Routes in Central Western Slope and Plains

Direct line to the final pitches of Leider.

Start: 15m R of the large white streak on the L side of the W face. The climb starts on a small pedestal 7m off ground. Scramble from R, or walk on from L.

1. 48m (17) Step up R onto face. Pitch drifts R past incipient twin seams to the higher of two narrow sloping ledges. Take many small wires.

2. 50m (17) Step off L end of ledge. Unlikely, exposed, blind moves up L around blunt arete. Up and trend L around steepening on L side. Up to spacious ledge. Take care with rope drag.

3. 38m (17) Take slab up past loose blocks to old bolt(!?) at 38m

4. 25m (-) Up rightwards on imperfect apricot coloured rock to wide crack of Leider. Up to stance

5. 25m (-) Follow Rib to R side of plant choked gully

6. 25m (-) Follow Rib to R side of plant choked gully

Best used as a descent route. Line under Finders Keepers Wall.

1. 50 m Gully 10 m E of Cissus, then off-width to ledge.

2. 50 m As for last pitch of Sunday School.

Start: 10m R of 'Handicapped'

Up orange slab (reachy) using pockets for gear to 2nd pebbly break, then technical traverse R for 5m (micro cams) to obvious vertical crack with good gear to top.

This route and Missing You Marcelle provide a direct start to the upper Halfway Ledge at the base of Vertigo, as opposed to the scramble approach up the lower part of the Abseil Gully.

While the previous description suggested the route starts from ground level, it is more likely that it starts at the top of the large lower (first) main vegetated ledge that is reached after the scramble up and over from Belougary Pinnacle as per the access to the Halfway Ledge. They likely climb the wall left of the water-worn gully below the Halfway Ledge and Vertigo. During a new route ascent on the lower west face (from ground level) no bolts or easy grade 10 lines from ground level were found which indicates the higher start.

Start somewhere left of the beginning of the water worn gully used to scramble up used to access the Halfway Ledge, the Abseil Gully and Vertigo.

1. 13m Walk L along rotten ledge. Round corner to bolt, then up.

2. 32 m Up gully on L, finishing on R to Half-way ledge.

Finish up route of choice. The topo line is a guess. Please update this if you confirm it.

Possibly the first three pitches of Cracked Pane. Start 50 m R of Stonewall Jackson.

1. 35 m Prominent weakness to headwall, cracks. Move R to corner, then wide crack to stance.

2. 35 m Prominent corner tending R to top of ramp. Up to blocks below groove.

3. 40 m Steep wall and groove, then L to join Flight of the Phoenix. Belay on ledge level with top of diagonal overhang.

Start on east face, 1.5 m left of arete. Thin, twin cracks.

Start: Start in alcove in middle of short wall leading to corner (past gully and broken, rocky area). Through small overhang, then up very thin crack.

A wild excursion up a huge face and was Australia's hardest climb for many years. An outstanding achievement by Allen. No big gear required, just heaps of small to medium wires and single set of cams. Long runners will help.

Start: In the middle of the west face is a white water streak (about 50m to the right of the large one about 20m from the far LHS).

1. 25m (1) Original route cheated by scrambling up the vegetated gully on the right un-roped (grade 1). Real climbers should just climb the rambly wall to the left of the vegetated gully to a small ledge right of the bottom of the white streak.

2. 30m (15) Straight up face to belay on a ledge about 5m up and right of top of white streak.

3. 25m (16) Keep heading left (fiddly gear) on a roughly 45 degree angle until you reach a corner. Head straight up this and belay after 5m or so.

4. 45m (17) Crux. Either up the rib on the right of the corner, or up the steep juggy corner. At 20m step right to small edge (manky BR and optional belay) or continue up crack line above. Belay on huge ledge about 2/3 height of entire west face.

5. 40m (16) Crack tending slightly right then basically straight up to the top.

6. 35m (10) Keep going up the very easy rocky ridge to the top

Start below block at R end of grey wall R of Finders Keepers Wall.

1-2) Follow line steeply up L

Start 5m E of Done in Dunlops.

1. 50 m Scrubby scramble, then up to big shelf.

2. 50 m Fantastic chimney.

Start beneath the yellow, fragile roofs at the right end of the crag. Scramble up ledges, then sticking to the good dark rock, move up and L to beneath crack in roof guarding a short chimney. Through roof with feeling, passing the "dagger of doom" (a sharp wedged chockstone).

Excellent climbing. Start as for West Face Direct Start.

Steeply L up line of steps to old bolt, then R to stance. Wall above to tree belay.

The topo line is a guess. Please update this if you confirm it.

Climbs up to and across Flight of the Phoenix, joining London's Dockyard to finish.

Pleasant and well protected. Start at clean arete on N side. This is the first climb reached when approaching from sealed road to TV tower. Overhanging start, then past bolt to ledge. Continue up arete past three bolts to bolt belay on L.

Nice crack up wall near corner which blanks out towards top.

Years after climbing this I spoke to Rick White (RIP) and challenged him on the Pocket guide grade of 18 and description. He denied ever writing it up and said “it’s at least grade 20, and there is no probably about the run out”. Previous description: Not very direct, probably runout.

1. 18m Trend up left to base of white streaks.

2. 30m Right and up from stance. Back left and up onto obvious traverse line. Left and up onto the white streak, up left to roove. Easily up ramp to Lieben stance 1. The description you need to read: “The most dangerous pitch I’ve ever climbed by a sizeable margin. Grade 20 crimp crux 10m out from a worthless RP in loose rock above a long chain of 7m run outs between worthless RPs. Guaranteed ground fall from 45m if you fail the test. We climbed it in 1 long pitch as couldn’t find two pieces to even pretend a belay anywhere along the pitch. Enjoy” Mark Rewi

Start under large overhang at R end of crag.

1-2) R·hand line, with poor rock at roof.

Start 5m W of big detached pillar.

1. 45m Smooth, water-worn gully.

2. 45m Up.

Possibly the hardest multi-pitch in the Bungles. Tackles the major face between 'Crucifixion' and the Tourist Route. This is NOT a sport route - and the rock quality is a bit sub par on pitch 4. Take a double set of cams to fist size, double rack of wires including RPs, at least 15 draws and several long slings. A helmet is also a must.

Starts on right side of east face at section of black steep slabs, aprox 100m left of the rap descent route.

1. 35m (20) Wall (3 FHs) to left facing orange corner with fiddly small gear. At the top of corner step left onto wall (vital small wires) and then up trending slightly right past 2 FHs and several small wires and cams. Belay on ledge at DBB. 5 bolts.

2. 30m (14) Up blocky crackline just to the left of the belay to small ledge belay 3m left of major chossy orange corner (Hex Generation).

3. 25m (22) Straight up tricky wall on trad for 10m to FH, then continue up and right on steep grey wall and arete past a further 4 FHs to final exposed right step across crack into pea-pod belay directly above 'Hex Generation' crackline. 5 bolts.

4. 40m (24) Pumpy technical climbing on the left wall - keeping left of the bolts makes for harder but better climbing. Stay right and experience chossy terror. When the bolts run out follow the corner crack for 25m to comfy big ledge. 6 bolts.

5. 48m (24) Move belay to double bolts at far left end of ledge. Up slab and out left across face with couple of tough moves. Finish up epic wall with a section of micro wires supplementing the bolts. Belay on ledge at double rings. This is the last opportunity to rap off. 9 bolts.

6. 45m (14) Up blocky line above then leftwards up easy angled corner on lovely rock. Belay on trad when you can.

7. 40m (14) Continue up leftwards leaning easy crack line to summit. Traverse ridge and then down the Green 'Gully'.

Goes up the north west buttress for about 150m to the terrace, then takes a line between the upper part of Scunge Gully and Vertigo.

Start: The first obvious entry to the cliff on the way down from the pinnacle to the start of Scunge Gully i.e. roughly 30 metres right of Scunge Gully.

1. 21m Steeply leftwards up ramp below a red wall crowned by overhangs.

2. 27m To top of ramp, then step left from the corner to outflank overhangs. 2 old pitons at belay.

3. 33m Look out for the fixed bearing race! Up right hand wall of corner. Step right at about 9m to avoid overhangs. Up into groove which trends rightwards. Chockstone.

4. 30m Good chockstone at the head of the groove, up right and over bulges. Then right to a detached block.

5. 27m Left to shallow groove, thence easy ground to tree.

6. 21m Avoid vegetated gully by steep slabs behind tree. Cross the terrace.

7. 34m The fault line which starts midway between Vertigo and the upper half of Scunge Gully is followed steeply up right. Some loose rock before stepping left and up on good rock. To avoid the horror rock on this pitch, it is possible to traverse off right into Vertigo at about half height.

8. 60m Another 12m leads to Tourist Traverse.

Tackles arete between Flight of the Phoenix and Elijah. Start near Xoanon.

1. 40 m Up for 15 m, then R along ramp.

2. 25 m Up, then R over block to stance.

3. 30 m Wall above through bulges, then L to tree.

4. 35 m Groove, then L and up slab. At headwall, traverse R along ramp.

5. 35 m L, then bulge to vague groove. Groove to belay on L.

6. 30 m R, then L up groove until possible to move R towards arete.

7. 35 m Wall to groove above overhang. Groove. then wall.

8. 35 m R across buttress, then up to big ledge. Now L, through bulge, up wall to bolt belay at top of Elijah pitch 12.

9-11) 95 m As for Elijah.

Crack in ramp on W side of N arete, to join Northern LIghts at three-quarters height.

Obvious corner, fist-crack.

Supposed to be quite good. If you want to suss out 'Lieben' before committing to it, this is the way to do it.

Start: About 50m up and right of the start of 'Cornerstone Rib' at base of rightward leading crack system. An obvious R tending traverse that leads toward base of gully beneath two Orange overhangs. This was where the famous photo of Dot Butler (bare footed and with a rope tied around her waste) was taken.

A #4 cam and double set of C3s including smallest is useful on top of typical rack. Can be done in less pitches.

1. 30m Easily up right. Belay level with or slightly higher than base of gully.

2. 30m Right and into gully, up grey rock on right keeping left of water washed rock until last unprotected 6m to avoid overhangs, then up to an obvious large platform with a bolt.

3. 33m Up and around right arete with care, continue up right to grassy ledge..still caring. A wiggly piton on belay confirms your on your way.

4. 34m The direct line is right up black cracks past a small Morton Bay fig tree to belay on ledge at base of gully. Alternatively take a better quality line further right from the cracks which ends on a grassy belay ledge with a large fig tree. From here traverse directly left 12m back to the base of gully.

5. 24m Up gully to water washed crux protected by bolts (visible from belay) though adequate modern protection exists. Hard moves on great (sometimes wet) rock slightly left to belay just left and beneath chimney.

6. 15m Engaging short face on left to Chimney type gully to a large chockstone.

7. 18m Bridge up right then out to tree. This is the lowermost and largest of the teatrees in the vegetated gully, protruding over the cliff and most visible from ground. Its trunk is about 1m in diameter and it sprawls with vigour over the terrain you wish to cover at end of an otherwise very good pitch (or two).

8. 70m Scramble to top on right side of vegetated gully.

Start at solitary E-racing crag directly N of the old Ogma Hut, 100 m lower down. Obvious slab. Up corner.

Crack up middle of big detached pillar L of the Devils Chair. Abseil down back. A slightly easier route has been done up back of this pillar - no further details.

The major orange crackline splitting the right side of the east face. Appallingly chossy. There was an old hex jammed in the crack halfway up - most likely a bail-off piece as the crack above held several 'fun' death block surprises for the first ascent team. Start by climbing Verdun for 2 pitches then setup a trad belay 2m right of the bolt belay. Swing right from the belay into corner. Wade and chimney through epic choss (but good gear!) until the crack suddenly narrows and the walls begin to blank. Jam upwards whilst lobbing off bombs onto your cowering belayers to grovel into pea-pod belay. Thank the lord that there is now two bolts here to belay off, and not the man sized pile of rubble that first confronted the first ascent team. A rest was resorted to on the first ascent due to adrenaline overload.

Start about 30m right of Scunge Gully.

1. 45m (14) Up for 9m, then diagonally left and up to the foot of a corner sloping steeply right.

2. 26m (17) Up corner to bush then step left and up 5m to comfortable belay ledge

3. 36m (13) Out left to the rib and up easily to the right hand base of the projecting buttress (the base of the corner). Somewhat loose.

4. 28m (16) Traverse right and up steep wall to the right of corner. Belay on ledge above small layback.

5. 21m (14) Up corner and finish through loose blocks. Scramble up to large green ledge. (First ascent party camped here!)

6. 33m (15) Traverse left and slightly down (delicate) across the wall, across to foot of huge corner. Resist temptation to go high , although it looks like it is easier and has more pro you will be disappointed in both departments. The desperate looking wall offers lots of nice hidden protection and good incut holds.

7. 24m (15) Up corner to belay on block under impending wall on left. (beneath rotten rock bridge)

8. 18m (14) Out right, avoid loose blocks and up wall. The original route went to (peg) stance below an overhang on the right but this belay offers limited protection (other than the peg). A better alternative is to look for a belay to the left of the corner.

9. 24m (14) Diagonally left (loose blocks) through the line of weakness across the face leading out to the arete. Good ledge on extreme edge. Peg belay 2m above.

10. 21m (14) Round corner to left and past first groove. Up second groove to ledge.

11. 21m (14) Up to right then from peg in small corner go up nose on left and into groove. Belay on a big ledge on the right, under small overhangs.

12. 33m (15) Right and swing through overhangs. Left and up to peg, then on to summit.

When at top there is a 10m abseil into gully then one more short scramble/pitch to true summit.

Start just R of arete between Flight of the Phoenix and Elijah. Climb arete, mainly on its R. Sustained.

Start: Start 50m E of 'Magnum', past cave. Gully with blocky start.

The striking arete to the right of Cornerstone Rib.

There has been some debate about this line (and Reluctance Rib). Most Old Timers agree that the line is the arete but the description from the 1994 Rock Guide seems to be for a very different line. A very bold undertaking for 1954 (8 years before an ascent of Cornerstone Rib) that was not repeated until 1964!

1-3) 90 m Cornerstone Rib to large ledge.

'4) 20 m Scramble down and right out to the base of the arete

'5-6) 70 m Climb the arete. Sparse pro on pitch 6.

'7) 30 m Continue with difficulty up the broken arete on worsening rock to the top or climb up and left across the gully and join up with the top of Cornerstone Rib.

The 1994 Rock guide described the upper pitches as:

'4) 21m Traverse right 6m to a ramp type ledge which goes up to the right for 9m into a corner, piton runner. Up corner then traverse left to a gully.

'5) 12m Up gully to old piton. Right slightly to a home made piton at base of some rotten rock.

'6) 21m Left up wall (good rock) which continues to the rib. Up rib to a piton belay on loose rock.

'7) 15m Continue up rib to gully on the left which leads to top of Rib and Gully.

Start at base of S arete of pinnacle.

1-2) Up edge of arete, moving R round difficulties.

Start in big gully with blackberries W of the Devils Chair.

1. 45 m Crevice on R of chimney to face. Follow small crack up L through slight overhang. Up 2 m to large crack, then up L past fish-hook-shaped boulder.

2. 35 m Round R from ledge to smooth, vertical crack. Up this for 10m, then round L to chimney. Chimney to grassy ledge.

3. 20m Chimney, as for Intrigue.

Stat: Direct start to 'Crucifixion'.

Easy start on trad, then techy face past three FHs to runout scary finish on shallow small wires to double bolt anchor at end of 'Crucifixion' pitch 1.

Start midway between Scunge Gully and Caucasus Corner, below buttress.

1. 40 m Up to slab at 15 m. Traverse R below steepening, then up to Caucasus Corner first belay.

2. 25 m (crux) From below belay, move L to lip of undercut buttress, then up to base of orange crack. Now L, then steep wall. A glorious pitch.

3. 35 m Buttress to Caucasus Corner third belay.

4. 15 m Shattered groove to tree and ledge on L of prow.

5. 30 m Wall on L of prow starting near arete, the middle of face. Poor pro. Take small cams.

[The topo line may be incorrect. Please update it].

An amazing achievement for its time.

Original start marked with a small 'E' under large orange overhangs up high. We started a little right of here (maybe 15 meters). This description should be used in conjunction with available guidebook descriptions. I have not mentioned the carrots and pitons you may or may not see along the way. Bring lots of small gear and slings the climb zigs and zags quite alot to keep its grade. There are some topos out there that are incorrect. One shows the last pitches leading way right again under and to the otherside of the last black overhangs , follow your nose as to what looks right. Our experience on this climb was validated by the original bolts and pitons every so often. Most importantly if its not 17 (albeit old grading and sustained) you could be off route. Any abseil chains present on the wall are for another climb though there is one on one of the belays. Do not let them distract you from Elijah. Enjoy. Its a great voyage with excellent rock.

1. Up veering left through poor rock to belay when possible in small stance (original start possibly nicer?)

2. Up slightly right and around right side of large detached block, over without treading on it then back left to famous double carrot and twisted wire belay on good ledge. Most 1964 bolts are redundant with modern gear on this route.

3. Out left , up veering left , avoiding large ledge/cleft with corner on right. Sticking to easy terrain. Belay at piton.

4. Hard straight off belay up then left a bit up and veer right to ledge with Chain (another route) and original bolt.

5. Up veering left then belay. Approaching centre/left of major overhangs.

6. Up easiest line leading left though not too low. Ignore fixed gear above in orange rock. Well protected to belay bolt near leftmost side of overhangs.

7. The only pitch that is truly a traverse. Excellent rock. Left , down , up to nice flake and steep move up , left , down a bit, delicately left with a #3 camalot in a pod at waist height then lunge across to match hands on good positive hold. Up steep move after this and onward to belay where comfortable. Staying just right of buttress arete.

8. Guide says crack though more like steep jumble of blocks. very solid though. Straight up then steep improbable move straight up (good wire higher in crack than you would like to reach) on face holds to belay ledge.

9. A bit right then up veering left. This is one of the few pitches where leader is above belayer for considerable time (take care). Up to belay stance (bolt hidden high left).

10. Up and right stepping across above belay. A bit loose , then under corner. either up corner then leaving corner halfway or (suggested) taking lower more exposed right line well beneath corner (at piton?) then up , push past first ledge veering right then mantle over to very large ledge and end of wall.

11. Roped scrambles for rope length.

12. Unroped scrambles to top. Nice one.

The description from the 1994 Rock Magazine guide is as follows:

Start at highest part of face, between two buttresses.

1. 36 m Up L past tree to bolt belay in chimney-gully.

2. 15 m Chimney, then up R to bolt belay.

3. 30 m Up L, then up R to ledge. R along ledge; up L to piton belay.

4. 18 m Up L, then up to bolt. Now R to bolt belay.

5. 4 m Up to ledge. Bolt belay.

6. 21 m Up L to bolt belay below overhang.

7. 18 m Up L past bolt and piton to bolt belay.

8. 18 m Up R to bolt, then L to bolt. Overhang past piton to bolt belay.

9. 12 m Up L. bolt belay.

10. 30 m Down L, then up to hand-traverse L. Up L to bolt belay.

11. 24 m Easily up L to ledge (bolt). Crack to ledge, bolt belay.

12. 27 m Up R, then up L past piton to bolt belay. Poor pro.

13. 21 m Up R to ledge, then up past pitons.

14. 24 m R to easy-angled rock.

15. 30 m Up.

16. 30 m Up.

Originally climbed with one point of aid on overhang on pitch eight.

Sustained and beautiful; best line on cliff. Crack between two bolted routes on W Face.

Start: Start R of another, smaller cave.

Cracks and slabs to arete, then blocks at top.

Line 1 m R of Eugowra. Bolts.

Start 25m R of 'Tombstone'.

Up snaking crack-line with broken tree at top.

Some contrived scrambling to an amazing chimney pitch with simple quality climbing to the top. Slight amounts of bushbashing. DO NOT DO WHEN WET, the chimney is dark and mossy and is probably unclimbable within a few days of serious rain, Otherwise good when dry.

1. 40m (6) starts at the lowest most northern part of the cliff. Easy scramble up white chossy rock to the left. Head towards the detached pinnacle. Belay at a small ledge with a large cave to the right.

2. 25m (10) Pull over the easy mantle off the ledge and follow wandering line of least resistance south towards the visible peak detached from the main wall. past tree and bushes. Belay on top of pillar with shattered large blocks.

3. 20m (5) Go left along the natural bridge between pillar and wall up to corner on the right at base of crack.

4. 20m (14) Up wide slightly overhanging crack top out on left and push back to main wall. Belay in a grassy 3m gap between the orange main wall and the darker detached pillar.

5. 20m walk left through the bush following the main wall till tree with old sling and carabiner. Belay off the tree.

6. 25m (14) Go left till the ledge drops away, up left over somewhat tricky moves with good gear. Continue up good rock trending slightly right towards obvious dark chimney. Smash through grass and bush for last 5m. Belay in the chimney.

7. 30m (12) smash up an awesome chimney, with good gear in the back. Pull over the top and head directly back following the wall through grass. belay off large loose block on ledge. careful to not drop any rocks onto belayer stuck in chimney

8. 20m (10) couple of hard moves straight left off the belay over small wall onto grassy ledge. Walk back to the next wall and then 5m left to the obvious crack system.

9. 25m (14) straight up following crack. Past old piton towards bush on ledge below next crack.

10. 30m (17) continue up the obvious crack feature, gets steep towards the top. Be careful what you stand on as there are a couple of loose blocks. pull over the slight overhang and then straight up trending right to belay on the small ledge right before the wall gets vertical.

11. 60m (12) A rope stretcher, may be better done in two pitches if there is time. Head horizontally right for 30m with good gear until darker and more bushy rock. Then smash up through an easy but unprotected bush to top out.

The minor arete between Vintage Rib and Cornerstone Rib.

Again there is some debate about this line as the 1994 Rock guide description doesn't seem to match the line. This description has been adapted from the 1994 guide but please update this guide once you have repeated the line.

1-3) 90 m Cornerstone Rib to large ledge

'4) 15 m Scramble down and right to the base of the right hand gully (the left gully is Rib and Gully).

'5) 30m Chimney then up gully (left side harder). Traverse left (crux) under grey slab and onto rib; pleasant stance.

'6) 35m Up above stance, traverse right to base of gully. Cross it and continue on rib to right to trees.

'7) 30 m Continue up the scrubby gully or climb up and left to meet up with Cornerstone Rib.

Start near middle of face. Up L past bushes to R leaning cracks.

Start at chimney roughly behind the Devils Chair.

1-2) Chimney with roof at 10 m.

Looks good, follows diagonal lines of good holds and breaks. Quite runout by repute. The first pitch has had most bolts replaced. Start atop the gully/ramp leading up past Lieben on higher left end of ledge. Good wire belay. Many original carrots are now redundant with modern gear, most importantly the manky BR on pitch 3 belay.

1. 36m Up diagonally left easily for 16m to original BR a few meters left of good cam horizontal, then hard bulge up onto run-out face trending right, new bolt with fixed hanger, then diagonally right for 16m (another new FH) to new DBB (FH's).

2. 24m Diag R for 9m on small poor pro, up 3m to good gear and bolt. Up, left toward nice little ledge and bolt. A block hanging just before belay can be climbed around as it is above your belayer. Bolt redundant with higher cams.

3. 24m Diag R for 11m up ramp to bolt round a small buttress. Same rising diagonal line over blocks to manky bolt. Semi hanging belay. (Small to medium cams and #2 cam hanging belay 2m left of poor bolt).

4. 27m Right to bolt , up then left towards a scoop, then easier rock keeping on right side of 'chimney cum gully', to a good ledge, 2m long and over 1 ft wide with piton. Note: This is not the vegetated base of 'Chimney cum Gully'. Belay is higher and on right.

5. 45m (crux) Up the wall on small gully's right to 30m vertical wall. Move left, then up the wall. After moving right slightly on ramp a bolt runner is found 30 meters vertically above your second. "one could belay here in slings" ..instead continue a further 13m to a small ledge above, below a chimney. Rock knob belay.

6, 7, 8) 90m etc up chimney and slabs to a pleasant slab buttress to top.

One of the longest climbs in the 'Bungles. A good deal harder if the final chimney can't be squeezed! Start: Above the scunge (in the centre) of the north face, up scrubby gully, to chimney leading right.

1. 12m Up to large Moreton Bay figs.

2. 33m Delicate, then up through scrub.

3. 15m Right towards rib, can stop in corner.

4. 24m To large platform. Belay on rib.

5. 9m Up left to peg.

6. 24m Continue up to tree.

7. 18m Long stretch to the gully and up (?).

8. 24m Up, some rotten rock.

9. 27m One comes to a bush!!

10. 24m To the conspicuous chimney.

11. 24m To a good chockstone.

12. 15m Up chimney (13) or outside it (15), more exposed over rotten rock to stance.

13. 27m Up, then easily to right.

14. 24m Pleasant little walls.

15. 21m Pleasant Sunday strolling!!

Some loose rock and poor pro in upper section. Start at bolt for Elijah.

1. 50 m Up R to Elijah's second belay.

2. 50 m Up L to buttress between two major grooves. Flake, then L groove to niche below protruding block.

3. 15 m Up to ledge.

4. 50 m Crack through orange wall, then continue L through break in overhang. Now R, then up steeply to stance.

5. 50 m R, then back L to vague groove. Groove through steep rock to ledge.

6. 50 m Groove.

7. 50 m Up easily

The topo is approximate. It should be updated next time someone climbs it.

Wide crack L of The Kiruna Crooner with large chockstone at one-third height.

Start: Start 20m R of 'Handicapped'.

Broken crack-line leading to big, detached block with fist-crack behind.

It sounds like this route starts at the same spot as Lieder (about 50m up and right of Cornerstone Rib). Please update this if you know.

1. 54m Potter up rib to large gully on the right, walk into the back of the gully.

2. 36m Up slab on the left of the left gully. 12m to piton runner, up underneath the overhang then right to a piton. Tricky into gully and bush.[Presumably this is the big ledge where Vintage Rib and Reluctance Rib converge].

3. 30m Chimney up the left gully to a huge wedged rock.

4. 30m The chimney becomes narrow and vertical.

5. 10m Up wall on left to tree.

6. 30m Scramble up the gully or climb up and left onto Cornerstone Rib.

'The gayest and most light·hearted climb I can remember, everyone being in the highest spirits.' (Dr. Eric Dark)

Start below prominent S arete / ridge.

1-6) Wander up arete/ridge. Dark remembers passing two chimneys on the way, the second of which by passed 'an enormous overhang right at the top'.

Broken crack-line behind the Devils Chair.

Pleasant and varied.

1. 50 m Start up Scunge Gully for 20 m, than buttress on L.

2. 40 m Buttress and chimney-gully on R.

3. 25 m (crux) Chimney to orange alcove. Take L-most line to buttress, then up to small ledge.

4. 30 m Buttress and loose crack to base of orange headwall.

5. 20 m Traverse 6 m L, then up orange groove to bottom of chimney. Loose.

6. 28 m Chimney.

7. 40 m Move R to buttress. Cracks to piton.

8. 40 m As for Caucasus Corner.

[The topo line may be incorrect. Please update it].

Start as for Elijah.

1-8: Up, following vague weaknesses, to summit overhangs (possibly as for Trouser Tracks), then traverse R to join Ginsberg.

Start 40m R of Northern Lights, in middle of W Face below wide crack on R of overhanging face split by three cracks. Up R to bolt, then wall and arete to top of pillar (six bolts; small wires and cams on R side of arete at half-height and at top). Over boulder, then step across wide crack. Up to ledge, bolt belay.

L-sloping crack filled with vines.

Obvious corner to right and behind the usual crux pitch of Rib and Gully. Strenuous, good protection.

?. 24m. Right, up overhangs, directly to tree.

Start at gully L of South Arete.

1-6) Gully, joining West Ridge just below top.

2020 update - One fixed rope, use at own peril.

Crack on NE Face, then round bulge at three quarters height.

Start: Scramble down about 60 m from Belougery Pinnacle to the large right-tending, vegetated, rising ledge system below a steep orange wall. The original route started from the ground about 100 m down from the Pinnacle but given the poor rock quality low down it is easier (and better) to traverse in on the ledge to what was the original start of Pitch 5. Scramble or climb 100 m or so up and over the top of the ledge to the base of the huge right leaning corner system.

1. 27m Buttress on right to tree.

2. 36m Traverse left 3m into gully, thence up (18m) and traverse right to a large slab. Up right to a gully sloping left.

3. 33m Up gully then back right to piton.

4. 27m Up left then back right to strong tree.

5. 27m To summit ridge.

[The topo line may be incorrect. Please update it. In fact, it isnt even clear if it goes to the summit ridge on the left or right at the end...]. The length of the route seems too short too.

The original first three pitches are described below but there are many variations to access the main corner system if you choose this direct option.

1. 30m Up a vertical, right facing, 12m chimney then out right till stopped by an overhang. Awkwardly back into the chimney and squeeze up.

2. 18m Scramble left to base of small corner.

3. 27m To small ledge then on rotten rock to overhang. Left around nose then up to tree trunks.

4. 30m Scramble around and up right into gully bearing right

A really class route. Follows a large corner system up between Elijah and Ginsberg. Start about 15 metres right of the bolt start of Elijah at a rightward leaning groove.

1. 50m Follow the series of grooves by zig-zagging until the slab steepens. Up over the bulge then left to a sloping ledge.

2. 50m Straight up a steep wall. slightly left then up to a large ledge. A delightful easy angled corner then leads up diagonally right. Follow this to a good tree.

3. 30m Up the corner for about 5m then follow a traverse line about 15m around an arete, up and across left to belay on a loose looking block.

4. 15m Straight up over bulges (crux), past the fixed peg to a bolt on a shattered ledge.

5. 50m Move one metre right to a small corner. Up this for 8m to a roof. Traverse right and slightly down, past a wide crack, thence continue up and right.

6. 25m Continue up and right, past the bolt on Ginsberg then up into the gully as for Ginsberg.

7-8) 100 m Up easily.

The topo is approximate. It should be updated next time someone climbs it.

Broken line on NW corner.

Start 10 m R of Yellow Terror. Gully and cracks past vines higher up.

The most popular climb in the 'Warrumbungles' and justifiably so. One of the most striking lines in Australia. Can be safely climbed and descended with a single 70m rope.

1. 30m (6) The first 90 metres was originally climbed in three pitches but can be done quite safely (and more easily) in two rope stretching pitches (50m rope), including comfy belays. Follow rib.

2. 30m (8). Keep following rib.

3. 30m (8). Keep following rib to large ledge.

4. 40m (14) Move out left around the rib at the little horn and onto the northern face for approx 5m and then back to the arete. Up to a large ledge. Approx 3 pitons on this pitch.

5. 20m (13) Up the rib from here on. The ledges for good belays are pretty obvious and about 20 metres apart.

6. 20m (12)

7. 20m (11) Up past 2 pitons at start.

Was originally called 'Cornerstone Rib Direct' but as the direct version is far more popular than the 'original' version, the direct version has taken the name.

Little more than a scramble. Start on ridge below stabs.

1-3) 90 m Slabs to grassy ledges.

'4) 15 m Round block, then layback to R. Chimney on L, or up on R (exposed).

5-6) 60 m Easy scrambling.

Start 30 m R of Sunnyside.

1-2) Up.

A pleasant and interesting climb up the black wall immediately right of Guns 'n' Roses. Traverse in from right side of ledge on good breaks. ( note: this is also a much nicer and better protected start to Guns 'n' Roses) Pull over bulge and cruise on funky great rock trending slightly right towards the top to follow groove back left. Excellent protection, med cams to start then small and medium cams and wires to top.

One of endless variants to gain the main, upper corner system if you start on ground, rather than the main ledge. Start 10m right of the East Face Route (original start).

Dark, mossy corner tending left; poor pro. Up to pocket, then up right. Now back left to join East Face Route at tree (original pitch 1 or 2).

Starts out of Alindinsane at large block with poor bolt belay.

1. 45 m Up, then R through bulge, then up L towards yellow-orange rock. Up L Through bulges to poor stance. Poor rock and pro.

2. 45 m Wall above, then slightly R through bulges. Traverse L along ledges 8 m below summit roofs and L of prominent prow.

3. 35 m Up wall easily.

An earlier direct finish was apparently done by persons unknown in late 70s/ early 80s.

Start in middle of W Face, just R of small arete. Up 5 m, then L to arete. Arete (poor rock), then L into crack/corner.

Start in alcove (possibly marked "YT"). Rotten-looking, yellow wall and crack for 10m. Traverse 8m R to avoid roof, then up. A less interesting direct start goes up arete.

Avoids the crux of Cornerstone Rib.

1-3: 90 m Same line as Cornerstone Rib.

4: 13 m Up Rib to steepening, then L and down to platform.

5: 30 m Groove on L.

6: 27 m Up to 'green pocket'.

7-9: 60 m Rib.

Start at crack-groove on NW side, just off track to West Ridge.

1-5) Crack, past bushy ledge to corner and overhang.

Start at base of ridge.

1-2) Wander up.

The cliff splitting hand and off fingers crack 4m right of Short and Sweet . Hard to believe it hasn't been climbed before ?? If no other name exisits, this name comes from the impressive fossilised sand ripples in the cave to the left.

As for East Face Route for 20 m, then rising traverse L across If The Spirit Moveth and finally across Doctor Dark's Chimney up high.

[The topo line is a complete guess. Please update it].

1-2: As for Aladinsane.

3: Up L-most of three big corners.

4: Rising traverse L over loose-looking 'splatter· of stones on wall beneath overhang. Up to semi hanging belay at lip of overhang

5: Up L for 15 m, then back R.

6: Up steeply.

7: Up.

Start at old bolt at base of roof-capped corner a few m round L of Ramshead South.

1-2) The line.

Start 5m L of Yellow Terror. Thin finger-crack.

Serious. Start as tor Cornerstone Rib. [Sounds like it is a two pitch face climbing variant of the crux arête on Cornerstone Rib, between the arête and the original route].

1-2: 90 m Cornerstone Rib to ledge.

3: 30 m (crux) L round nose, then rising traverse L Cornerstone Rib crux. Up to alcove and semi hanging belay. Poor protection.

4: 30 m Bulge, then up R to main buttress on Cornerstone Rib.

5: 40 m As tor Conerstone Rib.

Sustained climb on good rock. Original point of aid (19,M1) at top of pitch one has presumably been eliminated by Keith Bell. Start 50 m R of Northern Groove.

1. 15 m Crack through bulge, then R to thread belay at foot of groove leading to roof.

2. 35 m Groove, then fine crack on L. Round blunt arête, then slab to roof. Follow roof L to base of groove.

3. Groove past ledge, then up R to stance below corner.

4. Slab R of corner then up L above corner to sloping ledge.

5. 40 m Slab on L, then through crack in bulge to big ledge. Scramble up.

Start 50 m L of West Ridge, where a branch from a stringy-bark almost touches the cliff [well, it did in 1992...].

1-2) Wander up, meeting West Ridge near top.

A proper direct start to Lieben or a good pitch on it's own. Easy route finding as it is very direct. Start about 10m left of the white streak below Lieben. Up corner for 10m and then head up wall in the 12.30 direction. Hard past 2 bolts then past good gear in breaks and more bolts to rap station. Lieben leaves the groove above about 10m higher.

Magnificent. Start at the lowest point of the face, under prominent pinnacle. Easy slabs lead up 60m to a prominent pinnacle.

1. 24m Climb onto the "bridge" between the pinnacle and the face via a short wall R.H. corner south of the pinnacle - vicious fight with scrub at top. N.B. This pitch may be avoided by a long traverse along a scrubby ledge, higher up from the left.

2. 36m Most novel! From top of pinnacle, carefully bridge the 2m gap to face short wall, then a long delicate, exposed traverse to the right to a large broken boulder.

3. 30m Upwards.

4. 30m Right, then up through scrub.

5. 30m General scrub-bash, or else rock to the left.

6. 30m Magnificent rock wall to right of L.H. corner system. (See direct finish)

7. 9m Traverse right and up delicately, to stance.

8. 30m Traverse right, back up left to airy belay beneath overhang.

9. 30m Cunningly avoid overhang by rightward traverse above corner. Easier to top.

[The topo line may be incorrect. Please update it].

A route with a reputation. On the FA John Ewbank fell off the belay after choosing to ignore a bolt belay, placed by Allen on a previous attempt, in favour of some nuts. The nuts failed and Ewbank's fall was arrested by Allen, who was leading at the time! Then, in the early 80s, Warwick Baird fell 25 m on to his belay anchors while leading. Later Bruce Cameron took a 45 m fall while seconding after part of the ledge above the crux pitch gave way on Frank Moon. Despite such horror stories this route remains one of the finest and most popular, on Bluff Mountain.

Start about 30m right of Aladinsane, 15m right of nose of rib. Some old belay bolts were replaced 2010.

1. 27m Up crack then chimney to a small stance in a recess.

2. 36m Move right from the recess then over a bulge and a wall to reach a ledge. Traverse left to a belay beneath a slanting corner.

3. 36m Easily left, then follow a rightward slanting corner to reach another recess

4. 21m Move right and cross various ribs until a big scar is seen. (Don't go right round main rib.) Pleasant climbing straight up leads to a belay next to a 'beer barrel'. 'A truly glorious pitch' - Noddy. (An alternative pitch, directly from belay on pitch three to groove/roof, has been done at grade 20 by Bruce Cameron and Frank Moon.)

5. 36m Up and over the beer barrel then climb left to below a very loose steep corner. Up this to an exposed stance and bolt anchor,

6. 6m Technical climbing leads to a good ledge.

7. 36m Climb straight up the wall for about 12 metres to a small ledge. Move right then up short corner to roofs (Crux). Then absolutely superb climbing leads one out across the slab rightwards to reach a small roof. Over this then continue straight up wall and corner to next roof. Move left to a good stance on a little tree.

8. 30m Up slightly left, thence diagonally right to a bolt anchor on a small ledge.

9. 24m Diagonally right into a gully then up.

10. Up juggy wall to top.

11. Up.

The topo is approximate. It should be updated next time someone climbs it.

Originally climbed at 17, M1 with two sections of aid on pitch seven.

Start at crack on lowest rib of SW Face.

1. 15m Up crack then through squeeze hole.

2. 21m The crack on the righthand side of gully past bolts. Bolt belay.

3. 21m Scramble up right.

Start on small cliff on S side of creek, about 200m from Iron Cross, near boulder in creek-crossing. Crack, tending to off-width in places.

Start at R·facing corner 60m L of Cornerstone Rib.

1-6: Corner then corner and ramps, tending R at top. Yellow crack.

The topo line is a guess. May be inaccurate but we had to start somewhere. Please update.

Start 5 m L of Antares at twin grooves. Follow discontinuous R-hand groove/crack, then L to gully at top of L-hand groove. Up this to base of groove through Antares roof.

A good easy slab route. Once (and may still) had a cairn at the base. Start 30m left of Gold Gold Gold at a big block sitting on slab.

1. 30m Water·streak to twin, small (probably big by now!) kurrajongs. On to ledge

2. 50 m Out round small roofs on R, then scramble up.

Start between Bastion Buttress and Over and Out.

1. 50m Straight up to prominent slab which has a left facing corner on the right. Up through corner directly above the slab. Belay on ledge.

2. 40m Traverse diagonally right for 25m until at the base of a prominent V. Climb the corner which forms the left branch of the V. Straight up face to ledge. RP and bolt.

3. 25m (crux) Start left of piton, up to rail, traverse right, bolt, to corner. Up corner then left onto ledge, bolt, up past bolt to gain ledge. Traverse diagonally left to base of prominent corner.

4. 25m Up steep corner to ledge. Up to sloping ledge at base of corner.

5. 55m Up corner until possible to traverse right for 10m. Up through roof and corner to easier ground.

6. 40m Up easily.

The corner system on Out and Beyond, pitch six.

6a) 27 m Crack-corner.

7a) 48 m The line.

Classic--one of the best routes on Bluff Mountain.

1-4: 118 m As for Ginsberg.

5: 25 m From 'beer-barrel-shaped block' step L, then up corner for 11 m. Now, up R to rejoin corner below large overhangs. Traverse below small roof to grey wall.

6: 20 m Traverse R to arete, then corner to stance.

7: 32 m Corner for 12 m, then R to poor bolt. Up to roof, then R to small ledge.

8: 25 m R to corner system, then up to ledge on R.

9: 40 m Corner, then L up headwall. Now traverse 5 m R to small corner. R up this to headwall.

10: 30 m R-trending corners.

11: 48 m Slab up L through headwall, then corner and walls.

The topo is approximate. It should be updated next time someone climbs it.

Start at R corner at base of S Buttress.

1-3) Corner to chockstone, then up nose. Regain corner after 10 m, then up to stance. L to nose, then face to loose ground (poor rock).

Fingery crack 2m R of Reflections.

Start at a little corner about 60m left of the start of Cornerstone Rib

1. 12m Easily up corner.

2. 36m Easily to peg, then slight overhang on left and scramble up.

3. 135m Back right then up onto the ledge. Scramble along the ramp, via scrub and little chimneys, until it finally flattens off and stops.

4. 9m Up little wall, traverse left at the top to a small 'crevasse'.

5. 11m (crux) Up block on the right, then traverse left to bush.

6. 33m Easily up.

Start below major corner and overhangs of N Face.

1-4) Line

Currently the shortest route description in the Warrumbungles.

Start on N face in major circular cut-out, 100m W of Old Timer. Sloping rock, then through overhang. Up easily to belay, then scramble up.