Routes as sport in North Grampians

Watch the top out! A super route on gritty edges. To start, scramble up to the double fixed hangers, right of 'Curse of the Bilby'.

Your rope might get chewed to shreds when you lower off if you don't extend the anchor.

New wave testpiece. Excellent sustained face climbing. 7 bolts to fixed biner lower off. The resident lunch-stealing critter is actually a bandicoot, not a bilby!

A subtle jigsaw of movement.

Eat your spinach for the top!

A very steep link-up of 'Bees Knees' and 'Spunky Monkey'. Up 'Bees Knees' to the diving board, place some optional medium cams then traverse right into the super exposed finish of 'Spunky Monkey'. Route needs to be back-cleaned or 2nded.

Small roof route through cave just left of the Northern Cave with 5 rings.

The definitive word on ethics? Wall 4m R of Zola. Originally done in 2 pitches but pitch 2 is worthless and it is now a 1 pitch sport route.

Start: Start 4m down L of 'Starstruck'.

Another excellent 15m variant to Serpentine. Follow Serpentine pitch 2 for 12m until halfway up the fridge hugging. Trend R and up past bolts to loweroffs (30m to 1st belay, 52m to ground). The loweroff is somewhat diagonal - be careful not to end up hanging in space.

Almost completely superseded by Sneaky Snake, especially until the start bulge gets freed. But still worth recording, for those who can't climb 33! Start 8m R of Naja. Stick clip and batman 10m to third bolt to bypass the blank bulge, then follow the awe-inspiring water grooves in the incredible steep sheer wall. Finish at the half-height DRB. 70m rope recommended. The low bulge has reportedly almost been freed, but will be MUCH harder - open project. Initially done with a batman start from the break above the 1st bolt (grade 30)

Takes one of Taipan's best scoop lines and is ultra classic in it's own right. Start 10m up L from the base of Invisible Fist. This scramble/traverse is 10m off the ground and trickier than it looks.

1. 25m (28) Groovy. Follow the disconcertingly holdless groove, deviating left around a blank bit at 15m via some crux cranks. Exciting finish well above bolt to rap anchor (30m to ground). Can feel very hard for 28 until you work it out.

A few pieces of gear down low on the easier sections. Probably the most popular route on Taipan - not least because of it's spoodgy grade and the quantity of shiny stainless steel! Start on the elevated ledge, just L of the top of the boulder you scrambled up, below a well-chalked slabby thin flake. Clip some cams as the start is easy but delicate and unprotected.

1. Carefully up slab to rooflet then mantle onto slab. Delicately up this to horizontal, slap the slopers, ride the horsey, monkey up the flake and dyno like a madman to lower-off (30m). Take two #5 Rocks if you can afford them.

2. (15m, 34, 8 bolts) The extension through the bulge (bolted by Ben Cossey/Al Pryce) and up the black streak on the headwall to the top (bolted by Garry Phillips) was sent by Kilian Fischhuber on 3/8/12. As usual in this guide, this is written up as a "second pitch" so that the easier first pitch is also recorded, however the hard version is best climbed in a single 45m pitch to the top. Kilian calls this version "Southern Delight".

The trad placement has now been retroed - silly poms can keep using the #2.5 Fr if they wish. Another new bolt has thankfully straightened the half height deviation to the right, eliminating the ridiculous tough cross-through clip of the 'Academia' bolt.

Start: Start from near the R-hand end of the bouldering traverse, about 5m R of Kaa.

Two cruxy bouldery moves to start then eases considerably. Stuart Wyithe originally bolted this thinking it was only going to be grade 26!

Start: Starts 2m right of 'Naughty Tickle Town'.

Gordy's finest hour! He never made it to the top - he lowered from the fourth bolt and recorded it anyway, and now it's one of the most popular routes around at this grade.

The scene of one of the biggest dummy spits in Australian climbing history. Cruelly stolen from Gordy by a roving Garth in his youthful prime. In a fit of vengeance Gordy promptly chipped off the vital holds, removed the bolts and covered the rest of the holds with sunscreen! Nathan Hoette managed to repeat it anyway. This is the extension of 'Tyranny' past a further two FHs to rap chain.

Sustained slopy masterpiece that some reckon is the best thing on Spurt. It climbs a blazingly direct line of pockets and crimps. Typical Julian bullshit runouts to sketchy clips with the technical crux several metres above a bolt. 6 bolts.

Underrated and sustained. Graded 27 for many years although Simon originally thought it was 28. Some people love it and some people hate it. Six u-bolts and an exciting runout at the finish. The last bolt was added ten years after the first ascent to stop a potential 14m fall!

V4 boulder problem start (stickclip) which adds an extra star to Menstrual and, since the demise of Menstrual's tree, is easily the best way to do Menstrual. Re-bolted 2013.

Up Menstrual then head right past a few more bolts, should be more popular but run out at the crux.

Pretty snappy.

Start: It used to bridge up a pathetic tree ... which is now gone. A big stick clip is probably the best way to sample this original version of the route (but the newer direct start described above makes it a lot better so why not just do that). Apparently the bridging section can be climbed at very bouldery 27 or so. Yet another alternative is to boulder in from the right on pockets (grade 25 and easier if you are tall and don\'t mind broken ankles).

Starts 2m left of Dial-A-Lama. Stickclip first ringbolt. Bouldery start then a few good bulges, pockets and slopes before being confronted with a confounding sequence to reverse into the upper crux of Dial-A-Lama. Finish right as for that route past its last bolt to rap chain. Seven bolts.

Fantastic thought provoking sloper climbing with an exciting finish. Very popular, despite being very solid for the grade. Once had a reputation for silly bolting - but has since been fixed by SCV.

Short + soft + bolts = popular. Climbs better than it looks. Rebolted 2013.

Start: Start 4m R of Dial-a-Lama.

An old Martin Lama project that was cruelly stolen by a visiting Brit (and then named after Martin's flowing locks!).

Very hard single crux move. 'Campus' slopy rails. One of the best 'lines' at Spurt. Four FH's. Nick Sellars tried to rename this route after some obscure Baghdad Cafe cake. The name didn't stick.

Soft tick if you can crimp. Bouldery climbing from start to finish. Three FH's.

Warmup route of the crag. Fun scoopy moves and a nice pump. Three RB's.

Easy tick - more like a bolted boulder problem.

Allegedly has some good moves.

Hard start then reachy moves on pockets. The bolts are all in the wrong places. 3 FHs.

Sandy rubbish at the far right end of the crag. It has a few ok moves but the aesthetic value is very low.

Steep start up wall with big moves leads to thin face. 4 ringbolts and double RB anchor.

Huge jugs. Now fully bolted!

Sustained techy thin climbing up orange wall on perfect rock. Five RB's. Rap off ring and chain.

Super techy grit slopes, mid height rest and cool finish. Optional #3 Camalot on long sling above crux.

The original route here - and used to be protected by only one bolt! Start at the first `weakness' right of the overhanging section. Hard move over overhang to shallow left facing corner, follow this with increasing difficulty to where it ends. Traverse hard left to a tricky mantle and good face climbing up wall above - some wires or slings help with extreme run-out to anchor.

First 3 bolts of Nuclear Wasteland then take the right line of bolts. This was once a trad route but was retro bolted with permission from the FA.

Delicately up orange wall to first overhang. Bouldery moves over overhang, up and R to second overhang. Brushed wall to top. Retro bolted with permission from the FA.

Start: Start 7m R of 'Yellow Cake'.

Beautiful thin face two metres right of 'The Visiting Bloke'. 4 FHs - the addition of a recent retrobolt has tamed the once dubiously protected start. Rap chain for descent.

Lots of interest in this climb. A long bouldering traverse just off the ground leads to a cruxy move guarding great climbing up an orange streak. It is possible to place small cams on the traversing start but they're more trouble than they're worth as you're so close to the ground - just stick clip the first bolt if you're concerned.

Start: Start about 8 metres right of the Let X=X corner and just left of the boulder on the right side of the wall.

It's unfortunate that this crack was bolted, but it's a bit late to do anything about it now. It almost deserves two stars to con sport-climbers into jamming.

Start: On the lowest and east-most crag, there is an overhang with a bolted crack through the ceiling.

Great climbing up the obvious bolted layback line on N facing prow at the far RH end, and above the Eastern Walls. DBB on the wall at the top is NOT the top of the climb (23 to this point). Clip anchor, then make committing moves R to hanging rib, and another bolt to the top. Backclimb to anchor. NB: Bolts are likely a retrobolt of the original, which was grade 25 on trad gear, finishing up flake at the top.

Starts across from WR. 3 Rings are a retrobolt.

This climb is to the R of the previous climb and around the arete. Ascend via the diagonal seam. Rings are almost certainly retrobolts, and climb a more direct and slightly harder line (original trad line moves R at 2/3rds height) No anchor (walk off R).

Climb the right side of the slab to the ramp, then up the face past 3 bolts.

Start: Start a few metres left of 'Snow White'.

Hard thin face moves past BRs onto sloping bulge

10m left of 'Murder Psalm' is a flake crack which leads to a beautiful slab. Originally bolted by Roland Foster.

Strangely this was one of the first routes bolted here. Why they walked all this way for one climb is pretty strange. Overhung blocky corner with two FH's on the blank slab above.

Start: Starts 10m left of 'Physical Graffiti'.

Controversial bolted corner crack, with plenty of suss rock. Not a bad warm-up but far from a classic.

Start: Rusty-coloured corner 20m left of base of Pocketed Wall and 10m right of 'Murder Psalm'. Scramble up to a DBB at base of corner.

One of the best sport route of this grade in the Grampians. Brilliant, but unfortunately it seeps very heavily after rain.

Starts just left of black streak on far left end of the Pocketed Wall. Scramble up and place a sling thread for safety before the first bolt and belay from there or else directly from the bottom. Rebolted 2023 (with a couple of retrobolts added in the final section).

Fantastic 'limestone style' pocket climbing up central black streak on the left side of orange wall. It's just beside a heavy seepage line, but only one hold seems to get wet. Watch out for the potential fall on top of the belayer at the fourth bolt. Belay as for Terminal Insomnia. Rebolted 2022.

Excellent long moves through great pockets with an exciting finish.

There's a single ring for your belayer to tie into (plus a carrot if you brought a bolt plate).

A worthwhile link-up with a few metres of new climbing. Start as for Cosmic Psycho.

Fantastic sustained climbing up the centre of the Pocketed Wall. The finish seeps after a good rainfall, but not as badly as Motley Crue or Terminal Insomnia. Start 3m left of Sisters Of Mercy. There's a single ring for your belayer to tie into (plus a carrot if you brought a bolt plate). Rebolted 2023

Brilliant with a pumpy and demoralising finish.

Start: The right most route on the ledge. Start 5m right of Blonde Ambition at a DBB.

Not very inviting and has a reputation for a blisteringly hard crux. Seeps after rain.

Start: Start as for Billy Ray Syrus.

Good route spoilt by ledge and nasty arete finish. Seeps after rain.

Sustained and technical with some powerful moves. The route is badly scarred by several aid bolts used to place the 'real' bolts.

Start: Line of flakes up very steep wall in the centre of the crag about 10m left of 'The Dope Man' and just L of a solitary pine tree against the cliff.

aka The Dopeman 'Extension'. An excellent line across a prominent feature. A modern classic that was somehow overlooked in the first VD Land onslaught.

Start: Start on ledge at finish of 'The Dope Man'.

"Please can I have another hit?". A classic sandbag for the belay slave. The scene of many failures.

Start: Chalked up mini route that finishes on ledge 5m left of 'Body Count'.

One of the best mid grade sport routes in the 'Grampians'. Consistently steep, with amazing pockets and cracks.

Start up the overhanging corner on the right side of the crag, about 2m right of 'The Dope Man'. This is also the start for several other routes that split off to the right.

Some powerful pocket pulling down low and a delightful flake up high. It's written up as three pitches but you just link them all together into one long pitch of climbing. One star if you only climb the first pitch. Pitches 1 and 2 need rebolting. A 60m rope should be enough to lower off but a 50m won't be.

Start: Start as for 'Body Count'.

1. 15m (24) Jam up 'Body Count' corner past UB, then step right onto sloping ledge. Up technical pockets then diagonally right on excellent incuts to rap chain. Five FH's in all. Used to be soft at 25, let's see if it's better as a solid 24.

2. 9m (24) A touch easier than pitch 1...but not easy! Clip first FH, then step left and up the left facing flake line on the best rock around, past 2 more FHs to ledge and rap chain. It is exactly 25m back to the ground from this rap chain.

3. 8m (25) From the 2nd anchor bouldery exposed moves head up right past two bolts to finish at top anchor on 'Happiness in Magazines' (30m to ground).

A bit sharp and strange in places and wanders around a bit. Quite good though, and rather steep!

Start: Start as for 'Body Count'.

Rebolted 2024.

Bails around the crux of 'Suicidal Tendencies' via a nice hand crack. Originally graded 23! The crux is the first few moves on 'Body Count'. Linking this into 'Happiness in Magazines' pitch 2 is one of the best warm-ups at this whole crag (provided you bring a number of long slings to reduce rope drag). Bring a #1 BD Cam to protect the start to the first bolt if you want.

Start: Start as for 'Body Count'.

Brilliant pumper.

Start as for TBJM.

1. 20m (25) A great pitch for those who love Indian Creek and Buoux in equal measure. First 6 bolts of 'The Brian Jonestown Massacre' then traverse left on pockets past two bolts until joining 'My Bloody Valentine'. 9 bolts.

2. 15m (22) Really good in its own right - although some early repeats missed the 2 bolt face sequence off the ledge (look right!) and tradded up the fragile fat flake on the L instead, which is reportedly not much fun. Four U-bolts lead up a delightfully exposed flake on fantastic buckets. Mantle ledge then swing wildly out left (FH) for an orange jug. A couple more steep moves lead to lower-off. This pitch can also be approached via 'Crime Wave' (excellent warm up if you brought trad for CW) or via 'My Bloody Valentine'. Whichever first pitch you do, a 60m rope lets you belay from the ground and lower off the top of the 2nd pitch to the ground.

Up the flake on big holds, with some steep moves at the top to a DBB

Bouldery and powerful climbing up the black streak high up on right side of amphitheatre (above 'The Brian Jonestown Massacre'). Seeps badly after rain.

To get to the start scramble with care onto ledge at the base from the right to belay at two bolts. Rebolted 2024.

30 degree overhung handcrack with bolts!

Start: Starts on ground level directly below Jane's Addiction and about 10m R of 'Body Count'. Upgraded.

Left leaning line of FHs 10m left of 'Terminal Insomnia'. Either stickclip first bolt or lean over from pinnacle. Burly traverse leads to technical climbing on gritty pockets. Motor up short corner to a climatic finish. Upgraded

Start at the vertical seam and crimp like a fiend on the few edges that haven't yet been ripped off the wall. Follow the bolts to an exciting finale.

Best route on this wall. Nice face climbing with a pumpy surprise finish. Start at rightwards arching undercling flake.

Clip first two bolts on Rage And Ruin. Step down and head diagonally left across the black streak and up the orange headwall past a further 4 bolts.

Elegant face route in a similar vein to 'Diazepam'. Start 2m L of the black streak. Very thin start which eases considerably at the halfway point. At least six bolts and a double U-bolt lower off.

The other best route on this cliff. Up CHH to bolt three, then traverse left across break and follow line of UB's up the increasingly difficult wall to runout finish. Double UB lower-off on ledge way up to the left.

The central orange streak. Great moves. Was once a rap-in-climb-out affair, but it is now equipped to be started from ground level.

Can be approached from above via rap chains which are 30m north of 'Irritant Pollens' and below large boulder with tiny cave on south side.

Line of ringbolts starting 2m left of 'The Big Payback'. Finishes up 'On My Own'.

FHs up wall left of arete. Swing left on flake (ring bolt) then up very juggy wall which thins to a big crux move. At the top of the pillar head right to double ring anchor (used as descent anchor for Upper Cut Lunch Wall).

Big features and good exposure. Starts a couple of metres left of small gumtree on ledge about 5m left of 'Wired'.

Superb climbing on perfect rock which is slightly spoilt by the ledge midway up. Good training for 'Taipan'. The scene of a few tantrums as the moves are not obvious. Start slightly left of 'Tender Hooks'.

Good training for 'Taipan'. One of the bolts pulled out after Neil had dogged his way up this! It has since been replaced. Central rib feature with small rooflet down low about 5m left of 'The Big Payback'.

A funky set of moves on incredible quality rock. Starts at the little alcove on the far right side of the orange Upper Cut Lunch Wall ledge.

A good route for a belay slave. Soloed on first ascent due to impatience for a belay! Hard to locate for first timers. Thin face with three rings on east facing side of chasm 10m down and to the right of The Big Payback. Bridging against the back wall up high is to be avoided. Best way to approach is to climb the first half of Access Route. Lower off last RB or belay on ledge above on trad.

Links start of Tender Hooks into finish of Smörgåsbord. Offers sustained pumpy pleasure on immaculate orange rock.

Less sustained but cruxier than 'By Jovi'. Bolted route starting in front of small pine tree. Don't fall off between 2nd and 3rd - you will hit the boulder. Needs extra bolt !!

Fingery and sustained climbing with nigh all rests. Starts 4m left of Jet at central line of RB's up turtle shell featured wall.

Excellent wall climb that was originally led (boldly) on trad gear. Start in the 'green', 3m left of 'By Jovi', directly below orange jug and very large pocket.

Grey slightly overhung gritty wall climbing. This climb is a very good warm-up for harder routes in the area at it is pumpy with no sharp holds. Originally a trad route.

Fun little jug fest up the left side of the wall on a subtle arete. Starts 1.5m left of 'In Halen' at left edge of main wall.

The original route on the wall and probably the best. Featured steep wall climbing. Slight left trending route with a bouldery middle section on slopey holds. A mix of ubolts and fixed hangers.

Imposing ringbolted wide crack on left end of 'Tribute Wall'. Luckily there is an abundance of jugs on either side of the crack to make it a nice stemming problem. Start on left side of pit. Step right to RB on right side of crack, then mantle onto ledge. 'Problematic' move up wide crack gains jugs on right wall, then easier (put steep!) climbing to top. 5 RBs and lower-off.

Steep climbing on big jugs. Nice, easy warm up.

A bouldery start, eases to good holds.

Expect some big whips! A mystery single rusty bolt has been on this route for many years but remained un-claimed. Neil then climbed it all on trad graded it 22 and then attempted a repeat a week later with bolts and couldn't do the moves! It is now a sport route with an exciting finish. Starts about 2m right of Ooh Ooh Ahh Ahh at slab. Boulder up to first bolt, pump through horizontals then undercling up to shallow pockets and right facing flake. Now, launch for the top ledge! 4 UBs and lower-off. Last bolt is a desperate clip if you are short, best to climb Dry Spell and pre-place draws.

Stunning prominent orange arête that was strangely ignored by previous climbers. The prow with the undercut start 5m right of 'Us Esoterics'. Leap for jug, cut loose out right to arête. Bouldery moves up this on delightful dishes leads to easier climbing before final pumpy bulge. 7 bolts and double ring lower-off. Was originally led on two bolts but sense prevailed and now it’s a very pleasant sport outing.

The parrot in the horizontal is most certainly dead – or perhaps it's just resting? Starts 5m right of The 'Compressor Route'. Steep cave climbing across a major feature on sometimes bizarre conglomerate rock.

As of Nov 2019 there is a bees nest on this route. April 2021... they’re still there!