Routes in Central Australia

Trad start to FH then a few carrots to chains. The topos show a completely independent line from the ground. However this line appears to require that you hang yourself off, put your gear in, and position your belayer beneath, some very suspicious large booming roof flakes. And its dirty. If you'd rather not take that risk than a good alternative at about the same grade is to climb Sickle for 5m then heel hook R along the lip of the main roof a few metres below the FH, and turn the lip using the short fingercrack. The face climbing from the lip of the roof to the anchor is great, on some of the most solid rock at the crag.

Starting at the base of the highest point in the cliff, head up as for Pete's Ridge, but dodge the slab and head out right onto the arete. Go up to the right of the roofy area.

The exact line isn't known, but Gosh reckons there's another line through the roof somewhere to the left of 'Whirlpool Direct'. Whatever line there is will be very scary and very committing

Very good line. the boulder immediately right of the main entrance (east side of amphithetre). Stand start on thin crimps (sit is V4), move delicately up through more crimps to a high and committing top out

crouch start on sideways blocks in little hovel between RATDL and A. move up and R through interesting slots and pinch to join the top out for A

Down climb for Terry to Wiltjanka. Or up climb..

Starts on the middle tier of the eastern cliff. Bridge up the 1m wide chimney to the top.

One of the absolute best lines in all of Central Australia, packing in a little bit of everything. Start just around the corner from Sickle at thin, slabby crack. Up this delicately before jugging through small roof. Step L, place bomber cam, take a deep breath and crank through overhang into fist crack leading to the large belay ledge. Rap off chains 3m to the left

Ryan Gaskon Open Project. Terribly thin line snuck between the classics. Start on horizontal break, clip bolt then boulder through tiny crimps and sidepulls, then dyno right to gain ledge. Continue easily up thin diagonal seam past 2nd break to top

The main climb is behind the big ili. But a detour start can be added for fun- this is up the steep boulder to the right of the base of the ili. Continue behind the ili from the crack on the back left corner. Move right and up to a ledge below the steep wall crisscrossed with cracks. Climb up and right on good holds to the top.

L facing crack and cnr in the middle of the crag. Good beginners lead with heaps of pro. 18m

This offers a different first pitch to M&M traversing the right side of the large arch up through the roof, about 1.5m from the apex. Sitting belay option just above the apex. From there the climb follows the M&M line for another 2 pitches

Starting at the base of up and down, keep right and reach for the jug.

A couple of metres right of TV and very worthwhile with a thoughtful start to gain the first ledge. Pick your line over the small roof and continue for an enjoyable sustained climb.

Look for the most prominent corner, just east of this is an easy looking chimney and corner that is climbed.

Starts at the E end of the cliff, by the gap and two gums.

1. 14m Up crack just R of the two gums to where it bends R and step across onto narrow ledge.

2. 15m Continue up (now heavily overgrown) corner crack to the top

The exact location of this climb is unknown. The original description detailed the climb as starting from the sundeck in the middle of the cliff.

Start at the small brown gumtree and a white gumtree in the middle of the cliff (which one is the question!)

1. 30m Up corner, past ledge to another corner. At next ledge traverse L and up corner to another large ledge.

2. 23m Up corner at the L end of ledge, then traverse L until it is possible to go through break in the roof. Up wall to the top

Obvious chimney splitting the centre of slab R of OS. 1) 12m Crack to ledge. 2) 26m Chimney to top.

Prominent butress 300m up from the entry to the gorge, and 100m short of the waterhole. Up cracks on the LHS, passing some small ledges to roof. Swing R (crux) then past more ledges to the top.

Obvious companion crack-line just L of Wisecrack. Scramble to the start.

1. 10m Up corner to tree, then R and up to ledge.

2. 30m Up easy crack from the L end of ledge to another large ledge on R.

3. 17m Continue up crack to top

Locate large block at base off cliff (about 10m L of two gum trees). Scramble to the top of this.

1. 36m Short jam crack up from the L side of block to ledge. Up into chimney until a large ledge is reached on R.

2. 14m Continue up obvious line to belay on large tree.

Wide crack/corner in gully just R of CT. When it degenerates to a scramble traverse R to just above a tree to gain chimney which is followed to top.

Wide crack on the RHS of gully, just R of Threllin. Climb crack until it is possible to gain ledge on R (just before bushy tree). Up slab just R of bush to broken ground. Finish up slab above.

Locate short slab behind the two gums R of Wisecrack. Climb instead the short vegetated corner on the L side of the slab (just R of the block). At ledge, climb crack above to gain a ramp leading R. From ramp, straight up chimney to enter a corner above from the R. Up to large chockstone, step R and continue to top

The sister crack, 3m R of TW. 1) 43m Up slab on R to ledge above chockstone. Up and though 'overhang', following crack up to a small stance. 2) 40m Step R and up slab to ridge, following this up L to a small white corner. Up corner, then R to belay

Starts by the tree in the gully opposite car park. Be warned of poor pro and loose rock. 1) 40m From slab on L side of gully climb corner about 3m down from the tree. Follow corner to where it steepens, up short wall to a small ledge. Up slab bounded by wide crack on R, then groove to poor belay at stance. 2) 27m Traverse L across easy slab to far edge. Make an exposed move around this to gain easy ridge and belay

1. 23m Wide corner-crack R of AT, up to large ledge on R. Continue up smooth corner to another large ledge.

2. 17m Up line until it is possible to go R and around onto exposed face, finishing up v-groove.

Corner R of NS to where it narrows, finishing up the tight chimney

Crack in the smooth slab R of Debut, directly to tree

Start at shattered groove, 2m R of prominent crack R of Genesis's slab. 1) 13m Groove to the junction with the crack at overhang. Traverse L to belay on bushy ledge. 2) 44m Slab above, moving L when the holds start to thin. Up groove on R, to easier ground below the obvious hanging block. Up corner-crack to the top

Prominent crack that the start of Primate avoids. When necessary, step R onto wall. Up into the crack again which is followed up to a ledge. Belay here, or scramble up the L crack of three short cracks above.

Main wall right of the Arch: Wide chimney 4m R of ES separating the huge detached flake and the main cliff. Not very well protected

1. 23m Chimney to a large ledge.

2. 13m Up wall to a ledge, then climb diagonally up and L to finish.

Starts as for Valgus, taking the R hand gully. Climb up under the large chockstone, then straight up chimney to top

Starts at line, halfway along the cliff. Marked by a small cairn. 1) 47m Up for 3m, then diagonally R, then L for 5m and up to white slab. Traverse R and up to grassy ledge. 2) 6m Up easily to belay below large corner. 3) 34m Easily up corner to top.

This and the following climbs are reprinted from the 1973 guide. The climbs start at the L end of the cliff, before you get to the large boulder stewn scree slope. Presto takes the R of two gullies, just above a ramp.

Good climbing up the corner R of Presto. Up to spike (beware of loose rock), continue up corner to top.

Locate large tree, 30m up and L of black slab at L end of wall. Scramble up to crack 10m above tree.

1. 35m L diagonal crack, then short ramp on R to slanting corner. Diagonally L under this to a ledge.

2. 14m Crack at the R side of slab, through break and L around bulge to top

1. 12m As for Evolution.

2. 27m From R hand end of ledge, climb crack until it is possible to move into gully to the L. Grade unknown.

Scramble up gully R of Procreation for about 30m (up behind fig tree). 1) 25m Easily up L gully to below a black slab. Belay on slab, or in R gully. 2) 30m Continue up L gully until it steepens. Up crack to below overhang. Traverse L around this to a stance. 3) 8m Scramble to top.

At R (Eastern) end of Taree cliff are two cracks, both leading to a large chockstone. 1) 12m Climb slab below bush, L of chockstone. Veer around bush then back L to the wide L crack, up this, and belay below chimney. 2) 23m Chimney-crack to ledge, finish up curving crack

A vegetated scramble through history - bring your whipper-snipper? Vegetated crack just R of gully R of Diakon. Up through tree to below second tree which avoided on its L. Return to crack and up to bush which is also avoided on its L. When the line breaks into two, follow the obvious corner to the top.

Corner at R edge of slab to narrow chimney. Up to tree and ledge. John Griffiths

The better line, which is steep in places but has lots of small wire placements. The rock is generally pretty good but is still loose in places despite plenty of ascents - very 'Centralian'. Climb the left hand crack in the west facing wall. At the top there are a couple of old pegs indicating an earlier ascent, don't use these as there are two solid ring bolts five or so meters further up.

A nice varied crack in a fairly obvious position (I hope you find that position).

A full excursion to the very top of the cliff. Starts about 85m L of the waterhole, directly below large R facing corner that starts about 30m off the ground.

1. 30m. Climb face and crack breaking through a small roof at 8m, continue up the crack and climb past a shallow chimney to reach a large belay ledge.

2. 25m Straight up the fun R facing corner to finish at a ledge below small overhang.

3. 25m Up corner to roof, step L around the corner and up into vague crack. Up to vague crack and so to ledge - scramble the last 10m to top

Slab and crack in middle of wall, passing rooflet.

2m R of HWWU. Grassy groove, passing rooflet at three quarter height

From carpark, approach gorge past line of river gums on L. Pumpy short wall facing you where the gums end, just before the rock paintings. Start at flake near R end of wall, then L to thin seam near top

Old problem. Step L above the crux of Raven and climb steep crack

Excellent, well protected climbing up a beautiful seam on L of attractive buttress in the middle of the cliff. Two BRs.

Sustained L facing groove 5m R of ANH, 2m R of chossy weakness. Finish up short R leaning diagonal to prominent white gum.

Reachy. Seam and corner 3m R of Superfreak. Three BRs.

Crack 3m R of LP.

Thin crack 4m R of CC, in the middle of the arch. Through overhang to join CC. Little to no protection at the crux about 7 metres up. Delicate moves will get you to the flake above where a size 4 cam will save the day. Not for the faint of heart as there is potential for a ground fall at the crux.

A thinner but nicer climb. As for SM, but take line straight up from useless white FH. To get the extra points, don't stray off the line!

Aptly named. Start 2m L of large pine tree 20m R of HWC.

1. 26m Climb small slab to ledge, then up vegetated ledge to large boulder. Step L, up over bulge to belay at R end of ledge.

2. 34m Corner to slab angling towards large crack on R till large bush. Up L of this and face to large tree

Nice climbing with bomber protection up major corner 7m R of the major chimney of TLP. Start 5m L of large pine conifer at nice curving flakes.

1. 30m Up flakes, over small roof on R, and up into easy corner which is followed to roof and belay.

2. 15m Traverse R below roof (poor pro) till you can breach roof and climb the layback slab above. For an easier climb, keep traversing R below roof, then finish up corner (12).

Two variants exist, and both pull out on to the face L of the major corner. Climb CV's crack to the start of the red slab and corner, pull out onto face and up to ledge.

Wonderfully sustained. Start at two shallow cracks in the center of the wall, with a BR at arms stretch. Good climbing past 3 FH to finish up large crack. DBB

Look for the splitter crack with an overhang at about 5 metres and roof at about 20 metres and enjoy the climb. Bold in parts for the grade but also with everything there. Larger nuts or cams the go for this one.

Start as for Sickle through the first overhang and then step right on to the slab (a few metres above the FH) and continue up past a carrot or 2 with great moves and exposure to the chains above.

A reasonably obvious crack roughly 4m from the L end of the face

The obvious chimney at the L end of the face