Routes in Girraween

Go south from Pick-a-Pocket for about 35 metres until you can enter an amphitheatre that can be entered on the left. There is a slab on the right.

This route takes the chimney and slab on the right hand side of this. Chimney and slab to top. SLCD’s for belay. Rap chain at the end of boulder.

Start: a few meters Right of #12 chockstone - on the right arete in front of the chimney on the Eastern side. Scramble through the chimney in front of The Shark's Fin & #1 route, under the chock stone, scramble up onto the boulder. (NB: uncertain that this is an actual route. No bolts spotted by this author in October 2020.)

Follow track to Turtle rock, as you walk past first face you come to notice large obvious crack, unbolted, first accents? could use trad or set up toprope. Difficult finger crack start that gets easier as you go up before easy top out.

About five metres right of German Quality is a short overhanging crack. Up the crack past a small tree to finish up a small chute at the top.

Now follow the track to the summit of Turtle Rock. When the track along the slab narrows to become a track through trees you should be able to locate a small, undercut crack on the right…

Up.

From Micro Epic walk straight down the slab for thirty metres to drop down onto a boulder. From this boulder climb down the tree (!) on the right to the short crack. A tad contrived…

Up the crack and then right for one metre (but don’t bridge the gully…) then up the continuation to the top. Allen Hansen and Shane Chemello Dec 1983

Start: Base of big obvious leftward leaning crack.

A soaring and beautiful looking curved crack. Described as one of the best routes in the State. The start is unmistakable - the immodest, arching crackline.

1. 35m (21) The line spears leftwards up to a semi-detached flake.

2. 35m (18) Glide leftwards again on excellent stone. Before the crack expires, head straight up slab to the top.

Go left and up from the belay to traverse four metres left along small foot ledges to a short flake. Up, moving slightly right to a bolt. Push it out diagonally left to a second bolt and then up and left again to a third bolt. Steeply through the bulge to finish. Scott Camps and John Pearson April 1986

Up the obvious chimney (to the left of Alex in Wonderland) to the rap station.

Up the slab left of Roarke’s Rift past a couple of bolts, moving right to gain the crack

The next three routes are also accessed from the summit. Walk down a northwestfacing gully to a large, sloping platform.

The strenuous layback corner on the right hand side. Rob Staszewski and Shane Chemello early 1980’s

The next nine routes are on the long and narrow boulder behind the Sphinx proper.

The first route on the left hand end of the boulder. Don’t fall off, there isn’t any gear… Bridge onto the wall then up until a few moves right are necessary to gain a small ledge just below the top. Nut and SLCD belay. FA: Scott Camps (Solo) April 1986

A great classic! The definite shallow corner/flake system around right from Scimitar. I would say it's closer to 75m if starting from ground level.

1. (crux) Up slab, into corner, which is followed to a small ledge.

2. Up, then left a few metres into grass, up flakes to finish. [Note: a better way to do the second pitch is to follow the corner system all the way to the top]

Not well protected either. Start in the middle of the wall as per Snow White. Head diagonally left to a shallow runner slot, before continuing left on jugs until it is possible to move up and right to finish.

Near the edge of the slab (two metres right of Summerbreeze) pull onto the wall just left of the shallow groove to a jug/plate. Sling this and up to a bolt. Left and up to step back right at the top of the groove to a second bolt. A reachy move right leads to a jug and sling. Back left and up to tree belay (well back).

Dick Henderson and Scott Camps April 1986

10m right of Scimitar.

1. Step off block to high FH, up water runnel/shallow pockets to second and third FH. Trad belay.

2. Continue up crack and flakes. Walk off.

Start: As for SIP, up the arete, placing gear up to the carrot, downclimb to below the roughness, then out Right on nothing, to single BR on face, diagonally out to another BR, continue diagonally across face to a 4th BR, then up to shared DBB. (2023 update: the chain belay/rap on block 4, is reportedly chopped.)

Now back to ground level…

Steep and sustained. This is the steep wall down from Millions Of Dead Punks. About 55 metres around the corner from Wading Ape Direct Start from a low platform on the right. Up thin moves past two bolts. Left and up steeply through the middle of the wall past two more bolts to a marginal rest at the fifth bolt. Left and up intermittent cracks in the bulge (natural pro) to the sixth bolt. Steeply up to the seventh bolt and then an exciting finish up a slab to the top. Tree belay well back.

Scott Camps and John Pearson May 1986

Located 20m on the left side of the Castle Rock trail just after you crest a ridge approx 500m from the information centre after the first set of continuous stone steps. Establish yourself with some difficulty in the rough hand crack and up to a rest in the off-width at half height. Continue up to top out then down-climb easy short chimney at rear.

Belaying from the top of this route is not recommended unless you have several very large cams to protect the top of the crack. If seconding this ideally have belay downclimb rear chimney after their ascent and belay from the floor behind the boulder.

Start: As for SIP, up to first bolt, then downclimb (or just head out right on textured rock & possible small gear) & trend diagonally Right and up to FH, then up face to shared DBB. (2023 update: the chain belay/rap on block 4 has reportedly been chopped.)

Start: At the prominent arete at the South end of block 2. Up the arete on small gear to BR, then to shared DBB passing a second BR. (2023 update: the chain belay/rap on block 4, has reportedly been chopped.)

Steep and strenuous, overhanging about two metres over ten. Starts on the opposite side of the causeway about twenty metres right of Vagabond. From the bolt step left over the void and head steeply up past a second bolt and slinging a spike. Step left and up the water streak to finish.

From Vakula The Smith, scramble around to eastern side of the opposite boulder. To the left of the chimney is an arête.

Up with difficulty to the huge jug on the arête and then continue up the slab to the top.

From Voyevoda walk past the un-named 16 layback crack for 40 metres, drop down to the left for 20 metres, and then continue for another 15 metres until a steep slab is found on the right. (Confused??? ☺)

A hard slab. Up corner on the right for a few moves. Follow flake out left and up to bolt and hard moves. Follow good holds till they fade, then traverse right till the angle eases after five metres or so. Climb straight up carefully to the top.

Four metres right of Alex In Wonderland head up to a bolt via a hollow sounding flake and then on to a small ledge on the right. Left and up past two more bolts. SLCD belay. Rap as for Alex In Wonderland.

Don't let the crack suck you in except for placing good protection because there are plenty of good holds either side. Continue past ledge and straight up and over. Scramble down from the back or down climb to to first ledge and rap off obvious horn.

Follow the track another 300 metres or so past Sphinx Rock (i.e. 3.8km from campsite).

Start at the obvious detached flake behind the Turtle Rock sign where the track first meets the rock. From the top of the flake follow the slab to the top without any gear. FA Solo

This route is the first obvious arching overhang route. To access you need to squeeze under a boulder and are met with a wide crack that turns into a traverse. Belay from the end of the traverse and an easy walk down.

Start: in the cave in front of route #1, under Block 2 (pic below):

Cave Route 17 - 20200724_093019-topo.jpg

1. 17 10m up slab to 1st bolt, trend up Right to 2nd bolt, out Right to bolt belay in cave.

2. 10 20m out of cave, onto ledge/runnel, up this, around the block on gear to DBB.

This is the second obvious arching crack that encases Charlott's web. The start can be identified by a large offwidth with an eagle skeleton stuck about 10m high in the crack. Follow up the offwidth section before traversing your way to freedom. Descend left from the belay on easy terrain to meet the same decent as Charlott's web.

This is the offwidth crack in the southern section of Turtle rock. The cliff face is facing north. It is detached from all other climbing sections. The crack starts at flaring hand jams , passes through a small lip, and opens into an off width. Crux is getting through the lip. Top out and easily walk up a Three bits of vegetation remains in the crack. Belay from an excellent gum tree.

First ascents unknown. Reestablished by Dave Os and Jacinda

Walk a further 80 metres right from Squeek Kills Rats until a small cairn is found at the mouth of a long gully. Straight up from cairn to top. No runners. FA (Solo)

From American Thighs go down the gully until an obvious (!) wide crack is encountered half way down on the left hand side.

Up crack to tree belay.

Shares the same 2 first bolts with #6. Start 2m Right of arete, up to flake, passing 2 BRs on face, follow this flake/weakness out Right & up to Chain Belay.

40 metres down the gully from Grena to the end of the wall on the right. There is a long ripple in the middle of the wall.

Deep breath and up to bolt at seven metres in bulge. Up and left to top. Bolt belay well back in left hand corner.

Left of the large slab wall area at the end of the track there is a second large wall with an obvious finger crack line splitting the wall and trending left. Lower down it has an overlapping arete formed by the right side of the crack line's rock. This is right in front of the large tree growing there.

Follow the finger crack through the crux section lower down to gain the slabby headwall, some balancy nut placements higher up but on fairly easy ground give an exciting finish.

Plenty of size 2-5 nuts and a few slightly larger cams leave you very well protected throughout.

plenty of far back rock a the top to allow for a multi point anchor.

Start 2m Right of arete, up the face passing 2 BRs to horizontal crack (cam), continue up arete passing 2 more BRs to chains. (Shares CB with #5 & 7.)

Located on the R side of the track on the walk up.

Shares same first 2 bolts with #6. Start 2m Right of the arete, up the face to the big flake (cams) then follow this out Left a few meters, up to single BR on face, continue up to shared CB.

Two metres left of Mozartiana up flake to bolt. Move right then diagonally left to the top. Take the RP’s.

Follow the thin crack three metres left of The Tempest past two bolts to a tree belay (well back).

About thirty metres right of Imagine is a third streak. Start about ten metres further right at a small, shallow corner.

1. 15m Up the corner for five metres then left onto the slab to belay on the ledge.

2. 23m Up to pocket (SLCD) and then up slab to the top.

About 40 meters down from gully from Staircase, clip the bolt, step off the boulder and head up to the second bolt. Left and up to a third bolt and easily to the top. SLCD belay.

Don’t bother with the rack and don’t fall off now, ya hear? Boulder the start two metres right of Charapace and head straight up.

No runners. The next line of holds is three metres left of I’m A Fraggile. Don’t bust an ankle bouldering the start, then straight up and right to finish. Geoff Weigand (Solo) Sept 1984

Follow the wide crack three metres left of Quick Quiz to the tree. Rob Staszewski early 1980s’

Pull onto the high foothold about eight metres left of Quick Quiz, and continue up to join Wading Ape at the first bolt. Scott Camps (Solo) April 1986

Start: a few meters Right of #17, in the broken corner. Up this to flake & gear, follow this Left to join up with #18, up chimney to CB above Left on top of block.

Start: on slab underneath block #5. Up this past 3 carrots, to face or chimney (gear), surmount this, chains are above Left on top of block.

Take big gear for the top. Longer than it looks from the ground. The corner crack starting behind the large boulder, up the left side of the giant flake facing the First Pyramid.

Fantastic clean overhanging splitter crack found down gully from Space and Energy block. Hands to offwidth. Toprope, trad lead or boulder problem, it's up to you.

A classic, steep and sustained arête. Starts on the southeastern side of the same boulder as Winter Daydreams, near to the other major boulders of the group. Up the arête past three bolts to a huge spike near the summit. Up to the rap station.

Start: Right of Tyrannosaurus, behind the block. Bold climbing up the vertical face to the first bolt at 6m (or step off the boulder onto the arete), up to FH with cord on it, continue up, passing another 2 FHs. Shared CB with 3 other routes. (As of July 2020 there is cord on the 2nd bolt.)

Start: On the East corner of Block 4, the narrow chimney between Block 3 & 4. Standing in front of #23 (above), follow the huge boulder behind you along Left to the chimney - on the opposite corner. Crux is the severely overhanging start (stick-clip the first FH), around the overhanging arête to a 2nd FH, then eases up face, passing some carrots to DBB. (Total # of bolts on this route is unknown by this author as of Oct.2020) (2023 update: the chain belay/rap is reportedly chopped.)

Short route up L of New Paths. On the left hand wall opposite the layback corner, two metres right of old gum. Up and right to bolt, then steeply to a second. Up and left, then back right to finish at tree belay. Dick Henderson and Scott Camps April 1986

Climb to high BR then straight up with increasing difficulty past another 2 BRs to a bolted belay. Tricky slab climbing separated by rests in the scoops.

Whilst the log is there, bypasses the crux start.

Exciting. Start in the middle of the wall below the bolt. Pull onto the wall and head up past the bolt with a move to the right near the top to reach a large spike.

Well protected. One metre to the right of Snow White step off the block and move up to a bolt. Move out right passing two more bolts before a sharp move left leads up a shallow corner on jugs.

Three BR then a long run out to a BR anchor. Walk off.

Stickclip. Boulder start and up to flake (optional wire/cam), then continue up. SLCD belay or from pitons off to side.

Start: on the sheer slab on block 4, just Left of SIP. The bottom FHs have been chopped, so only the top 2 FHs remain.

Start: on block 4, just Right of the chimney that separates block 3 & block 4. The lower bolts have been chopped, leaving only the top 2 bolts remaining.

Walk under the boulder opposite New Paths and climb up a short wall to the base of a west-facing, overhanging wall. Use cairn to start. Pull onto the wall and go past first bolt, dyno to jug and second bolt. Up steeply past two more bolts to finish to the right to top.

Scott Camps and Dick Henderson May 1986

Climb the chimney separating Block 3 & 4 Left of SIP. Bridge using the chimney, up to chockstone, over this Right to CB. (2023 update: the chain belay/rap has reportedly been chopped.)

Three metres right of the chimney is a magnificent, sharp arête. Up the flake to the first of three bolts. Belay and rap bolts at the top.

Start: Northern end of Block 3. Stick clip using a bolt plate. Stand on boulder, high reach to first jug, then traverse across & up to first carrot, then up trending slightly left to next carrot, then straight up to SBB. (Total # of bolts on this route is unknown to this author as of Oct.2020) (2023 update: the chain belay/rap on block 4 has reportedly been chopped.)

Start: below & Right of the prominent dish on Block #2 - shares same first 2 bolts with #34. Off the small boulder, up to 1st & 2nd bolts, then trend Right across slab to 3rd bolt, diagonally up Right from here & to CB.

Ten metres left of the previous route move up the slab and trend right to a bolt. Past this then to the top. Double bolt belay on the left.

Up just right of The Shark's Fin arete. All up, a pretty serious route, overhung for most of its length. First bolt is hard to spot, about 3m off the deck. Bold run-out from 2nd to 3rd bolt, and again from 4th to 5th, then up to DBB