Routes in Central Western Slope and Plains for selected grade

A fantastic varied crack high up on the west face of the spire. It provides a superb low(er) commitment but engaging approach to the south summit pinnacle on the spire. Excellent protection, clean rock and stellar crack climbing which all in one combo is a rarity in the Bungles. Stays in the shade till after midday (1 to 2pm ish in September).

Start on the upper ledge system (above and south of the Vertigo ledges) reached via pitch 1 and 2 of Dr Dark's Chimmney (the scrubby gully accessed from the base of the Abseil Gully), or pitch 1 and 2 of If the Spirit Moveth (and No Birthdays on Pluto).

Done as one 50-55m pitch to the summit. Start 10m right (facing in) from the slab pitch (pitch 3) of Dr Dark's Chimmney. From the broad ledge below the slabs, solo easy ground up and right to a good belay stance in the grassy recess below a chockstone belay. The finger crack through a small bulge (crux) can be seen 8m above.

The crack eases and widens after the crux bulge and after 25-30m arches left to join Dr Darks Chimmney for the final 20-25m. Belaying once the Chimney is reached would also be an option.

Led ground up by Rick with Peregrines buzzing about in magic conditions.

Originally done in a combo with the first ascent of Fan Tail.

When done as a combo with either Fan Tail, or Meet Me At The Crux, it provides an excellent contemporary and engaging route to the summit. The scrubby gully and halfway ledges provide easy access and bail options for lower commitment on shorter days.

An excellent modern style trad route up a series of unlikely features through a steep, intricate and pumpy weakness. Very different more sporty climbing compared to most other rock on the spires.

Might be one star at present as it still has lots of loose rock on it after the first ascent. However, after a good clean on abseil or more ascents, it will offer solid and superb rock.

Protection is fiddly and intricate to place but entirely adequate with modern tactics. Long slings and double ropes are essential. Med RPs, full rack plus double cams up to BD/WildCountry(WC) No.1, critical micro cams (WC 0.1 to 0.2).

Led ground up by Simmo with 1 rest below the crux, after all the obvious foot and hand holds kept breaking off !

Shares the same start as More Than a Pretty Face and Meet Me At The Crux.

Start at ground level at a small right-leaning overlap about 80 m down the scree gully and overhung blocky wall that extends from Belougery Pinnacle. This is where the orange and grey stone on the left meets water-streaked black and white blocky stone under the lowest point of the Vee emerging from the first large vegetated ledge on the spire.

Breach the overlap going left through a small ledge where a grass tree (Xanthorrhoea) is growing (sneaky good 0.5 WC cam), with delicate and committing moves to pull into the bottom grooves of More Than a Pretty Face, med bomber RP and 0.75 WC higher up.

Begin an intricate right traverse across the black and white blocky water-streaked rock to gain a small corner below rooflet. Excellent but fiddly wires and micro cams. Treat all footers and hand holds with much caution until it gets more cleaned up.

Sort out more excellent but intricate wires and micro cams from the corner, then commit to the cryptic and pumpy crux through the rooflet, then trend back left over the pumpy bulge, bomber micro cam, to strenuously gain a finger crack and easier ground.

Re-compose and follow the line of least resistance trending slightly right up the divine and still thought-provoking, water-worn stone to the lowest part of the Vee of the large lower vegetated ledge. Good wires and med cams.

Another excellent contemporary style route added by Simm_o and Rick during 2022. Led onsight ground up. P1 Rick, P2 Simm_o.

Follows a series of funky grooves and cracks on the lower pitch to a steep bulging and exposed finger crack on the upper pitch with easier corners and face climbing to the top.

Double standard rack. Double ropes reccommended.

Currently marred by some appalling rock and dicey but easy moves at the beginning of pitch 2. However, after a further clean on abseil (and potentially but not necessarily a bolt), it will offer excellent climbing up a strong line.

Start as for 'More Than a Pretty Face' and 'Fan Tail'.

P1 grade 20, 25 m - After gaining the beginning of the grooves shared by 'More Than a Pretty Face', follow the first groove and crack up then step delicately right into a trench above and right (take care on some still loose rock). Good med cams and wires. More delicate moves to exit up and left out of the trench onto easier ground. Up to belay ( small/med cams and wires) on the right end (facing in) of an orange ledge next to the righthand of two small figs.

P2 grade 20, 40 m - From the belay move delicately along the (at present very loose blocky) ledge and balance up to place a decent high small wire just up and right of the second fig. Step back down off the ledge and gingerly but easily hand traverse left across precarious loose blocks and poor pro to the end of the ledge. More easy but dicey moves up to gain bomber gear in the start of the finger crack proper.

Follow the finger crack (crux) 8m through a series of exposed bulges and balancy moves with excellent small wires and cams, to pull over a final bulge to a rest.

Follow the easier well protected corners up until a rooflet caps the last corner.

Escape the roofs to the right by a committing step right onto the face (great small/med cams) then up another 20m over easier well protected ground trending slightly right to belay stances where the buttress rounds over into the large vegetated gully.

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.

As per 'The Crucifixion' for three pitches, then taking similarly sustained and engaging line of features between Lieben and Crucifixion past distinguishable 'gully cum chimney' in centre of West face onward to left most large orange cave and chimney. Bring double rack including rps and micro cams up to cam #3 and also a #4 cam useful. 60m double ropes essential with good rope management.

1. As for The Crucifixion

2. As for The Crucifixion

3. As for The Crucifixion

4. 24m. From hanging belay, clip manky BR then continue up on good dark rock and poor pro for 8m until climbing leads left, then head across left airily to comfortable base of 'gully cum chimney'. Crucifixions smaller belay ledge is visible above and right from here. Opt for larger (#1 and #3 cam) belay on left side of ledge as leader might want all the small gear for next 50m pitch.

5. 50m. Take rising line on left until gingerly surmounting highest feature onto vertical face. Good climbing leads to selection of very small gear then onward to small orange pod. Place and extend crucial #3 cam then out left a few meters through pleasant overhang onto lichenous solid features (this is the highest rightmost tip of the green rock patches to the right and above big grassy ledge of Lieben), then another 20m bridging straight up through grey crack/gully (very useful #4 cam) to belay directly under large overhanging orange cavern. RP very high on left and very good gear in brown rock on right. Chordelette useful unless you have double 70m ropes. Despite spacious area, gear dictates a semi hanging belay.

6. 40m. Up on poor rock with average pro left of cave. Some solid gear eventually in difficult to see vertical crack at approximately 10m on left (small tuft of grass), then up as you wish to jug on left of steepness. Hard move above gear surmounting bulge(crux?)on excellent rock. Continue all the way up to the higher of two very spacious ledges at 40m. The upper face and right trending corner of Lieben is now visible on your left.

7. 40-50m. Ever so slightly down and left around bulge then up joining final ramble of Lieben, Leavin, Leider on right side of obvious vegetated large gully.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Starts 15 m L of Stonewall Jackson.

1. 45 m Up groove to R-leading ramps. Lower ramp for 10 m, then ramp above to small roof. Past this on R; lower then upper ramp to flake.

2. 35 m Ramp for 15 m, then up past ledges to small corner below flake-crack.

3. 20 m Flake, past bulge to ledges.

4. 35 m Crack on R; L to cracks. Up to bolt belay.

5. 30 m Up to bush, then R along lip of Stonewall Jackson roof. Groove.

6. 45 m Up R to groove on L. Groove, then R past tree.

7. 40 m Up L, then easily to L-leading groove. Up.

The prominent corner with a big roof at half height.

Start at groove R of main crack-corner system.

1. 38 m Groove, then tend R steeply. Carefully L to stance.

2. 38 m Up to ledge and black slot, then up to corner and fir.

3. 15 m L to corner. Up to lodge on L. Piton belay.

4. 15 m Up, then R wall of corner to stance. Piton belay.

5. 22 m Corner, loose blocks and piton runners. Now, L 2 m to below corner. Good bivvy ledge 6 m L.

6. 27 m Corner, bulge to piton/ bolt belay.

7. 27 m Traverse R 15 m past pitons, then up R to shelf. Piton belay.

8. 24 m Corner past piton runner, then chimney to bolt belay at steepening.

9. 21 m (crux) Up past bush, bulge and small roof. Loose. Squeeze-chimney and bulge, past dead tree to ledge.

10. 18 m Up 4 m to bulge, then L below overhanging wall. Round nose, then R to tree.

11. 21 m Chimney.

12. 24 m R side of gully.

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

Originally climbed as 17, M4 with aid on pitches two, six and nine.

Steep and exposed.

1-3: 100 m As for Rebel tour.

4: 40 m Up and slightly R to surmount sickle-shaped overhang, then up R to belay.

5: 40m Wall staying close to arete.

6: 35 m Slab on R of buttress to steepening, then L to front of buttress. Up, then Swing L to ledge. Up to belay ledge.

7: 40 m Slab on R or buttress on L.

Approach by way of Stonewall Jackson.

1-3: 110 m As for Rebel Tour.

4: 45 m Descend to traverse·line, then R along this. Now crack formed by large blocks; step across blocks, then R to stance.

5: 35 m Vague corner, staying R of brown rock. Exit L, than L and up to stance.

6: 40 m Groove to ledge 5 m below roofs.

7: 40 m Traverse L, then wall to L of arete. Now R to groove above overhang. Groove, then R under bulges.

8: 30 m Up, then L into final gully of Flight of the Phoenix.

Start at foot of large tree just L of prominent over- hung arete between Stonewall Jackson and Flight of the Phoenix.

1. 40 m Up and R awkwardly to base of prominent orange dihedral. Up and slightly L past bolt, then up L round nose to easier ground.

2-6) Continue up past belay lodges on good rock, sparse pro.

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

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.

Start as for Elijah.

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

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.

Probably largely a repeat of For Starters. Start just R of prominent buttress R of Ginsberg.

1-8) Steep first pitch. Stay on arete all the way, crossing Ginsberg and other routes where they each cross arete.

Takes a corner, presumably the major one between Ginsberg and Ulysses. No further details.

Sustained and steep. Start on R end of bushy ledge below prominent flake-crack, gained by scrambling up bushy slabs R of Ginsberg buttress.

1. 10 m Up R-slanting flakes to ledge with block.

2. 45 m Wall, tending slightly R. Crack and groove through bulge to stance directly above start of climb.

3. 15 m Ramp L to small cave below bulge.

4. 35 m down L, then up through bulge to ledge. Wall, moving L at overhangs, to steep groove. Poor bolt belay.

5. 25 m Groove, then L through steep wall. Piton Belay.

6. 30 m Up L for 15 m; traverse L to arete Arete, past tree to stance.

7. 10 m Chimney.

8. 35 m Crack, then up L across wall to arete. Through bulge to chimney.

9. 35 m Crack to stance on arete. Bulges to crack on L. Up.

Starts 15m L of Ulysses at groove.

1. 20m Groove to slabby area below steepening.

2. 35 m Up, then R round headwall. Up and L to ledge.

3. 15 m Up steeply to ledge, with crux of Ulysses above.

Start at piton belay above fifth pitch of Ulysses.

1. 35 m R, through overhang, then R to groove.

2. 35 m Diagonally R to comer-crack (pitch two of Steeplechase). Continue R to final gully on Tantalus.

Steep, scary traverse on good rock. Start at ledge 15 m from base of Tantalus chimney.

1. 45 m Chimney to steepening and R-leading ledge. Follow ledge to large boulder, then up to ledge above boulder. Traverse round arete to steep wall, then diagonally L to corner-crack

2. 45 m Crack to big ledge. Easily up.

Follow track past Ginsberg, drop to lower level and R-leading ledge on R side of water-streak R of Tantalus.

1. 10 m Cross slabs to belay in bushes just past water-streak.

2. 35 m Up to bulge, then diagonally R and up. Continue until main slab is visible. Up L to tree.

3. 30 m Up R to groove, then groove to just short of water-streak. Up R to poor belay.

4. 35 m Up, then L. Steeply up to break. Follow break L, then flake. Up to next break, then up to groove. Groove to bolt belay.

5. 35 m Groove, over boulder, then R. Up, then diagonally L under bulge. Crack, then L to water-streak, up this then R.

6. 35 m R, then groove past loose boulders to small ledge.

7. 30m Up, then diagonally R through bulge to cracks. Cracks, through bulge, then further cracks. Traverse L to belay.

8. 15 m Crack, bulge, then up.

1-2: Up slab as for Falling Feathers, but belay in prominent crack.

3: Crack to steepening, then R and up steeply (poor rock) to slabby ledge.

4: Up R to ledge.

5: R up wall to base of groove. Groove to ledge.

6: Groove to roof, then down R along traverse-line. Swing up R to front of buttress. Wall to base of groove (exposed).

7: Groove.

Start below slabs at R end of cliff.

1. 25 m Slab to ledge.

2. 30 m Slab to corner below bulge. Swing L to arete, then arete to bulge. R through bulge (bolt), then slab to stance below steepening.

3. 30 m Up L to crack. Past chockstone, then up L at top of crack. L to belay.

4. 35 m Up, then up L to belay.

5. 20 m Up R to end of bulge, then L to belay.

6. 10 m Wall.

7. 25 m R to corner. Corner, then R at top. Up R to belay.

8. 40m Wall past black rock, then steeply to roof. L and down to arete. Arete, then L to corner.

9. 40 m Corner.

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

Origially 19,M1 with a skyhook on pitch two.

Located below the summit towards southern gully. A finger crack turns into a hand crack. Mantling over to finish.

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.

Start at small L corner below yellow roofs.

1. 20 m Corner, then slab to stance.

2. 25 m L, then slab. Move R, then wall tending L to poor belay.

3. 12 m Slab.

4. 30 m Groove to top of flake, then wall to stance.

5. 20 m L, then groove.

6. 20 m L, then crack.

7. 18 m Crack to ledge.

8. 30 m Crack, then R to another crack. Up to ledge.

9. 30 m Up R groove to easy ground. Scramble up.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sit start on right as for LB1.2 finishing left via LB3.3.

Climb Razoback standing start from the ground.

LHV of Sit the Nice Edges (StNE) starting left hand on edge, right hand on shark tooth moving up/right.

Start as for Nice Edges continue anticlockwise 360deg around block via Stile on KB side of boulder.

Start as for Nice Edges moving right to bridge onto Smokestack from steeper left arete of the bridging slab, next moving left as for Half Crumpeteer Left before bridging back over to Razoback and completing full lap around bloc.

Sit start to Nice Edges, quite good one move wonder, strictly no dabbing.

Start both feet on bridging slab opposite Smokestack moving directly from the crimps of the arete, right and down into the low groove (avoiding the slab in between) before finishing up Rindless/KB. Contrived eliminate but quite good.

Start as for Norm' moving left full 360deg around boulder clockwise.

Start as for Norm' moving right full 360deg around boulder anticlockwise.

Sit start as for Norm' finishing via Kevin Bacon.

Direct version of Rindless sit starting matched on the crimprail, fraction more morpho than original.

Climb Rindless past its crux before moving left full 360deg around boulder clockwise.

Climb Sit the Nice Edges past its crux before moving right full 360deg around boulder anticlockwise.

Climb Rindless past its crux before moving right full 360deg around boulder anticlockwise.

Climb Sit the Nice Edges past its crux before moving right full 360deg around boulder clockwise.

Start as for Nice Edges finishing as for Crumper.

Start as for Sit the Nice Edges, complete a full lap around Razoback, next climb as for Crumper before completing another lap around Razoback in opposite direction to previuos.

Start as for Rindless and finish as for Bermuda.

Set out on Real Crumpet returning via Crumpeteer.

Climb as for Real Crumpeteer finishing via Bar Mat.

Climb as for Real Crumpeteer exiting via Ramp Tramp.

Linking section. Climb Crumpet of the South #2, reverse back via the entirety of Crumpeteer and back to starting position via Half Crumpeteer Right.

Start in centre of chimney moving East to finish as for Crepe.

Climb as for Crumpet of the South 2 pausing for three at the arete then reverse back via Southern Crumpet 2.

Start on outer aspect West chimney move East to finish via CEL.

From crimps/low rail, contrived.

Complete Southern Crumpet #2 twice linked via the lap of Crumpet of the South.

From crimps/low rail.

Sit start and climb Crumpeteer from crimps/low rail.

Start as for Crumpeteer finishing via Bar Mat.

Climb Sit the Crumpeteer and finish via The Real Crumpeteer (no picnics on shelf, plenty of rests elsewhere!)

Start as for Souther Crumpet #1 finishing via CEL.

Start as for Southern Crumpet #2 finishing via CER.

Start as for Southern Crumpet #2 finishing via CEL.

Start as for Southern Crumpet #1 finishing via CEW.

Start as for Southern Crumpet #2 finishing via CEW.

Climbs as for SC1CEW eliminating the semi-detached block on the left.

Start as for Southern Crumpet #2 finishing as for Attack of the Field Mouse.

Start as for Crumpeteer and finish via Ramp Tramp.

Establish yourself on the left wall of Western Chimney (right wall and chockstone out) moving left via nice move into Pub Lunch and up its quite mossy slab taking care with the potentially awkward landing.

Eliminate problem starting as for CWI and finishing via CWLE-PL with the semi-detached block on left as you exit the chimney out.

Climbs Worm starting from outer aspect of Eastern Chimney.

Direct up the flake system few metres left of the scoopy slab, gets better the higher you go.

Sit start to Porkorama on the flake, large low footer far left is out.

Climb Porkorama starting from the low step to the left with both hands matched on the large undercling.

Down the hill through the scrub towards the walking track, climb the arete with the detached block in.

As for Tree Arete with the detached block out, strictly from the ground, no stacking.

Lovely short wall/slab right of the tree.

Climb Forest Slab starting both hands matched on vertical rail, contrived.

Climb Forest Slab starting from the lower thin diagonal crimps.

Establish yourself cleanly on the left wall of the corner before moving right to finish via Tree Corner/Offwidth.

Sit start to Tree Corner/Offwidth, superb.

Climb Forest Slab via the vertical rail eliminating the good left crimp for hands (still in for feet). All eliminates via this finish allow one light brush (not weight) of the right wall with your back, a second dab or any weight and you must start again for the tick.

Right side of prow.

Stand start on good crimps below ledge. Up and mantle onto ledge before second easier mantle. Sketchy landing

Sit start on jugs to the left of the Caldera, and up fun moves on jug rail. Very good

Cramped sit start on 2 pockets and up face to the right on good crimps and edges to crux move up top slapping to jug hole

Crouch start on left of boulder. Traverse right and up through cool corner to mantle crux

Crouch start matched on good pocket then up slab before a pretty epic palm press to finish. Don't use arete for assistance.

Blake Muir (FA)

Up the awesome arete. Graded to include the sketchy downclimb (otherwise it's V1)

Emmanuel Madayag (FA)

Stand start left hand on bottom of runnel/jug and right hand in hole, and up the arete. Very nice moves

Lower start with left hand on sloper goes at V3, but not as nice

Stand start on crimps and up face

Crack behind Microscope Boulder. Sit start, then stemming and jamming to top out left.

Sit start on jugs and up good edges to easy mantle