Routes in New South Wales and ACT

Was once the hardest 17 in the known universe.

They come from far and wide to feel the pockets, stroke the slopers, and clip the chains. Now it is your turn to join the masses and see why Silver Hands is number one in the world.

The easiest warm-up here abouts, and the third most popular route in all of NSW. Considered solid at the grade.

Beaut sustained climbing.

Start: Directly below the cave, on the left side of the obvious crack. Up the wall past delicate slab move to a big rest in the cave. Take a breath and head out the right side up the vertical wall on magic holds.

A great lead at the grade, up through scoop on jugs, RBs to top.

Starts on left side of arête. Straight up to finish.

Optional friend no longer needed to protect start.

Super popular. Start behind the right of the two gums. Up to lower-off at break. As per usual, please do not top-rope directly through anchors.

Marked LT. 2.5m R of Dr Do Little. Thin start, then through some overlaps. Best route on the wall.

One of the popular classics of the grade. Ringbolts and chalk show the way. All good fun. Lower-offs added 2004 and replaced 2021. This route originally went to a set of chains a couple of metres above the lower offs. The chains are still there. Was grade 26 but was chipped some time after the first ascent.

Follows the obvious orange streak up the middle of the wall. Ringbolts.

One of the all-time classic routes of the region, if not Australia. Fantastic climbing up the searing crack on a stunning wall. Rap anchors on ledge at the top of the first pitch. Start at the base of the mega obvious crack.

1. 22m (18) Blast up the crack, you won't get lost. This pitch is also known as Yorkshire Crack.

2. 10m (23) A rarely repeated direct finish to the route goes straight over the overhang above the first belay, passing some old carrots en route.

1.5m right of the left arete. Up wall and then move left over cave and then straight up

Climb into the cave then up around to the right. Then follow the ringbolts to the top. First bolt is quite high so be careful.

Pleasant wall 6m R of K.

Really good fun sport climbing with plenty of jugs in the roof. Very popular.

Starts at the obvious layback flake 4m left of On Edge. Most link pitch 1 & 2 and forego the final pitch, descending via lowers or onto ledge and sketchy traverse right (use a rope) to rap anchors on Angular crack.

1. 15m (17) Up sustained layback flake (big cams) to ledge (most link straight into 2nd pitch)

2. 15m (17) From ledge head right and up obvious crack through rooflet to lower-offs or onto ledge and carrot belay

3. 23m (??) Rarely done chimney pitch off to the left.

Lower-offs and new belay carrots added 2016.

Start 2m left of SOF. Up tending right then left through crux, to easy top section. Double fixed biners at top.

Absolute classic 25 and for many, their first. Centennial Glen climbing at its best.

Has become a bit of a classic. 8 ring bolts. May be worth taking a sling or long quickdraw for the 2nd or 3rd bolt and last bolt, to avoid pulling the rope against corners of the rock.

Updating previous description, there are now anchors and a full complement of ringbolts on this route.

It looks (December 2015) like the natural line here is sharing the beginning of Quirrel's Quarrel) to the top of the block then moving left and up (gear placements and bolts).

Offers up a simmering dish of big exposure, good protection and easy moves. On nice sunny weekends there can be a queue so get in early! Sleepyheads starting at the crack of noon (which is bizarrely common) will also miss out on the cool morning shade and get smashed by the sun which blasts the route from midday onwards.

Sweet Dream is regarded as the best introduction to multi-pitch climbing in New South Wales - however a recent fatality from rock fall and serious accident involving belayer failure should remind climbers this is not a casual walk in the park. The advice below is relevant to any multi-pitch route - but is contained in this route description to make sure people read it.

Rock fall is a hazard on any outdoor rock climb - but it can be especially hazardous on Sweet Dreams due to multiple parties being on the route at the same time. The danger is mainly from the unstable hillside above the route when topping out - but loose rock can be found on any pitch. Wear a helmet (on the approach and even when queuing at the base of the route) and rig belays with long enough slings/rope that a belayer can dodge falling missiles without being chained down. Care needs to be taken by all parties who attempt this route. If you have a beginner in tow let them know to be careful around loose rock.

This route is mainly low angle and thus easily affected by rain and summer sun. Have the skills and equipment to abseil off the route if required. This includes taking tube style belay devices suitable for double ropes (a grigri will not work). All belays are fitted with double ringbolts suitable for abseiling. A 60m rope is required for retreat above pitch 2 - use the anchors on Saccharine Nightmare.

Although there are many bolts on this route - this is NOT a sport route (despite what you may have heard). A trad rack is required for pitches 2 & 5 and useful on other pitches (single set of finger to fist sized cams + a couple of large wires will suffice). Bolt brackets are no longer required on this route. Most of the bolts were placed after the first ascent.

The route is only grade 14 if you finish via the corner system & left finish on pitch 5. There are two bolted variants to this pitch (both around grade 17) that avoid potential loose rock in the corner. Local advice is to use these pitches in preference to the corner (this was the location of the rockfall fatality).

Start: After crossing the fixed wire walk another 40m or so to base of short scrappy looking right facing corner on right side of giant block. Up above is the vast black slab of the higher pitches.

1. 20m (14) Short wall past bolt onto ledge then left to chimney (bolt), up to ledge and DRB belay.

2. 20m (10) Trad protected crack to DRB belay in little alcove. Save a large cam for the last few metres of this pitch. Without trad you will be SOLOING this pitch.

3. 28m (13) Traverse up and right across slab past 6 bolts and couple of cam slots to DRB.

4. 25m (13) Up via very easy climbing and no protection to second set of DRB after about 8m (ignore these). Continue up wall (3 bolts & optional cam), then step right to crack above bowel clenching exposure. Belay on big ledge below corner at one of two sets of DRBs. The right one is best for the trad corner - the left is best for the bolted grade 17 variants. Either way - this is an exposed belay to rockfall - be prepared to dodge.

5. 40m (14) Up easy trad protected corner for 20m, move left a few moves when possible then continue up subtle trad protected corner for another 10m to low double bolt belay - or even better a massive tree belay another 10m up the hill. Technically this is called the 'Variant Finish' but is the common way this route is now done.

The three variants to pitch 5 off the ledge are described here - but also have separate listings on this website.

The Original Finish (14) - climb the same trad corner for 20m then traverses RIGHT onto a big ledge and cam belay near huge detached blocks (not recommended due to potential loose rock). Finish up via 10m (10) pitch up the chossy overhang above taking extreme care not to drop rocks on people below.

Middle Bolted Variant (15-17) - climbs the wall just left of the corner past several ringbolts and then goes directly up the TRAD protected finish of the original pitch 5. This pitch is the easier of the two variants - it is possible to escape into the corner at one point which makes it more like grade 15.

Left Bolted Variant (17) - from the left DRB climb the subtle exposed arete past three or so ringbolts then join into the Middle Variant for a couple of bolts and then the trad finish. It is possible to traverse left at about 20m to the final belay of Saccharin Nightmare - and finish up that routes top bolted pitch (thus avoiding the trad finish of Sweet Dreams.

Start at the right side of the pillar and follow the jugs out to the left. Use the rings.

A bit of a classic. Used to have a few enhanced holds that were later cemented in - not that the grade changed at all. Start under the line with the biggest holds, just right of the sawn log.

Ringbolts. The L rap ring on the anchor is now worn about a quarter through, still fine but may need replacement soonish. Until then, consider rotating it before loading so your rope wears on a different spot to extend its life.

Bold start to gain slightly overhanging face then up scoops on rings to double ring lower off. Good fun at the grade.

The line of ringbolts at far right of wall. New anchor 2015.

Good fun. Straight up, starting on the right side of the left of the two gum trees.

The undercut buttress has a white/yellow streak down its left side. This is it. High first bolt over the rooflet, then sustained climbing up the gently overhung orange wall. Popular.

Stickclip if you are short (tricky start). Ringbolts. There is a loose ~10kg block at halfway: keep people clear below and try not to dislodge it.

Start up little corner thing and jug along to the top of the cliff.

Used to be a carrot patch for the sports bunnies, with an awesome final wall. Now it has rings all the way. Carrots are still there, so take some brackets if you need to share a belay. Don't go as a party of 3 unless you are experienced, it eats too much time. If you have a pack, haul it on the second rope if you're getting tired. Don't leave toilet paper or rubbish, you're in a National Park, behave accordingly and don't get on routes like this if you don't know what that means.

People have stupid epics on this all the time. Please read :- http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=15&MessageID=26665&Replies=58&PagePos=0&Sort=#NewPost

Generally safe, but run-out at times, with a few loose patches of rock. Take helmets as belayers are lashed to small ledges and can’t dodge shrapnel. Take 2 50m ropes (for rapping down, or retreating), 16 draws and a few slings.

There is a blue emergency bin below Pitch 6, with some water, food, clothing, torches, and basic shelter. Don't call 000 just because you are benighted, so the police don't have to go out at night to babysit you. Please arrange to replace anything you use.

ACCESS: It’s halfway to Hotel California from Mirrorball. Rap in as described above then walk along the track to the right (facing the cliff). After 30m, drop down around the base of Old Skule (clean arete on next pinnacle) and go 70m horizontally right thru the scrub till you hit an orange buttress. Continue down a bit and about another 70m to red rope and BBB sign:

★★★ Bunny Bucket Buttress 18 - 20220101_075236.jpg

Now scramble up and right to a ledge 15m above the track, right of a chossy white patch, just right of a short squeeze chimney. Walk 10m right on the ledge till you see the bolts at the boulder problem start. (If you go down hill to a big fallen boulder, or see a 30m high black then orange corner (Randy Rabbit Ridge), or traverse beneath a choss cave, you've gone too far).

Print out topos and route description or save them to your phone, as you probably won't have reception down there.

1. 20m (18) Traverse out right and back left to flake, reachy. Up to ledge, 2RB.

2. 20m (18) Right and up seam and corner to ledge. Up a move and diagonally R to arete, then R to ledge and 2RB.

3. 40m (18) Up dirty slab and R across corner, traverse R to nose and up corner and nose to ledge. 2RB on block or walk R 8m to 2BB at base of wall.

4. 30m (8) A hard hands-free problem, diagonally R past bolts to 2RB on block further up or tree belay at the top of the slab.

5. 40m (8) Climb across ledges and walls (and a lot of bush...) past bolts to below orange overhang, L to 2RB below corner.

6. 40m (18) Up choss and head out L staying low under roof. Rope drag possible, but its fine if you sling the first 4 bolts. Head up pumpy wall to big ledge. 2RB.

7. 40m (18) Up vertical pump. Needs 15 draws. 2RB.

8. 40m (13) Left across ledge, diagonal L past bolts and across groove. Climb loose left wall to 2RB on top. Rope drag possible, but it's fine if you sling the first few bolts.

Start 1.5m left of the chimney (Valhalla).

1. 24m (13) Up crack then left up corner to ledge. DBB rap anchors.

2. 22m (14) Crack and corner.

3m R, incorporating a corner feature and some cruxy bits down low.

Shared start with previous, then straight up. Fun jug hauling. Rebolted 2017.

One of the best warm ups for the harder routes and a fine route to earn the grade also. Very popular. Anchor replaced 16/10/18. [If the headwall of this route is wet, an equally good but dry 23 is “Lyptus Power”: Lyptus to the crux then easily R across Grape Hour (which will also be wet up high), to join Grey Power].

Classic easy sport route - bring the bolt plates for this. Start 40m left of Katoomba Bros at grey face with a black streak up high, topped by a small roof. Straight up the vertical face mostly on jugs with two hands free ledges in first half. Thin start then consistent on good holds to the crux, which is just above the last bolt. Finish under roof. Well protected but with a little run out at the top just to make it interesting!

Probably the most popular route at Nowra at the grade. Great friction work.

Start on the very right end of the terrace next to the big chimney. Climb up past a tricky move at the first bolt, then try some left edge bridging at the 2nd roof to overcome the crux, then cruise your way up (yes 3 roofs on this one).

Climb the slab beneath the cave passing a nice flake. Continue above cave tending slightly left to a flake, then back in line to lower-offs.

Start: Start 2m right of BW

Popular, mostly due to the bolts, easy grade and the weather protection. The middle of the three mini-routes. Wall to fun flake feature, then up tricky wall to finish. Some loose rock at the top.

Super popular. This is the way the route is usually climbed these days (in one pitch, all the way to the top lower-offs). Go left at the top (direct through the bulge isn't as nice - see below).

Nice steep route with an exciting finish. The anchors are over the ledge.

Marked SAV. This is a great climb! Some very hard moves and a few of them!

Straight up the wall following seam in centre of wall.

A good way to ease into this little wall.

Rings, just to the right of Pompadour.

Start just left of Karinya, climb left a bit then up.

Rebolted 2004.

Corner 2m left of SSCC1. Up corner through trees and continue up the corner behind the block above. 60m rope is fine for abseiling and lowering.

The super popular left side of the arete. All rings and lower-off at top (or top out to carrots).

Left of Out For A Duck. Nice wall climbing with a fun juggy finish.

Sensational juggy sport climbing up a long and steep orange scoop. Surprisingly easy with big holds the whole way up. Starts aprox 10m left of Lead Zeppelin at impressive orange wall.

Start at the rather redundant DRB which are 1.5m off the ground. Good climbing with loads of very shiny ringbolts. Exciting finale.

Start left of the cave as per BD.

The best easy sport route at the crag. All rings.

Marked GL. R of CJ. Ringbolts up through rooflets and a particularly hard move if you are short.

Take extra hand-size cams, plus a big cam for the top. The 2 bolt belay (carrots) is easily missed - look for them very close to where you top out.

Direct line, right of Gosling.

The best warm up here.

Ringbolts.

The right route

Rings to double ring lower off.

Fun climb with nice moves, I've seen 2 ppl get flipped when falling just below the lower-offs - don't let the rope go behind your legs!

Very excellent slabbing, with a thought provoking crux.

Start: Start on the juggy bit of wall 4m right of the chimney. Has a new second bolt to protect the ground fall.

Traverse rightwards into the base of the obvious rock ladder. A bit of trickery makes it easier. Stick clip first ring makes it better on the nerves. New anchor out left adds another 4 moves and restores some of the original climbing. Start: 4m right of Cenotaph Corner.

Up the slab towards the ledge with the obvious sandy cave feature. Stay on the outside of this, moving right to join into the amazing line of scoops and follow this until the last bolt (finish here for Half Day At The Beach: 20). From here, move left on crimpers to the anchor for full value.

Finger crack 2m left of Chastity. One hard move. Lower off shared chains on top.

Very nice crack climb. Layback up the crack until the crux at the crack finish (3/4 up), then up holds to the RBs.

Thin face climbing on good rock with reachy crux. Rebolted 2019.

Start just right of FF. At the third bolt, you can go either way. Good solid climbing with a few tricky bits.

Left of 'Duckling'.

Up beside the cave (on its left) as for W, hand traverse across the ridge. Left foot high step onto the lintel to get that 2nd bolt and up you go.

A great wet weather protected slab climb! The right most bolted line on the wall. Start either via first few metres of the trad corner Constipation Chimney VS or boulder the start direct (grade 21?). A couple of clips are tricky if you are short. The bolts were a birthday gift from Vanessa and Ryan.

Rebolted 2004. '23' in the 2015 Blue Mountains Guidebook. Rest assured that it is indeed 22. The crack/seam in the middle of the wall. Be careful of some hollow rock.

Cue '90s era gangsta rap. Originally given a different name, the first ascentionist has requested that it now be known by this name. Excellent steep climbing, and the classic Nowra 25. Start where the undercut roof touches the ground (at a ring bolt).

Up the overhanging arete on jugs and slopers. Perhaps the best V1 of the Frontline!

Start: Sit

This is the right side of the arete and is the best easy route at Dams Cliff with wonderful ironstone jugs. Carrots all the way to the top which requires a rappel or a walk-off...or very long extended top rope rigging.

This is the righthand route which starts off the boulder at the left end of the wall. Stick-clip, then jump off the boulder to gain first hold. The hard moves above the first bolt need an alert belayer to keep you off the boulder. Then a few crimps to easier ground.

Same start as previous but follow bolts trending out right.

A couple of longer slings / extended draws will be handy to reduce drag on first few bolts. (especially bolt 3)

A thin move to get established on the slab leads to a long sequence of interesting climbing interspersed with rests.

The final section may be baffling, but can be done a few different ways.

Scarily loose, should probably finish under the roof.

Off the ledge to the left of the dead tree. Ringbolts. Good!

Bouldery start then left a bit, rightwards up yet another thin finish. Very popular warmup. Start: 3m right of Gash.

Most will agree, this climb is the best easy/moderate trad route at the Point and for miles around. Gear placement is amply available and the climbing consistent at the grade. Start in the middle of the dark south-facing wall to the right of the Man Overboard corner. Follow the sinuous crack as it slowly widens to hand size.

Climb is marked with a faded AB. Just right of the crack. Rebolted 2009. 3 ring bolts with lower off. A Sydney classic

Another nice warm up for Duck Wall.

Pumpy, steep greatness! Popular. Batman to the first bolt of TWoAF, and start from here. Permadraws added Nov 2017 and replaced when neccesary. As always, check all fixed gear and don’t blindly trust it. Lowering from both steel anchor biners will greatly prolong the life of the last permadraw biner.

A nice route - but why everyone thinks it is worth 3 stars we will never know.

Start: Start to the right of the blunt arete on the right hand side of the wall where there is a big chimmney.

The first climb on the Sunnyside and one of the best. Popular with lots of bolts. Starts up the obvious right leaning, shallow corner.

The left side of the main arete on the mini wall.

Sit start low and move through beautiful slopers to roof and finish up jugs. The best problem in the Balkans?

Tsz Ying Yau

Classic face climbing above a lot of worrying space. All bolts, take 11 brackets, a sling and prussics for whoever is seconding. All carrots have small heads, so maybe clip the first ones with fat old biners, or add a wire so the brackets don't tinkle off.

Start left of a steep orange nose 30m left of Sweet Dreams, or about 100m after the cable traverse.

1. 25m (19) Tough move through first rooflet then head right around arête and diagonally up face to ledge and 2 Ubolt belay on right.

2. 25m (18) 2 Ubolts then stainless glued carrots from now on. Traverse left and out to arête. Up this to first cave and DBB hidden around to the left.

3. 25m (19) The money pitch. Exposed! Up right easily to second cave then up and out left to overhung arête, up to semi hanging belay on small ledge and 3BB.

4. 35m (19) Up arête past two BRs to cave and double U bolts. You can belay here or clip a U with a long sling and step right, up wall and roof, then diagonally R to 2U belay.

5. 35m (16) Right and up on ironstone plates over roof past Ubolts on left, then diagonally R to top and tree belay well back.

The Crag Classic !! Solid and sustained wall climbing on good holds. Stand up on tree stump, and power all the way thru to roof. Shake out here and show off with a french blow - punch the roof and into the cave, then move up right wards to clip the anchors.

2x clip-and-go biner anchors.

Both pitches can be combined - bring a lot of bolt plates!

1. 20m (18) Fun juggy face, through a bulge then traverse left to small ledge and semi-hanging belay.

2. 35m (15) Long exposed face. This pitch is all on carrots (10 bolt plates are needed + 2 extra if using top belay carrots). Double ring bolt belay or top out and use carrots set back from the edge. Walk off unless you have double ropes.

Between GL and the arete. A high first bolt you should stickclip. Then up through rooflet and the typical hard move to beautiful Bardens breaks trending R. Runout but safe.

Left hand route off the ledge.

Nice crack with 'good' underclings and 'easy' moves. The block that the lower off was in is cracked on 3 sides and has a tree growing in it, so it was moved down to more solid rock.

The arête. You can start direct or traverse in from GL. Take care clipping third ring.

Carrot bolts! Starts at the left of the two white gums.