Routes in Wolgan Valley for selected grade

The obvious line between the sandy choss caves. Rock quality is very poor in lower and upper sections. Take particular care with the "flake" below the crack...

A long excellent pitch up an aesthetic curving arete that is mostly bolt protected. Bring a single set of cams between finger/fist size and a couple of long slings. Start on the little ledge above the ground. At the top belay off carrots - to descend walk 10m right to chains around large tree (50m rap - two ropes required).

1. 27m to belay ledge (3BB).

2. 31m Exposed traverse right then follow the bolts up to tree belay.

Each pitch has 5 bolts. Descend from rap above Helzapoppin

Good, well protected wall climbing. Take wires and small to medium cams.

Start: Right hand crack 20m right of Gollum.

1. 25m Crack then corner to start of chimney.

2. 30m (17) Chimney and out to lip. Up corner to tree anchor.

Start 5m right of WO on ledge.

1. 6m Chimney to ledge.

2. 24m Exit chimney and up to stance.

3. 12m (17)

4. 18m Corner to top.

125m right of NRFC at the big chimney.

1. 25m Up flake, over bulge then chimney to cave.

2. 25m (18) Chimney to overhang, over bulge and up corner.

3. 20m Through overhang, up corner to top.

Start 2m right of SS.

1. (17) Up and trend right to crack above roof. Crack then arete to tree.

2. Wall to top.

Start as for X.

1. 20m (17) Chimney to horizontal crack then down to ledge.

2. 30m Left then up to top.

Start 10m right of TS.

1. 25m (17) Corner to roof then over to tree.

2. 30m Corner to top.

Start 20m right of M.

1. 30m Crack to corner then up corner.

2. 33 (17) Crack to roof, onto wall, into chimney then up crack.

Enjoyable face climbing. Almost a sports route with 6 bolt runners. Starts 2m left of Zarathustra (marked). Traverse 5m right to big tree for rap off.

Start 25m right of Z.

1. 30m (18) Corner to roof, pass bulge to cave.

2. 30m Traverse left to crack then up to corner and top.

The first pitch is 40m to a tree-belay. You can traverse 5m left past a short jam crack (just below the aforementioned tree) to the anchors for Liquid Sky at the end of P1, and rap to the ground (a single 60m rope JUST reaches on stretch).

Start as for I.

1. 25m 8m then left to cave. Trend left past flakes then traverse to arete.

2. 15m (17) Arete to fixed peg at ledge.

3. 15m Arete to top.

Start 30m right of W.

1. 30m Up crack to overhang. Through overhang, up to ledge then left to corner and two pegs.

2. 25m (17) Diagonally to arete, up slab, back to crack, up slabs to top.

Start beneath bolts on slab 80m right of The Slab Climb.

1. (17) Slab to ledge 5m beneath bolts then right and up for 4m. Move back to bolts and up to ledge. Bolt anchor.

2. Traverse left and up to ledge. Traverse right to bolt runner. Continue right then up to bolt anchor.

3. Diagonally left for 15m to bolt then up to diagonal crack.

4. Up to top.

Go up Wall route for 2 pitches to big traverse ledge. Belay on single bolt/horn/cam. Easy traverse 35m right to trees (not much gear!). Go up last two pitches of 'Sword of Damocles'. Beware of very loose and very big blocks at belay station at top of pitch 3 of Sword of Damocles.

1. 12m Up sandy corner to stance in a cave (1 old bolt)

2. 15m (16) Exciting move for the grade out cave and up to a small stance (or run P2&3 together)

3. 27m (15) Up crack and over slight bulge, continue to a stance at the base of a right facing corner.

4. 24m (17) Up crack and over bulge to a small stance 5m above a small tree.

5. 22m (17) Climb bulge and up the headwall to the top. Dirty and not much gear towards the top. Belay of trees and bushes back from the edge.

Can be done in 3 pitches by linking P1 & P2, and either P3 & P4 or P4 & P5.

Engaging climbing, with exposure and the odd run-out. Double ropes are good, Well protected if you can place gear. A good sphincter tightening experience for mutant latte drinking sport climbers. Rebolted 2007

Start: Start at the shattered pillar beneath crack on R side, which is 'Scimitar'. Shares start.

1. 35m (18) Up crack then L and up wall past BRs to ledge with DBB.

2. 18m (16) Wall, bulge, BR's to ledge with DBB

3. 35m (17) L to thin crack and up, BR's, to roof then up to belay in small cave.

4. 20m (15) Up and traverse L then wander on up via ledges and breaks to DBB on top. Rap anchors nearby for descent.

The right-hand crack line on Upper Baldy. Four pitches with P2 being the crux. Most climb it in two pitches but it was originally climbed in four. Start up the left (diagonal) crack off the top of the huge treed pillar (as shown in topo), although traversing the lip to the RH (vertical) crack has also been done. Once on top, the Stiletto abseil anchors (DRB) are only 15m to your left (west), it's 2 45m abseils back to the halfway ledge.

Start as for Scimitar. Up Scimitar or wall on right to alcove at 10m. Traverse right (2BRs) to anchor 1 of Knife of Air. Mike Law, Stephen Hamilton 1994

Start 150m right of Dirk at overhang corner.

30m Over roof, up and through offwidth then over bulge.

Straight up the line of carrots (optional wire placement higher up). Ignore the scoopy holds on Scanner just to the right! Crimpy and sequency for those without reach.

Follows the bolts up the ironstone bands and through the big scoops. Optional wire placement between 2nd and 3rd bolts. Tops out with 2 bolts just over the lip. Rap off tree in the corner a few metres away.

The obvious corner immediately west of Pipeline canyon exiting the cliff-line.

Location lost to antiquity

A must for choss'ists. Left leaning crack splitting right side of 'Main Wall'. Climbs BIG corner - Loose in parts.

Gear: Skyhooks, Double cams and wires.

Belays are well equipped with BR's and / or fixed gear.

Start: Left leaning crack splitting right side of 'Main Wall'

Great free route P1 to 5 the rap off. 23ish.

1. 35m (14) Easy broken corner to large ledge, turning small roof on R. Gear belay.

2. 35m (18 M3) Aid small corner behind ledge, then free moves L to main corner and up to belay. Free at about 21? Gear belay

3. 35m (18 M4) Aid corner to roof then free around roof and up to bolt belay. Free at about 23?

4. 20m (- M4) Up corner to chain belay. Last chance to bail.

5. 15m (- M5) Up corner to shale band then L across wall and up to belay. Bad bolts?

6. 50m (-) Down and L to wide crack. Aid through roof and beyond, then free up and L to belay on R under large roof.

7. 50m (-) Aid 3m roof-crack then free up corner to final belay.

Start 25m right of E.

1. 25m (18) Shimmy up and onto wall then up to corner.

2. 25m Corner then over roofs.

3. 25m Crack to corner, over roof then right.

4. 25m Arete to top.

Start 13m right of TV.

Start 20m right of MA.

1. Up crack.

2. Up line to top.

Start as for WR.

1. As for WR.

2. As for WR.

3. 8m (17) Traverse left and up to horizontal. Traverse to arete.

4. 40m Up arete.

Start 1m right of OGVII.

1.30m Up to ledge. Bolt Anchors.

1. 45m (17) Right then up to top.

Mixed route on carrots. Take many bolt plates (11!) plus medium-sized cams. To access climb Harlem, Mother's Drugs or Virgin Flight.

Stem and crack climb your way to glory.

Start: Start 6m R of 'Agent Orange' at initial 'C' in a cave with a fine corner crack leading out of the top.

1. 21m (18) Up steep finger crack corner to ledge. Belay on Cams, wires.

2. 15m (18) Continue up thin crack and overhang to ledge and belay behind the tree.

3. 30m (18) Follow the R-facing corner to large bulbous tree. Up the dirty slot behind to a good ledge.

4. 12m (16) Up corner to ledge. Step left (around arete) to Rap anchor or continue another 10m to top.

Descent: Abseil 40m to a small ledge with two ring bolts just left of pitch 2 belay, then abseil 35m to the ground.

Start below the tree. First pitch (15) is 40m with 7 bolts. Runout to 2 rusty bolts right by each other not far from the tree, and then 5 above the tree. A 2 bolt belay leads into the 2nd 20m pitch (17) with 4 bolts and a 2.5 friend. The bolts are not all easy to spot. Chains and ring on ledge.

Fantastic hand crack widening to offwidth. Most don't bother with pitches 2 and 3.

Start: At the crack 3 m R of Grunter.

1. 30m (19) Overcome the overhang then jamb your way to the hearts of millions. Now has rings in addition to the traditional tree anchor on large ledge. Best with 2 x #4 C4s for the offwidth.

2. 30m (-) Up dirty chimney.

3. 21m (-) Up corners to top

One of the classics of the cliff. Varied climbing.

Start: At marked 'MM' at large flake crack.

1. 25m (16) Up flake to top of pedestal. 3BB.

2. 20m (18) Up wall diagonally L to BR. Continue diagonally L (poor pro) easily to ledge (feel free to add a bolt) then up to ledge with a small tree and 2 rings .

3. 20m (17) Up to ledge and across 8m L to ledge then up slab and groove on R (2BR) to stance at base of L-facing corner with a small tree and 2BB.

4. 25m (18) Up corner to cruxy top-out. Tree anchor.

Descent = rap 50 m from slim tree 10 m East (R facing valley; look out for loose rock) to large ledge (top of Sizzler) and rap rings. 40 m rap.

Up short hand crack to ledge, then up sand filled finger crack to diagonal squeeze chimney. Up through to detached pedestal.

Pitch 2 belay tree now has sling and locker, it is possible to lower off this to the ground using a single 80m

1. 18m (18) Aesthetic fingertips corner up to a bolted anchor in a sandy cave. Most only do this good pitch.

2. 21m (-)

3. 30m (-)

4. 30m (-)

1. 34m (15) Up lovely corner to two bolt belay/lower off. Takes many #2 & 3 camalots. Watch rope length when descending off first pitch! You can make it on a single 60m doubled if you swing over towards decline and fall.

2. 9m (17)

3. 13m (-)

Take a full rack, brackets and a #1.5 Fr for above 3rd bolt. Rap 35m off DRB.

The arete 8m R of TBFA. Good climbing, almost worth a star. Rap 45m off DRB. We did pitch 2 but not clean yet, please keep off.

A cliff splitting line that reserves its crux for the very end. Soft rock. Take large pro. Start marked "SoS". 6m right of Traversy at the left of the two great grey cracks.

1. 26m. Go up little walls etc into the chimney and up to the roof. Jamb the left crack to a small stance.

2. 44m. Follow the crack to a stance just above a very decomposed section.

3. 15m (17) Up corner into cave below roof. Jamb out around the roof (exposed) and on to top.

A fine line that is suprisingly short on protection when you need it most.

Start 100m left of the tree covered amphitheatre at the obvious crack running leftwards up the wall before the cliff sweeps into orange overhangs. At this point you are nearly directly abopve a house in the valley below.

1. 45m. Up the short broken wall and crack to a tree on ledge. Up around the overhang with a heave ho, then up the marvellous jamb crack. Follow the crack into offwidth, swear like crazy, then up to a large tree. Nut anchor behind.

2. 12m. Up the fine corner crack behind to tree anchor.

3. 12m. Scramble up as you will to top.

A lot of scrub detracts from the line, however the jambing on pitch 2 is good. The lower half of the route looks atrocious.

Start 150m right of Idiot Wind at a horribly dirty moss covered wall with acres of bush and scrub covering the lower half of the line. Start on the right side of the tree covered amphitheatre. There is a big scrubby corner capped by a roof at half height about 8m left of the start.

1. 15m. Wander up broken mossy wall then up over blocks to belay below crack (hidden somewhere inthe mossy scrub).

2. 36m. Straight up the crack, then left to base of next crack to beat the overhang.

3. 12m. Follow the crack to the top.

Start 80 right of Indecent Exposure and about 6m right of a rotten overhang. A short clean corner can be seen starting about 20m up.

1. 17m. Solo up right to tree, then up short corner crack to stance below the impressive corner crack.

2. 30m. Sustained jambing up crack, then right up ramp to tree anchor.

3. 35m. From thin crack on left, wander up wall to top.

Enjoyable (?!) offwidthing and chimneying on not so good rock. Large tubes required.

Start 30m right of Jump in a n orange corner.

1. 22m. Up blocks to base, then straight up to bridging stance in chimney.

2. 15m. Up chimney, following left to top.

Start on the left hand side of the main wall, 2m in from the arete.

1. 30m (18) Follow up wall on delicate holds past 10 BR to good stance on ledge & DBB in cubbyhole.

2. 20m (17) Step leftwards steeply to step "off the lip". Move out onto face and continue up wall to base of hollow flake system and 3.5 friend break. Continue up wall on good jugs to top and DBB. 7BR on this pitch.

3. 10m (10) Walk up behind big block and bridge short chimney to top & tree belay.

Initially led ground up, without pre-inspection. Start at the scoops about 10m right of Acoustic Corner at a small pile of discarded holds - don't be put off by these. Surprisingly well protected using natural placements throughout, take 2 sets of wires and a double rack of small to medium cams. Originally led in 4 pitches, though the below might be a better method.

1. Delicately through face moves past bolt to sling arch. From here the rock quality is very good. Follow the plumb line through shockingly good gear to 2BB on the ledge at 35m.

2. Continue on the plumb line through adequate (though fiddlier) gear to belay at small bulge just below the 1/2 way ledge.

3. Easily up to 1/2 way ledge to belay from large gum.

Descent: walk left to 2 RBB rap station, 32m rap to next station, then 35m to ground at the bottom of Road to Hell.

Start 50m right of Acoustic Corner. Up obvious flake to ledge. Second pitch-" Back to work " step right of belay up small corner then tend back left to large ledge. Is recommended that you abseil of after first pitch as the second is rather full on....

Big chimney then nice hand crack. 2 x 30m pitches

Awesome hand crack!! A big whopping 50m pitch. 10m right of big chimney which is Fog of war and 3m right of scrubby unclimbed corner system at left leaning hand crack. Take plenty of hand size pieces 4x #2, 3x #3's and 2 x #4's as a minimum plus your usual rack. Climb hand crack through small rooflet at 25m to a wide section. Continue to top. Tree belay.

Another great climb, was done ground up with both Hugh's "yoyoing" the first pitch. Start 30m right of "Mysts of Time" on small pedestal.

1. Up face via piton and 2 bolts to large horizontal, then take traversing line via bolt to Arete. Glorious postion. Bolted anchor in cave feature. Is recomended to abseil off from here.

2. Up left out of cave and wander to top.

Follows a good line offering interesting hand jamming in the central section. Take a good supply of medium/large cams and hexes.

Start in shallow right facing corner which is a bout 15m right of an easy looking blocky chimney/corner. Approx 1km West of The Badlands.

Scramble up 10m to tree anchor on triangular sandy ledge.

Up short slab then hard moves (crux) bridging past BR and then up corner being carful of several loose blocks and Boris the spider!. Abseil off tree.

Named because the Jesse forgot most of his climbing gear. Start 10m right of Glockenspiel crack.

P1. 10m.Up small open book corner for 5m to ledge and belay 5m to the right at good stance.

P2. 25m. Straight up crack through chimney into awesome hand crack. Belay in chimney.

P3. 35m. Continue up chimney and crack.

Rap off tree as for TWTLD

Start approximately 100m right of Glockenspiel Crack at obvious overhanging hand crack in yellow rock. Up crack until it widens significantly at a stance. More dignified to move left onto the face to use some unprotected but big holds to the ledge, rather than grovelling up the offwidth. Great climb.

A large thread on the ledge allows an easy descent.

Described by Statius as "the queen of long distance roads" the construction of the Appian Way commenced in 312 BC and served as a supply route for troops and supplies during the Samnite Wars. As a long straight clean line this is one of the more efficient ways to gain the 1/2 way ledge for anyone wanting to inspect the tougher routes prior to climbing. The line commences about 10m Right of Mouse land and 20m Left of Interregnum. Follow the rightmost of the 2 cracks through a bulge and onto a blunt arête. Directly up the sea of rock on the arête through mixed gear, beautiful holds and fabulous exposure. The last 5m off the ledge to the anchor is climbed via the small arete past 1 BR to tree belay. Take: 8 bolt plates, at least 2 x .5 and 2 x .3, offset nuts are good (keep a blue for the headwall), otherwise a single rack should do.

Outstanding climbing, probably one of the "Must Do's" at the crag, despite it's shorter length.

Stemming corner problem with small gear down low. 2 sets of nuts are worth considering, as is a #4 for up high. Follow the thin crack until it widens to off width, then look for gear and holds on the face. 2BB at the top of this pitch. A rope stretching 30m abseil to the deck.

An attempt was made on the corner above, but abandoned after 15m due to loose rock, reduced rock quality, and the proximity of more desirable climbing.

Named as such because of the pasty shirtless climbers in the area on the first ascent. Start 50m right past 'Had me in Stitches'. Double cracks at left of wall. Climb right crack until they converge, continue till crack ends then out left and up. Awesome position. Tree anchor. Two ropes required to get Down.

Lovely but committing face climbing up to crack line 1/2 way up the wall, initially climbed on sight and ground up, so the grading and star may need some verification. Start on the face a couple of metres right of Blue Mountains Has Talent, up past large cams (4 and/or 5) in horizontal at top of block and then onto face. Past bolt and adequate wire as well as slung chicken heads to small cams (0.5 or 0.75) in horizontal break, continue to the base of finger crack. Follow crack to high tree anchor. 42m rappelled from this tree.

Begin on the far right-hand side of the wall where "Blinded by the White" is the first crack system. Go up the hill until you are 10 meters from the corner, and you will see a crack with a small plant at 1/3 height and an off-width slot about half way up. Bring plenty of medium-big gear: 3 number 3's and a single 5 are not the worst idea in the world...The tree sitting right above the line is unfortunately dead and has been burnt, so either traverse awkwardly 4 meters left to only decent tree around to belay, or go way back over the edge to larger tree behind the first dead one. Take care not to kill your belayer in the process of reaching an anchor tree. Requires two 60 meter ropes to get down and some shenanigans.

Cool "shark fin" looking corner system on the upper cliff line - see photo above. "Enjoyable, dunno if I'd bother repeating it. Cool adventure though" Hugh Ward.

The route can be accessed via a half way ledge from the West. Quite a long walk for one route, but there is plenty of potential for further routes. Can be seen from the road. Almost directly above The house jack built.