Nodes in Dalpura Head

Multi-pitch wall climbing with modern bolts and the amazing summit of the Lost Pillar.

A spectacular 80m high tower that sits about 7m out from the south face of 'Dalpura Head'. The Blue Mountain's answer to Yosemite's 'Lost Arrow' Spire. Surprisingly this appears to have been unclimbed until 2003, when Tony "Mad Taffy" Williams dragged himself away from the bar to bolt several routes. 'Surely' some old mountaineer managed to get up this in the dim dark past?

First pitch of first(?) ascent route of 'The Lost Pillar'. Start at DBB next to big block in high point of notch on Pillar side. Follows chimney (good pro) between precariously balanced banana shape block and Pillar to block perched on top, DBB on block or good natural gear belay on ledge below upper wall. Rap to notch off DBB.

2nd pitch of original route up Pillar. From top of Bendy Banana Chimney head up diagonally left up cracks and blocks to double ring anchors and top of Pillar.

Starts on spacious ledge above 'Bendy Banana Chimney' on West Face upper tier. Follows 3 bolts and some small/ medium cams right to arete of Lost Pillar and up to 'diving board' block. Great exposure and views. Belay bolts are the rap station rings at top of pillar. Sign the Log Book, Rap down Josh's pitch.

Starts on spacious ledge above 'Bendy Banana Chimney' on West Face upper tier. Follows 3 bolts and some small/ medium cams on left side of upper tier and up to 'diving board' block. Belay station is the rap station (double rings) at top of Lost Pillar. 20m rap to 'Bendy Banana block' or 50m to notch (hard rope pull).

One of the most novel routes in the country up an extraordinary natural feature that redefines the term knife blade arete. No amount of hyperbole will prepare you for the first sight of this exposed prow on a remote tower. Imagine 'Flake Crack' but without the main wall and 70m high. You can even hang your arm through holes in the arete in several places! Rock quality is generally pretty poor but it's all about position, position, and position! Protection is good, generally on solid ring bolts and occasionally on fixed slings/rope tied through holes in the arete. Although technically this is a sport route be prepared for large amounts of rope admin - bring jumars, lots of biners and helmets. Have an escape plan if it all goes wrong and the tower falls down.

Rap-in

The route is located on the south east arete of the Lost Pillar on Dalpura Head. Locate 2 x ringbolts (no longer carrots) on top of cliff above the Lost Pillar (peer over edge to locate pillar!). It's a 120m abseil straight down the wall (joining ropes is an option). It's recommended you re-belay at one of two DBBs. The first hanging DBB is slightly above the top of the pillar and is used for the tyrolean exit. The second DBB is on a ledge 15m below the top of the pillar with some vegetation, a small swing to the left, recommended for the bounce exit. Pick your re-belay and finish rapping straight down into the gully. Scramble down a few metres to the line of ring bolts traversing left for the first pitch.

Stick clip the first bolt (optionally, belay off the rap rope, or off some slung sandstone) to avoid a bad fall off the ledge on the opening moves.

Climbing

1. 35m (21) The Floating Fin Pitch. Start on right wall of fin, about 5m up the gully. Traverse hard left across the horizontal break (super chossy) past lots of stainless to gain better rock on left side of arete. Up. No, seriously keep going up, taking care not rip a fin off, to belay on ledge at triple bolt belay. Rope drag is a minor issue on this pitch. 30m of rope will make it if the second is near the edge.

2. 18m (22) Sea Cliff Pitch. Go against all logic and traverse out right above the sucking void to gain the knife blade arete again. Up. Yes, the slings are bomber. No, you can't come down. Take care with the top-out onto the belay ledge, there is quite a bit of small loose shale. Double ring belay.

3. 18m (23) Sandy Boulder Pitch. Surprisingly punchy in the bottom half. First bolt is a dangerously high clip, so pull on belay bolts to reach it. Belay on double rings and FH.

Exit options

Scramble to true summit 5m away and locate double rings on west facing block.

The Bounce (recommended)

The simplest but most exciting. Rap 15m between main wall and pillar, then kick with all your might to sail across the void. Grab your rap line and pull onto the ledge. The rope will only be close enough to grab if you re-belayed on the vegetated ledge.

The Welsh Dragon

Rap 30m down to western lower tiers of pillar to a 2 x carrot belay (visible from top, has in-situ gear to facilitate next abseil (!) ), and rap another 30m back to the start gully. From the gully, either jumar back up the fixed ropes, or climb Welsh Dragon (shady) or The Opposition (harder and sun after 1pm).

The Tyrolean

It's also possible to tyrolean off the top of the pillar (avoiding the first 70m of jumaring) by towing the end of the fixed abseil rope behind you up the climb and diagonal ascending up to the re-belay anchors. Look up how to set it up!

Major direct corner system on the south west side of the pillar. All trad, and done ground up in the finest possible style (if you disregard nude soloing).

1. 20m (23) Up thin crack and either step right to belay or continue straight up second pitch. This pitch is shared with Josh's Big Trad Line.

2. 25m (18) Step back into thin corner and up, past blocks and roof to base of clean chimney

3. 25m (19) Up clean line and thru roof to belay

4. 40m (16) Up chimney to ledge and finish up right arete (Gundu).

Attempt at major line on the south face. First ascent involved some minor aid, which was subsequently freed 5 years later by Ado and Mike. Finish as for 'Bendy Banana Chimney' then 'Original Way Up' finish.

1. 20m (18 M1) Up line 6m left of chossy chimney on south face. This is the same as pitch 1 of Lost Crack (23)

2. 40m (-) 2) 40m Up corner system and left to notch

Mini multi-pitches that require rapping in and climbing out. The wall is about 120m high - with most routes being 3-4 pitches. The cliff faces south west - afternoon sun.

The first two routes are 150m north-west of the Lost Pillar. The top of the routes are at GPS-33.548084, 150.308802. Both routes share the same start, and require rapping down to make it to the starting ledge. You MAY be able to scramble up to this ledge if you walk over from the base of the Lost Pillar, but this has never been done previously. This section of wall is in the shade until 2pm.

Four varied pitches - and one stopper move on pitch three which has yet to be climbed free.

Start: Rap in from sling around bollard above 'End of Days'. All raps are diagonally rightwards (looking in), and will require some "redirection" to reach the start of the route. Best to fix 100m rope, and redirect it through several bolts to ensure you don't end up stranded in space, to the belay at the end of Pitch 1. From here, rap 30m on the lead rope to the left edge of the starting ledge (keep up a swing to ensure you land on the ledge!).

Alternatively use double ropes and rap down 35m, 15m, 40m, 30m.

It is highly recommended that you bring Cams #0.4 - #1 for the starting crack (and belay), as the first bolt is REALLY high.

1. 35m (23) Long and sustained face climbing. Easy sandy corner crack to roof, undercling left and across face which thins alarmingly near the end.

2. 45m (23) Long and exposed fused flake just right of arete to top of pillar. Up and left across short orange face to shale break. Past this on jugs to belay in slabby corner stance at triple bolt belay. Sustained!

3. 32m (23M1) Yet to be led clean. Pull on crux bolt (tricky to clip!) to knock this pitch down from grade 27 to grade 23. Left onto arete then left again to short juggy face. Thin moves to horizontal, left along this to reachy move over rooflet (glued-up hold). Up very exposed left facing corner to juggy finish and comfy bivi ledge under huge roof.

4. 13m (20) Short, steep and exposed. Up and left on ironstone jugs to hit roof at mossy crack. Jugs to top. Double ring belay.

Not the usual Bluies jug haul. Bring a cut-down trad rack - double cams to handcrack size and no wires. Named in memory of Nick Kaz, who was killed on the same day as this route was established.

Start: Rap descent as for I Scream.

1. 30m (22) Start as for I Scream pitch 1 at wide sandy corner crack. At 2nd bolt step right (trad) and up steep flake crack, mostly on finger/small hand sized cams. One bolt when the flake gets wafer thin. Finish up wall on bomber micro cams. Belay on comfy ledge right of orange wall.

2. 20m (23) Stellar! Left across orange face to breach roof on left side. Up exposed techy arete to belay ledge. A sport pitch.

3. 20m (25) Stretch those calves and chalk those palms! Traverse left to stunning fused bridging corner that's lovingly cleaned to perfection. Four bolts then final finger crack on cams.

4. 15m (15) Easy juggy ironstone slab trending left. Belay on big vegetated ledge.

5. 35m (21) Surprisingly sustained face which looks like an ironstone jug haul from below. Bring three bolt hangers for the occasional random carrot.

The next two routes are on the main wall directly opposite the Lost Pillar itself.

A big arete.

Start: Locate the top of the Lost Pillar. Scramble down and abseil off 3BB below cairn 10m west of Lost Pillar. Take about 16 bolt plates and 2 ropes, rap down 50m and pull ropes, rap bottom pitch on single fixed to vegetated ledge about 15m from the ground.

1. 50m (27) Rounded arete past bolts to ledge, 2nd bolt needs a sling to ease clip-fear.

2. 50m (18) Loose arete past bolts. Mike thought this was going to be grade 8 when he bolted it.

Face climbing up large black wall opposite the Lost Pillar. Bolted with spaced glue-in carrots - you will need at least 11 bolt plates. Total shade until very late in the day.

From Dalpura Head, locate 2 x Ringbolts on top of cliff above the Lost Pillar (peer over edge to locate this!). It's 120m abseil straight down the wall (joining ropes is an option), or you can do 2 x 50m abseils by swinging left (looking in) and re-belaying at an interim set of rap anchors (at almost the same height as the summit of the Pillar). Rap straight down the notch between the pillar and the Main Wall and scramble up the gully to the start of the route.

1. 20m (M1) Ring-bolt aid ladder from notch between Lost Pillar and main wall and up to ledge. Scramble carefully right along ledge to DBB.

2. 15m (16) Delicate moves on a rising traverse right past four BR to triple bolt belay. Good warm up for next pitch.

3. 25m (18) Great pitch through some scary bits. 6 BRs in total and a #3 camalot could be helpful to calm the nerves. Finish by picking your way through 1 foot shale ledge to bushes and DBB.

4. 28m (19) Great exposure and positions up the vertical wall on many good and not-so good holds. Belay at initial rap point. 11 BRs.

The next two routes climb prominant south-west facing aretes about 50m east of the Lost Pillar. You can easily walk over to the base from the pillar - or rap in from above down either route. To get to the top of these routes walk down gully to GPS -33.549075, 150.310654.

Gripping arete which offers a good three pitch escape when finished with the Lost Pillar. This is technically a sport route, but there are some runouts (especially off the belays) and chossy rock in sections which means you want to be solid at this grade to attempt this route. The one repeat of this route has also suggested an upgrade to grade 24. This route gets sun after 1pm so slip, slop and slap. 14 draws and 8 brackets.

Start: First major arete 50m to right (north) of the Lost Pillar and 5m left of Crankenstien. To get to the start either rap down 'Welsh Dragon' and trash through the thick bush or rap direct down the route. The top of the climb is at the bottom of a major gully 50m right of the double bolts above 'Welsh Dragon'. There is a set of double BRs on a ledge at the top, rig a couple of slings and rap into the unknown.

1. 15m (22) From tiny ledge with no anchors climb leftwards to high first ubolt (try and stick-clip this with a 5m stick so you don't die) then left again to arete. Ponder the lack of holds, find a solution and scuttle up to belay below steep orange arete.

2. 40m (23) Steeply up right side of arete with a few long moves. Cross a minor choss band then continue up the ladder of jugs. Finish with a few techy crimp moves on the left then right side of arete.

3. 40m (18) Jugs to big break, over this then up techy black arete on little ironstone edges. Ramble up ledgy stuff to finish. Bolt plates needed for this pitch. Belay off double BRs.

An impressive looking arete - but the route tends to climb mostly on the face well to the right side of the arete. This route is bolted with old-school bash-in rusty carrots with no hangers and should be treated with caution. The route may have only had two ascents as of 2021 - rock is quite fragile. The topo diagram on this page is not accurate regarding the bolt count and number of bolts on rap points. Bring a single set of cams from finger to hand size to beef up anchors and backup some of the crustier bolts. Take care and bring plenty of bolt plates.

Approach by walking down steep gully 50m to the east of the top of Wafer Thin Fin. At bottom of gully walk left along narrow ledge for 20m to top of route. Look for single rusty carrot on flat top. This bolt marks the top of the rap down point but not the top of the route. Backup single bolt up with finger sized cam in break 3m behind it. Fix rope and rap down wall 30m to double carrot bolt belay and loose hillside. Fix a 70m+ to these bolts and rap down hillside and then down route to base of wall. It's best to clip into a few bolts on the way down to stay connected to the wall. Give the holds a scrub whilst your at it - they will be dirty!

1. 35m (24) Up overhung left side of arete until move around to right side. Up to small footledge and semi-hanging DBB. About 11 BRs.

2. 40m (24) Follow the steep line of sandy scoops for miles until it blanks out on a black wall. Thin moves then up to belay at base of steep hillside (Balderstone Point) and single bolt (backup with rap rope!). Move belay up to DBB at base of top pitch. 13 bolts?

3. 35m (24) Hard undercut start then much easier climbing that wanders right then back left. Alarmingly ironstone jug finish. 7 bolts.