Routes in Three Sisters

Start: The beautiful corner crack that widens near the top.

This climbs shares the start with Pavlov's Dog. Originally the climb traversed Ieft on aid (Ml), at the start of the wide crack, and then finished up Pavlov's Dog. The direct finish was added a year later. Take a full rack. Beautiful!

28m Up blocks and crack for a few meters then move right up thin crack to the main corner. Up the corner, then continue wild lay backing up the wide crack. Belay on ledge.

Start: As for NBAP, at the base of a leftward trending crack. Better than it looks. Excellent pro.

1. 20m Up blocks and crack (the left side of rhe block is considerably harder but much more enjoyable), swing left around small trees, then up to ledge and tree belay.

2. 10m On the wall directly above the tree-belay is a flake/ crack. Straight up the flake and crack, slightly right near the top, belay on ledge (small trees).

Start: 2-3metres left of Pavlov's Dog. Broken blocks lead to a thin crack corner. Technical and sustained,

1. 21m (Crux) Scramble onto blocks, then hard moves to start the crack, followed by a series of layaways and an exhilarating finish onto the tree-ledge of Pavlov's Dog.

2. 10m As for the second pitch of Pavlov's Dog.

If you like over-hanging off-widths, this is the climb for you. Bob Dog (Brian) couldn't do it, so his apprentice, who had never climbed before, wearing Work Boots, said "Give it to me."

Start: The next line left of La Paloma, near a tree.

1. 25m (Crux) Up off-width to ledge. Up flake on right to ledge and then up short chimney to belay.

2. 18m Up obvious flake to small ledge (crack runs out) then right to top of pillar. (Alternative finish is the 3rd pitch of M.E.M.)

3. 10m Easily up gully in right corner to top.

Varied climbing. The quality deteriorates after the nice 2nd pitch but it's still O.K. Start: Down, and around the corner from G.I.T.M- at the base of a scungy gully.

1. 5m Solo up gully to large Sedge and lovely-looking overhanging crack.

2. 22m (Crux) Up crack, then follow flake system leftwards to large corner. Up corner to large ledge.

3. 20m Up off-width and follow clean horizontal crack onto a large ledge via a vertical crack.

4. 10m Exit via easy chimney.

Start: Behind the viewing rock for the 3rd Sister. Walk back towards the 1st Sister until you come to a shallow gully. Abseil down the route from a large wattle tree. Take large SLCD's.

1. 15m Up the ramp and twin cracks. From the top of the block go up the chimney and around the chock stone? onto a large ledge.

2. 10m (Crux) Up the corner crack, then right under the roof and into the hand crack and up to top.

Start: The first line near the top of the gully (marked). A good warm-up for 'Spectre' or any other off-width you want to try. You will need big gear. Technical. This climb has defeated many wide-crack experts.

25m Up crack to ledge, move to the right, then back to the wide crack, then up to the top.

Start: A few meters left of Chockablock, a slabby, leftward-trending line. As Geoff Francis was roping up to do the first ascent, everybody's friend, Joe Friend, stepped past him and soloed up the route, hence the name.

30m Up trending left, then step out and around roof into crack, then easily to top.

Start: About 10-15m left of Theft, down the descent gully. A wandering but varied climb. The first few moves cannot be protected but protection on the rest of the climb is very good. A variety of gear is needed.

1. 15m Awkward mantle then bridging to crack. Up crack to small ledge below a slab and a roof. (Wild Prairie Fire goes straight up the layback above),

2. 15m (Crux) Using the slab, move left, out and around the roof, then up a short hard crack to ledge and a small tree. Belay here due to rope drag.

3. 10m Either up chimney (4m.) then step right and lay-back to ledge, OR blast straight up the chimney and hand crack above(19). You can scramble off from here

1. Same

2. Same

3. 20m Up sloping leftward crack, exposed and thin near the end.

Start: As for Hair Of The Dog. Take a Bracket for the layback. A classic.

1. 10m Up to the ledge below the roof/slab of HOTD.

2. 20m (Crux) Step right then up the layback (bolt halfway) to a large ledge, then a short layback and jam finish.

Start: The next big crack line left of HOTD. The wild-looking chimney/off-width. Named after the great lan Dury's band. If you don't like the look of the first pitch, the exciting second pitch can be gained by climbing to the big ledge on El Duce and stepping across right.

1. 21m Easily into chimney then awkward moves lead to Jam crack, and ledge.

2. 22m (Crux) Up the steep crack to a smai! lip. Exciting climbing leads to the last pitch of HOTD.

Start: On a large ledge with a dead fig tree. A superb route.

1. 29m (Crux) Up the groove and to the small roof. Swing around the roof and up to small ledge.

2. As for La Doice Vita

3. Same

A variation of the second pitch is to take the right hand of two cracks situated left of the main line.

Start; Just left of E.D. in a sentry box. Creep and Golden Age share the same start.

1. 20m Up easy cracks and ledges to large grassy ledge, below chimney corner.

2. 15m Move to the right-hand side of the ledge then power up the jam crack, stepping off at the top to a small ledge.

3. 20m (Crux) From the small ledge move right 2m., then layback up crack and large blocks to a large ledge.

4. 20m Walk right along ledge, a short hand traverse, then up final moves of H.O.T.D., jam and scramble to top.

The first climb done in this area. Rarely repeated these days. Most parties opt for the variant Creep.

Start: As for La Doice Vita - the sentry box with the Kurrajong tree.

1. 20m Left up cracks and blocks to large grassy ledge.

2. 32m Up chimney corner, right around overlap onto sloping grassy ledge. Continue up channel to short overhanging finish.

3. 10m Up overhanging block however you like, then to top.

An exciting variation to The Golden Age. Take several large pieces of gear!

1. 20m As for TGA and La Doice Vita

2. 20m Up the chimney crack of the Golden Age., belay at the top of the chimney.on a small ledge.

3. 20m (Crux) Move left into widening crack, up crack to the top of the block, then up geucle slab 1.0 ioin leftward diagonal crack, follow this to an awkward finish onto large ledge.(BEWARE OF DEEP GRASS COVERED HOLE)

4. 25m Up crack at i-he back of the ledge, into short chimney and scramble up and off.

"Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk"- Coke iid. rake-

Rocks and R.P.'s plus Friends up to #3 , plus 3 bolt plates.

Start: Right on the corner at the bottom of the gully, takes in the first few moves of Down On Creation.

Up 'Down on Creation' for approx. 8m, then step right onto the wail. Up wall past BR to small rest ledge, then steeply up line to second BR. From here swing out right, up, then back left to large jug and third BR on small shelf Continue up steeply (crux) to belay ledge. Belay and rap off wires,

Start: At the bottom of the descent gully, as for FTF, An interesting adventure climb into the unknown. Excellent pro.

1. 45m Follow the diagonal crack corner left over bulges to a ledge, continue up the line to a large ledge with several trees.

2. 15m (Crux) Climb the flared corner crack to gain access to the next major ledge.

3. 40m Move left into major corner, up corner trending right to a small ledge at the base of two final short cracks. The left crack is the easiest (only just).

An exciting bulging roof crack. This can be done as a variant finish to Down On Creation or abseil in from the top. Originally done by grovelling out from the cave under the roof. The improved variant by Lattanzio and Dale (May 83) described below is the best way to do the route. Start: From the Down On Creation Ledge, go up the crack but move left to the flake and on to the ledge under the roof.

1. 25m Up pitch 4 of D.O.C. to a blocky ledge. Then up the hanging flake on the left wall and belay on the ledge under the roof.

2. 10m Power up the crack through the roof to top.

This climb takes the first pitch of DOC to the first major ledge, then goes straight up the steep corner crack to a ledge of fig trees. Move right around the ledge past a wide to a chimney crack. Up the chimney and into a corner. Take your choice of exits (the easiest being to chimney up onto the Creep belay ledge) and finish as for Creep.

Start: As for D.O.C.

1. 25m The first pitch of D.O.C. to the first rest ledge,

2. 25m Bridge and jam the vertical crack above you to the Fig root. Move up past the root(crux) to the Fig tree and struggle through the branches to the ledge.

3. 20m Chimney up and into the corner/cave. Bridge up the corner and exit by the hole of your choice. You are now on the Creep belay ledge. Climb to the top as for 'Creep'.

Start: A ramp just left around the corner from Down On Creation. Scramble up the ramp to a short corner. Sustained and strenuous.

1. 10m Up the comer to a ledge at the foot of another ramp.

2. 20m (Crux) Up the ramp, continue left across a short slab, then blast straight up the crack, to the belay ledge of Wedding Bells.

3. 15m Straight up the open book corner crack (Crux pitch of Wedding Bells).

4. 30m Up corner cracks (last two pitches of Down On Creation).

Start: Move round left of GMTTCOT, or a few meters right of Demon Dropout, at the base of a corner crack leading up to the obvious orange roof.

1. 25m Up corner crack with awkward exit left onto ledge.

2. 10m Traverse right to a ledge under an overhanging thin crack.

3. 28m (Crux) Avoid the thin crack by moving left onto face, climb face onto large ledge below open book corner. Either belay here or blast up open book corner.

4. 37m Move into hand jam crack with awkward orchids to bypass, then continue up finger crack in wall to small ledge- Traverse left to another crack, up this to ledge, then short, hard off width corner to finish.

For several years this was considered one of New England's best routes.

Start: On the slabs to the left of Wedding Bells.

1. 45m (Crux) Trend left on slabs to beneath converging cracks. Up left side then into squeeze position. Up onto ledge, then up coarse crack to the top of a huge flake against the main wall.

2. 43m Up thin diagonal crack, trending right. Keep going to a roof, then short off-width/chimney to top.

Start: At the base of short twin cracks to the left of D.D. An early classic but a little overgrown today.

30m Up twin cracks onto ledge, up chimney in corner and exit left. Continue on to suitable belay.

An off-width test-piece. Do this one and you'll be famous. You won't have to do any others. A real epic.

Start: The clean off-width some meters to the left of Punk Rock.

35m Up to and over the overhanging start, then into off-width. Struggle gleefully on upwards.

Some unique and committing moves into the unknown. Good fun.

Start: A few meters left of Spectre. A thin crack in a wall leads to an obvious Kangaroo tail flake.

20m Up thin crack and onto flake, then move left, following the crack around the corner to a small ledge. Up crack onto another ledge. Climb wall to the right of the groove and continue up to belay.

A fine twin crack problem.

Start: The corner crack with a roof on the left and cracked blocks on the right, left of B.C.

20m Up crack to roof, exit via cracked blocks and groove on right.

Start: As for T.M.P. Excerpts.

25m Up the knuckle crack on the right wall of 'TMP Excerpts' corner, step right: and continue to top.

Start: A diagonal crack rising from left to right, approx.

20m left of T.M.P. Excerpts, at the far left end of the buttress. This is O.K.

25m Up diagonal crack trending right past tree, continue up rising traverse to exit at top of T.M.P. Excerpts.

Start: A direct off-width chimney corner. A real grunt.

25m Struggle up off-width chimney to better crack work and steep slabs, step right to top

A dirty crack start, that wanders all over the place. Start: 4m right of P.R.

30m Up crack to spacious ledge, traverse left across Pop Realism, and a face to large flake, trending left to bushy ledge, then up, right, around flake to top.

An lan Dury classic. Excellent and exciting climbing. Animal loved it so much that he celebrated the ascent by throwing his boots off the top, declaring he would never climb again.

Start: The crack 1m right of Locomosquito leading to an overhanging finger crack.

25m Up crack to sloping ledge left of overhanging crack. Very committing moves into overhanging crack, followed by sustained layaways to top.

A great climb with excellent positions. You've just got to do this one. Love it, love it, love it.

Start: The crack about one meter right of D.O.T.S.

42m Up crack/corner, then continue right around overlap into curving crack. Follow this crack right, till it joins the last pitch of Demon Dropout via an awkward move. Some parties belay here. Finish up the last bit of Demon Dropout (obvious crack through bulge/roof).

Start: No one has been able to find this except Joe! Good luck.

15m Start with a couple of cracks, perfect jamming, then a step right and pull up on grass. Lovely finish. I can just see everyone rushing down to find it.

As you scramble into the head of the gully, there is a short, easy, wide crack on the large boulder on your left.

1. 10m Straight up the wide crack.

On the downhill side of the boulder splitting the top of the descent gully. From Industrial Experience keep moving around right until you come to a fine crack that splits the boulder. (approx 5m)

Originally graded 17. Upgraded to 19 in Al's guidebook so I have settled on 18.

1. 15m. Straight up this fine crack.

Continuing down the gully below Lady Finger's Boudoir Biscuits there are three crack climbs on the right.

Start. The first large open corner.

1. 25m. Tricky start, then up the corner, some bridging.

Start 1m left of Just an Old-Fashioned Girl. Tricky start then good climbing. Use double ropes.

1. 1. Up fig-root crack to ledge, then up jamb crack in the arete, then traverse left under small roof into the main crack and straight up this.

Start from a cave up on the ledge, belay off fig roots. (Nice one Simon)

1. 16m. From the cave, swing right into the base of the crack. Then straight up - varied climbing.

On the ledge left of the cave of Misspent Youth is a nice layback crack.

A serious lead.

1. 15m. Put your heart in your mouth and up you go! Place your first runner at the top of the layback and be sure to clip it.

Down the gully from High Mass are two roof problems. This climb takes the easier left roof.

1. 12m. Up wide crack then step up left and around the roof.

Start 2m left of Partly Truth and Partly Fiction. An inverted staircase with a tricky start and a sustained, overhanging finish.

1. 10m. An awkward start then straight up the steps.

The corner crack left of The Rough Diamond.

1. 20m. A hard start then up to the roof. Out and around left, then up hand crack to top, wall exit on right. Tree belay.

Coerner crack left of Dirt Track Demon. A fine little number.

1. 12m. An awkward start then fist jambs and ledge lead to a tree belay.

As the gully opens out a nice crack can be seen on its upstream side. This is Clarence Frogman Henry.

"I don't know why I love you like I do..." - A tribute to the great man.

1. 15m. Up the crack via layaways to the Currajong tree. Rap off.

Start; Fine climbing up a finger crack and wall. Harder than it looks. Take lots of wires.

15m Delicately up the crack to a ledge, then up the wall/corner to the Currajong Tree

Start; 1m right of Digit Dancer. Can be partly covered in vines but is easy to clean. Wall climbing and jamming to top

Between East Gully and the Third Sister is a boulder with a detache flake which has a beautiful razor edge top

If you can find it, it's obvious where it goes.

1. 16m. Up the flakes.

From the top of East Gully, contour left (East) and slightly uphill for about 75m to an isolated boulder with an overhanging finger crack.

1. 8m. As Al wrote in his guidebook 'Up the crack with difficulty, cover your belayer with dirt and rocks, because you don't want to clean the crack, belay way back on a tree.'