Routes in Northern Rivers for selected grade

2m L of Ginsu. Climbs the steeper section of the wall following 6 or 7 camouflaged FHs and a few crimps.

Starts same as above but takes the right-hand bolt line. Trends up and R passing monster flake (climbing corner L of this) to roof, through this on flakes. 9 FH’s then mantle to anchor above lip.

15m R in central section of wall. Monster traverse - traverses about 15m R through a 45 degree overhung wall. A tribute to a very talented 12yo Italian climber on the day of his passing. 12 FH’s. Permadraws. Very chossy until the 2nd draw.

A creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle's talons as its front feet. 5m R. Up past bolt onto large platform at 5m. Up a balancy slab for 15m to ledge below the steepness. Now comes a series of punchy steep sections interspersed with good rests. The finale, traversing above the sucking void is particularly exciting.

A large cephalopod-like creature with a tentacled mouth, large wings, clawed hands and scaly skin. Starting at the tree seat. Climbs the orange rock through a bulge. Standard Crossroads wall climbing through bulges takes you beyond the half height anchor to a sit-down rest. Out of here the line snakes right and left - long slings will reduce drag. The final section pits you against an arete you must cross left to right. A very interesting assortment of moves and several very good rests to keep things sane. Take 23 quickdraws.

A fearsome giant with one body and three heads. He owned Orthrus. Start is just to the right of Cthulhu. Climb up the slab to a roof and pull through a minor crux then solid steep moves to the top.

Located left of Giant at black slab with low first bolt. Another difficult slab start leads up to the ledge. Grade 22 climbing for most of the way, until things start to steepen with a tricky crux in a clean corner where your arms begin to tire. Keep it together to negotiate the arete to corner-transition finale.

The god of death and the king of the Fomorians (a race of giants). Scramble up on stacked blocks to reach first bolt on black slab above. Slab to ledge, then through a steeper bit to another ledge and super quality shield of perfect stone. Tricky moves to breach this, then up to a technical mantle to below the upper steepness. Then, up.

A monstrous wolf. Start as for Balor to get on top of the stacked blocks, then wander 5m R to first bolt. Up black slab past four bolts to the gently overhung streaky black wall. Nice sporty moves up this to typical Crossroads mantle out. More varied climbing including a no holds mantle, and then steep jugging with a punchy finale. Good fun!

High first U-bolt on dark rock (stickclip off block). Fierce moves off the deck give a brief rest before fingerlock crux above bolt four. Continuous, R-leaning climbing past another eight bolts to lower off. Climbed on the famous 41 degree day.

4m R. The big corner with glue-in rings. Large R-leaning open book corner (some shattered rock), then left. Top crux will have you thinking. Crazy pockets up top are worth experiencing.

A big wall adventure in a real jungle. Epic access, some loose rock and wet weather make this one of the harder long routes in Australia. This route was originally aided at A2+ 17, then freed shortly after at 25. The route description is for the aid ascent. There was once a track cut through the thick jungle to the base of the wall, but this is most likely long gone. The walk-in was 3+ hours with the track. Without - expect to double that time or more. You cannot see the cliff until you are standing right under it.

Aid Ascent Gear Required: 2x60m ropes, double rack of wires + cams (up to size #5 SLCD), Slider nuts, 2 x regular skyhooks, 1 size each of short knifeblade pins + a few lost arrows, no bolt brackets are required - all bolts have fixed hangers.

There is much loose rock still on the route. From pitches 5-7 the route weaves around some seriously big widow makers. The pitches in this area are short so that the belayer is safe from falling rock. All of the belays, apart from the top of pitch 7, are hanging or semi hanging. The only area suitable for an uncomfortable bivi on the wall would be the vegetated ledge midway through pitch 8. Rock quality varies along the route with the rock improving in hardness above pitch 6.

1. 15m (8) Traverse diagonally left from spear-lillys across very easy slab to crack. Up for a few moves to single ring-bolt belay under bulging roof. FA Phil Box.

2. 35m (A2 14) Aid past 2 bolts to gain pocket and then crack. Up this overhung crack to stance. Continue up wide crack to DBB. FA Phil Box.

3. 15m (15) Slab up and left for ten metres, then back right to belay at spear-lilly and DBB. FFA Neil Monteith

4. 30m (A2) Up short slab to corner and FH. Up and right onto stance then bat-hook and bolt left two metres to crack. Up this onto slab and DBB. FA Nick McKinnon

5. 20m (A2+ 14) Straight up slab to climb thin cracks. Trend left and up blocky hand crack. When this blanks out aid up then move right to bolt, bat hook and finally free up to DBB. FA Neil Monteith

6. 20m (A2 16) 'Phil's Traverse' - Climb directly right to below overhanging left leaning ramp. Aid through overhang with bolt and pull over this to spear-lilly. Climb wonderful hand and fist crack for ten metres to DBB. FA Phil Box

7. 25m (A2+ 12) Aid thin seams off belay for three metres to super hand crack. When this finishes go right through bulges then easily up and left to DBB on good ledge. FA Nick McKinnon

8. 40m (15) Free climb on slabby ground up and right below overhang. Back left and up hand-crack then onto bushy ledge. Up a few more metres to DBB. FFA Neil Monteith

9. 50m (17) A rope stretcher! Straight up to gain left leading crack. Lay back up this then onto slab with bolt. After this run it out heading slightly left for ages to arrive at last DBB. A further 100m of slabby vegetated rock is above this. Unless you like evil bush-bashing, it's recommended to rap off here. FFA Neil Monteith

Descent: Pitch 9 to 8 50m Pitch 8 to 7 35m Pitch 7 to 4 50m Pitch 4 to 2 40m Pitch 2 to 1 40m Pitch 1 to ground 60m+ (walk off possible if slab is not wet)

1. 7 - The approach slabs and traverse to get to the climb proper.

2. 24 - perhaps, hard mantling layaway using small arete and footer under roof to gain a respite on a decent ledge for a rest before launching up through a series of right leaning overhung handcrack breaks and bulges. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

3. 16 - slab to spear lilly belay, start off from the top of pitch 2 and go left around and underneath the spear lilly belay hanging blocks.

4. 25 - Start from spear lilly belay, head right up and across slab into the obvious corner, reach out for a fabulous jug on the mantle ledge, swing up onto ledge from whence the hard small traverse left starts, clip bolt and then continue left to establish oneself in obvious crack, up directly to belay. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

5. 20 - From belay trend left up blocky ramp being careful not to get sucked in too far left, continue up through the first easy system and then back to the right to find 2 widely spaced bolts, equalise these for a killer belay to observe the shenanigans of the roof coming up next.

6. 23 - Clip the high bolt of the belay before dropping down low and plugging a couple of aliens in out wide along the traverse line on almost non existent feet , drop a bit lower for good feet and then climb up directly under roof bolt. Yeah it`s goey hey, get on out there through that roof, campus up on rugositys to stand on the lip and then swim through the spear lilly to plug wide gear in crack behind lilly, continue up wide dirty crack to bomber anchor. Back this anchor up with a couple of cams as there is the distinct possibility of a climber falling direct on to this anchor due to the next section being so thin and poor gear direct off the belay. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

7. 24 - Work those aliens and wires in baby and hold on for the ride of your life fortunately this thin seam is not overhung unlike the hand crack which this seam leads to so test that gear bucko, continue up the overhung handcrack to where it blanks out to find yourself at a walrus ledge containing thin fingers and crimpers, belly flop on to that sloper walrus ledge to find yourself with one more block to get over before arriving at a fabulously comfortable belay complete with garden and at least one square foot of space to stand on, it's practically a bivvy ledge. Cameron Fairbairn 15/9/02

8. 17 - Skirt right to skyline then trend left, take care to talk to your belayer as anchors are a direct rope fall/abseil above Pitch 8 anchors. By talking to your belayer you should be able to orient his voice to the line of fall as this slab can suck you in way left.

9. 16 - We did change out the Fixe hangers and leaver biners to Double rap ring Fixe hangers.

10. There is a possibility of adding a further pitch to this route to top out.

Start on the yellow tooth underclings. Haul left through underclings and top out via compression fridge

Sit start on underclings. heave up to sharp crimp and pounce to edge then top out

Start on sideways crimps, Out left to arete but transition onto face and exit up left

Tricky arete with bad feet, grade changes depending on sand level.

Start sitting on block, up slapping right arete and thin holds on face to finish up large pocket on left side of face.

Layaway from jam crack to gaston on face, then out left to pocket.

Watch your back! From pocket up and over with bad feet.

Can be done either direction! Slippery and pumpy.