Routes in Central Tablelands for selected grade

Big start. Sustained.

• Named in loving memory of Michael Chambers 30/3/1934-13/2/2023

Rightmost of the slabs. Shares an anchor with Back to Back. Hard moves to gain upper slab if short

A must for choss'ists. Left leaning crack splitting right side of 'Main Wall'. Climbs BIG corner - Loose in parts.

Gear: Skyhooks, Double cams and wires.

Belays are well equipped with BR's and / or fixed gear.

Start: Left leaning crack splitting right side of 'Main Wall'

Great free route P1 to 5 the rap off. 23ish.

1. 35m (14) Easy broken corner to large ledge, turning small roof on R. Gear belay.

2. 35m (18 M3) Aid small corner behind ledge, then free moves L to main corner and up to belay. Free at about 21? Gear belay

3. 35m (18 M4) Aid corner to roof then free around roof and up to bolt belay. Free at about 23?

4. 20m (- M4) Up corner to chain belay. Last chance to bail.

5. 15m (- M5) Up corner to shale band then L across wall and up to belay. Bad bolts?

6. 50m (-) Down and L to wide crack. Aid through roof and beyond, then free up and L to belay on R under large roof.

7. 50m (-) Aid 3m roof-crack then free up corner to final belay.

Corner, traverse left to S then up to piton. 2). Up to hollow flake, up right corner, up and right (aid), wall to belay. Off right.

Start: 1.5m right of BTP on left side of square gully.

Attempt at major line on the south face. First ascent involved some minor aid, which was subsequently freed 5 years later by Ado and Mike. Finish as for 'Bendy Banana Chimney' then 'Original Way Up' finish.

1. 20m (18 M1) Up line 6m left of chossy chimney on south face. This is the same as pitch 1 of Lost Crack (23)

2. 40m (-) 2) 40m Up corner system and left to notch

Climb ferny crack of Grandpa Chook for about 7m then traverse right to arete (3 BRs) to break, 2 aid pitons then easily to bollard and piton belay on right.

Several sets of side-by-side and other single carrots visible from above start.

Looks very freeable - but description says aid. The direct start looks cleaner and better and is marked "SCA" - apparently Silver City Express.

Start: marked A under big left-leaning corner 15m L of JH arete.

1. Up big arching orange/red corner capped by a roof.

2. Second pitch probably goes left up a high flake system through a towering red wall with potential - or actual - direct start up crack below.

Further details forthcoming from Keith Bell

Just right of Jack Murphy's Climb, just left of orange streak. Steep and exposed. Protection down low is inadequate. A serious and dangerous lead. Up rotten corner, right to ramp, use BR as hand hold, leave ramp to good black rock and 3 BRs to small chain belay at ledge. Abseil off tree.

An engaging little layback/offwidth crack located behind Adventure, for whos bolts you can belay off. Oh, if only it were twice the size.

Juggy with cool movements. Attentive belayer. 2nd bolt high due to rock quality.

Climb the first 4 bolts of Adventure then branch off into a desperate traverse under the overhanging boulder. Proceed to then wrestle your way up between the two boulders to yet another uncomfortable belay

Stay left of lichen filed crack. Follow line of bolts and use the sharp crimps through the crux for a nice tough climb. Shares anchors with Ninja Splits.

TR access with a small scramble from behind the cliff onto the grassy boulder on the right of "Use the Crimps Luke". Will need a stick-clip.

Unknown location

Unknown location

Start: A few metres right of Optem Bop - interesting crux start followed by easy ramble.

Up past 3 fixed hangers to rap station or to lower-offs at 15m.

Start: 5m right of 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' and 2m left of Optem Bop.

Up past 3 fixed hangers and a carrot to rap station or lower offs at 15m. Crux passing 1st BR

Originally done with a couple of points of aid. Joe Friend freed this in 1975 and added the last pitch.

Start: In the L side of Gorbag gully.

1. Cracks to roof, swing left through roof and up to belay.

2. Cracks, seam and slab to large ledge, or slab to the right (4 bolts) and leftwards traverse to belay.

3. As for pitch 2.

4. Up overhanging crack in the little headwall.

Once a test piece in EBs. Take big friends!

Start: 30m left of P in quiet gully. Right-to-left diagonal corner under overhang, across coloured slab to ledge. Scramble off L.

Start: 12 left of TH. Slab and up open-ended, vegetated chimney.

A classic long arete.

Start: Thin crack 2m right of TH.

1. 30m (18) Up crack and wall to join TH at wider crack. Belay in the groove from chockstone and and number 4 cam plus more gear around another chockstone further up the groove.

2. 45m (18) Step left to arete and uppast 2 BR as for TH. Then on up the sustained arete past 4 BR to BB.

The first line up this impressive face. The obvious crack line leading up to a L-R diagonal ramp

1. 30m Up delicate slab with finger pocket to crack, up to ramp.Follow this R to ledge/ramp. BB on TOfE just before the start of the ramp proper.

2. 35m Right up ramp to groove and straight up.

Start: Obvious crack leading to diagonal ramp.

Up blunt nose and thin hollow flake right of Through the Looking Glass.

Start: Slab between Splat and Herd Instinct past a BR to BB plus tree further back.

Start: 5m right of 'Kersplat'. Good Slab. No pro. FA solo

Begin on the far right-hand side of the wall where "Blinded by the White" is the first crack system. Go up the hill until you are 10 meters from the corner, and you will see a crack with a small plant at 1/3 height and an off-width slot about half way up. Bring plenty of medium-big gear: 3 number 3's and a single 5 are not the worst idea in the world...The tree sitting right above the line is unfortunately dead and has been burnt, so either traverse awkwardly 4 meters left to only decent tree around to belay, or go way back over the edge to larger tree behind the first dead one. Take care not to kill your belayer in the process of reaching an anchor tree. Requires two 60 meter ropes to get down and some shenanigans.

Lovely but committing face climbing up to crack line 1/2 way up the wall, initially climbed on sight and ground up, so the grading and star may need some verification. Start on the face a couple of metres right of Blue Mountains Has Talent, up past large cams (4 and/or 5) in horizontal at top of block and then onto face. Past bolt and adequate wire as well as slung chicken heads to small cams (0.5 or 0.75) in horizontal break, continue to the base of finger crack. Follow crack to high tree anchor. 42m rappelled from this tree.

Outstanding climbing, probably one of the "Must Do's" at the crag, despite it's shorter length.

Stemming corner problem with small gear down low. 2 sets of nuts are worth considering, as is a #4 for up high. Follow the thin crack until it widens to off width, then look for gear and holds on the face. 2BB at the top of this pitch. A rope stretching 30m abseil to the deck.

An attempt was made on the corner above, but abandoned after 15m due to loose rock, reduced rock quality, and the proximity of more desirable climbing.

Described by Statius as "the queen of long distance roads" the construction of the Appian Way commenced in 312 BC and served as a supply route for troops and supplies during the Samnite Wars. As a long straight clean line this is one of the more efficient ways to gain the 1/2 way ledge for anyone wanting to inspect the tougher routes prior to climbing. The line commences about 10m Right of Mouse land and 20m Left of Interregnum. Follow the rightmost of the 2 cracks through a bulge and onto a blunt arête. Directly up the sea of rock on the arête through mixed gear, beautiful holds and fabulous exposure. The last 5m off the ledge to the anchor is climbed via the small arete past 1 BR to tree belay. Take: 8 bolt plates, at least 2 x .5 and 2 x .3, offset nuts are good (keep a blue for the headwall), otherwise a single rack should do.

Start approximately 100m right of Glockenspiel Crack at obvious overhanging hand crack in yellow rock. Up crack until it widens significantly at a stance. More dignified to move left onto the face to use some unprotected but big holds to the ledge, rather than grovelling up the offwidth. Great climb.

A large thread on the ledge allows an easy descent.

Named because the Jesse forgot most of his climbing gear. Start 10m right of Glockenspiel crack.

P1. 10m.Up small open book corner for 5m to ledge and belay 5m to the right at good stance.

P2. 25m. Straight up crack through chimney into awesome hand crack. Belay in chimney.

P3. 35m. Continue up chimney and crack.

Rap off tree as for TWTLD

Another great climb, was done ground up with both Hugh's "yoyoing" the first pitch. Start 30m right of "Mysts of Time" on small pedestal.

1. Up face via piton and 2 bolts to large horizontal, then take traversing line via bolt to Arete. Glorious postion. Bolted anchor in cave feature. Is recomended to abseil off from here.

2. Up left out of cave and wander to top.

Awesome hand crack!! A big whopping 50m pitch. 10m right of big chimney which is Fog of war and 3m right of scrubby unclimbed corner system at left leaning hand crack. Take plenty of hand size pieces 4x #2, 3x #3's and 2 x #4's as a minimum plus your usual rack. Climb hand crack through small rooflet at 25m to a wide section. Continue to top. Tree belay.

Initially led ground up, without pre-inspection. Start at the scoops about 10m right of Acoustic Corner at a small pile of discarded holds - don't be put off by these. Surprisingly well protected using natural placements throughout, take 2 sets of wires and a double rack of small to medium cams. Originally led in 4 pitches, though the below might be a better method.

1. Delicately through face moves past bolt to sling arch. From here the rock quality is very good. Follow the plumb line through shockingly good gear to 2BB on the ledge at 35m.

2. Continue on the plumb line through adequate (though fiddlier) gear to belay at small bulge just below the 1/2 way ledge.

3. Easily up to 1/2 way ledge to belay from large gum.

Descent: walk left to 2 RBB rap station, 32m rap to next station, then 35m to ground at the bottom of Road to Hell.

Start on the left hand side of the main wall, 2m in from the arete.

1. 30m (18) Follow up wall on delicate holds past 10 BR to good stance on ledge & DBB in cubbyhole.

2. 20m (17) Step leftwards steeply to step "off the lip". Move out onto face and continue up wall to base of hollow flake system and 3.5 friend break. Continue up wall on good jugs to top and DBB. 7BR on this pitch.

3. 10m (10) Walk up behind big block and bridge short chimney to top & tree belay.

Enjoyable (?!) offwidthing and chimneying on not so good rock. Large tubes required.

Start 30m right of Jump in a n orange corner.

1. 22m. Up blocks to base, then straight up to bridging stance in chimney.

2. 15m. Up chimney, following left to top.

A fine line that is suprisingly short on protection when you need it most.

Start 100m left of the tree covered amphitheatre at the obvious crack running leftwards up the wall before the cliff sweeps into orange overhangs. At this point you are nearly directly abopve a house in the valley below.

1. 45m. Up the short broken wall and crack to a tree on ledge. Up around the overhang with a heave ho, then up the marvellous jamb crack. Follow the crack into offwidth, swear like crazy, then up to a large tree. Nut anchor behind.

2. 12m. Up the fine corner crack behind to tree anchor.

3. 12m. Scramble up as you will to top.

The arete 8m R of TBFA. Good climbing, almost worth a star. Rap 45m off DRB. We did pitch 2 but not clean yet, please keep off.

Take a full rack, brackets and a #1.5 Fr for above 3rd bolt. Rap 35m off DRB.

1. 18m (18) Aesthetic fingertips corner up to a bolted anchor in a sandy cave. Most only do this good pitch.

2. 21m (-)

3. 30m (-)

4. 30m (-)

One of the classics of the cliff. Varied climbing.

Start: At marked 'MM' at large flake crack.

1. 25m (16) Up flake to top of pedestal. 3BB.

2. 20m (18) Up wall diagonally L to BR. Continue diagonally L (poor pro) easily to ledge (feel free to add a bolt) then up to ledge with a small tree and 2 rings .

3. 20m (17) Up to ledge and across 8m L to ledge then up slab and groove on R (2BR) to stance at base of L-facing corner with a small tree and 2BB.

4. 25m (18) Up corner to cruxy top-out. Tree anchor.

Descent = rap 50 m from slim tree 10 m East (R facing valley; look out for loose rock) to large ledge (top of Sizzler) and rap rings. 40 m rap.

Fantastic hand crack widening to offwidth. Most don't bother with pitches 2 and 3.

Start: At the crack 3 m R of Grunter.

1. 30m (19) Overcome the overhang then jamb your way to the hearts of millions. Now has rings in addition to the traditional tree anchor on large ledge. Best with 2 x #4 C4s for the offwidth.

2. 30m (-) Up dirty chimney.

3. 21m (-) Up corners to top

Stem and crack climb your way to glory.

Start: Start 6m R of 'Agent Orange' at initial 'C' in a cave with a fine corner crack leading out of the top.

1. 21m (18) Up steep finger crack corner to ledge. Belay on Cams, wires.

2. 15m (18) Continue up thin crack and overhang to ledge and belay behind the tree.

3. 30m (18) Follow the R-facing corner to large bulbous tree. Up the dirty slot behind to a good ledge.

4. 12m (16) Up corner to ledge. Step left (around arete) to Rap anchor or continue another 10m to top.

Descent: Abseil 40m to a small ledge with two ring bolts just left of pitch 2 belay, then abseil 35m to the ground.

Mixed route on carrots. Take many bolt plates (11!) plus medium-sized cams. To access climb Harlem, Mother's Drugs or Virgin Flight.

Start 20m right of MA.

1. Up crack.

2. Up line to top.

Start 25m right of E.

1. 25m (18) Shimmy up and onto wall then up to corner.

2. 25m Corner then over roofs.

3. 25m Crack to corner, over roof then right.

4. 25m Arete to top.

Location lost to antiquity

The obvious corner immediately west of Pipeline canyon exiting the cliff-line.

Start as for Scimitar. Up Scimitar or wall on right to alcove at 10m. Traverse right (2BRs) to anchor 1 of Knife of Air. Mike Law, Stephen Hamilton 1994

The right-hand crack line on Upper Baldy. Four pitches with P2 being the crux. Most climb it in two pitches but it was originally climbed in four. Start up the left (diagonal) crack off the top of the huge treed pillar (as shown in topo), although traversing the lip to the RH (vertical) crack has also been done. Once on top, the Stiletto abseil anchors (DRB) are only 15m to your left (west), it's 2 45m abseils back to the halfway ledge.

Engaging climbing, with exposure and the odd run-out. Double ropes are good, Well protected if you can place gear. A good sphincter tightening experience for mutant latte drinking sport climbers. Rebolted 2007

Start: Start at the shattered pillar beneath crack on R side, which is 'Scimitar'. Shares start.

1. 35m (18) Up crack then L and up wall past BRs to ledge with DBB.

2. 18m (16) Wall, bulge, BR's to ledge with DBB

3. 35m (17) L to thin crack and up, BR's, to roof then up to belay in small cave.

4. 20m (15) Up and traverse L then wander on up via ledges and breaks to DBB on top. Rap anchors nearby for descent.

Start 25m right of Z.

1. 30m (18) Corner to roof, pass bulge to cave.

2. 30m Traverse left to crack then up to corner and top.

The first pitch is 40m to a tree-belay. You can traverse 5m left past a short jam crack (just below the aforementioned tree) to the anchors for Liquid Sky at the end of P1, and rap to the ground (a single 60m rope JUST reaches on stretch).

125m right of NRFC at the big chimney.

1. 25m Up flake, over bulge then chimney to cave.

2. 25m (18) Chimney to overhang, over bulge and up corner.

3. 20m Through overhang, up corner to top.

1. 27m to belay ledge (3BB).

2. 31m Exposed traverse right then follow the bolts up to tree belay.

Each pitch has 5 bolts. Descend from rap above Helzapoppin

A long excellent pitch up an aesthetic curving arete that is mostly bolt protected. Bring a single set of cams between finger/fist size and a couple of long slings. Start on the little ledge above the ground. At the top belay off carrots - to descend walk 10m right to chains around large tree (50m rap - two ropes required).

Great warm-up and also suitable for top-roping as it's only vertical - unlike everything else at this crag. Far right route up orange streak, with a flake in the middle. Scramble in to belay ledge from the left end.

Up right side of orange face, thorugh grey streak to anchors

The big dyke on the southern side of the river. Saw possibly its first ascent in 1978 by Tom Williams.

off the deck is the crux of this thing, get through it and you get to stem your way to glory up into the monster roof, great rock, good gear and a nice long pitch. this was done in two pitches on the FA however would be nice to do in one stella pitch to the top.

Hand crack just past big pillar. Hexes mark the high point. At least 2 more pitches for anyone interested.

P1 20 meters to mini cave.

p2 40+ meters to the top, 3 carrot anchor.

Rap in climb out.

Gear: Double rack of cams plus four #4's, three #5's and two #6's and a 1.2m sling for a chock.

Follow line of bolts through juggy steep moves to thin crux before lowers offs.

Reachy moves down low with big holds all the way to anchors. 4 bolts to lower offs.

Up as for 'Little Bitch' going right at lower offs then up TVF.

Thin moves after first bolt (crux), following line of bolts over bulge to double bolt belay

Bouldery start over bulge to balancy slab following the line of bolts to anchors.

3m rt of TUA, up scoops tending left onto TUA at the last bolt to anchors

1m right of LTT, tending right then up. Airy and ok climbing, but position gives it the stars. Climbing on Spaced bolts. (Tree Belay)

Start up the crack, move left into corner and back right to gain the arete.

Bouldery start of short vertical seam to juggy step territory to lower offs.

Face over lip at halfway, up head wall to anchors