Routes in Sweet Dreams Walls

Up to roof at slight left-facing corner, grab jug at lip, clip FH and crank (crux) up 2.5m to next FH. Charge on up with cams in slots to a belay ledge. Great pro, solid holds and fantastic exposure. Lower off rings or up 7m trending left to juggy bulge and tree. Walk off right to top of 'Sweet Dreams'.

Up to corner, reach out and clip FH. Gather your guts and grit your teeth as you pull up and right onto face to next FH (crux). Up on easier ground and nice sharp edges past another FH. Chuck some cams in slots, straight up to DRBB.

Start: Starts 3m left of Dreams are Free.

Make a trad belay in shallow slot under the route. Up to FH below juggy ledges. Clip and crank up and right on jugs to shallow overlay corner. Straight up to ledge and traverse right to rap rings. Rope drag is a problem.

Start: Starts 3m left of 'Jude Food'.

A direct start and variant finish to Sweet Dreams.

A lot of jiggery pockery for one pitch! This section of rock can been seen while spending a lot of time belaying beginners up 'Sweet Dreams'. It was put up for reasons of scratching an itch rather then getting from the bottom to the top. Using double ropes rap in from 2 ring bolts at the top of the of the Sweet Dream 17 'Variant Finish' to the end of the traverse pitch belay anchor. Rap down again over to the right to a 3 U bolt semi hanging belay.

Climb right into the corner aiming for some fixed hangers (placed for some other climb going up the corner) As you climb in the corner you need to unclip some draws behind you so as to reduce rope drag. From the fixed hangers follow U bolts out around the corner out the exposed orange face across to the right hand side out the head wall up to the ledge where there is a double U bolt belay. It doesn't go anywhere from here as the rock looks dubious. Back jump to clean or bring up seconder then rap off left to Sweet Dream's terror traverse. Then climb up 'Sweet Dreams'.

A link-up of Sweet Dreams into Saccharine Nightmare that creates a sport climbers version of Sweet Dreams - giving slightly harder climbing and a lot more bolts. You will still need a couple of cams for Sweet Dreams pitch 2.

1. 20m (13) Pitch 1 of Sweet Dreams (ring bolts + slings)

2. 30m (12) Pitch 2 of Sweet Dreams (cams - no bolts)

3. 30m (12) Pitch 3 of Sweet Dreams to end of traverse and double RB belay. Continue past the first set of DRB to the second set 8m further. (ring bolts)

4. 35m (17) Pitch 3 of Saccharine Nightmare (12 ringbolts)

5. 10m (14) Pitch 4 of Saccharine Nightmare (3 ringbolts)

From the last ledge belay of Sweet Dreams take the left line of ringbolts up the blunt arete - either finish direct up the corner (trad) or traverse left at 15m into top pitch of Saccharine Nightmare (bolts).

1. 20m

2. 20m

3. 28m

4. 8m

5. 16m

6. 25m

From the last ledge belay of Sweet Dreams climb the ringbolted face just left of the corner. At 15m this joins into top corner finish of Sweet Dreams (trad required).

Offers up a simmering dish of big exposure, good protection and easy moves. On nice sunny weekends there can be a queue so get in early! Sleepyheads starting at the crack of noon (which is bizarrely common) will also miss out on the cool morning shade and get smashed by the sun which blasts the route from midday onwards.

Sweet Dream is regarded as the best introduction to multi-pitch climbing in New South Wales - however a recent fatality from rock fall and serious accident involving belayer failure should remind climbers this is not a casual walk in the park. The advice below is relevant to any multi-pitch route - but is contained in this route description to make sure people read it.

Rock fall is a hazard on any outdoor rock climb - but it can be especially hazardous on Sweet Dreams due to multiple parties being on the route at the same time. The danger is mainly from the unstable hillside above the route when topping out - but loose rock can be found on any pitch. Wear a helmet (on the approach and even when queuing at the base of the route) and rig belays with long enough slings/rope that a belayer can dodge falling missiles without being chained down. Care needs to be taken by all parties who attempt this route. If you have a beginner in tow let them know to be careful around loose rock.

This route is mainly low angle and thus easily affected by rain and summer sun. Have the skills and equipment to abseil off the route if required. This includes taking tube style belay devices suitable for double ropes (a grigri will not work). All belays are fitted with double ringbolts suitable for abseiling. A 60m rope is required for retreat above pitch 2 - use the anchors on Saccharine Nightmare.

Although there are many bolts on this route - this is NOT a sport route (despite what you may have heard). A trad rack is required for pitches 2 & 5 and useful on other pitches (single set of finger to fist sized cams + a couple of large wires will suffice). Bolt brackets are no longer required on this route. Most of the bolts were placed after the first ascent.

The route is only grade 14 if you finish via the corner system & left finish on pitch 5. There are two bolted variants to this pitch (both around grade 17) that avoid potential loose rock in the corner. Local advice is to use these pitches in preference to the corner (this was the location of the rockfall fatality).

Start: After crossing the fixed wire walk another 40m or so to base of short scrappy looking right facing corner on right side of giant block. Up above is the vast black slab of the higher pitches.

1. 20m (14) Short wall past bolt onto ledge then left to chimney (bolt), up to ledge and DRB belay.

2. 20m (10) Trad protected crack to DRB belay in little alcove. Save a large cam for the last few metres of this pitch. Without trad you will be SOLOING this pitch.

3. 28m (13) Traverse up and right across slab past 6 bolts and couple of cam slots to DRB.

4. 25m (13) Up via very easy climbing and no protection to second set of DRB after about 8m (ignore these). Continue up wall (3 bolts & optional cam), then step right to crack above bowel clenching exposure. Belay on big ledge below corner at one of two sets of DRBs. The right one is best for the trad corner - the left is best for the bolted grade 17 variants. Either way - this is an exposed belay to rockfall - be prepared to dodge.

5. 40m (14) Up easy trad protected corner for 20m, move left a few moves when possible then continue up subtle trad protected corner for another 10m to low double bolt belay - or even better a massive tree belay another 10m up the hill. Technically this is called the 'Variant Finish' but is the common way this route is now done.

The three variants to pitch 5 off the ledge are described here - but also have separate listings on this website.

The Original Finish (14) - climb the same trad corner for 20m then traverses RIGHT onto a big ledge and cam belay near huge detached blocks (not recommended due to potential loose rock). Finish up via 10m (10) pitch up the chossy overhang above taking extreme care not to drop rocks on people below.

Middle Bolted Variant (15-17) - climbs the wall just left of the corner past several ringbolts and then goes directly up the TRAD protected finish of the original pitch 5. This pitch is the easier of the two variants - it is possible to escape into the corner at one point which makes it more like grade 15.

Left Bolted Variant (17) - from the left DRB climb the subtle exposed arete past three or so ringbolts then join into the Middle Variant for a couple of bolts and then the trad finish. It is possible to traverse left at about 20m to the final belay of Saccharin Nightmare - and finish up that routes top bolted pitch (thus avoiding the trad finish of Sweet Dreams.

A good summer adventure as it stays shady until early afternoon, but there is (was) clearly nothing wrong with a winter ascent! The first ascent was made in 13th July. Gear: 1 set Cams #0.3 – 4, wires, 4 brackets, 8-10 quick draws, 4 slings.

1. 50m (14) As for pitches 1 and 2 of 'Sweet Dreams' with 1 BR at the start and 1 BR just before the double rings in corner. Caution: Massive rope drag!

2. 20m (14) Ignore bolts out right on Sweet Dreams and climb the corner direct (past an old rusty bolt 8m up) then continue on easy grey wall right of corner to large ledge and single rusty BR and small tree. You can belay here (with a bit of jiggery pokery - or link into next pitch).

3. 20m (15) Up slab above ledge then into vegetated corner (you can stem around the worst bits) to a short chimney (fixed hex with orange sling in the back of corner and an old shitty BR towards the front). Some people belay here but it is much nicer to continue up for another 5m onto large loose rock ledge on the right. Trad belay on medium cams and wires.

4. 15m (15) Traverse horizontally right with epic exposure and good cams to base of black corner and trad belay. You can join this pitch into the next pitch.

5. 25m (16) Up the sandy corner and at top exit right onto ledge (poor pro) and scramble up vegetation to tree belay.

The original way this route was done in 1963 - but now not recommended due to rockfall risk on parties below.

1. 20m (14) - Climb Sweet Dreams pitch 5 corner for 15m then traverse right for 4m to large ledge (big loose blocks). Belay off large cams.

2. 10m (10) Overhung chossy crack above belay ledge. Be very careful not to rip anything onto parties below.

Classic face climbing above a lot of worrying space. All bolts, take 11 brackets, a sling and prussics for whoever is seconding. All carrots have small heads, so maybe clip the first ones with fat old biners, or add a wire so the brackets don't tinkle off.

Start left of a steep orange nose 30m left of Sweet Dreams, or about 100m after the cable traverse.

1. 25m (19) Tough move through first rooflet then head right around arête and diagonally up face to ledge and 2 Ubolt belay on right.

2. 25m (18) 2 Ubolts then stainless glued carrots from now on. Traverse left and out to arête. Up this to first cave and DBB hidden around to the left.

3. 25m (19) The money pitch. Exposed! Up right easily to second cave then up and out left to overhung arête, up to semi hanging belay on small ledge and 3BB.

4. 35m (19) Up arête past two BRs to cave and double U bolts. You can belay here or clip a U with a long sling and step right, up wall and roof, then diagonally R to 2U belay.

5. 35m (16) Right and up on ironstone plates over roof past Ubolts on left, then diagonally R to top and tree belay well back.

Approach - 30m past Sweet Dreams and about 80m after the cable traverse, just left of a steep orange nose. Start as for Whymper. 25 mins walk in from carpark.

1. 25m (18) First pitch of Whymper. Head diagonally rightwards past U bolts through roof and around arête, up corner to ledge and 2 U belay on right.

2. 26m (18) Plumb-line up black wall on ring-bolts to DBB.

3. 21m (18) Up and left under roof on orange rock (clip 60cm runner on third bolt to minimise rope drag). Bridge up into corner of roof and traverse right through lip and onto wall above and DBB.

4. 23m (21) Trend slightly right past interesting features and small overlap to good holds and stance under roof. Strenuous moves left onto black wall above and up past flake (caution!) to DBB.

5. 25m (17) Fun juggy climbing through steps, to corner with short pocketed wall on left. Bridge up then step right onto final short wall and up toward tree. A final U-bolt is hidden just below cliff edge, as a directional. Recommend sling belay from tree 5m further up slope, and extend yourself back to edge with the rope (take extreme care with loose rocks!).

Walk off – from tree, up and left a few metres, then scramble right up boulder onto rock platform. Obvious track up and right to main track (<1 min). Turn right to lookout and carpark (<5 mins).

A multi-pitch sport route direct up the Sweet Dreams wall. All rings. Third pitch can also be done as a better finish to Sweet Dreams. Starts 20m left from the cable traverse below big orange wall.

1. 27m (22) 10 bolts - Long and sustained pitch. Start up easy shale ledges for a few metres to reach undercut corner. Up a few metres then onto left wall - a few tough moves then traverse right to delicate final moves to hanging belay at shale break. Long runners useful to avoid rope drag.

2. 30m (21) 8 bolts - Left from belay up steep juggy wall which gets a little thin about 15m up. Swing left onto juggy arete and up runout but super easy black jugs to double rings at end of Pitch 3 of 'Sweet Dreams'.

3. 35m (17) 12 bolts - Out left from belay and up black slab for 8m then straight up the orange wall above on a million juggy horizontals. A great pitch.

4. 10m (15) 3 bolts - Dawdle up easy jugs to fun little overhung finish. Belay on ledge - scramble up vegetated hillside for 10m and walk 5m right to Sweet Dreams exit track.

Start as for Saccharine Nightmare. Can be strung together as an epic single pitch with loads of rope drag.

1. 30m, 21, 12 bolts Traverse left about 4m from first bolt, then fun climbing following U bolts up and left to join vague arete at approx 20m. Continue up arete (bolts on right side) to DBB.

2. 30m, 17, 8 bolts . Clip first bolt from belay, then follow arete to rejoin Saccharine Nightmare toward end of 2nd pitch.

Continue to top on Saccharine Nightmare, or rap off (two ropes required). Be careful of falling into trees down low, particularly for seconds.