Routen in Queensland für ausgewählte Schwierigkeit

Easy mantle practice

Queensland's own mountaineering-style classic that has introduced the climbing experience to many a gibbering bumbly. This has always been the traditional easy route up to The Scrub (below the summit overhangs). Rap stations are present on five of the 8 pitches (Aug. 2019). Most of the rock on the route is quite worn making route-finding easy. Many parties rope up for these 5 pitches, interspersed with unroped scrambling.

Start: 20m R (down the slope) of where the E face walking track meets the rock. Marked "CR".

★★ Caves Route Variant 4 - Caves Route Pitch 1

1. 17m 4 A short pitch that allows the belayer to see roped parties (or top rope from the ground). Traverse out right across big ledges, skirting the vegetation above, then straight up to the DBB.

2. 38m 4 Continue straight up, across big ledges & skirting trees, to the big shoulder & DBB belay.

3. 36m 4 Traverse up R up rock steps, then trend left to ledge with small tree, from here, up the narrowing rock face with surprising exposure to belay ledge (single clip biner) and mouth of Cave 1.

4. 50m 1 Unroped scramble up into Cave 1 & the big Cave 2. Walk to far L side of this.

5. 47m 4 Traverse carefully out L side of cave along the narrow, precipitous ledge, until possible to move up to the terraced slab above. Up steep wall above with no protection to either of 2 rap stations. (The higher being the better option for roped parties.) (A belay is available from one of the trees on the LHS of Cave 2.)

6. 100m 1 Unroped scramble from the belay ledge, up the rock steps up to the scrub, & follow this (worn) track through the scrub till you hit a large rock slab. Head down right to the rock slab & mount this up to the prominent chimney/corner.

7. 35m 4 NOTE: THIS 5m SECTION OF CLIMBING IS ABOUT GRADE 15! Up the sheer vertical face on small but good holds, till possible to mantle into the chimney. Easier now (grade 4) up the chimney & rock face above, crossing ledges to a DBB. (This is the true line, but a log that helped the original party climb into the chimney is no longer there. To avoid this hard section, take the Caves Route Variant - the grade 3 slab, out to the left.)

8. 195m 1 Walk/scramble up the shoulder, up rock ledges & bush, till you hit the West Track (Hiker's track).

*Note: There is also another Caves Route variant that avoids the chimney section which starts right at the base of the chimney by taking a short contour to the right hand side until a large cave is found. Go to the end of the cave and scramble up for about 25 m until the top of the NE face is reached. This second variant is slightly easier than the one described above.

This is the easy alternative to the original Caves Route's Chimney, which, minus the original log, is pretty stiff. Most rock climbers & seasoned bush walkers will choose to climb this unroped, whilst this description is aimed at those roped ascents.

1. 17m 4 Start at the "CR" painted on the rock: climb trending right past the vegetation, then directly up to the DBB belay. A short pitch which provides the opportunity to track anyone you are belaying, or abseil back down & belay them on TR.

   ★★ Caves Route Variant 4 - Caves Route Pitch 1

2. 37m 4 Continue up the ledges, mounting trees, up to the big shoulder & DBB.

3. 36m 4 Head up right from the belay, then left up the concave scoop, to a small ledge with a tree on it, from here, head up the steep, exposed section right to a natural belay ledge & a single clip biner on chains.

4. 48m Unroped scramble up through Cave 1, then left (facing the cliff), to the lh side & belay tree.

5. 49m 4 Scramble carefully over the rock & along the narrow precipitous ledge to the end, then right up the rock slab to the anchors (2 sets of anchors, the higher set being the better for roped parties.)

6. 60m 1 Unroped scramble up the rock terrace, and follow the well beaten path through the scrub to the base of the slab.

7. 55m 4 Climb the slab, directly in front of where the path meets it, to a concave scoop in the rock, from here, head out left delicately on the 45° slab & angle up right to a natural belay ledge

   ★★ Caves Route Variant 4 - Caves Route alternative

   & DBB.

8. 37m 2 Scamble across the sloping ledge, then up the small cliff face at the end to the shoulder & rejoin the original Caves Route.

9. 155m 1 Walk/scramble up the shoulder, through bush & up rock ledges to meet the West Track.

Start: Prometheus I.

There are a plethora of variants to Prometheus I, this one is an easy stroll up the mountain, to Cave 4. A tad thin on gear on p2.

1. 53m 4 - Same as Prometheus pitch 1,but continue left, following the natural weakness & gully, to a small dirt ledge & bushes. Trad belay.

2. 30m 4 - Continue left, following the line of weakness, then trend up & right, around the Steelwood trees, to a tree belay.

3. 40m 4 - From the belay, head for the right side of Cave 4, into the fern gully, then up the left side of this into Cave 4. Belay from Cave 4.

The easy climb up the slabby back of 'Owl Pillar' starting off the ledge just left of Midnight Makeout.

The easy access route at the back of the pillar.

The first climb you reach from the track.

Another scrambly solo, with a mix of bush bashing thrown in there. From the main car park you can see a very distinct pillar on Cooroora. Surfing Boulders climbs the left hand side of this pillar, through a series of gullies and ledges. Descend via the tourist track.

The right hand variant, going straight up. This is far more risky as a scramble and just generally a less than ideal way to get up to the upper section of the crag, as there's a lot of loose gravel and rock that you can and likely will kick down towards your belayer. They can either belay from anchors at top of Just Add Water, or from in the boulders underneath the overhang. At the top of the gully you'll find the belay bolt for the Mariana Trench at about chest height. Belaying from here is not ideal, a better option is to use a draw/biner to help redirect the rope and keep it up and away from the loose rock, so that you can belay from tree or gear to the left near base of Sea Monkey's Uncle.

Chossy climb/scramble up the corner. Some good gear if you want.

Mantle the wobbly chockstone.

A fun 100m long traverse in an incredible location.

Start at the entry of the obvious deep ravine, climb 2m up the RHS arete and keep traversing right, keeping 1 to 2.5m high all the way to the manky end of the wall, going through some interesting overhanging moves.

The rock is crumbling in places on the surface so look for big holds.

Sit start. Hands on jug in crack. Feet on good edge. Pull on and straight up.

Follow the Peasant's Ridge track until on the main ridge before crossing the creek to peasant's ridge. Ascend this rounded ridge easily in open forest until over a knoll. Follow the pad up the crest until coming across a rocky razorback. To ascend the razorback follow the apron to the west until it becomes easy to move up on the top. Once on the razorback follow this for about an hour with some huge exposure on either sides and some spicy moves as it narrows to a sheer knife edge. At the end of the razorback a tricky descent is forced on a short slab with little holds. After the razorback the ridge widens and is heavily vegetated but easy to navigate. A second rocky tower have to be contoured on the west until the ascent is forced in a slimy corner. Good hold exist on the face to the LHS with some exposure. The final rocky outcrop is again bypassed on the left until an easy looking ramp will take you to the top of the ridge just above old hut saddle. Scramble easily to the top of east peak.

Start at Lower Portals carpark, follow the track over the first ridge to Rocky Creek. Leave the track on the left and follow a bearing SSW towards isolated creek gully. The base of the ridge has 2 distinct buttresses and the right one, to the north, has a scrambable line. The ridge is relatively open, slabby and leads over Isolated Shoulder to the summit of Isolated Peak. A cruxy buttress at half way requires careful navigation to avoid roping up and some exposure. This ridge is fairly short but more difficult than Logan's, for a comparison.

Tree totally in...

Head up through cool featured honeycomb looking rock

Top access for top roping

Sit start at base of arete, pull up, stand up, grab the top, easy mantle over.

The obviously easy ultra-juggy staircase face to the left. Of the corner with plenty of pockets and edges. Great for the kids. Often used as a descent route for the other problems on this face.

Super easy juggy ramp, great for kids or helping people get used to heights over pads before trying other problems nearby.

Sit start on the ledge, grab jugs and pull up and follow up the sharp arete to the right of the descent gully.

Starting about 3m R of "Unclimbed arete route". Up twin, wide, slabby cracks, then runout up slab to top and probable tree belay.

Starts at the north end of Escape Alley at a small tree belay. Joins into the final 3 pitches of "Monkey on a String". Walk out along the long ledge passing the descent chains. Finish on the R of the block.

Chimney L of Deception

Slab climb as you arrive at the boulder.