Routen als alpin in Geryon & The Acropolis

A big day out in rarely climbed terrain on the West Face of the Acropolis. Graded at 19M1 but would go free at 21/22.

The three first ascensionists were benighted and had to spend the night weathering out a storm under a single space blanket and makeshift shelter.

Take your best set of brushes to clean the moss from those lovely cracks, be prepared to kick off the odd bit of choss and unleash the froth as you crank your way up some great climbing.

Approach as for The Plenipotentiary and start at large boulder near the start of The Plenipotentiary. Tat and mallions are required for the descent raps. Pitch lengths are approximate.

• P1: (12) Up vegetated slope, aiming for obvious deep orange crack. (25m)
• P2: (12) Traverse left and up to corner crack on large ledge. (15m)
• P3: (17) Up corner crack to large tooth shape block. (25m)
• P4: (17) Up corners and ramp to top of large chock. (25m)
• P5: (17) Up dirty corner on left to large vegetated ledge. Aim for obvious twin crack system up and left. (15m)
• P6: (19) Up superb twin splitter crack to large vegetated ledge. Can use huge block as anchor. (25m)
• P7: (22) Up thin and technical corner crack to large ledge. Should be at same height of The Plenipotentiary pinnacle. (20m)
• P8: (17) Right and up off width chimney. (10m)
• P9: (10) Exposed traverse into vegetated exit gulley and then protect as you work up the path of least resistance to summit. One slip on the vegetation would send you plummeting several hundred metres to the valley floor. Rope up, take a parachute or be prepared to turn into a red smear if you slip. (50m)

Descent:

• Walk along ridge to the next west facing green gulley.
• Approx 20m rap off chock at top.
• Scramble down until large cliff and locate to large chock on left side of descent gulley. 60m rap.
• Scramble down until end of gulley and locate large wire and torque nut/hex on right side of gulley. 65m rap (doable with rope stretch on two 60m ropes).