Ascents in Indian Head (north) by Paul Frothy Thomson

A very, very wet warmup. The lower grey rock is kinda ho-hum, but the orange rock is more enjoyable steepish climbing and redeems this route. Some dubious rock, but I suspect thats because its untrafficked.

One last lap to climb the route in proper trad style, placing all gear on lead. This was a scrappy, shouty, thrutchy lap because by this time I was worn out. But I managed to debacle my way up it in hideous desperation for the true send. Very rewarding. Stoked!

Brilliant! Steep, sustained, very-crack climbing with hideous footers on beautiful polished rock. Very burly. Had a good (and scary) onsight effort before bungling a move, but the top boulder was wet and as such I didnt really have it dialled when I went for the send (with MOST of the gear in situ, only placing a few pieces), but surprised myself by doing it fairly commandingly on the next attempt). A must-do for NSW crack climbers.

Got on this thinking it was 23... after sticking the first nails (literally, fingernail edges) crux at about gr23, I assumed all the hard climbing was done. Nope: 2 more micro-crimp gr23 sequences with no rest, then sustained 22 to the top. Super-thin, painful fingernail edges and with dots for footers the whole way... a toughie! Next time!

Probably a bit too gnarly a crux for a 20? Hideously chossy start that is soon forgotten as the rock is perfect when you leave the crack and gain the face. Thin, slippery crux, then funky bolted crack climbing to the top.

Investigatory lap of this newly established climb. Grade 22 but with a 6-move mono-happy V4 crux. Cruised all but the crux, which took some playing around to get sorted. Could probably tick this, but not in today's full sun.

First shot today placing the draws. I felt really solid today, but this is still a tough, varied and demanding route. Great!

Onsight but for the pre-placed draws (and knowing the opening section from Bullen's Route). Not as classic as its righthand neighbour, but still fun, and with a pretty funky upper crux (which I only just latched with one finger on the throw).

First shot today, placing the draws. Felt super-solid, even as a warmup. Thoroughly enjoyable climbing and quite the pumpy finale.

An awkward lower crack section on great rock leads to some gnarly moves to turn the roof and gain the headwall. Fun enough for a warmup.

2 shots. Felt like I was cruising on the first lap through all the hard stuff until I got stymied at the 2nd last bolt on a move no one else seemed to find hard. On my 2nd lap I cruised to the 2nd last bolt again... and fell off again... before realising that my beta on that move was totally retarted (and promptly unlocking the GOOD beta). Too late for a 3rd lap. Next time, gadget. Powerful pocketed moves on small feet between great rests on amazing rock. This route alone will get me back to Tianjara.

Almost classic, but a bit too friable in the lower third. Super-sustained and varied. Had a really good onsight burn that fell apart due to some bizarre off-line traversing (at about 2 grades harder) cleaned and chalked by the guys working the route. The roof and headwall are a spicy finale. This desperately needs a rebolt.