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Description
A great long bouldering cave tucked down behind some houses in blaxland.
Avoid like herpes after rain or on humid days.
All the problems have been renamed in a "Surgery" theme as the original names have been lost to antiquity. Names and grades are welcome for the unnamed problems, I just haven't done them.
Access issues inherited from Lower Blue Mountains
Be sensible.
Approach
<5 min
At Blaxland, turn off the Great Western Highway onto Coughlan Rd. Follow Coughlan Rd past the High School and over the railway bridge, and take the first right onto Honeyeater Cres. Where the road turns left, keep going straight ahead down what looks like a driveway. Follow to the bottom of the hill and around to the left. Park at the end of the straight just before the road starts heading back up the hill.
Descent notes
From the carpark across the road from the new house, find and follow the faint trail (basically opposite the house front deck) heading straight down through the bush, its about a 60 sec walk down (trail will intersect another trail heading left, but continue down toward the creek.) Do NOT cross the creek. Turn left following the emerging cliffline around, continuing until the cliff opens up to reveal The Surgery. About 2 min walk in all up.
Ethic inherited from Blue Mountains
Although sport climbing is well entrenched as the most popular form of Blueys climbing, mixed-climbing on gear and bolts has generally been the rule over the long term. Please try to use available natural gear where possible, and do not bolt cracks or potential trad climbs. If you do the bolts may be removed.
Because of the softness of Blue Mountains sandstone, bolting should only be done by those with a solid knowledge of glue-in equipping. A recent fatality serves as a reminder that this is not an area to experiment with bolting.
If you do need to top rope, please do it through your own gear as the wear on the anchors is both difficult and expensive to maintain.
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/
It would be appreciated if brushing of holds becomes part of your climbing routine - do it with a soft bristled brush and never a steel brush!
The removal of vegetation - both from the cliff bases and the climbs - is not seen as beneficial to aesthetics of the environment nor to our access to it.
However, the fast growing scrub can conceal walking tracks in mere months, making remote and less popular crags slightly more difficult and fun to navigate to. Some appropriately discreet pruning is a far better alternative then track braiding (which causes far more damage).
However, do so only on Council land and definitely not in the National Park. Remember, to maintain access our best approach is to 'Respect Native Habitat, Tread Softly and Leave No Trace'. Do not cut flora and keep any tracks and infrastructure as minimal as possible or risk possible closures.
History
This spot was developed by Various local climbers back in the mid/late nineties. This I believe include Ed Thornhill Ben Pearce, Dave Browning, Saxon Johns and garth miller. With the help of a few other friends. From memory this area was said to of had a double digit traverse under the cave fa'd by Garth Miller. Dave Browning also did a dyno problem on the suspended rock that's just before the entrance thought to be v8 or 9. And I think either Ed or Ben did the prosthesis problem. stay tuned
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Photos Browse all photos
Ben Jenga at The Surgery - The Campus Board.JPG
The Surgery - Topping out a little problem.JPG
Deleted climber 218179737 on ★ Go Go Gadget V2 - Go Go Gadget
Damion Best on ★★ The Nurse V3 - The Nurse