Instant PDF
Directions in Google Maps
Seasonality
Description
Old trad crag with routes detailed (vaguely) in the 1997 Sydney Rockies Guidebook.
Access issues inherited from Medlow Bath
Be wary of where you park, ensuring not to block any driveways or leave any rubbish. The crags are located on land owned by The Hydro Majestic, so act appropriately.
Approach
5-10 min
Simple description: Follow the dirt road down from Bellevue Cres past the dry creek crossing until it turns right downhill, then follow the well made foot track left to the Three Brothers lookout.
Complicated description: From the highway turn onto Bellevue Cres, 100m south of the service station at Medlow Bath. Pass Delmonte Ave then before the right hand bend turn left down a rough dirt road, park on Bellevue if your car has low clearance. Follow the dirt road downhill over numerous water-bars, a dry creek crossing filled with river rocks, and note powerlines crossing overhead with a green power-pole on left – you are aiming for the second pole (visible ahead) accessed by steep left-hand turn a little further on with parking under the powerlines. The access road is not great for cars with particularly low clearance, but an average 2WD should manage with careful driving and a few minor scrapes. You can always discreetly park on Bellevue and walk 10 min extra.
Left of the closest power-pole in this parking spot is the start of a very obvious and well manicured track. Walk 150m or less to a fork, then turn left and head downhill 30m or so to a slabby step-down with the Three Brothers pagodas in front of you. The track swings sharp right here another 30m, then just before a sharp left- hand bend take a discreet track with a cairn on the right. After 10 or 15 metres of flat ground a series of switchbacks descend down short ledges (look for cairns) into a broad gully. The track hairpins hard left at a tall white gum and down a tighter gully between two short walls, before opening onto the half-way terrace between the upper and lower cliff-lines. This is the base of the upper descent gully – 5 mins from car.
Descent notes
Descend directly off the front of the Three Brothers lookout to the shale band at the base of the upper cliff, then follow increasingly decrepit cairns, a fixed rope tied round a Banksia, chain, and reo spikes into the descent gully and thence to the base of the cliff.
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
Older route descriptions and "quotes' taken from George Owens (1995) Rockclimbs in the upper Blue Mountains, 2nd Ed. published by the SRC. Beware any mentioned ancient pitons and bolts.
Tags
Hello!
First time here?
theCrag.com is a free guide for rock climbing areas all over the world, collaboratively edited by keen rock climbers, boulderers and other nice folks.You can log all your routes, connect and chat with other climbers and much more...» go exploring, » learn more or » ask us a question
