Test of Time 24

Approach: The route starts about 30m right of Fun Time and left of Show Time. Scramble a few metres up to ledge. The start is marked by a cairn of stones.

1. 20m 21 (could be 22, placing gear at roof and working it out is tricky…) Climb up 3 metres to a small overlap. Crank through this and continue straight up to a small yellow recess with a jam crack on its left. Pull through this and continue to the overhang with the obvious bush to the left. Crank through and stance on a good ledge.

2. 40m 20 Climb up the corner for a few metres and then step right on to the clean face. Continue to a rail and climb the obvious crack system which is grotty in places. After about 30m climb the crack till it gets vegetated and then step right onto the face and climb clean rock to a good ledge.

3. 45m 19 Climb the recess on the right and step onto the face at the level of bush about 5m up. Continue to the dark grey face and traverse right across it low down at the first good finger rail. Pass the overhang on the right and climb the ramp up left to a good ledge.

4. 20m 16 Continue straight up through a bulge and then follow a vague crack to the halfway ledge and belay at the pillar block on the right.

5. 25m 23 Climb up on the pillar block and place high gear on the right. Tricky moves up and right lead to a recess. Climb this, and the vague arête on the left, to a good ledge. Move left to belay in the corner under the overhang (potentially in shade).

6. 25m 23 Pull straight up to the overhang to pass it on the right. Continue up diagonally left on to pillar blocks until they run out. Rail left and then up to below a steep recess. Climb the recess (crux). Tiny cams are useful but there is good pro to the right. Stance on a grey weathered ledge system above the recess.

7. 25m 22 Climb the sustained left-facing corner and then through the featured overhang. Exit on the right to a ledge

8. 35m 16 Climb the obvious off-width crack and continue easily to the top.

Descent: Walk down to the left to the Timerity abseil point. (15 minutes)

The prevailing ethic for Yellowwood is tread lightly.

"Tread lightly" means no bolting of belay stances unless all possible alternatives have been completely exhausted. No placing of bolts for running belays that are not absolutely essential. No use of pitons, unless necessary. No use of power drills is accepted!

Climbers are asked to respect the prevailing ethic which is intended to preserve the aesthetic appeal of Yellowwood as a world-class Trad climbing destination.

It is essential for first time visitors to do an ascent of one of the existing classic trad routes to appreciate the committing and adventurous nature of the climbing at Yellowwood. Older routes such as Armageddon Time (and the direct), Blood is Sweeter than Honey and Time Warp are all test pieces for their grade. And newer routes such as Prime Time (and the direct) and Fantastic Time as well as "routes in progress" of which there at least 3, are no less demanding at the grade. Most, if not all the trad routes on the main wall have at least one "R" (run-out) pitch but none are "X" rated. There is minimal fixed gear and very few fixed stance

A new route on Yellowwood, Fighting The Dark Side Of Gravity, has had all its bolts removed, except for two that are essential for the leader on Pitch 3. Two non-essential pitons have also been removed.

There has been much debate about Yellowwood and the most active Yellowwood climbers have talked extensively so as to settle the ethos of this high-value cliff.

In a recent meeting Adam Roff, Jeremy Samson and Hilton Davies distilled the following:

Yellowwood is a very special Trad climbing venue and there have been some mis-steps in route development at the crag. Newborn was bolted many years ago before locals had given much thought to bolting and ethics. It is a legacy that shall remain, but should not be seen as guidance for route development at Yellowwood. More recently four new routes have been established by visitors who have made extensive use of non-essential bolting. Whilst route development is encouraged, non-essential bolting is not; and these new routes are getting their non-essential bolts removed. They will remain as good adventurous routes.

2014: There have been no less than 10 new multi-pitch trad routes established at Yellowwood in the first 5 months of this year. Together they constitute no less than 60 pitches or, combined, more than 1500m of climbing. All the routes have been free-climbed with the vast majority of the pitches of being moderate grade and only 2 pitches of grade 22 and one of grade 24. The routes are all well protected and no fixed gear was necessary.