Routes in Oceania for selected grade

A short hard layback to L arete (rest). Move back R and up seam.

Start: From L end of ledge at half-height, near orange patch.

A reachy start, then sustained climbing straight up on great rock.

Start: 8m L of 'Fault Line' at a brushed line, marked "NL".

Start left of 'Hidden Secrets'. Up rightwards ramp to corner, step right and head then up until above rooflet. Traverse left and finish up 'Loading Zone'.

As for Hidden Secrets but take the easier start of Je Suis un Legend instead of the tricky boulder.

Superseded by 'Striptease Parade' now, but this was a bold effort back in the day. From the 1978 Lockwood guide: "Necky as anything, committing and sparsely protected." Start: At L end of wall, on a sloping ledge.

Shares the start of 'Glory Road', but goes straight up from half-height instead of escaping off left into the mossy ramble.

Start at L end of ledge, up to a couple of large pockets at 3m. Traverse left then boldy up to a horizontal break. From this ledge continue straight up without escaping left.

As for SP to pockets, then move R into 'Rats Alley'. Stay with this for 10m, then head straight up brushed steak (where 'Rats Alley' moves L) past bolt and hollow flake.

Start: As for 'Striptease Parade'.

A thin, almost-eliminate slab.

Up 'Rats Alley' for 15 or so metres, then scoot R (across Streetwise) to a welcome bolt. Keep your head together and climb straight up to the top.

Start: As for 'Rats Alley'.

Move up and L to arete. Climb just R of arete and finish at rap anchor (or continue to the top in a 48m pitch).

Start: A few metres R of arete facing Caslte Crag.

Climb straight up middle of wall past 2 carrots.

Start: As for 'Chinese Algebra'.

Girdle of 'Voodoo Buttress'.

Start: As for CA.

1. 25m (21) Up CA to ledge.

2. 30m (21) Traverse R until below Wasp flake. Up and R into 'Wurlitzer' to ledge.

3. 45m (21) Continue R on ledge, at end move up to 10m, then move R to arete and up to top.

A harder variant start to Mother's Son. Simon Mentz has done a more direct version finishing up the crack instead of moving R into Mother's Son (still joins Mother's Son at the ledge and they share the same top half)

Start: 2m L of Mother's Son.

Tricky to start but soon gets easier.

Straight up pocketed corner to flake. Take LH fork through the bulge.

Start: At base of diagonal line uphill from 'Voodoo'.

Half way up 'Wasp' there is a large flake leading right. Follow this to join 'Warped'.

Climb the prominent R-leaning diagonal line to join 'Wurlitzer' below roof. Up to roof, then break L, turn roof and up face.

Start: As for Wasp.

Up to and through overhang. Join original and finish as for that. This is 22 in Lou's guide.

Start: 2m L of original.

Boulder up on slopes and crimpers, till you can traverse L for 4m and into obvious corner (Spider LH Variant).

Start: Start 3m L of 'Spider'.

Start: As for original.

Follow 'Artifact' for 5 metres to the ledge. Then step down and right and climb wall left of arete.

Start: Start as for 'Artifact'.

Up leaning corner to roof, then exit L (at break).

Start: Up the gully from previous routes and short corner crack.

Short crack through overlap.

Start: 5m R of BO.

The thin line starting 1m or so left of Zabriskie. Easily top-roped from the Zabriskie anchor

Twin seams up the grey nose.

Brushed streak at left end of the main wall. Rock Bollard for sling or abseil

Start: Start 5 metres left of Hard And Fast, about 25 metres right of 'Doo Voo'.

Follow intermittent cracks on wall. Finish up lovely twin orange and black streaked rock through short roof. Goes straight to new abseil anchors at 23 m

Start: Start between 'Hand Job' and Menage A Trois.

The prominent recessed orange groove to an intimidating roof. Over roof and up black wall. The site of a bee hive as of 2015.

Line 6 metres right of 'Wormwood', passing through two bulges low down (finish right of top roof.

Start 2m R of 'Sky Scraper' , just R of native pine. Groove, step L, straight over bulge.

Please do not climb during nesting season (August to December). Start beneath the hanging nose of Ciela.

1. 18m (21) Slither up the surprisingly tricky slab to the R side of the nose. Undercling out around the roof and keep gunning up the crack above into the chimney. Belay here or 4m L at the DRB.

2. 33m (17) From the DRB, go straight up the front of the nose, eventually escaping L around the top bulge.

Straight up past a bolt instead of traversing L.

Start as for Transatlantic Crossing, 8 metres left of Oceanoid.

1. 25m (21) Up corner-line as for Transatlantic Crossing to bulge. Continue straight through bulge (pro is difficult), then up groove to belay.

2. 15m (20) The overhanging rib just right of the right-hand crack (Transatlantic Crossing).

Quite good. Originally done in two pitches but belay stances are poor so better done as one. Start 6 metres left of Oceanoid, 2 metres right of Transatlantic Crossing, at short right-slanting orange corner.

You have to squeeze them in. Pretty contrived and has some loose blocks. Start at small rib just right of Voyage Of The Damned.

1. 30m (20) Climb the rib to the diagonal bulge of Voyage Of The Damned. Go straight through bulge and step right to tiny stance. Climb thin flake up slab and move left to belay as for Rainbow Warrior.

2. 15m (20) The overhanging rib on the right as for Rainbow Warrior.

Great route. The original write-up has caused some confusion and given rise to the Halfway Damned variant. Start at the slabby corner 3 metres left of Oceanoid.

Best done as a single mega-pitch although a semi-hanging belay can be had in Oceanoid. Start 1 metre left of Oceanoid.

Traversing similar territory as the excellent Trinity Wall, this route is not as sustained as its neighbour below, but provides similar bowel churning exposure. Start as for Left Side Of The Ocean, and follow this to join Oceanoid P2. A few metres before the chimney of Oceanoid, find the line that traverses right on poor feet. The pitch passes the Aftermath double bolt belay, soon reaching easier territory.

Outrageous traverse. Take lots of slings, double ropes if you have them and a solid second. Start as for second pitch of Oceanoid. Once traversing right, keep going directly right, towards white hanging corner. There is a line of chalked holds higher up leading you to try and reverse the crux of Atlantis. Resist the temptation to go there.

A cliff-splitting weakness that is big on atmosphere but not necessarily enjoyment. The R rating is from the rock, not the gear. It has been known to calve huge blocks with the climber attached so be cautious. A 5 camalot will be appreciated. Start below the huge cleft.

1. 42m (16) Up vegetated line and belay on the big terrace.

2. 24m (18) Up the overhanging chimney with some doubtful rock.

3. 24m (18) On up the line to below large cracked roof.

4. 15m (20) No, don't walk off left, climb the roof crack. The original finish traversed out the left wall below the roof to the arete.

Don't listen to the haters. The last pitch has great gear and is 20. Bring a 6.

1. (20) Starts under the roof between Prevarication and Hurricane Lamp Cracks and powers straight through it. Move on upward (be aware of loose blocks) to a bolt anchor (45m rappel).

2. (18) Onward through some steep moves and then at the slopey ledge, move slightly right then up the horizontals to a bolt. After moving past the crux trend left towards a bolt anchor (30m rappel to next anchor) under the roof, opposite the tennis court.

3. (14) Move far right under the roof to the big offwidth crack, struggle your way through and then climb the headwall on the left side, moving left after a ledge, then back right to another bolt anchor (25m rappel to anchor under the roof).

The wall between Ra and Horus. Led onsight before the bolt was added to the start of Ra. Nice moves and good protection. Worth doing if you are in the neighborhood.

Excellent steep jamming.

New anchor installed towards the end of pitch 1 (off left of Lamplighter belay ledge, tries but fails to be out of sight of Lamplighter, and may need a leaver 'biner), 24m to ground.

Start from ledge 12m up "Lamplighter", below steep flake on left wall. If you belay the crux from the ground, rope stretch brings a ledgefall more into play, which is manageable if you plug more gear.

1. 23m (21) Up the steep left-leading flake-crack, take right line below the bush and up to the rap anchor. If continuing up pitch 2, continue 5m past the rap anchor via the corner on the R or the blunt arête on the L, to the next bigger ledge.

2. 40m (20) Good wall climbing, up seams in gently overhanging wall. Then easily to top.

Start: Start at a flake 19 metres right of 'Lamplighter'.

1. 20m (18) Fat, steep flake with hard steep crack immediately left of it. step left to join crack at niche then up into 'Lamplighter' below bulge. Over bulge and belay.

2. 15m (22) Follow thin corner-flake above, just left of the start of 'Judgement Day', (this is the left side of the sort of pillar and up into white corner) to belay in 'Lamplighter' level with 'Parallels'.

3. 25m (14) Walk off left is not possible! Continue up Lamplighter or downlead to anchors on Braindrops

An old-fashioned line that rewards good technique and punishes thrashing.

Start below the major V-groove splitting the back of the Pharos. Described in 3 pitches but best done in 2 pitches now that there are bolted anchors at 20m and at the top.

1. 12m (20) Hard start on polished slopers (it's advisable to place a wire (#9-10) with a long stick for protection; double check it as the slot is not foolproof) leads into the V-chimney. Bridge up to a small ledge on the right.

2. 22m (18) Step left and up to cave.

3. 18m (13) As for last pitch of Lamplighter.

A good stylish pitch. The initial moves are committing and require lots of small wires. And some of the first holds are loose so check what you're pulling on. Combining this with the upper pitches of "Trojan" makes for a very good grade 21 climb. Start at the top of the huge flake.

Start as for Dazed And Confused then move right and directly up wall past some very loose flakes, finishing up the fine corner-ramp to ledge.

The wall 2 metres left of 'French Crack' is very poorly protected.

Wall between 'Rommel' and 'Trespassers Prosecuted'.

Flake on the left side of the chimney-gully just right of "I Can't Breathe" continuing straight up where "The Venus Trap" moves off left.

Start up Greenwich Reach for 3-4m until it is possible to diagonal across right to break in the roof. Through roof, up to next and through it then diagonal left up to anchor on Greenwich Reach. Gear at 2nd roof a little iffy.

Lovely, technical thin face. Be careful not to fall off clipping the second bolt.

Start: 4 metres left of the 'Vanoise' corner. Smooth orange wall to rap chain. (Worthless variant start goes up lichenous streak on right to join route below 2nd bolt Jamie Holding, Rosemary Weaver 16-05-1990)

A worthwhile alternative start making Vanoise a more sustained and independent line. Start 3 metres left of the shared crack start with Labouring the Point, below a small V crack. Climb to V crack and follow weaknesses to where Vanoise and Labouring the Point diverge then finish as top of Vanoise.

Really interesting corner on the right side of the smooth orange face. It gets harder as it arches over further to the left to chain under roof. The climb originally continued to top of cliff but it's not worth it so no-one bothers.

The "protection" style might appeal to the budding aid climber.

Start 2 metres right of 'Beat More Meat' at very thin, almost closed groove. Up groove with micro-wires and Crack'n'Ups (or hand-placed peckers maybe) for token protection. Finish up wall above.

Bold line 3 metres right of 'Duck Crack'. Alternative finish is to diagonal 2 metres right to flake.

Lovely looking wall but start (at least) is reachy. Climb the attractive orange wall 4m to the left of Squirrel. Finish up a short handcrack near the top. Rap anchor: 20m to start of climb, 30m to ground.

Quite good but unbalanced with a bouldery start. Stepped corner right of Bakers' Route, moving left under first roof and up wall.

Steep seam on orange rock. Step L and do the not-quite-direct-but-better-climbing finish. If you want. Don't let us pressure you.

Starts up 'Wogs at the Piles', but instead of breaking right continues straight up the face. At times the gear is small and spaced.

Previously described as "Good climbing but has some runout moves above not brilliant protection". Circa 2017 two retrobolt were added: one at the start (shared by Bedlag), and another bolt halfway (this has since been removed).

Start at the arete of 'Bed Lag' and do a rising traverse through bulge across flakes to right arête. Up and finish slightly left.

Start at the orange corner and inch your way up and right. It appears that some people who have done this route thought they were on Sheckle (grade 13)?

Not great gear or climbing.

More good face-climbing.

Start as for "Stairway to Hell" to ledge then wander up wherever you find holds, heading out right when faced with the blank bulge near the top. Be mindful of rope drag.

Diagonal crack 10 metres left of Huey with hard start.

Just behind Huey wall and a bit to the left is a small orange wall with and undercut start. This line take the twin seams with the small triangle roof at the start, beware of the loose looking blocks on the ledge. from the ledge head right through the steepness to the top

Start: Up and behind "Huey" is a small wall with a large cave on the right side.

Climb crack to left end of cave, step left and swing up the wall.

Beware the first hold on the left side of the crack is actually a huge detached block which would do serious damage if it pulled off!

Descent: Back and then scramble down and right past base of MOAFHG.

Up the centre of the left-hand face on the terrace.

Commemorates an artistic disfiguration. Wall between 'Jack-a-Dandy' and Angel Black. Protection sparse on bottom bit.

Short, steep and well-protected. Nice line just left of 'Drivetime'. At top reach back right to lower-off shared with 'Drivetime'.

Stem scoop, move R to join L trending line.

Start: Start under the steep scoop.

Gets rave reviews.

Start 2m R of RoE.

Rooflet into seam, L at ledge then back R to arete.

Committing hand-traverse.

Start in gully around right of 'Pibroch'.

Hand-traverse left around an arete to bottomless crack and climb this.

Start 2 metres right of 'Cyclops' on left side of black cave and go up wall on spaced jugs.

Start as for Moneypenny, step R at 4m up to big horizontal (#3 cam) past 2 bolts to lower off.

Follow Green Shirt to just after the ledge but then break left following diagonal line past bolt. Finish right of the end of Turquoise.

Start up either Turquoise or More of the Same to gain the streak up the middle of the upper wall (between Green Shirt and More of the Same). A good RP 3 protects the moves up to the bolt. Step R under the bolt and climb the tricky gray wall up and slightly R to the top. You can reach back L to a lower-off, which now services Green Shirt, Better Than That, More of the Same and All the Same.

Doesn't have to be a solo like the first ascent but not a lace-up. Include a big cam and RPs. Start just right of Turquoise and follow the rounded black arete.

Cutting loose on the jug is suitably exciting as long as it stays put! From bald arete right of Boy's Own, traverse left and cut loose on hollow, flat-topped jug.

Nice slab and steeper bit R of Changin' Times - toproped only.

Start on the right wall of the side gully. Clip bolt runner then climb up and right, a bit boldly, to arete.

Could be a poxy delight if you break a hold and crater. Contender for worst route that made it into the Mentz/Tempest guidebook. Wall 3 metres right of More Moves, just below the boulder-choke. The crux starts when you're standing on the ground, trying to work out where the route starts. One option is via the pockets (no gear); another is via the vertical seam a couple of metres up the hill (miniscule grips). The best option is probably to find a better route (which isn't hard in this gully!).

Scary start.

Approach via gully and chimney right of Fever Pitch. The arete right of Not Just A Pretty face from top of approach chimney.

Go up to and around an overhang. From ledge above, finish up 'Future Past'.

Start: Start 3 metres left of 'Future Past'.

Up and left to top of corner from which BH escapes. Up and right past BR to thin line right of arete, almost back into BH below final triangular roof. Step left and up past BR to double ring bolt belay and rap.

Start: Start: As for 'Blue Hawaii'.

Bring two bolt-plates.

Excellent, steep fun. Solid at the grade with fiddly gear on the crux.

Start on the left edge of the pillar, as for "Yesterday's Rooster".

Gain short hanging corner, fiddle with pro then move right and follow middle of buttress.

Crack on left arete, step left around small roof and up.

Seam just right of Parsley. Start at Rosemary then tend left.

Left arete of major buttress. Lost In The Ozone takes the right arete. Wouldn't be too bad with a bit of traffic.

Start up shallow corner-flake and up, keeping just right of arete. The crux section is avoidable.

Takes the overhanging sharks tooth arête on the N edge of the large slab/boulder underneath Dazed and Confused (20) on the Pharos.

At left end of low cave, line leads to small roof. Up right to finishing groove.

Aesthetic thin crack 3 metres right of 'Scuttlebutt'.

Reachy start to gain crack which maintains its interest.

Thin rightward leading seam right of Just Out Of Habit.

Not a bad start. Reasonable, if fiddly gear.

Start as for 'Wall of the Afternoon Sun'. Where 'Wall of the Afternoon Sun' traverses right, continue straight up. Belay on ledge between 'Antigone' and 'Sundance'. Either rappel from bolt anchors or continue up one of the other climbs off this ledge.

Great climbing up the clean streak starting 15 metres left of 'Watchtower Chimney'.

1. 45m (20) Straight up the clean streak passing small bulge to tiny stance level with base of chimney on 'Watchtower Chimney'. There's an unprotected move of about grade 16-17 at 7 metres.

2. 40m (19) Up short crack then slab to ledge. Straight up left-hand streak then step right to tricky last move to 'Rotten Row'. Alternatively, from the ledge take the right-hand streak (21) to 'Rotten Row' (WOTAS is just to the right). Graham Sanders, Steve Howden 10-10-1982.

3. 48m (17) From the tree, move left a little then follow the clean streak to the top, crossing Wall Of The Afternoon Sun at the horizontal break.

Thoughtful and aesthetic climbing with good protection on brilliant rock. Harder and perhaps a bit more committing than 'Take Five' but without the runout at the start (although you want to concentrate for the start of pitch 3). The line is obvious in the photo on p273 of the current Tempest/Mentz guide.

Start up 'Watchtower Chimney Direct Start', the bottomless crack 3m R of Take Five.

1. 45m (21)Take 'Watchtower Chimney Direct Start' to the base of the corner, step left and head up the water-smooth slab (21) between the corner of 'Watchtower Chimney' and the obvious streak of 'Take Five'. At one point high on the pitch you can reach right to place a runner in the corner but continue climbing directly up the slab to belay on the small ledge as for 'Watchtower Chimney'.

2. 20m (19) Head up left across the 'Pantouflage' crack. Either climb seams up the blunt arete - excellent protection but hard with a slopey finish (24? not lead cleanly on 1st ascent), traverse further left to follow 'Take Five' (19) or step back into the crack (the crux is the forestry required to exit back left onto the slab) to reach the ledge.

3. 25m (18) Move the belay into the bottom of the 'Driftwood' chimney. From the base of the chimney, initially move up left towards 'Wall Of The Afternoon Sun' with poor pro for 5-6m, then step back right to head directly up the streak (18) to the hanging R facing corner leading onto Rotten Row'.

Follow 'Rotten Row', continue up the wall above or rappel from the rings about 8m R of the corner. There is a single U-bolt overhead at the base of the 'Driftwood' chimney; a 60m abseil from this reaches the ground.

Description taken from Stuart's post on Chockstone

Originally named "Pantouflage Direct Start", with the directions to continue up Watchtower Chimney. From this you can deduce hat we thought of one climb and which guidebook editor lacked a sense of humour.

Crack 3 metres right of 'Take Five' and 6 metres left of 'Watchtower Chimney'. When it fades continue boldly up to join 'Watchtower Chimney'.