Routes in Scenic Rim for selected grade

A good warm up and introduction to Flinder's rock. The climbing is fun and there's jugs whenever you need them…clean the 4th draw after you climb past it.

Climb the technical slab with pockets straight up the right side of prow through steepening ground. Can you make the anchors without a respirator?

Simply amazing finger locking up the line that bisects the blank wall L of Warlock. There are 2 very distinct cruxes on this thoroughly enjoyable and sustained outing. Easier moves up the final chimney to finish at the rap chain. A 60m rope will get you back down in style.

Simply amazing. A tough start leads to one of the most sustained and awesome climbs imaginable. Take some microcams for the start. The climb itself is a contender for the best route on the cliff, regardless of grade.

Brilliant climbing up an amazing line. A thin and bouldery start leads to a searing corner of unsurpassed quality. Thin hand jams and finger locks lead exhaustingly to a ledge. From there, continue easily to the belay tree.

Done by Coral Bowman (US) in 1976, when it was 21, likely the first female ascent at this grade in AU.

Brilliant climbing up the dark corner to the R of Christian. Up easily for 7m to a stance. Release a blood-curdling howl and tear up the hard lay back line to the top like a frenzied madman! Technical jamming and layback sequences provide thoroughly absorbing and sustained movement all the way. Milk the rest at half height, as that's all you get. From the ledge at the top, one hard move onto the wall and you can step L onto Plume Ledge. Finish here, or get extra "old school points" by thrashing up the final wide groove above.

Great finger locking up a thin seam. A little tricky to protect lay backing, but well worth the trip. Quite technical and strenuous.

Stunning quality, an absolute classic. Start on the ledge above and R of the start to Infinity. Steep jamming and locking leads to a pronounced crux rounding the bulge. Great gear, a little spaced at the crux, but completely bombproof. Finish easily up to the Infinity chains.

The pitch lengths haven't been verified, so don't rely on their accuracy. Also, some grades are also not accurate and need to be verified. Caution: some mallions on anchors are rusting out.

The longest sport climb in Queensland (320m), this adventure sport climb takes you through the highest and steepest part of Mt Barney's imposing East Face. It's a very sustained route with very few easy pitches, and the individual pitches are also sustained in themselves. This route has mega exposure, good falls, a fair few really enjoyable pitches of climbing, and some rotten rock thrown in. A lot of the loose, sitting death blocks mentioned previously have been removed, but no promises. However, it still remains a serious undertaking, and self-rescue skills, early starts, general efficiency, a solid head, and determination are ALL necessities.

At points this climb lacks line and can feel forced, but whatever the case, it definitely required vision and effort to establish. The highest climb in Queensland is not for your average sport climber, and would best suit those with a sense of adventure and a taste for mountaineering. A real Queensland test piece for those seeking to up their game for bigger expeditions.

Approach: Once on the landing below the face, traverse/bushbash along the face towards a large rock apron and follow that down, and then you'll come to a part which gets exposed. Here you climb straight up too a bushy ledge (tricky moves) and easily follow the rock along for 50m. Here you'll find the start of the climb.

1. 25m (19) A rude introduction ... Starts nice and hard straight of the deck. Follow bolts up over multiple cruxes to rings on a very small ledge.

2. 25m (20) Head out right around bulge. Climb straight over it if you're feeling strong. Move up over a nice slab and into what would be fun climbing if it weren't falling apart to rings on a small ledge.

3. 20m (20) Follow bolts through two overhangs and again, pleasant slabs in the middle. The first overhang can be easily avoided by climbing right. Belay at small ledge.

4. 25m (16) This pitch continues up the rock cone then breaks right towards the main face and up a chimney. Near the top the route breaks out right of the chimney to a ledge with precariously balanced tree.

5. 15m (18) Okay, now we're talkin'! The climbing really improves from here on, with the rock quality mostly improving. Intricately traverse out up and right over delicate slabs. Small stance at the belay. This pitch requires a confident seconder as the falls would be very exciting for them. It's best not to link this with the next pitch.

6. 20m (21) This pitch has good bolting, nice falls, and wicked exposure. Definitely a stand-out pitch. Climb up through some sustained and interesting vertical face climbing.

7. 20m (21) A really cool pitch with the most exposed boulder problem you'll find in SEQ! It's not as death-blockey as it used to be, but it's still worth caution. Climb up to the roof and clip the hidden bolt just over the lip. Don't touch the loose blocks under the overhang unless you want to kill your seconder and yourself. Tricky moves over the roof and continue for a couple of bolts. When it starts to get too vegetated, bust a couple exciting powerful moves out left through the overhang over hundreds of metres of air ... From here you should see the belay rings above a shrub. A few more strong moves will get you to the semi-hanging belay.

8. 20m (18) Hard moves straight of the deck, with ugly falls if you don't make it to the first bolt. Continue up through some interesting vertical climbing. Surprise, surprise, beware of some loose rock.

9. 25m (14) The first give-me pitch! Beware of ledge fall potential at points. The pitch ends at the top of the large centre overhangs at good sized vegetated ledge.

10. 15m (17) Tricky climbing up to a good belay stance.

11. 20m (21) More tricky climbing that traverses out slight right to a large corner. Some crazy traverse moves will find you on the other side ... somehow. Continue straight up (next bolt is hidden) to belay rings. As you climb this pitch the "Pope's Nose" bivy ledge is off to the right.

12. 20m (20) Climb up through the corner over a slight overhang. At some points you can climb out right to avoid the difficult parts. Continue to the top over lots of worrying loose rock and vegetation. The next belay stance is a good size located underneath the summit overhangs.

13. 20m (22) Business time. It's best to link both crux pitches together, for a mega final push. Climb up to the right through the terrible rotten rock. Difficult moves through the overhang and traversing right with good falls and really interesting technical moves while the rock improves. Straight up over a tricky mantle. Here you get the full exposure that the East Face offers. Continue up to the belay. Best linked with the next pitch.

14. 20m (22) Follow the ramp to the below the last overhang. This section has some bad fall potential, but hosts the most spectacular climbing on The Governor. I won't spoil it for you. Belay at small stance above tree.

15. 30m (14) The last glory pitch to the summit! Nice slab climbing to the belay rings. This pitch finishes 2-meters below the South East Ridge track.

Brilliant, the way to go if you can climb the grade. Up the finger crack without bridging. Note: There have been several serious accidents on this route due to "perfectly placed" cams ripping out of the crack in the first 10m.

One of the first 23s in Australia! Although previously downgraded, this route has lost none of its spice over the years. Up the brilliant V-groove with phenomenally classy bridging and face work, capped by a desperate mantle on to the ledge. From here, grunt up the classic off-width to an easy finish! Originally aided by Staszewski and Killop, they backed off realizing that a better climber might one day free this amazing line. All were stunned and inspired when it was freed by Henry Barber. The initial corner has a fair bit of loose feeling rock, take care.

Done by Coral Bowman (US) in 1976, when it was 21, likely the first female ascent at this grade in AU.

Same start as NATM, left hand line leading to NATM anchors. Bouldery crux with great climbing either side. Bomber rock.

The first climb immediately on your left as you sight the Thunderdome. Gentle start to some excellent technical climbing for the grade. Stick clip the 1st bolt and take care at the 4th. Go straight up around the 7th bolt for full value, ignoring the ledge rest far out left.

Vague prow right of tree. Hard start eases to nice face, punchy finish.

An excellent and absorbing climb. This climb relies more on balance and technique than power, and is essentially one big balance problem. The gear is thin and spaced.

Through the brutal overhang on a variety of holds then fight through the difficult bulge to the top

Brilliant climbing up a very classy line. The grade is 21 if you blast up the side and skip the diabolically thin start of WAIH! From the ledge, motor up the orange-faced corner system on great locks and better pro. At the rooflet, step R around the arete and follow the obvious line to the top. Rope drag can really be an issue on this climb. Twin ropes or long slings recommended.

The first bolted route at Frog! Kim Carrigan promptly skipped the bolt on the second ascent, reclaiming the hardness of Frog from the bolt-clipping infidels! Starts at the small crack 3m L of MPFC (although most parties start from the ledge above). Off-balance moves up the thin diagonal crack to an awkward move into a sentry box to gain a rest. From here, clip the bolt, step R, and blast straight up the face to easier ground.

Variant finish to 'Dream of Purple Peach Popsicles' and by far the better way to go. Avoid the final chimney by stepping onto the R face and up past a bolt. Great exposure and brilliant crimpers make this the preferred way to go!

This route was climbed on the 10th anniversary of the discovery of Frog. The gear is excellent but spacious; however, stopping to place it makes things a lot more exciting! Up the obvious line R of TGON featuring very technical face and crack climbing moves to the stance. Follow a thin seam as the difficulties gradually ease to the top.

Desperate and grunty finger locking up a glass smooth corner then continue up to anchor of Fat Mattress. It can be made considerably easier by use of the "secret" foot jamming technique. Buy Rob a beer at the pub for all the info!

This climb is so sustained, and doesn't let up till the last move, with a punchy finish. Absolutely b-b-b-beautiful line, well protected and flows oh so nicely.

A nice variant finish to TOTGA, but it simply isn't as good as the others. Climb about half way up TOTGA, then step R (following a seam) to a bolt on the wall. Continue out R and up the arete passing another bolt. Easily to the top.

Phaedra is an historical and adventurous climb, first envisioned by Rick White in 1969.

To gain access, proceed up the hiker's track, past Egg Rock, to a stand of Shea-oak, just below the Central Knoll:

East Face - Phaedra access topo

Start below the obvious rooflet halfway up the wall. Either belay on the ground or off a single ring on the ledge 10m off the ground.

★★ Phaedra 22 A1 - Phaedra - 1st belay

Cameron Fairbain,Simon Vos on ★★ Phaedra 22 A1 - Phaedra

1)45m 19 - Start up the slab past a peg, angling towards the finger crack, continue up this, heading towards the hanging flake on spaced but good gear. Pull over the flake up to a belay at a sloping ledge below the rooflet.

2)15m 20 - Clip the SS carrot (hard to spot) above the belay left of 3 rusty carrots. From the belay traverse left and up the shallow groove to the left side of the overhang. Traverse right under the roof past gear and 2 pitons. Pull through the roof, to the hanging belay at 2xRBs directly above.

★★ Phaedra 22 A1 - pitons under overlap

3)20m 19 - Proceed up the corner, to a crack and up to the base of the headwall for a hanging trad anchor. Below the bolt ladder.

4)35m 21 M1 - Climb up the old bolt ladder (4x) on the headwall to gain the slab (20/21) above past shallow gear to follow 3 carrot bolts (left trending) on the slab in a breath-taking position to the top & 2xRB belay in alcove on left.

Gear: small to medium cams, lots of wires, plates and a skyhook.

Rick & Paul pegged their way up p1 in 1969.

Rick White, Jeff Morgan & Ron Collett freed p1 (18 by their standards) & aided the whole route in October 1971.

Paul Hoskins & Joe Lynch freed p2 in 1983 (they would have freed p3, but Joe forgot his shoes.)

Fred From & Chris Frost freed p3 in 1983.

Jon Pearson came close to freeing p4 in the late 80s, and Glen Foley almost freed it in 2007.

Same start as for Lock Stock, at the jugs near the rooflet head right into the corner before launching back left to the ledge.

Classic climbing. Start up Yokomo, and at the ledge take a deep breath, swing out onto the arete and up to a stance and a carrot bolt. The bolt looks to be in the wrong place, but is exactly where you need it! A high runner is possible in Yokomo to stop decking out. From there, fantastic and constantly absorbing climbing leads to the top. RPs are essential at the top.

Quite challenging. A hard start to an off-width crack. From here blast up a pleasant finger crack taking a well-earned rest on a ledge. Jam up to a tree, then climb a fear-inducing face to easy finish.

OK climbing up a steeper than expected line. 2 possible starts both feature poor rock and protection. Coming in from the left up past the hollow flakes and the rooflet or up the grotty corner to step in from the R on good holds. From here, up a crack system basically formed from wedged rocks. Not recommended to lead this.

Really good climbing, a pity about the gear. Start on the ledge above SOH. Off-balance moves up a L leaning seam get you to a stance and a very lonely carrot bolt. From there sequency and thin moves see you to the top. Easier if you reach around to the R. Potential for a very effective deck-out if you fall from near the top. A good candidate for top roping.

A lot scarier now that the 1st piton has fallen out. Start up EL, but step R out of the cave, and up to a stance at a bolt (Hanger is missing). Go up to the eerie piton hole (gear possible), and continue up the arete to the second piton. Finish directly up the nose.

Hard and committing. Start up the same line as for Infinity. Continue up to a ledge past a grunty fist crack. Suck in the big ones, attach your kamikaze head band, and thrash (screaming for glory) up the blank bulge with greasy little holds making life really interesting. There is no mention of gear here, because there is not much to be found. Whimper with joy and relief when the crack finally opens up for better gear and easier moves to the top.

Hard to stay out of Noose! Thin climbing up the arete. Up a short crack to the ledge, the piton fell out years ago, luckily small wires provide adequate pro. Tricky moves lead to the fixed hanger. Finish direct up a small corner.

A great second pitch to GN. Starts about 10m R of the Rickety Kate pillar. Desperate moves off the ledge gain the first of 2 bolts. Delicate and technically challenging moves to the top, spacious protection!

Start up the finger crack in the V-groove R of Lape, step off the top of the pillar, but continue out to the arete. Up this shaky affair past a roof to a ledge. Continue up and around R to finish. Absolutely desperate, with quite small and shallow gear at the crux!

The variant finish to SB is a very classy little outing. Climb up SB to the overhang. Take a large breath, step L up and around the overhang to a carrot bolt. Follow the line staying on the arete and up a thin crack to the top.

Start up TSLD until the rest under the hanging arete. Plug in a nest of gear, whimper a little, then veer up and left running it out a long, long way until the horizontal break. Cry with relief, put in some 'thank god' gear, and continue easily to the top. Rap as for TSLD. Very run out.

Hard and thin. Blast up the unbelievably thin line directly above Theory. Bridge, layback, levitate and slap your way to the top. Quite a serious route.

Step off the ledge where MPFC finishes, behind a large tree to an orange corner capped by a small roof at 5m. Traverse shakily R under this to a ledge. Balancy and technical moves upward bring a smile to your face!

Fun climbing up past an old bolt and "hanger", 22 or 23 depending on how you do the crux.

Tough. A dyno off the ground sets the theme. Follow this up the arete past 2 bolts. Hard not to step into Pollux. Finish on Theory Ledge.

A good variant to MMT. Start up MMT, and step R at an old piton onto the arete at 10m. Directly up the arete past more bolts to the top.

2018 update: the pin remains but bolts appear to have been removed. Only one rusty stud remains.

From the start of the diagonal on Infinity, step L up the face past 1 bolt. A scary and atmospheric little route.

Linkup. Variant finish for Darklight that climbs COVID-22's harder finish. The natural antithesis of CL.

Stand-start in obvious jug, heading left and up through jug to committing mantle over lip. Stand on top and stack pads to jump down.

Bouldery start on more pockets leads to a hard move up high on the headwall.

Good fun, although it's so short that it's over before you can really get into it. Go up the nice face crack on great locks and jams.

Start below main overhang of cave, slightly RHS. Up easy territory to lip of cave, out passing 2 FHs, surmount overhang, then easy territory to top anchors.

2018 OCTOBER - ANCHORS ARE STILL MISSING.

(Plans are afoot to re-establish these soon.)

Really tough finger crack boulder problem to start. The good climbing ends here. If you must...continue up the body chimney for extra "old school" status!

“Don’t Ever Fade Away” lite. But without traversing the ledge leftwards. Start just right of “Crawl Away” on obvious slopey rail, move straight up for a desperate top match, just over the lip

Starts the same as LL, sharing the first 3 bolts, then diverting off left at the bottom of the bulge. Up through to anchors of WW

A technical and risky climb, although the difficulties are not sustained. Up 'Phatang' for 3m, then desperately R to a ledge and hard mantle. Continue easily up for a while, until a short hard corner section gives your nerves a final jolt! Easily after that to the top.

Directly above SMF is a small orange wall capped by a tiny roof. Go directly up this on friable flakes and dodgy gear. Gear can be placed in the seam on the L to keep life sane. One cool move at the roof is all that recommends this little climb.

A variation on PP. Hard and committing. Up PP to the rooflet at 15m. Swing out L and up the crack until it re-joins PP. The only real reason to do this route is so that you can have fun answering the question "what did you do today?".

A crappy little wall with holds that occasionally stay attached! The short orange wall about 10m right of Moll has one bolt. Once above this, go up and right on good holds.

Originally done as a second pitch to Inquisition in the Rye, the orange V groove above has some rather desperate moments.

Bold and strenuous climbing with not much in the way of good protection! Start at the crack just R of Faki on brilliant thin hand jamming. Fron here, pack your spare undies, move up the arete for a move or two, and then R and up through the bulge! Although there is adequate pro (just), it is still a very serious proposition.

Slab (3 U-bolts) to ledge, then follow U-bolts up and left through orange huecos, to a crimpy finale.

Follow the thin crack as shown on the topo. Varied crack & face climbing.

Halfway up OA, this short climb traverses R over the slab, under the block, and finishes up the arete (head L onto wall near the finish).

Sit start of one eyed undertaker and traverse over the blob into the start of talking with the taxman. Sick boulder.

Instead of flopping onto the ledge with quiet relief, continue up the depressingly blank corner for another 15m to the top. Very small gear and one very old piton pretend to offer adequate protection.

Up the thin finger crack-line to the dead tree, skirt this, then top-out. Natural belay + tree belay. One of the best finger cracks on Maroon.

Weird climbing up the L side of Borderline 29 arete. Not bad but there are only a few short moves of class.

Has the distinction of being Australia's first 22.

Scramble/climb up the easy start next to ROI & onto the belay ledge. Starting in RH corner, trending left up weakness, then up, slightly right trending, into crack corner & up this to flaring off-width at top. Aid your way out to lip. then up over this to a good belay stance above.

Be wary of the original button bolts put in by Rick 47yrs ago; these are only 1" deep or so & hand-drilled.

Very rarely climbed, the route is rather chossy & vegetated.

(Estimates of freeing the downward flaring crack at the top start at around grade 27-28.)

Start: LH column.

Tricky move to the first FH, then hard moves to the 2nd FH (crux), up past a 3rd FH to a horizontal crack, tricky moves up to a bolt on the LHS of the arête, then cruise up to top and TB 5m behind pillar.

(FHs marked on topo. Horizontal break at 3/4 height is good for medium sized cams.)

The line between Hell's Angel and Easy Rider leading to the top of Angel Rider. Thin, fiddly gear at low crux, take lots of gear around green alien size and some micro wires. Grade will vary on the length of your limbs or size of your blinkers as Douglas was able to reach Easy Rider at points. Climbs the best rock on this wall, no idea why it wasn't done before.

The utterly contrived piece of junk to the L of A1. Step off the rock pedestal onto the arete. Climb the face, avoiding the crack, to the ledge above. Move R to a crack system and finish up the thin seam.

Shares the start of FML before branching right after the third bolt.

Start: Right of TC-FR. Shares pitch 1 with Zoomers On Speed.

1. Straight up

2. Out left from belay, above overlap, trend Left to belay.

3. Straight up to 3rd belay

4. Crux pitch: Straight up, passing an old Petzl bolt to very loose top-out. This pitch merges with TC-FR.

(Route length is approximate)

The crappy little arete in between TD and AG. It features one crotch destroying high step, and that's about it! Gear can be found in the corner to the R (AG).

"Egg Everett & Rick White did Black Magic Woman 22, Right of Tough Mamma."

(Thrutch mag #72 Sept/Oct 1977.)

(Possibly the thin crack 1m Right of TM?)

Start: Right of SQ & TC-FR.

1. Up the first pitch of KOED.

2. Up trending slightly Right.

3. Up trending Right into corner.

4. Straight up to top.

(Route length is approximate)

Not bad but not one to plan your whole day around either. Climb the line R of DDE up a thin crack to a rest on a sloping ledge. From here up a flake and past a piton (hand sized cams essential).

Start: Left of Phaedra on next ledges higher left.

All trad – no bolts placed by first ascentists.

1. 35m gr__

2. 35m gr__

Continue up last half of p2 of OIGWM or escape right into p3 of Phaedra. (The original ascentists abseiled off from this point.)

The full name of the route: Pussy Squat Dribble

The bloc just before Luke’s Scoop. Start in a stand start with Right Toe Hook. Straight up

Right of the cave.

Up the thin face, passing 3 carrots. Stay left of the blunt arete.

Unknown

Up Malice In Underland to the 2nd carrot, then Right of the blunt arete, passing a FH.

A confused and dangerous variation of Delilah. Solo up the micro seam 2m L of Impulse, joining the line Delilah. Mantle the same hard move then R at the next ledges into a groove. Climb on and finish as for Delilah.

The inside LH corner of the big cave - opposite Valhalla.

Characterised by poor rock & poor gear = hence the name.

Fingery wall & grove to the Left of TBOI.

Come with a well protected crux and an exciting finish.

Start: The square dot furtherest left at the crag.

Easy start (gear up the crack) and easy finish (no gear), with a dynamic crux in the middle, passing 2 FHs & a bolt (shared with IHAIP), to chains on tree above.

Start: On the large flake at the base of the RH column.

Up to a bolt at 3m height, hard climbing past another bolt to a good horizontal crack, up the thin face, passing a FH to the next horizontal crack, then past a bolt to the top and DBB.

(Small to medium sized cams.)

The crack 8m left (up the slope) of IP, initialed "CK". The only trad line here. Follow the crack-line up. Tree belay. Recommended you use tape or gloves, due to the sharp crystalline nature of the crack.

Start: The dot just R of the small All Hands On Dick pillar.

An acrobatic little number. Up the crack line (gear) to the first bolt 7-8m up, then up passing 2 more BRs, (don’t despair at the overhang, but locate the hidden pocket), then 5 FHs to chains at top.

Shares chains with UFG.

Start: Below yellow corner; straight crack, Left of Asps Only. Intimidating crackline.

Start: At the dot (marked HA & BE) below the shallow cave – a few metres R of SD.

1. 45m __ - Scramble up to below the cave (with gear), then up thin crack on orange sloping slab, following the FHs.

2. 20m __ – Up the crack above the chains. Place gear as high as possible so you don’t damage the beautiful Grass tree if you fall – besides, it’s hard to get the spikes out of your backside.

Brittle start up wall beside SC. Hug your way up the slim buttress between SB and SC, passing 4 BR. Exit via the chimney at the back of detached buttress to the chain above Smoked Banana

A crack somewhere here.

"At Maggie's Farm, McGregor has added Broken Wings 22."

(Thrutch mag #69 Nov/Dec 1976.)

Start: As for Hidden Agenda.

Up the crack below the cave, up to a bulge, and onto the arête, passing the cave. Short traverse right onto the bulge and up a hard layback. Follow the crack and face to top.

The thin crack just Left of TM. Up this to ledge & TB.

Done by Coral Bowman (US) in 1977, likely the first female ascent at this grade in AU.