Man. A great and varied slab. (rebolted 2018) FA: Mikl, 1980 | 23 | 15m, 3 | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
9 |
★ Some Girls Wander By Mistake
Start as for Kiosks. Step left as per Kiosks. Continue left then directly up via 2 rings and large pocket. FA: Chris Yeomans, 2004 | 22 | 14m, 4 | |||||
10 |
★ Kiosks
Jump up on flake/slab to start and clip first RB and crux. Step left at second RB and continue straight up left of seam past 2 RB's and a Double RB Lower off FA: Mike Law, 1980 | 22 | 12m, 3 | |||||
11 |
★ Show us your ticks
Start as for 'Kiosks' The most sustained of all 'Kiosks' variants. After crux at start, continue straight up through line of 3 RBs to Double RB lower off. FA: Craig Dungey, 2001 | 22 | 10m, 3 | |||||
12 |
★★ Elmo Needs Some Air
Start as for 'Kiosks' but head right. Past single RB and 2 cam breaks up to lower off FA: Dale Tweedie & Chris Yeomans, 2004 | 23 | 12m, 1 | |||||
13 |
★ Iron Chef
Start 1m left of Into The Void at seam. Desperate slabbing following the left hand line of a smorgasbord of carrots, fixed hangers and rings. Shares first ring with Into the Void. FA: Chris Yeomans, 2004 | 23 | 13m, 5 | |||||
14 |
★ Frantic
Start as for Iron Chef then head right after the fixed hanger. Shares first ring with Into the Void. FA: Jeff Boyton & Gayle Matus, 2002 | 21 | 15m, 5 | |||||
15 |
★★ S.I.A.N.
As this climb is a rising traverse crossing most of the routes on the main slab it is best attempted on quiet days! Climb Into The Void to bolt 2, then right 10m to bolt 3 on Kicks, up Kicks and lower off. During the lower off unclip last quick draw on Kicks to make life much more pleasant for the second(!) FA: Michael Combley & Kate Baecher, 2013 | 17 | 25m, 6 | |||||
16 |
★ Into the Void
Start is marked ITV. Up past 4 carrots. Shares first ring with Frantic. FA: Mikl, 1980 | 19 | 20m, 4 | |||||
17 |
★ Mum's the Word
Second pitch of Into The Void. 3m right, onto clean wall and up. FA: Rod Kotkis, Jeff Boyton & Nicole Dombrain, 1999 | 16 | 10m | |||||
18 |
★★ Manic
Excellent climb with interesting moves. Follow the right arcing line. Originally graded 19, but a few people have suggested that it is a little bit easier than that. FA: Jeff Boyton, Rod Kotkis, Edward Fairleigh & Nicole Dombrain, 2001 | 18 | 17m, 4 | |||||
19 |
★ For the Good of the Claws
4m right of Into The Void. Thin. Up to new ring, then finish up Ag Science or Manic. FA: Mikl, 1980 | 24 | 20m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
20 |
★ Ag Science
Great climbing, wanders a bit. Reachy. 1m left of the seam in the middle of the wall. 4 BR's to DRB lower off. FA: Mikl, 1980 | 16 | 18m, 4 | |||||
21 |
★ Mental as Anything
Climb the thin seam using the bolts on Ag Science for protection. Traverse easily right and lower off the DRB’s of Technical Short Talk, or finish left as for AS FA: Michael Combley & James Carpenter, 2012 | 17 | 12m, 3 | |||||
22 |
★ Technical Short Talk
Easy if you're tall. Start is marked TST. Up corner to ring (shared with Kicks) then left across scoop (crux) and up to lower off. FA: Mikl, 1980 | 18 | 16m, 5 | |||||
23 |
★ Kicks
1m right of TST. Up the wall past ring (shared with TST) then right and up. Originally graded 20 with no bolts, someone bolted a 'new' route 30cm right of the original line! FA: Mikl Law, 1980 | 19 | 12m, 4 | |||||
24 |
★ Common Origin
Classic slab with balancey finish. Take a double set of cams and some slings (as there are a few placements in the same break) and a thin finger sized cam for the top. Up slight ramp to Ubolt, then hole, then carrot. Up wall past cams to DRB lower off situated 4 meters back on the next face (caution with drag), avoid the tree anchor as it causes wear. FA: Craig Martin & John Davis, 1982 | 18 | 15m, 2 | |||||
25 |
★ Common Sense
Nice climbing, need to stay close to the Ubolts for the full grade. Climb up 4m R of Common Origin and 1m L of crack (TPI) to lower off above ledge. | 19 | 12m, 4 | |||||
Upper tierThe next two routes start on the upper tier/second pitch just above 'Common Origin'. | ||||||||
27 |
★ Burnt Out
Starts 6 m L of Wimples. Mantle to ledge with gnarly gum, past vegetation to short hand crack. Careful to protect the mantle. FA: Jyah S & Declan Everett-Morgan, Jun 2019 | 17 | 10m | |||||
28 |
Wimples
Start on the small, steep upper cliff line above the slabs. A steep second pitch to Common Origin. Lunge off ledge left of ring anchor, then trend right through scoop and up left past old carrots. FA: Mikl, 1980 | 25 | 10m, 3 | |||||
29 |
★ Dimples
Start as for Wimples. Head right across the scoop and finish up the right side of the arete with no pro. Groundfall potential. FA: Steve Kelly, 1998 | 21 X | 15m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
Back to Ground Level | ||||||||
31 |
★ TPI
2m R of CS at crack. Up crack with some small wires. Good trad lead. Belay on large cams in break and back up to rings on left. | 16 | 10m | |||||
32 |
★ Candlelight
Nice easy wall, start just right of crack (TPI). FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2019 | 13 | 8m, 5 | |||||
33 |
★ Question Marks
Second crack on right side of wall,2m R of Candlelight up to break and lower off. Take care with the crucial wire on the crux. | 15 | 8m | |||||
34 |
★★ Krampus
Xmas route for people who can't use their feet. 9m R of Question Marks at highest point on track, slab and pumpy bulges above. FA: Michael Law, 2019 | 22 | 12m, 6 | |||||
35 |
★ Christmas Sweater
Ugly but fun. Thin wall just R of highest point of track 11m R of Question Marks, and pumpy bulging arete above ledge (either directly into cave, or walk into cave and shuffle out above lip). FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2019 | 20 | 12m, 6 | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
36 |
Sparkles
Start in corner 10m R of Christmas Sweater on the ledge about 8m up (traverse in, or climb the first slab of Krampus or Christmas Sweater). Up corners Set: Patrick Burr, 2019 FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2019 | 18 | 10m, 5 | |||||
37 |
Patrick project
On upper cliffline, wall 2m R of SParkles corner, heading right. Set: Patrick Burr, 2019 | |||||||
38 |
★ Long pockets, short arms
2nd pitch to Lunatic or Ambiguity effect. Wall and roof 4m R of Sparkles corner (right-hand line of bolts), Head rightwards on big features to roof, long reach to holds, up and rising traverse left to top and shared anchor with project on left. FA: Michael Law, 2020 | 19 | 12m, 5 | |||||
Block belowThe following five climbs start on the block directly below Common Origin. | ||||||||
40 |
★ A
Starts in obvious corner. Straight up slightly overhung past a single BR, then directly up past 3 FHs right to lower off. Corner can be slippery when wet | 18 | 10m, 4 | |||||
41 |
★★ So Familiar
Between A and Quick Fang Down The Parkway. Start on nice right hand pocket and move up to left hand side pull. Crux move is here then continue straight up to anchors for 'A' Set: Phillip Booth | 19 | 10m | |||||
42 |
★ Quick fang down the parkway
4m Right of 'A'. Start as for 'Trickles' to first RB then continue straight through crimpy features past 2 more RBs. Up onto final ledge and onto headwall. FA: Chris Yeomans & Duane Maxwell, 2003 | 18 | 10m, 4 | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
43 |
★★ Trickles
Straight up and head right after first RB following the lip past two more RBs and crux mantling onto ledge. Finish as for 'Quick Fang Down the Parkway' FA: Mike Law, 1980 | 22 | 10m, 4 | |||||
44 |
Mega Ryuushi Requium Shoot
The roof in the cave to the right of Trickles, then along the lip to the fixed maillon. Back-jump or top out as for Trickles. 4 RB's. FA: Darley, 2017 | 23 | 8m, 4 | |||||
45 |
Roof Project (open)
Roof starting from the right corner of the cave and going along the lip to fixed maillon. Very hard. | 9m, 3 | ||||||
46 |
Roof Project Direct (open)
Direct finish to mega requium roof sushi (or whatever it's called) at last ring go direct over bulge | 8m, 2 | ||||||
47 |
★★ Pigeonhole
A funky crux, locate the 3 pockets and go. Slab 10m L of Communal Nose FA: Michael Law | 19 | 15m, 5 | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
48 |
★ Communal Nose
8m right of Trickles. Pleasant right arete of the block, it's Narrabeen so there's one reachy move. Retrobolted 2019. Originally graded 4! FA: Craig Martin & Russ Davis, 1982 | 13 | 15m, 6 | |||||
Right slabThe following climbs start back up at main wall, at the very right hand end of the slab. | ||||||||
50 |
★★ Non Sequitur
Wall 8m R of Xmas Sweater with a thin finish. FA: Mikl Law | 20 | 10m, 4 | |||||
51 |
★★★ Stupid Valley
Nice wandering face around seam, direct start possible but not nice. FA: Jeffrey Crass | 17 | 10m, 4 | |||||
52 |
★★ Ambiguity Effect
Technical wall left of Lunatic, lots of options, all confusing. FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2020 | 20 | 12m, 5 | |||||
53 |
★★ Ambiguity Aversion (linkup)
Climb the crux of Ambiguity Effect, clip its 3rd bolt, and then traverse right and up to a fully Bayesian end up Lunatic. FA: Gabriele G, 2020 | 20 | 18m, 6 | |||||
54 |
★★ Lunatic
Thin slab to juggy overhang. FA: Rod Kotkis, 2001 | 18 | 19m, 5 | |||||
55 |
★★ Fat, Sallow and Drunk
3m right of Lunatic. Up middle of slab and steep wall above. 26? FA: Mikl, 1980 | 25 | 20m, 5 | |||||
56 |
★★ Muscoviet Mosquito
3m R of Lunatic. Follow the slab up and over a small roof finishing up obvious flake and R edge of blunt arete. FA: Chris Yeomans, 2004 | 18 | 15m, 5 | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
The roof | ||||||||
58 |
Colonial Mentality
The corner crack at the far R end of the main slab. FA: Craig Martin (solo), 1984 | 8 | 10m | |||||
59 |
★ Born Under Lunges
2m R of CM. Up overhanging nose to lower offs. FA: Craig Martin & SID, 1984 | 18 | 12m, 2 | |||||
60 |
★ Teckity
Wall 2m R of Born Under Lunges. Think tall on the last move. FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2019 Set: Jeffrey Crass, 2019 | 20 | 14m | |||||
61 |
★ B
Warning Rock: Loose rock Start marked '20'. Up short wall then swing left to nose and up airy thin head wall. | 21 | 18m, 7 | |||||
62 |
★★ C
Start as for B. Steeply up to roof, then out roof to chain lower off in break (Chain lower off is safe and in good condition but poorly set up.) Or continue up Unfair Dismissal | 18 | 8m | |||||
63 |
★ Unfair Dismissal
Worth doing for the hero shot on the lip. Start as for C to rest above chain anchor, then out and up right side of arete. last ring just around on left but use hidden pocket on right. ANchor around on left. Backjump to C anchor | 20 | 15m | |||||
64 |
★★ Marco Polio
Juggy roof left of Surfboard, start up C then right, or up Fake Nowra, or up Surfboard. Punch out under fin roof to rest, then (ignore the printed guide) and traverse left along lip and up left side of arete above. FA: Michael Law, 2020 | 23 | 15m, 11 | |||||
65 |
★ Fake Nowra
Harder start to Marco Polio. Up C to first bracket, then traverse R to ring and up to join Marco Polio FA: Michael Law, 2019 | 22 | ||||||
66 |
★★ COVID
A good juggy roof. Start up C to the 3rd hanger, then right in cave (high Ubolt in roof, use a longish draw) and continue to join Surfboard out to the lip. SLap the bolt on the lip and backjump. Or finish around the lip as for Surfboard. FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2020 | 19 | 10m, 7 | |||||
67 |
★ Surfboard
Start 2m right of C on scooped arete in cave. Up arete and out past dodgy looking (but very solid) surfboard. Hard move around lip and up. | 24 | 15m, 4 | |||||
68 |
★ Surfboard Soft Start
Up Rebound to the second bolt and traverse into Surfboard (18 to this point). Finish up Surfboard to the lip (19) or to the top (21). FA: Jeffrey Crass, 2020 | 19 | ||||||
69 |
★ Rebound
Short fun bulges about 3m R of Surfboard. Out on R side of Surfboard thru roof to lip and backjump. Or finish up Surfboard on slab. FA: Michael Law, 2020 | 21 | 3 | |||||
70 |
★★ Stroof
2 stacked boulder problems about 4m R of Surfboard. Cut loose on black jug on lip then backjump. FA: Eugene Mak, 2020 | 24 | 8m, 3 | |||||
71 |
★★ IHOP
Big roof 6m R of Surfboard, crank out to black fin on lip then backjump FA: Michael Law, 2019 Set: Michael Law, 2019 | 23 | 8m | |||||
72 |
★★ Bandy Rabbit Roof
Flakes 5m R of IHOP, Right end of cave. Stickclip first bolt. Finishes on black fin at end of IHOP, backjump to clean Set: Eugene Mak, Feb 2019 FA: Eugene Mak, Mar 2019 | 22 | 5m | |||||
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Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
73 |
★ Sweet Mercury
Good crack climbing in 2 sections. The first crack 5m right of the cave. Thin hands to cave (you can stop and practise a trad belay here), then bulging hand and fist crack past ridiculous bolt near top. FA: Craig Martin, 1984 | 20 | 18m | |||||
74 |
★ Shivering Jemmy
Short thin layback seam 10m right of Sweet Mercury and the big cave (but at ground level). Up layback seam (stickclip Ubolt?) and slabs past a good sling and another Ubolt to technical crack, then to lower offs. FA: Craig Martin & SID, 1984 | 20 | 20m, 1 |