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High Fells

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Access issues inherited from Mt Alexander

PLEASE READ IF IT IS YOUR FIRST TIME TO MT ALEXANDER

Most of Mt Alexander is a regional (not national) park, so while climbing is permitted general rules apply; dogs are permitted on leash, fires only in established fire places (from Parks Victoria website).

Being able to climb at Mt Alexander is a privilege and climbers need to act accordingly; especially given the increased amount of climbers frequenting the area due to Grampians closures. Please do not drop litter (e.g. fingertape) - in fact, if you can, remove any litter you see when you leave. Please keep to existing trails where you can. Do not engage in overzealous cleaning of climbs - keep it to the minimum. Don't harm any trees. Be courteous to fellow users of the park.

Toilets are available at the Leanganook campground and at the mountain bike park near the Oak Forest (close to Harcourt). Should you need to defecate please do so in accordance with established practices for wilderness behaviour (e.g. stay away from water courses, digging a hole etc).

Please see individual access notes for each area.

Approach

High Fells is just past the Kingdom Boulders but before the summit. Park on the dirt road just north of where the Goldfields Track crosses JYD. Walk along the track (towards Dog Rocks) to access Chicken Run, Mellon Collie, Promise of Insurance etc. The Wall and Stinkfest are best approached cross country down past the knoll on the left of the dirt road.

Ethic inherited from Mt Alexander

Do not bolt highball problems except with agreement of the first ascentionist. In general, keep bolting to a minimum. Since 2010 there was been almost zero bolting of new routes.

Routes

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Grade Route

Stand start

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 21 Jan 2015

Stand start

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 21 Jan 2015

Sit start

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 21 Jan 2015

On downhill side of boulder around left of the Quiff. Sit start on gritty jugs.

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 21 Jan 2015

Sit start

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 21 Jan 2015

A nice little face with good rock 150m down and right of the Wall. Right arete of downhill face. V2/3.

A nice little face with good rock 150m down and right of the Wall. Right arete of downhill face. V2/3.

The face left of They are all V2 on nice thin edges. V3/4. Or something. But probably not V2.

Start with left hand in good slot under roof, right on flat sidepull face. Rock up ledges into brief crack system before jugs.

50m down the hill past The Wall. down the hill. A lone blob of smooth marbely stone. Start with right hand in good slot under the roof, left in slopey jam. Tension to establish on the nose of the overhang, then powerful moves to a slopey ledge.

FA: Garry A Williams, 19 Nov

The tall low angle compression block around left of Stinkfest looks easy but is pretty engaging. Sit start and wobble up the exfoliating crystals. Probably not destined to become classic.

The central rib of boulders down and right as you start down the track has a cool old tree growing through it and a bunch of easy problems on its north side. This arete and the next are probably the best problems and are south side facing chicken run. Sit start, up arete not using adjacent wall.

Sit start (shelf) and up slabby arete past a lone edge.

Directly behind Dryad/Spriggan. Climb the short hanging arete from a stand-start on the lefthand side.

FA: Peter Reynolds, 20 Feb

Up the slab to the large boss, reach up and slab it out using the slot.

FA: Anthony Williams, 19 Jun 2022

Cool, high slab. Start on underclings directly under the obvious sloper in the middle of the wall. Hard moves to start and then move slightly right for a committing finish.

FA: Anthony Williams, 19 Jun 2022

Sounds better than chicken crack. Start on the horizontal break and climb the crack. Can sit start at same grade.

FA: Anthony Williams, 19 Jun 2022

Start as for Fissure de Coq, then easy traverse left and up

FA: Cameron MacLeman, 8 May 2023

Just below the chicken-related routes facing west. Sit start with good right hand, and large flakes. Upward using side-pull to the edge, avoiding feet on the adjacent boulder. Though slightly contrived; a worthwhile challenge is to avoid the flakes altogether at around V4.

FA: Cameron MacLeman, 8 May 2023

100m or so downhill from Chicken/Mellon Collie etc. Start with wide hands and make a few jams to get on top. Get down by jumping off backside or sliding down narrow chimney.

FA: Zach Azeez, 4 Jul 2022

Opposite to Stop Point-Motion there's a nice warm up that can be traversed over and over.

Sit start on the corner to the right of Let's get started, stand up and traverse left. Avoid hollow bits on Cornflake and Let's get started rest on the easy bit and continue all the way to the starting holds.

FA: Jakub Juchum, 12 Feb 2023

Stand start matched in left side big undercut. Climb the arete and flake (carefully) to slopey top out.

The flake on this route is exceptionally loose. Please be aware that it may break off under bodyweight.

FA: Stefan H, 11 Jun 2020

Sit start from big blob for left hand and sidepull in crack for right. Go up to the rail and top out on good edges. Avoid flake in middle of wall. Good warm up for harder climbs opposite. The flakes on this route are exceptionally loose. Please be aware that they may break off under bodyweight.

FA: Stefan H, 11 Jun 2020

That moment in a rock over where if you stall you end up 2 feet short of the hold. Cute little line left of MC. Start LH on slope rail, RH on good low hold then up via slopes crimps and slimps to Gaston into the scoop. Finish straight up.

Sit start.

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 23 Jan 2015

Sit start. Can be done from a stand - slightly easier.

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 23 Jan 2015

Start matched on the lowest hold and campus the first move - don't stack pads. Stand start.

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 23 Jan 2015

Stand start.

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 23 Jan 2015

Funk sit start on opposing side pulls near arete right of Netherfeld. Up via ripples to gain arete with right hand but remaining on left face throughout.

Around the corner from Pullin' Rock and below Stop-Point Motion etc. Sit start using the base of thin seam, and sharp pocket. Up through a powerful move to top out.

FA: Cameron MacLeman, 8 May 2023

The shallow pocket and arete, right of What has it got in its pocketses. Relatively smooth rock. A punchy throw off tricky feet.

FA: Garry A Williams, 19 Nov

Pull off good edges to side pull with left hand. Up to sloper then out.

FA: Dave C, 17 Aug 2019

A couple of hundred metres further along track and down to the right from Stop-Point Motion etc. Stand on the sharp boulder to start. Up slab and out to arete and finish direct.

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 22 Jan 2015

Start on the sharp boulder.

FA: Peter Reynolds & Peter Reynolds, 22 Jan 2015

Start at good edge right of POI. Mantle or dyno to the jug immediately right of the rooflet and mantle through the tree. Have done worse.

North face of the Dreamer Deceiver block. Sit start at crazy undercling and climb the twin cracks using a wide array of techniques. May seem a bit mean for those not trained in the way of the crack.

Compression line between right hand crack and right arete. Tricky and a bit contrived to not use the right wall. If you do give yourself honesty 3 or 4 depending on how much you use it. Sit start.

Sit start the phat hands crack right of AGB. But only if you are bored.

100m downhill from The Promise Of Insurance is a jumble of blocks with huge pine tree below.

Takes the steep downhill arete.

FA: @dalai, 7 Oct 2023

The sit start version of Dreamer Deceiver. Adds length, style and funk!

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Selected Guidebooks more Hide

Author(s): Lindorff, Goding & Hodgson

Date: 2011

ISBN: 9780646529387

Get ready to fully experience the rock climbing scene in Victoria with Sublime Climbs, a comprehensive guidebook authored by Kevin Lindorff, Josef Goding, and Jarrod Hodgson. This full-color, 380-page book covers the best climbing locations in the region, including Mt Arapiles, Mt Buffalo, and the Grampians. It features descriptions of over 700 routes, topographic maps, and breathtaking images. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the sport, Sublime Climbs has everything you need to make the most of your climbing experience in Victoria and experience all of it's classic routes.

Author(s): Chris Baxter & Glenn Tempest

Date: 1994

ISBN: 0646167308

A Guide to selected rockclimbs at Mt Arapiles,the Grampians and Mt Buffalo

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