Routen in Thunder Head

Despite point perps affinity with exposure, this surely has to rank among the most wild. A rap in climb out a-fair that is every bit terrifying as it is genuinely great climbing, good gear and holds appearing from thin air. Rap down 15m off the most overhung point you can find (a couple long cracks in the #1-0.5 range provide anchors, think dropping a rock that will hit nothing for the point), to a nice ledge (get some swing going to land on it) with a series of chossy vertical cracks leading skyward (these are actually waiting for an FA but this is not what Desert Raven climbs)... Oh no, head up a couple meters before traversing hard left over space on the overhung and pocketed wall that doesn't seem to have any holds or gear up high. Save a crucial #3 for the last pocket and mantle up onto the slab moves at the very top of the arette to a small ledge where you can sling an amazing thread. Step a hard right and finish up the last 3m of splitter fist jams directly above your belayer, topping out next to your rap line. A single rack of cams from 0.3-#4 and a 120cm sling for the thread is all thats required.

Up Deep Sea Mullet for 8m then traverse left onto the sandy pocketed face.

Short crack splitting the wall just left of the corner. Seeps badly down low after heavy rain.

The short dark stemming corner on the left end of Thunderbird Wall, starting on high vegetated ledge. A little fiddly to protect. Seeps after heavy rain.

At the left end of the main wall, and just right of the dark corner is a seam crack. This route climbs the face just right of the crack. Protection is quite spaced and not great - be warned. Grade is probably a bit of a sandbag as well.

The pocketed grey face on the right edge of the higher vegetated ledge. The climb wanders around in a bid to find protection and holds. Be careful - trad gear is spaced. Double ropes or long slings useful.

A fine sustained wall route. Not as direct as the print guide makes out - unless you add several grades. Start over the bulge just left of the bolted route, then up the face on good horizontals to major horizontal break. Traverse left across this for 2m then up the face, then left again to join into Brain for a move then back right and finish up big sandy pockets. Double ropes useful. Protection is good but spaced. Bring cams to size #4.

One of the most popular routes on the wall, mainly because it's mostly bolts! Don't be too relaxed though, the bolts are spaced and you need a spot of trad in the middle section (small cams). The moves and rock are fab though. Starts at right end of wall at undercut section. Stickclip first bolt or get a good spot.

The best and most popular route on Thunderbird Wall. Exposure, good bolts and lovely polished orange rock all the way. Starts at right end of wall as for "Fab" then traverse right (crossing Aquamarina) and up large heucos. Mostly bolts but a light trad rack is needed.

Starts 1m right of Fab, at furthest right you can safely stand on the chossy ledge. Rap in and pre-place wire about 4m up the route as your first runner or stick clip first bolt on Fab if you really feel the fear. Boulder the undercut start, crux, then wander up wall with spaced but good trad gear. Vital micro cams (black/blue Alien size) about midway up the route. Gear to #3 Camalot.

The right arete of the main wall, starting on ledge system 10m below the main ledge. One bolt and trad.

The first three routes share the same start - a left facing layback flake above an undercut roof. This route takes the left line, splitting after the 2nd bolt and climbing a subtle right facing flake in the middle and jumbo pockets at the end. It's a mixed route so take a couple of wires for the start, some medium cams and a long sling for excellent thread in the jumbo pockets in the last section.

Best of the routes on this section of wall, with excellent slabby crimping on bomber rock. It's the middle line starting as for Reel Men and finishing up the juggy central groove directly below the rap rings. Single set of cams/wires to fist size supplements the bolts.

Technical thought provoking crimping on slightly slabby rock. Climb the start layback flake of Reel Men then blast directly up the wall above, with a slight right trend. Finishes up easy but hard to protect giant pockets. Two finger sized cams, plus single set of cams from hand to fist supplement the spaced bolts.

The right most route utilizing the flake start of East Coast Choppers. Halfway up the flake traverse right onto face (ring) and up face above past a couple of rings and lots of bomber medium cam slots. Bring some larger cams for the giant finish pockets or just run it out.

Small burly pitch on superb orange rock below the belay for East Coast Choppers (ie starts on the vegetated ledge). Left trending line on pumpy slimps. Grade 25?

An easier alternative trad start up shallow left facing flake crack 2m left of the 'face start'. Belay off single RB.

A long climb with variety! Find top of Pinochio - fix rope and rap 25m down to vegetated ledge with single bolt anchor below orange face sprouting ringbolts. Up gorgeous orange face on slopers, through a juggy bulge then left out rooflet on gnarly pockets and onto grey slab (bolts end here). Finish up reachy horizontal features and crimps with bomber cam slots just left of Pinochio.

Rap into high ledge (anchor off rap rope). This route climbs the left trending crack line off the left.

Starts 10m (climbers) left of The Get Down. Rap off RBs to ledge. Use 1st RB as belay anchor. Head up & left finishing up right side of arete. The lower start is a closed project (Murple Whurple).

Project: Starts 10m (climbers) left of The Get Down, finishes up right side of arete.

Mini route on steep pocketed wall with ringbolts. Belay off single FH under roof. Two bouldery sections down low then pumper pockets to finish. Double U bolts on top ledge for belay and rap-in.

Rap from double BRs on small ledge to semi-hanging belay off single ringbolt (back it up with rap rope or clip 2nd bolt with long sling). Start with 5m of easy slab to diabolical roof move then easy jugs and finally a short compact section of pumpy steep pockets just left of easy crack.

The easiest bolted escape route from the Fisho ledge. Climb first bolt of Walking on Sunshine, then mantle up onto small ledge on the left. Walk along it (clip bolt with long sling) then up long grey bolted wall which is surprisingly steep and pumpy. Att the top finish left of the last bolt. Belay off double RB on the 2nd ledge above the topout.

Walk south thru cave to belay off two carrots. Straight up and slightly right thru the stepped roofs... The crux isn't the steep stuff

Like nothing else at the Point - a classic steep well bolted adventure. The finish is an exhilarating steep across onto the giant overhung proboscis visible from kilometers away. To access walk south under cave to edge of cliff & belay off two carrots (bring bolt plates). Undercut start then after first bolt trend right, pull thru the steep stuff then keep going right stepping over the void to finish.

Start in the middle of wall. Stick clip first bolt in ceiling and batman up to it. Super airy excursion leftwards to the arete and then up to double rings at top

Start in the cave and climb thru the ceiling, pull on to the exposed head wall.

project. Start up New power generation and at the 3rd ring bolt head straight up to anchors past another ring bolt.

Jump or pull up for jug in roof. Pull up and left on amazing jugs and edges. Two big moves up before heading right to pull the lip/arete and up to lower offs

Pull up or Jump for jug in roof and crimp up to slot. Trend right to arete and pull round and up to lower offs.

Quality fun sport route starting at right end of undercut cave on large vegetated ledge. Swing through short roof to start then up yummy sustained face with ringbolts. Mistakenly marked in the recent print guide topo as 'Blue Stocking".

Old school crimpfest. Very thin and technical in the lower half then cruisy fun pockets. Start at seam crack 1m left of major corner (as for Sharkies) then diagonally left onto orange face. Belay off ubolts at edge of cave.

Really great sustained face climbing. Starts 1m left of major corner. Up seam and then wall above, finishing slightly left under hanging boulder at FH and belay at double Ubolts in cave.

A mixed route requiring big cams. Start at major left facing wide corner 5m right of cave. Up this easy corner to large ledge at 10m then climb wall above past two RBs and a manky FH to trad protected top (more big cams). This route may actually not be Blue Stocking, but another mystery unrecorded route.

Easy trad corner starting from triangular ledge about 10m down. Was once the location of the dodgy fishos descent ropes!

Start directltly 20m below Solstice off the big ledge. A big move off the ground where the rock is a little sandy leads up L into the corner before going diagonally R to the DBB belay.

The big left leaning, right facing flake. Takes bomber gear. Mostly super easy, just a little tricky getting over true rooflet up high

Start as for ISSF. Abseil 40m from DUB directly above the Fishos cave 20 L of the Tempest. Climb ISSF for the first few bolts then head and up the wall past 9 FH to a single UB lower off. Soon to be doubled.

Awesome, long and pumpy, a little sandy in spots. Abseil from the DUB anchors directly above the Fishos hut 30 L of the Tempest. Up the wall , over the roof the R and up the wall. The last 5m is a little sandy but are well protected.

Obvious overhung corner crack, bottom seeps a little after rain.

Long route starting way down on the big vegetated ledge. Starts on far left edge of orange face. Not really a sport route as you need two medium cams for the easy middle. No bolt plates required.

Starts 4m right of Tequila Sunrise. Wall to overhung arete.

Start from the 2 carrot bolt belay on the half way ledge. Punch up the overhanging wall past ring bolts on amazing rock. Bring your nowra arms for this one. Closed project - stay off.

Start on the ledge left of 'Drown Your Sorrows (Rick Project)'

Sweet orange and grey wall directly under the mega choss roofs. Lucky there is lower-offs before this roof!

The escape route for 'Tequila Slammer' is harder than expected! Climbs up corner and into chimney slot at top. The exit move is exciting.

Nice orange gritty arete and good exit pitch for Drown Your Sorrows or Passion Pop. 5 bolt plates required. Shares last few bolts with Greasy Nipple.

Short, powerful and steep mini route bordering the left end of VB Slab. A good pumper when you get tired of the slabs! Lower-offs before the top of the cliff, so exit out via Slippery Nipples

Left most climb on VB Slab. Rap to massive ledge to RB and carrot belay. Up right of vertical seem. Take care clipping the 2nd carrot.

Can be used as an escape route for 'Passion Pop'

Far left route starting off small ledge. Shares first few bolts with Mates. Mostly carrots, but bring some cams.

Up from the 2RB belay past a few carrots and then trad up the crack past another carrot towards the top.

Shared belay ledge as for 'Mates' The right route off the belay with some thin moves about halfway up the wall.

Rap from a single carrot (backup with any of the Army RBs that are all over the place here) to semi hanging belay above the big roof. Thin and sustained. Carrots and maybe a No3. Camalot in the easy section (or just run it out)

Has a move and a RB over the bulge about half way up the wall. Semi hanging belay above the cave.

Belay off 2RB right down at lip of big roof, not the single RB at the small ledge. From the belay, up past a couple of wires to a carrot, mantle up on to the ledge and continue up the nice wall. Bring some wires for the start and a few medium cams for the rest or run it out on carrots.

Abseil off rings where shrubs suddenly come close to cliff. Must be close to a nice cold fear, but now sports bolts though a few cams needed to #3.

Shorter route on the right end of the slab, with a hanging belay above the cave.

The exposed arete left of 'Amber Nectar'

Follow the bolt line (take brackets), supplementing with small & medium cams through the first half of the climb

Start as for twist top but follow the corner all the way up

Furthest left climb on ledge... Belay off carrot. Shares first bolt with Double Dutch.. Swing your way upwards on jugs

Second climb in from the left... Straight up wall on good holds until they run out...

Second bolted route from the right. Up from ledge on amazing rock and some sweet moves. Dont be fooled by the size of the holds. This will make you work hard. Up to lower off.

Right hand line of bolts. Great rock and moves up to lower off. Shares first bolt with Breaking Bad.

Start 1 meter left of the corner. Up wall on large pockets.

Up right hand corner

About 30 mtrs past Orange wall locate the 2 rap bolts above a short orange wall about 10 mtrs high with bolts..(this is pitch 2) Continue rapping down clipping the bolts otherwise you WILL be in outta space...

The hanging belay is fairly out there so be confident with exposure..

Climb up and out over the roof (crux).. Falling here, it's best to be lowered down to start again.. Maybe carry prussics

About 50 mtrs past Orange wall heading North... locate the rap rings and rap down an arete to a nice stance and belay off 2 bolts..