Einträge in Blue Lake

Quality crack climbing in an alpine setting.

Good winter climbing as well depending on conditions. Ice flows form further right from the Amphitheatre most years, and the rock buttresses also sometime

This is the largest and most popular buttress and contains most of Blue Lake's classics. The rock is usually dry and of excellent quality with good natural protection. Climbs are described from left to right. Route descriptions from Printed in Issue #6 (Spring 1989) of Australian ROCKCLIMBER magazine.

Start at the extreme left of the crag. Up the short wall onto the slab then up a second wall to the top.

Not a great route. Start at the left end of the buttress and take the left-hand slanting groove, just to the right of a short steep face. Climb the groove direct.

A girdle traverse of the cliff – so far only covering the first part of the cliff – awaits completion. Offers some interesting situations. Start as for Entrenched.

1. 20m. Climb the groove as for Entrenched to a good ledge and belay.

2. 13m. The steep wall on the right is climbed on good holds until a swing can be made onto the slab. Traverse delicately right and down 3m crossing a small corner to a good ledge.

3. 14m. Follow ledge to stance on Pad-Nag.

4. 14m. Up onto slab, right to peg on Turdus. Down to good ledge.

5. 17m. Across to a narrow sloping shelf, delicately around corner to ledge.

6. 22m. Around to Dihedral Corner, up corner for 5m then right to ledge.

7. 20m. Up onto sloping platform. Ascend the crack using layaway holds until a lodgement can be made in a small groove. Easily to top.

Sustained, strenuous, technically interesting, with poor pro. Start in the same recess as Entrenched, at the prominent chimney crack on the right. Follow the crack for 16m then through the overhang, continue up the thin crack.

Layback up a crack starting from the ledge at half height.

A pleasant easy route. Start at the foot of the buttress 10m right of Grappler. Ascend the corner and through the overhang. After the cave, follow the groove left to a ledge then on to the top.

An easy ramble. Start in the middle of the slabs. Follow the vague line to the left, then up the easy broken slabs to a good ledge on the left of the recessed slab. For the last 20m, up easily trending right.

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Another ancient ramble. Start as for Pad Nag, but trend right up past piton and onto rib.

Good steep fun. Start at the base of the buttress below a steep wall. Easily over some slabby stuff then up the railroad-type cracks.

Good pro. Start 10m right of Pad Nag. Over some easy stuff then follow the steep central crack.

Well protected and steep. Start as for Zaphod Beeblebrox and climb the twin seams on the right.

Start at the arete left of 'Pete's Corner' and follow the arete. May be a Chris Baxter route called Tynee Tips.

Easy and enjoyable. The corner crack left of Gherkin. 5m up the slab to the base of the corner, climb the well-protected corner, then easily leftwards to the top.

A sting in the tail. Start 5m left of Dihedral Corner at the crack in the base of the blunt, blocky arete. Up over the blocks and ledges, moving right at the top to finish.

The left wall of Dihedral Corner is a convenient TR problem off the chains, with a few directionals. 21ish if you stay R of Gherkin at the start. Then enjoyable independent climbing staying 4m L of DC, finishing up the clean offwidth.

A well protected, thoroughly enjoyable classic. Straight up the low angle corner.

There is a chain around a block at the top for abseiling (January 2021). Take care with 60 meter rope as the rap is more than 30 meters.

This climb has almost certainly been done in the past, but no ascent information could be found. Hence it was scrubbed, climbed and 'named'. It is very contrived as the start mostly repeats MDS, and the entire crack is extensively used by RH and RF on DC. Start at the right diagonal crack/seam just left of mindbender - not a great place for a fall for the leader or second (unless you find the gear). Follow this towards dihedral corner then straight up, right next to dihedral but on the crack on the main face. An alternate finish can be climbed by stepping 2m right about 3m before the top.

An impressive line with great pro and even better moves. The diagonal crack 5m right of Dihedral Corner. Through the roof and up the crack. Move a step left at the half height ledge, then up and back to the crack and on to the top. A direct start was claimed by C. Baxter and F. Gilfedder at grade 16.

Another classic. Start 2m right of Mindbender. Up to the triangular flake then follow the cracks, keeping left of the small arete. Then follow the obvious groove from the left of the ledge.

An exciting overhang. Start in the corner between Mad Dogs and The Exorcist. Up the slab to the corner, then to the roof. Left across to the wall, up to the crack. Up again and across to a ledge, then up and finish as for Mad Dogs.

Start between Dihedral Corner and Reprieve at the right of the slab in the corner below the block overhang. Up the wall to below the second overhang, through it, then straight up.

An excellent middle grade classic. Strong line and good pro. Start at the left-slanting crack, ~20m right of Dihedral Corner. Up the slab for a few metres to join the crack then follow it to the top.

Start at the protruding corner formed by the right wall of Reprieve and the left wall of Necromancer. The route crosses Necromancer and Clog Dance at half height.

1. 20m. Bouldery moves (crux) gain the short slab leading to the obvious rightwards crack-line. Follow this and some wall moves to a large belay ledge on Necromancer.

2. 5m. A short hand traverse breaks horizontally across the steep wall right of Necromancer to gain an obvious belay ledge, as for Clog Dance.

3. 25m. Step rightwards around the corner and ascend the steep wall and arete (crux), finishing up the easier slabs above.

A vaguely distinct addition. Start up Idle Man's Pleasure to the big ledge on Necromancer at 10m. Step left and up the small arete and face, then up Necromancer to finish.

Another good mid-grade route. Start 5m right of Reprieve at the obvious corner. Up the corner to a good ledge then follow the left-slanting crack through the two overhangs. Can be split into two pitches.

Named after the comic strip 'The Cloggies' by Bill Tidy, there was some confusion as to whether this line might also be Halcyon Days, as claimed by Baxter, Gaynor and Penna in 1978. Whoever did it, it's a good route. Start 5m to the right of Necromancer below the wall with horizontal stripes.

1. Follow a crack-line over a bulge and up the centre of the buttress before veering left around the nose to an obvious ledge.

2. Finish up the crack-line splitting a short steep wall and easier groove above.

Start 5m to the right of Clog Dance. Up the arete then swing around to a ledge on the left. Up the right hand end of the ledge to a short hand-jam crack. Move right to the obvious cracks then up the ramp to the top.

May have been freed, but who knows? Start at the right corner of the buttressbelow a large corner leading to an overhang. Up the corner through two overhangs, then up a crack to a small ledge at 20m. Easy crack to the top.

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One of the best trad pitches you’ll find anywhere! Takes the main prow of the right-hand most prominent buttress that forms the left side of Glissade Gully.

To find the start, walk to the far right-hand end of the buttress and around the corner, then head up the gully until you see a steep hand crack that starts atop a small scramble on your left. The line is best seen from a little way away.

Start up prominent steep crack in yellow/green lichen stained rock to pedestal, then a couple of layback moves up thin crack to rooflet. Continue straight up trending slightly leftwards following the crack system to finish either straight up on easy layback (handy here if you have a no 6 cam but not essential), or (BETTER) traverse rightwards around the hanging dagger feature for what must surely be the most exposed position above the lake and continue easily up to the top of the cliff.

Sustained and engaging from bottom to top with solid pro all the way. Has been described as the best climb at blue lake. Originally graded 18!!

Loose crack climbing. Start in Glissade Gully below a section of broken rock jutting out from the cliff.

1. Move right over broken rock to belay on a ledge at 20m.

2. Climb either of the two steep cracks behind the ledge.

FA: Left crack: , . 1966

FA: Right crack: . 1967

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Loose, dirty and scary. Start high up in Glissade Gully at a small ledge. Up a vague overhanging line for a few metres then a wall to finish.

This is the middle buttress bounded on the left by Glissade Gully and on the right by Stag Gully. Low down on the wall facing Glissade Gully are a few obvious lines. The left-leaning offwidth has been climbed at grade 22 – details have not been forthcoming but it is presumed that John Fantini made the first ascent. Peter Mills has done a route to the right of the above route somewhere (I think it's All Purpose Monkey 22) and Kim Carrigan has done a climb up one of the lines to the right also. Mike Law-Smith and Paul Daniels added a two-pitch route Golden Razor 22, which starts through a steep wall at the foot of the buttress and blasts straight up. Sorry I can't give more details, but what you ain't got you can't give. The routes I have got descriptions for are described left to right starting in Glissade Gully.

Thin ice smears sometimes come into condition on the Glissade Gully side and easier mixed routes are possible on the front and Stag side.

An alpine ramble taking the left-slanting line overlookinq Glissade Gully. Start below the broken rocks to the left of the steep smooth section.

1. The general line is obvious, though variants can be taken. May be split into two to avoid rope drag.

FA: A. Wood, P. Aitchison, G. Still. 1962

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The exact location in relation to other climbs is vague, but can be found once you get to the cliff. Start at the twin thin seams (train tracks) right of a dark leaning dirty fused corner.

1. 40m. Climb the twin thin seam-cracks to a sloping ledge.

2. 5m. Easily up.

FA: Luke Trihey, Rob Topser, 1982

In winter an ice smear develops down the general area of Tapdance/All Purpose Monkey which can touchdown in Glissade Gully. Though the bottom ice is thin and variable, it is also climbable at about M7 mixed. The ice quickly improves and the middle and top sections can be thick enough to take even medium length screws.

Belay off good wires and/or stakes before soloing off up final short snow slope. Top rope or inspection of ice conditions is recommended

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

A pleasant long route. Start as for Warm Up.

1. Up the short wall then left across the slab to a good ledge.

2. Follow diagonal crack up wall then easier cracks to the top.

FA: P. Aitchison, N. Anderson. 1968

Varied and interesting climbing. Start at the short steep wall a little way up the chimney/gully.

1. 32m. Up walls, across slab into corner. Traverse right then up onto another slab. Follow up slab and belay on a large spike in the corner.

2. 33m. Up the crack for a few metres then left across slab into a corner and on to the top.

FA: A. Woods, P. Aitchison, G. Still. 1967

A rather obvious line. May be wet and loose. Start at the foot of the chimney.

1. Follow the obvious fissure, best to belay somewhere along the way.

FA: P. Aitchison, A. Wood, l. Raine. 1968

Apparently not as good as it looks. Start below a ramp on the right-hand side of the gully under Chockstone Chimney.

1. 22m. Follow the ramp to a ledge and along this to belay on The Slab.

2. 38m. Climb the crack above the belay and continue up the easy corner for 20m then right and up easy cracks to finish.

FA: A. Wood. 1968

A good long easy route. Start at the longest point of the slab. Can be split into two or three pitches.

1. Up slab and right around overhang and left to ledge.

2. Above ledge, move right along flake to the slab, follow cracks to another ledge. Up corner to a ledge then left to another corner and up. Numerous variations have been done.

More of an access route than anything else. Useful as an easy descent route.

The third of the major buttresses, bounded on the left by Stag Gully and on the right be the Amphitheatre. Has a couple of well worthwhile routes. The large grassy ledge at two-thirds height is called The Terrace

A sustained finger crack. Start 2/3 way up Stag Gully beneath an overhanging arete on the right.

1. Up an easy slab to beneath the obvious crack, through the wide crack then finger jam and layaway upwards. Alternatively start as for Short Slab then up the crack.

FA: Tony Barton, Mike Pick, Craig Kentwell. 1988

Not really a climb but rather an alternative to Stag Gully. Follows the line on the right of Stag Gully, up a corner formed by the slab to the left of Blue Lake Crack.

Up the finger crack left of Blue Lake Crack. This fizzles out at half height. Take your pick of lines to the top.

A classic line, but doesn't see a lot of sun, so is often wet. Start in Stag Gully where the left wall of the buttress joins the steep slab.

1. Follow the obvious crack line. Can be split at a couple of ledges, one at about 15m and one at 30m.

FA: A. Wood, P. Aitchison. 1968

Quite good climbing with a few jams, jugs and some stemming. Just pick a day when the moss is dry. Start just right of Blue Lake Crack up the wide-looking fissure. Once you reach the ledge at 20m, step around the corner to the right and scramble up ledges and grass onto The Terrace.

An excellent middle grade route. Start at the flake line low in the gully.

1. 20m (17) Excellent hand jams and flaky jugs, a few of them rattling. Fun climbing.

2. 20m (10) A doddle traverse right and down, up a ramp and scramble up to The Terrace.

FA: M. McPhail, W. Williams, P. Giles. 1972

There is a short curving line down right of Trojan War, it has been climbed at grade 22, further details unknown.

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Not a lot to recommend it. Start below a wall at the base of the chimney on the nose of the buttress.

1. Up the wall then follow the wide crack/chimney to the top.

FA: A. Sargent, R. Eckesley. 1967

Start 7m right of Fluey.

1. Follow cracks to a ledge then right. Down and to the left to a ramp. Move to a short chimney then to the sloping shelf. Follow the groove leftward then up.

FA: A. Wood, I. Raine. 1968

Start at the extreme right-hand end of Grey Buttress below a large detached flake in the gully.

1. Up the right side of the flake, around bulge, then up a groove to the top.

FA: P. Aitchison, N. Anderson. 1968

Climbs off the grassy ledge, halfway up the Grey Buttress.

Great climbing, great position and good protection. Start at the left-hand end of the Terrace.

1. Up a few metres to a sloping ledge then left to the arete and follow it to the top.

FA: Mike Law-Smith

The original finish to Trojan War.

The first half is quite good, but the second half of the original route should be avoided (and probably can be by climbing up a broken crack in the top wall).

Up the open corner and cracks in the middle of The Terrace onto a small grassy ledge. For the original route, scramble up into a v-slot and continue up in or near the corner. Alternative finish looks possible up broken cracks or the arete left of the v-slot.

Up the ramp, then crack. Follow the V-groove left, then left again and up a finger crack to the top.

Take the line of least resistance off The Terrace, starting at the right-hand end.

1. 12m (19) Climb the first 3 metres of wooden horse (15), then follow the left diagonal crack. step right at the large horizontal break, and continue up the thin twin cracks. Small nuts needed. Belay from the ledge.

2. 20m (16) Direct start: on the left hand edge of the ledge up the obvious crack. stay on the left crack for 10m until arriving at the steep face with an overhanging boulder. traverse left 3m then follow path of least resistance to top (19) Or go straight up, takes a small cam (0.1-0.3), this is a committing finish.

1. (17) Start as for Helen, at the horizontal break about 7m up take the thin diagonal left crack to the ledge. Good gear all the way.

2. (17) From the ledge follow the crack about 2-3m to the right of the left hand edge of the ledge. The crack which goes up then left for 2m then up to the top. This pitch is significantly harder (and more contrived) if climbed without using the crack of helen 1.5m to the left. Good gear all the way.

The Amphitheatre is the expanse of rock to the right of Grey Buttress. It is mostly broken and short and doesn't really have much to offer. Most obvious cracks have been led or soloed.

Mike tried unsuccessfully to onsite this line 20 years ago. This time he made an abseil inspection, placed a runner or two and was able to complete the climb.

This route and SAP are located on a small buttress down low in the amphitheatre. The Last Minute is the central, more prominent crack; SAP the right-hand thinner crack.

Presently the hardest climb at Blue Lake. The right hard crack next to The Last Minute. Pre-placed pitons used to protect the middle section and to stand on hence the grade M0

A wandery multi-pitch ramble. Start low in the Amphitheatre at a large buttress with a steep face with some cracks on the right.

1. Up cracks to a good ledge then scramble left. Over a short wall to a ramp and up to a corner. Up corner to a shelf, move right to a belay.

2. Wander left up some flakes to the top.

FA: A. Wood, P. Aitchison. 1968

An aid climb for those that have the gear. Start in the corner nearest to the lake to right of Amphitheatre.

1. Five metres to the left of the 'S'-crack go straight up the overhang then to the small roof. Rap from fixed pins.

FA: Phil Georgeff, Peter Hopkins. 1987

Start 5m left of Tic Toc.

1. Up the left-hand corner edge. Move right up the crack to the ledge below the grass.

FA: Peter Hopkins. 1987

Winter sector - Large 'mound' right of The Amphitheatre and left of Access Gully consisting of various couloirs, ramps and a few short ice flows

Obvious easy couloir on right side closest to access gully.

A left leaning ice line just left of the easier access coulioir

Main ice flow on lower left, various options. Will sometimes stay in condition longer than the Steppes due to aspect.

Main winter climbing area. Obvious triple-step of short vertical ice flows, though sometimes only the top two form up properly. Low angled snow/ice ramp on left and rock face on right.

Low angled ramp to the left of the Triple Step, with a short steep section.

Left side of main ice. Sometimes a bit wetter as it catches a bit more sun then the rest ...

Central section of main ice.

Right face of main ice section

Shallow chimney on right side of main ice area. Can be a bit ‘turfy’ at the top and a bit wet late in the season.

An angled climb slightly right of the chimney and separate to the main ice. Some rock involved.

Large steep rock face right of the Triple Step area, with only occasion small sections of ice but good mixed climbing/drytooling possibilities

Obvious easy gully line on left with various steeper exits

Obvious right facing corner with steep finish on left side of wall

A high groove exit with a thin crack below it marks this climb. Take the most direct line up to the crack and then to top,

Take the easiest line up and left to gain the high groove and the top.

Low angled slabs east of the Northern Boulder that forms up into a wide ice ramp. Generally easy climbing.

A rather small craglet that offers some interesting winter fun. A combination of rime, ice flows and cracks provides various mixed options

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Steepish snow/ice gully at left of crag.

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Start at short right curving ice below granite nose .

Up ice and right of rock nose, gear in rock. Traverse up and right to finish in thin groove in upper rock face, rock and ice gear.

Belay of large boulder then walk off

Major steep ice flow on right leading to steep wide corner crack with ice choked finish.

As for Mrs Mac’s Crack but reach around right to avoid the crack finish.