A Crag Guide gives an extensive view of all sub areas and climbs at a point in the index. It shows a snapshot of the index heirachy, up to 300 climbs (or areas) on a single web page. It shows selected comments climbers have made on a recently submitted ascent.
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Table of contents
- 1. Pretty Gully, Pretty Backside 18 in Sector
- 2. Index by grade
1. Pretty Gully, Pretty Backside 18 routes in Sector
- Summary:
-
All Sport climbing
Lat / Long: -35.305532, 148.811129
description
faces a variety of directions, primarily east and west
access issues
The Coree Summit Trail is open to vehicles (as of 10th Dec 2022). Curries and Two Sticks Road open, Pabral Road (see below).
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The ACT Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) and NSW Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have identified the ongoing deterioration of Pabral Road and the inherent safety risks presented to users during wet conditions given the slippery clay-based nature of this road. This culminated in $50K worth of maintenance work in 2014/15 and in 2016/17 Pabral Rd was closed for approximately 6 months due to the prolonged wet period and associated road degradation and safety issues. As you would be aware, these trails are used by the public, but they are primarily maintained as fire trails during the fire season, and maintained to a standard to also minimise sediment channelling into the Lower Cotter Catchment and subsequently the Cotter Dam.
With the above in mind, PCS and NPWS propose an annual seasonal closure of Pabral Rd between 1st June – 31st August via existing gates at the top and bottom of this road. Pabral Road will also be temporarily closed outside this period if deemed necessary due to safety or vehicular access causing unacceptable damage to the road surface. In most cases, the adjacent Curries Road will be open and offers an alternative route to Brindabella NP and Two Sticks Rd. In particularly wet periods, a gate will close access to both tracks. Alternative access during these periods will be by Two Sticks Rd (via Brindabella or Blue Range Rds).
Road closures will be signposted on site, and conveyed through Transport Canberra and City Services website - http://www.tccs.act.gov.au/roads-paths/act_public_road_closures or Access Canberra 12 22 81.
approach
Park at the last bend and either approach straight down a gully or via Wind Wall.
Option 1: head straight down the loose rock and drop down the little gully on the left (probably a grade 4 downscramble - either down the wide chimney or down a 3m blocky drop-off). This will put you in Pretty Gully, with Raining Pleasure on one wall and Shish.. on the other. For Pretty Backside, walk around the corner to the right (facing downhill).
Option 2: The safest way to access the area is from Wind Wall. Walk to the bottom of the wall, and continue downhill for 5-10m. Turn right and wind your way through the shrubs under the boulders and over a small slab. This will bring you to the base of Pretty Gully and then on to Pretty Backside.
Option 3: Park on the bend just before the gate (second to last left turn) and walk onto the edge of the cliff to stand on top of Pretty Backside. There are ring bolts about 5 meters beyond the small boulders on the top just as it starts going down. Lower off the first set of bolts. You may want to protect the access to the rings with sling around one of the boulders.
descent notes
All the old galvanized hardware appears to have been replaced by some outstanding pillar of the climbing community. All bolts are now stainless. Anchors are typically fixed hangers with captive rings.
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| Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pretty Back Side | ||||||||
| 2 |
★ Beck
A nice line rising leftwards from the left gully. 2nd bolt is loose (Mar18), bring a spanner. FA: Rikard Hedman, 2015 | 15 | 15m, 4 | |||||
| 3 |
★ Gunvald
One metre left of Hirdwall ... climbing toward the front of the blunt "backside" FA: Rikard Hedman, 2015 | 15 | 15m, 4 | |||||
| 4 |
★ Hirdwall
One metre left of School Girl Fantasies. Beautiful clean rock on this one. FA: Rikard Hedman, 2015 | 15 | 15m, 4 | |||||
| 5 |
★ School Girl Fantasies
A pleasant route, with the crux being a slightly blanker section then up through to fourth class territory before the chains. Bolts a bit rusted but still in good nick. FA: Chris Warner | 15 | 15m, 4 | |||||
| 6 |
★ King Cup No 1
A lovely little ramble, with the first bolt being in good position if you wish to start straight underneath it in the gully, or giving a good little runout if you start at the bottom of the cliff. Once you've passed the last bolt it's fourth class territory to the chains. FA: Nathan Wales | 13 | 15m, 4 | |||||
| 7 |
★ Brillo Pad
Fairly easy lower down, the crux is to find the point in the overlap at which you step over onto the arete. FA: Nathan Wales | 15 | 15m, 4 | |||||
| 8 |
★★ Super Discount
The crux of this route is just above the first bolt, after which the rest will feel quite easy! The hard moves through the roof are above the indicated grade; or you can use the fairly obvious overlap lower down and climb up the arete to get to the fourth bolt. FA: Nathan Wales | 18 | 15m, 4 | |||||
| 9 |
8 Items or Less
A rather odd climb - some quite easy moves up to the first bolt, which continue up to the second, before which the climber is within ground fall territory. Joins up with 'Super Discount' after the third bolt. Similar to Super Discount, if you choose to go through the roof, expect this to be quite hard for the grade. However the smarter move would seem to be trending left to get around the arete... FA: Nathan Wales | 17 | 18m, 5 | |||||
| 10 |
★ Femeture Definitive
An interesting climb, with reasonable moves down low turning into a heinous crux just above the third bolt. One for the tall climbers, or shorter people willing to dyno. FA: Nathan Wales | 17 | 15m, 3 | |||||
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||||||||
| Route | Grade | Style | Selected ascents | |||||
Pretty Gully Proper | ||||||||
| 12 |
★ Raining Pleasure
FA: Nathan Wales | 17 | 12m, 5 | |||||
| 13 |
★ Memory Relapse
FA: Justin Ryan | 22 | 10m, 5 | |||||
| 14 |
Fake News
Warning Fixed Gear: 5th bolt missing hanger and nut
FA: Justin Ryan, 2015 | 10 | 12m, 6 | |||||
| 15 |
★★ Godisgris
To the right of Fake News around the corner on the same chunk of rock. FA: Rikard Hedman, 2015 | 12 | 12m | |||||
| 16 |
★★ Shhh...
FA: Chris Warner | 24 | 4 | |||||
| 17 |
Quintessence
Open project, right of 'Shhh...'. | 5 | ||||||
| 18 |
Meet Her at the Love Parade
Shares chains with 'Shhh...'. FA: Chris Warner | 18 | 12m, 4 | |||||
| 19 |
★ Trumpian Psychology
FA: Justin Ryan, 2015 | 8 | 7m | |||||
| 20 |
★ Alternative Facts
Rising out of the bushes on the wall below 'Meet Her at the Love Parade'. A great first lead. FA: Justin Ryan, 2015 | 12 | 9m, 3 | |||||
2. Index by grade
| Grade | 
|
Stars | Name | Style | Pop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | ★ | Trumpian Psychology | 7m | ||
| 10 | Fake News | 12m, 6 | |||
| 12 | ★ | Alternative Facts | 9m, 3 | ||
| ★★ | Godisgris | 12m | |||
| 13 | ★ | King Cup No 1 | 15m, 4 | ||
| 15 | ★ | Beck | 15m, 4 | ||
| ★ | Brillo Pad | 15m, 4 | |||
| ★ | Gunvald | 15m, 4 | |||
| ★ | Hirdwall | 15m, 4 | |||
| ★ | School Girl Fantasies | 15m, 4 | |||
| 17 | 8 Items or Less | 18m, 5 | |||
| ★ | Femeture Definitive | 15m, 3 | |||
| ★ | Raining Pleasure | 12m, 5 | |||
| 18 | Meet Her at the Love Parade | 12m, 4 | |||
| ★★ | Super Discount | 15m, 4 | |||
| 22 | ★ | Memory Relapse | 10m, 5 | ||
| 24 | ★★ | Shhh... | 4 | ||
| ? | Quintessence | 5 |