Ascents in Banks Gully Amphitheater

A nice line up the corner of an amazing climbing location. Good gear pretty much whenever you need it, but not a crack climb.

The 3 trad pitches were excellent quality.

The sport exit pitch nearly killed us.

Rick pulled on a microwave-and-a-half-sized boulder as he was topping out, felt it move and instinctively let go.

The block was dislodged and we think it fell onto his lead rope below and sandwiched it between the two rock surfaces.

He then fell and the force on the rope causes the boulder to fall the rest of the way off the cliff and the forces at play shred (and what looks like melts!) the sheath between the two rocks. There's about 50 cm of exposed core. But, impressively, none of the strands have broken!

I hear "ROCK!" and faceplant against the cliff face and the rock magically falls past me and none of us are dead.

Had to aid through just after the roof.

The moves to gain the face below the roof, and the moves out of the roof, felt quite hard for the grade.

We climbed it as an exit pitch to Pebble Pundits. It was less than ideal to be on this in full sun with a double rack of gear on the waist.

That aside, it earns the stars for the very techy, crimpy, sequence dependent arete climbing. It was sick!

A spectacular line on the outmost edge of the ampitheatre, one of the best locations in the Grose.

I led P1 and P3, James led P2. Occasionally mixed rock quality in places (I blew a hold at the top of P2), but pretty good gear all the way. You can jam, layback, or jug haul up the steepness.

Mega day out.

It is what it is. Pretty sustained, just hung in there for the os.

What a line. Excellent climbing in a stunning location, with the most stonking gear I've placed in the 'Mountains.

We bailed onto Charlie Don't Surf instead of continuing up the dripping second pitch.

p2 only as exit to Thin Line. Harder than the crack pitch.

Accessed via 80m rap and swing. p1 onsight, then rapped and stripped the gear for Azza's flash. Really fantastic pitch of climbing. Rather than p2 which was wet and vegetated, climbed p2 of Charlie Don't Surf which was actually harder than p1.

Some crazy French-free climbing going on to get up this with a pulley injury whilst it’s dripping all over.

Not much to say about the route, seemed like some fun sequences, But I’m disgusted with the amount of glue on this route. Apparently we’re now manufacturing climbs on the rock

Lives up to the hype, and now takes first place for best gear route I’ve done. The movement, the position, the gear, the rock. It’s all perfect (1st pitch only, T&Cs apply).

Seth took the lead so that I wasn’t tempted to push myself on the injured finger, but I think I almost preferred the toprope lap (please don’t hold it against me). It meant that I could just cruise up the perfect line, enjoying the movement without having to think about what might come next, and without stopping constantly for gear.

There’s no way it goes at 24, and I think it might also go entirely on passive gear, so might give it a crack next time I’m out here. Top pitch was absolutely drippingly soaked, so we topped out on the bolted line adjacent (also wet).

10/10, do this route.

Did it in 2 pitches, which meant I got to climb the entire length of the thing without stopping!

Crux is definitely the top pitch. The money pitch is awesome, but only 20, maybe 21.

Definitely chosen rock and some vegetation to fight but cool climbing and heaps of gear options

Lews birthday adventure, swinging leads. Phyced that there is a very unlikely crack that runs up the arete, really enjoyed this one from bottom to top. I think the grade on this will scare alot of people away. Gear was great imo and rock was also quite good. Lulu was the surprise! Crack fu turns into arete hugging pretty quick!

Rad line, lil bitta choss here and there but the trad flowz and airy position make up for it. Linked with upper south bowens canyon for a full day of bushbashing and onsighting

A great fun route. Very cruisy for 23, the grade might scare some people off. Super unique wih a crack on arete. Highly recommended! Go learn what crack-fu is.

My stoke meter was going off the scale on the second pitch. A unique line dissecting the arete with a series of thin flakes scoops and cracks. This geomorphological masterpiece deserves its place the blue mountains trad renaissance gallery. Climbs comfortably on a double rack, the position and the line are excellent and the rap-in is quite well described. I’ve definitely climbed a few 20’s harder than this . Go do it!

Excellent route, a bit chossy at the start( I broke a footer after first few meters) but well protected. Pretty comfortably climbed on a standard rack. With some creative nut placements big cams are not necessary, extenders are a must. Did it as 2 pitches, belaying at the bolts. Both pitches felt of similar difficulty

Great climb with quite hard cruxy sections for me , but then I don’t get in the mountains that much at the moment. Good gear all the way.

Excellent route. Managed to get all the moves but had a fall after burning out on the first crux. Then needed to take a rest before heading out under the main roof (a few hand puddles up there).

Just aided through - to access Thin Line of Reprieve.

2nd pitch only as a finish to Thin Line of Reprieve. Started off ok but quickly realised I didn't have enough energy left.

I thought I was on Hornet but I found myself unknowingly on the top half of the top pitch of this. It's currently dirty, unchalked and thin. Not the cruisy end to the day we were seeking.

Cool hollow flake but also scary hollow flake. The roof pull seemed a bit tough for 22 but I squeaked through. The rest just got harder and harder until I rested on the rope as I was red lining. It turns out I was actually on the top pitch of Dialectic - which was why it felt way hard for 22.

Second pitch only as an exit to Thin Line of Reprieve. Another great pitch of climbing! Cool sequences between rests.

What a fucking route. The 24 pitch only - mega well protected climbing the whole way! Way excellent and pretty stoked for the onsight (if you don't count not being blindfolded for the abseil in).

If you're looking for beta - it's not that hard. Plenty of bridging - my right calf was pretty pumped half way up. I took the full suggested rack plus 15 draws. I was left with 12 draws, almost all my nuts, and a single each of 0.3 to 2 by the anchor. Take a couple of sling draws, a couple of regular draws and leave the rest at home.

Was ok, gear was the hardest part, rock quality a bit low

In running with evolution for the best 24 in Australia! Same quality as conquistador but with mega location!

One fall at the roof again, then took it to the top and sat in the beautiful sunshine! Note: mind your temper tantrums dropping onsights, it doesn’t actually matter

Found a great zone after the 2nd bolt, felt great going for the roof then broke a hold out right and lost the onsight with the jug in view 😩 I lost all confidence after a few more falls and lowered down

Great route, cool movement in an amazing location! Although I didn’t lead the crux, I found it no harder than Janicepts! Perfectly built in seat below Lulu

Just an incredible experience, what a crazy place! Coming back from injury, I wasn’t in the best form, happy to just spend time with friends (2-3sits?) Keen to come back and lead this thing soon

Highlight of the day was watching Kelly dig deep for the pink point! We both fought for it. Such an awesome route

Mega mega mega mega. Will be back for the ground up!

Sent it on my third trip to the area and on the fourth go overall. Very inspiring line and one of the best trad climbs in the blue mountains (probably best corner climb) very happy to break into the grade on this one.