Routes in Victoria

Rebolted in 2012. Excellent thin climbing previously graded 29, then 27 after a likely FA by Reuben. Much harder than SV Direct but still 27. Start immediately below high first bolt. Has also been climbed via SVs start at the same grade.

Starts 2m L of 'Fuel the Fire'. Sharp at least 26, probably 27.

4 RBs - Rebolted June 2023 - Safer Cliffs Victoria

Roman Warfare 27 “The first ascent required an army of support to fight his way up this feisty number” Don your armour, put some plumes in your helmet and quest up the arete, conserve the small shrub for cover, regroup your troops at the ledge where the fun begins. Stalk your way up the balancy face to ambush your enemy. Beware of booby trap loose rock in the roof let. Check for previous soldiers shin skin, leg hair and blood at the lip, mount your horse and gallop up the arete to victory. R side of the Spintrian arete to the ledge then the L wall of the Golgotha corner over the roof and up the R side of the arete to DBB loweroff

Traverse the line of blocks using blocks 7 and under minus the bottom 2 rows. #traverse

Traverse the wall on the city side of the road using blocks 6 and under minus the bottom row. #traverse

Traverse the wall on the City side of the road only using the blocks 5 and under. #traverse

Traverse the line of blocks using blocks 7 and under minus the bottom 2 rows. #traverse

An outstanding, sustained and varied free climb that challenges the full gamut of granite styles. This is a distinctly more approachable prospect than the other free routes on this end of the wall consisting of generally easier cruxes, fewer run-outs and less small gear. The route follows a logical line of features incorporating sections of the aid routes Knocking on Heavens Door, She, Clouded Queen, Ozymandias and Strange Ritual. Most pitches include a mix of natural gear and bolts. Take a standard rack up to a 3 Camalot including some micro cams, small and medium wires.

1. 27, 35m. Start as for Knockin’ on Heavens Door and Free Reign in right facing corner. Continue up this for roughly 8m then move slightly left and over bulge. Continue up the right facing features above the initial corner until it becomes possible to climb rightward across a sequence of underclings toward more sustained climbing and a mix of bolts and natural gear placements.

2. 27, 50m. Follow the obvious right facing sickle-shaped tips layback until it peters out and leaves you in apparent blankness. Solve the puzzle then continue for 30+ meters up the shallow open scoop with many block holds and carrot bolts.

3. 27, 40m. As for pitch 5 of Free Reign up interesting weakness’s past aid belay and fixed hanger then continue up slab and slightly left over small overlap with powerful, thin climbing past two more fixed hangers. Finally, step right into crack and chunky features that lead to large ledge system on Ozymandias original to belay with two #2 Camalots.

4. 22, 35m. As for pitch 6 of Ozymandias Original. Follow obvious crack to the left and up through steepness to the sloping ledge and triple bolt belay.

5. 27, 50m. Follow the traverse pitch of Ozymandias Original pitch 7 for approximately 5 meters until it becomes possible to climb straight up a series of positive cracks toward the large, steep right facing corner above. Continue up corner until it becomes a roof and it is possible to clip a fixed hanger straight out the roof. Climb past this and over the headwall for the last of the routes' difficult climbing. Enjoy the wild position and hard climbing beneath your feet! Once a large ledge is reached either belay from here to break pitch into two or pick your way through the wide climbing to the top of the cliff.

Stunning! Below LGL. Rap in, climb out via the arête, slab and think crack past FHs (20m) Finish up LGL.

A rough/crystalline, flaring, diagonal crack... hmmm! Starts at the double rap ring at the end of p1 of Manhattan Project.

1. Up face (FH) to the right-leaning flared crack. Up this and thin crack (many cams and wires) to where it peters out. Up bulge (FH) to a small ledge. Up short wall (BR) to gain another ledge. Follow this for approximately 20m until an exit is possible.

The steep blunt arete to the R of Body Heat.

12m left of Champagne And Novocaine. Painfully thin and deceptively difficult climbing past 3 FH's.

The obvious shallow corner. Starts from the ramp which is accessed from the right hand end of the cliff.

Looks can be deceiving. At R end of cliff, (5 metres L of Catch It), up left facing groove/corner to lower off. 3rd Ring is hard to clip.

Powerful climbing with a truly evil start, up thin flake to overlap. Looks good, bolts may need replacing. The second pitch could be an anti-climax though.

Start: Start on wall left of prominent orange off-width corner at left end of crag.

1. 25m (27) Thin flake crack into shallow corner (4 FHs) and a grey scoop (BR) and one more FH. Step left and go up short wall to ledge.

2. 25m (17) The wall above, veering left.

Start as for 'The Gloaming'. At the second bolt head directly up past a RB sleazing your way past many slimpers to a thin seam 2RB. At top of seam head left, RB and up to hit the major break. At the break continue to head left and then up through the steeper rock passing the pocket of love and 3 more RB, to a double u bolt anchor.

Starts in cave where cliff meets the little creek, and climbs the steep wall just left of arete. A brutal jump start off a crimp (add a rock if you are short), leads into some enjoyable wrestling and technical finish.

Tricky climbing up an overhanging seam, with a good measure of dynos and technique required. Joins CNU for a few moves before finishing up arete, no. 1or 2 camalot required.

A frustrating crux. The prominent middle crack-line on the orange wall. Stepped corner-crack to ledge. Step right and up line to a slippery crack (awkward to clip FH on left). After difficulties step left and up steep wall.

Takes centre of orange wall.

1. 15m (-) Up flake-line left of "In Praise Of Idleness" to ledge.

2. 25m (27) Up centre of overhanging wall, veering right, then left.

Climb the right leading sickle/crack on the steep orange wall to the left of Thesinger. The top of the climb is equipped with chains for descent. Can be climbed with a full set of standard rocks.

Geoff was pointed at this to keep him away from STD Wall.

Thin technical seam up the overhung wall at the left end of the crag. Might be more popular if the crappy fixed wire was replaced with a bolt.

Climbs the left of two cracks splitting the central prow. Approach via 'Against The Tide' continuing rightwards down the sloping terrace to a two bolt belay. Bring a full set of wires, a double set of cams to 0.75 Camalot, and long runners. Double ropes recommended (two ropes required for rap from chains).

"The best line in Australia...". Also notable for the fact that Nyrie Dodd's free ascent was the first Aussie female ascent of a grade 27.

The second pitch roof-crack could hardly be in a better position.

This is also a superb mixed climb at 20, M2 if the roof is aided. Sadly it is often under-estimated and the detritus of retreat is often evident. It is not a practice route.

The start is rather obvious.

1. 50m (20) Up wide crack. Belay at stance where crack ends, about 10m below the roof. A #5 cam is useful on this pitch.

2. 20m (27) Move R to gain nice rail that leads L to the back of the roof, and the start of the roof crack. Follow crack (at either 27 or M2) to the lip and then up to belay stance.

3. 40m (18) Ramble up to the top.

Vertical seam into roof.

Located near man habnds cave, opposite side of little hands. Destined to be an obscure classic.

In shade after 11am. Technical start past two RB. At 3rd bolt head up and left past juggy corner to horizontal break. Up juggy diagonal crack and then left towards powerful finish and DRB lower-off. Re-bolted 2018

Starts in chasm.

Avoid the big dyno by starting on the cairn down low. Stick clip first bolt then boulder up the unlikely steep corner and through roof to reach big jugs and join into original route. Burly.

Break off left after 3rd bolt of Koala into MPD.

It's 3 o'clock..tick tock..

A hard bouldery start, then it's a pumpy fight up and L to the same chain as the previous routes.

Tough boulderery start of the cairn. Follow the dyke feature to anchor. Thin, technical and sustained.

Start up 'The Honeymoon is Over' then clip a bolt way out R. Swing R to the nose and up the wall past a PR.

Splitter steep finger crack on the right side of 'The Prow'.

Mega line right through the guts of the wall with a bold right leading finish. The reachy start still stumps Malcolm. He can do the rest at 26...

Direct finish to malcolms project. Look for the anchor!

Starts a few meters right of Poison Bait. Great athletic roof climbing.

The awesome steep red wall above the ledge on PNtT. Start up that route (3 camalot and small cams and wires) to ledge. Build an anchor and extend to over lip of ledge for rope drag. (Double length sling). A small camalot (0.3/0.4) protects clipping the first bolt (placed high to not impact PNtT). Very pumpy, steep climbing on jugs leads to a powerful finale on immaculate rock. A 1 camalot can be placed between the last bolt and the double ring bolt lower off. A 60m rope can be used to climb in a pitch and lower to the ground.

Arapiles like face you see on the left when entering crag x. Located adjacent to Red Rocks, the key is to access from other side of creek via cairns. Climb up gully to reach base of route. Bridge initial blankness. Pumpy!

Rising techincal traverse and crimpy face out left from 'Fat Fingered Freak'. From FFFs 2nd bolt head hard left on shallow slots to big break. Shake, then crimp like a fiend to next big break. Finish up further thin stuff to lower-off. 4th bolt is hard to clip without extension.

Watch out for skating cams and feet on the slick rock.

Start up 'Sullivan Street' then bust out left and up bulging wall above. #2 Camalot can be placed after last bolt to protect runout finish. Needs rebolting!

Another superb line. The best 27 in the 'Grampians' - although most think its actually 28!

Start: Start about 8m R of After Midnight.

Roof right of pitch 2 of 'A Space Odyssey'.

Super exposed upside-down roof-arête.

Crazy jump to start or 26 if you batman to first jug. Awesome either way.

Start: Start as for AP

1. 22 - 30m Climb Archimedes' Principle to belay of first pitch then continue along break to Pythagoras' Theorem. Either belay in corner or climb down to Pythagoras' Theorem first pitch ledge. 1 bolt

2. 27 - 50m Continue along obvious traverse line from Pythagoras' Theorem with mostly good holds but poor feet, all the way out to join Vegie Maths at the head wall (2nd last bolt of that route) and follow this to the top. 7 bolts

Adam Demmert and John Schmit climbed pitch 1 in 2009. The Adam and Malcolm did the second in 2014

Needs a 60m rope!!!!!

Shallow, bulging groove 5m R of Purple Haze.

Busts left after bouldery start on Slam Dunk. Sustained!!

The obvious Arapilesean sleazefest through the cave.

Thin offset seam with ringbolts. This looks like a massive sandbag. Prepare to be humbled!

Slabby seam with offset edges on far left end of cliff. Shallow corners 15m left of Whitebait. Three eye-bolts. Crack above. Advisable to stick clip the first BR. Rapchains.

The dimpled wall which used to have old carrots. A bouldery start guards the fun face climbing above.

Rarely repeated. A long route with a sting in the tail. Climb past BR and broken rock into scoop, then very bouldery move left across cave. At sixth ring bolt go right and direct up face past limestone like large pocket and micro edges through bulge. 9 RBs and chain lower off.

Direct start through scoops of afterworld past ringbolts. Joins afterworld for last few bolts.

On the far right side of the chossy cave is a very obvious overhanging finger sandy crack. Aid this using cams to size #1 and some birdbeaks for the top. Might go free at grade 25? Rap off shitty sling.

This now goes free at grade 27, will become super classic trad crack test price. Probably the best true finger crack in the grampians.

Gear 0.1 to 0.5 bd x4

aka The Dopeman 'Extension'. An excellent line across a prominent feature. A modern classic that was somehow overlooked in the first VD Land onslaught.

Start: Start on ledge at finish of 'The Dope Man'.

Start as dope man.... punch left at ceiling campussing on pockets.

Seeps like a waterfall, except during long dry spells. Great moves though.

Just your regular crazy gramps stone.

A 27 slab.

TG direct finish. Might be 28

New wave testpiece. Excellent sustained face climbing. 7 bolts to fixed biner lower off. The resident lunch-stealing critter is actually a bandicoot, not a bilby!

Outstanding arete with some very technical moves. Rebolted 2011 (thank goodness).

Start: 10m L of 'Clicke Crack' is the scarily exposed traverse which leads left to the main section 'Clicke Wall'. Start just L of the scary bit, under the L side of the obvious short arete.

Bloody hard finish which can be done two ways.

Start: Line of FH's up black seam just to the right of 'Amnesty International'.

Starts as league of Nations, Goes into UN, then finishes as good fight direct. Some linkups are pretty lame, but imho this is f#cking ace.

Excellent climbing with a very technical finish. One of the only Scott Camps projects that he actually managed to get up!

The FA was nearly stolen by my younger brother Daniel who fortunately fell off after the crux. Start 3m R of The Fear of Music. The thin face to a very thin and hard boulder to reach the break. Step R a move and take the R side of the headwall to the DRB loweroff. The old carrots and hangers have been replaced with Fixe ringbolts 3 Mar 17

(Is this Slit Your Throat as per http://vicclimb.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Grampians-update.pdf )??

Powerful corner climbing at its best. Start about 20m right 'Technorganica' around the right side of the arete. Stick clip the first bolt. Climb starts about 2m right of corner, climb up to horizontal crack, traverse this to gain corner proper. Continually powerful moves up corner to exit it on the left then traverse back right over the top of it to DB lower off. 'Extension' is an open project.

This steep and powerful roof looks like fantastic climbing, but unfortunately the bolts have not aged well and it is mostly only 4-5m off the ground requiring care to avoid groundfalls.

Start: Start 25m R of 'Gilgamesh' at the R end of the low rooves.

Burning bright.

Start beneath the overhanging corner 20m R of 'The Rubicon'. A burly start leads into the corner which takes you to the roof, which has three manky pitons (and bomber gear). From here there is a tough move at the lip and 2 FHs before the lower off.

Climbs Garry's old project up and left from third bolt on Weak Boy past a cool boulder. Was a bolting (and glueing?) controversy, with a dodgy SIKA hold.

Start: Start as for 'Weak Boy'.

Underrated and sustained. Graded 27 for many years although Simon originally thought it was 28. Some people love it and some people hate it. Six u-bolts and an exciting runout at the finish. The last bolt was added ten years after the first ascent to stop a potential 14m fall!

2 bolt boulder start to RS. Classic!!

This linkup provides an easier way to do Tourniquet p2 as a single monster pitch from the ground. Climb Mr J p1 to it's 2nd last bolt, slopy traverse R to middle of black streak (cams), spicy up black streak into the spacious cave. Join Tourniquet pitch 2 up the arete.

The stunning final pitch is one of the very best on the wall. Before you get there, there's a hard crux on the 2nd pitch. The hanging 2nd belay is best avoided by linking pitches 2 and 3, while pitch 2 is easily worked from the ground if you have a recalcitrant belayer. Start on the elevated ledge, 7m R of the top of the boulder and just R of the small tree, at a short fat flake on the slab.

1. 20m (21) A worthwhile pitch in its own right, although all the mantles are somewhat above gear. Up the slabby flake then 4m R along breaks. 3 slithery mantles lead to rap anchor on ledge (18m). Cams, med. wires.

2. 13m (27) Follow fused flake up L with increasing difficulty, then a draining fingery traverse back R to 3 bolt anchor (8m to 1st belay, 25m to base).

3. 20m (24) Brilliant. Tough moves out slopey 3m roof flake, past the only remaining original bolt - consider a small cam just below to back it up. Now blast up the very steep and very exposed water groove past 4 bolts and a spicy final runout. A wire can reportedly be finagled in on the top runout, but with all that air below your remaining energy is probably better spent in braving the final moves without it! DRB rap anchor (48m to ground).

Another excellent 15m variant to Serpentine. Follow Serpentine pitch 2 for 12m until halfway up the fridge hugging. Trend R and up past bolts to loweroffs (30m to 1st belay, 52m to ground). The loweroff is somewhat diagonal - be careful not to end up hanging in space.

Variety! The famous HB dyno route as immortalized by Simon Carter's photos in the early 1990s. Take a full rack up to #2.5Fr, including Aliens, RPs, and sling runners (and/or double ropes) to minimise drag. Start as for Sirocco.

1. 35m (27) A great series of features. Follow pitch 1 of Sirocco to the horizontal. Swing R along this to tricky white corner and gain slab (FH). Trend R and up technical slab and finally the infamous big dyno between buckets (battered FH), to lower-off (25m, but a 60m rope barely reaches if it's still through all the gear so tie a knot in the end).

2. 35m 32. The daunting beautiful red wall above to a rap anchor at the top. Yet another contender for the best pitch on the wall. Renamed Orange Desire by Quentin; more like 33 according to Alex Megos.

A good option if you think Father O eases off too much after its crux. Start as for Father O, until just past it's 3rd bolt. Now head up the R side of the scoop, through bulge past 2 FHs and 2 RBs (thin crux direct past 2nd RB - deduct a grade (and maybe some self respect) if you deviate L around this bolt into Father O) to break. Trend R from break to top. Take cams & wires. If that's not enough harder climbing for you then throw in the worthwhile direct start, from the middle of the belay ledge and heading up L (good tiny trad) to Father O's first bolt.

A good aid climb turned into a great free climb. The first pitch is worth a star or two in its own right and is justifiably very popular with Taipan virgins.

Start 25m R of The Great Divide, and 8m R of The Chick is Trouble.

1. 25m (23) Up shallow orange flake/corner to the large deep break, then traverse 5m L to pocketed roof (an alternative but inferior start is as for TCiT). Over roof (RB) on pockets, then follow flakes up and L to a ledge and DRB (20m rap).

2. 30m (27) Some great moves in prime positions, but unfortunately not very sustained. Up to smooth wall, then step R to the desperate slabbing crux (FHs) to a good rest. Up the incipient crack to the bulge and over this with difficulty. Up and L to a good slot and up to another slot and then a fingery wall leads to the top. This pitch has 4FH's and a lower-off shared with Daedalus.

Wonderful climbing based on the sharp, undercut arete right of Dance of Life. The crux is very hard, but very short. If you pull on the crux bolt it's an excellent 25M1. Take a full rack incl. 2 #3.5 cams, and 15-20 quickdraws.

Start directly below the impressive hanging arete which soars upwards from the R side of a large roof. This is just L of where the walk-in meets the cliff, and is where the track along the base balances along the top edge of a large smooth-faced boulder.

1. 35m (27) 10m easy grey slab, beware some friable rock, to desperate orange slab with a FH. Follow flakes to the steep groove on the R side of the arete. Crux past FH to break, then L and up L side of arete, 3½ cam & FH. At big break move R to belay in small cave.

2. 15m (24) On up face, veering slightly right-wards to top.

The gobsmaking left leaning line in the centre of the cave finishing near the end of 'Tazer'. One FH at start and one right near the finish. The rest is old school trad! Malcolm flashed it for the second ascent.

This line breaches the steepest part of the main wall on perfect rock, with some amazing moves to get through the bulges. Start at the left of 2 cracks that head up the the lower part of the main wall. Blast up through some very steep bulges, with some great slopers for slapping.

Line of FHs through roof left of 'Antics'. Start as for MD. 2 boulders broken by no hands rest. Bolted by Monty in 2004.

Start as for Cliffhanger. Continue straight up passing a bolt. At the roof reverse Curtain Call for 3m. Gain the headwall above via a neat pocket sequence (crux) passing two bolts.

Climb Cut Short for a few metres until you can gain the hanging orange/grey wall to the left. Up this on delightful incuts, slopes, razors, and pockets to gain a series of beautiful pockets above an orange overlap. Make a span leftwards above the lip to pick up a vertical seam through a bulge then stagger over this to join Tapestry at the end of its traverse. Finish up Tapestry.

"Power" your way along the slopey traverse line 4m down and right of "Cellular Destruction" to a bolt.

Now up past second bolt to letterbox slot (#0.75 BD cam or better, #0.1 BD cam in the smaller gap leaving space for your hands).

Up (being careful not to escape out R to the easier ground on the arete and incur the ridicule of the climbing community) into Cellular Destruction at the end of its traverse and finish as for it, complete with its hideous mantle.

Nowadays largely ignored but still worth doing in it's own right. Originally started by stepping off the pillar into the line but now incorporates the direct start from the ground. Where the connection moves left into 'Anus Horribilus', continue straight up via the traditionally protected arete.