Voies trad dans Major Mitchell Gully

Start up high in Major Mitchell Gully, above the massive boulder, and opposite Brontosaurus (described under Dunes Buttress). May in fact be right up at the top of the gully on a small block when the gully is very narrow and further up than Brontosaurus (on opposite wall, but not directly opposite.) From the bottom left of the small wall, step up R then up the left hand line.

Start 1.5 metres right of Rocky. Up out to the RH arete, take this to the buckets, then go L and up seam to a block.

A sloping corner crack then jam through the overhang at the top. Start above Trench Warfare, under a little wall which faces Dunes Buttress and is on the same level as the start of Thunder Crack (which is described under the Bluff Major section). Easiest access is to rap in after getting to the top either by scrambling up the wall opposite Missing Link or by walking in from the Bluff lookout car park.

Plenty of angst here. Start 10m up L from Trench Warfare.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to thrutch leftwards up the long diagonal, starting with a tricky traverse in from the L, and finishing rather strenuously. Start towards the uphill end of the wall, although quite a way down from the massive boulder which blocks the gully.

The subtle weakness in frictional rock 20m up left from Deeply Techo. Lots of gear if you can hang out to place it; small wires are very handy. Start 20m up L from DT. Now has a rap anchor.

Some nice rock and climbing in the shade and close to camp. The ledge below the crux slab makes it advisable to break into two pitches. Start as for Firedance.

1. 23m 16 Up a couple of metres until able to move right onto the obvious traverse line which rapidly eases (make sure to protect the second ). After 10 or 12 metres of traversing right, move up right of a bushy crack and up grey wall (FH, tiny cams) to ledge below black slab.

2. 10m 19 Off block up centre of black slab. Travel light, 2 FH and a wire or two. 30m abseil.

Climb boldly to first bolt then traverse left to second bolt. Employ some inventive footwork to reach the alcove, a good rest and a nest of gear. Take a breath then move left and motor up on slopers to the top. Start as for Feral Chicken.

Climb warily to first ring bolt on good holds (or stick clip if you're from NSW or like your ankles). Move right a move and up to (often seeping) pocket. Continue upwards via bomber gear to a horizontal. Move up past perfect wire slot, then head left into corner past large scar and some tricky moves on slopes to finish. Start 3m L of L.

An unlikely sequence of good moves. After the original crux, continue straight up the wall to the anchors.

Fridge hugging. Start 2m R of FC.

Start under the chimney in the centre of the wall. Thrash up the steep flaring chimney, finishing right.

Good linkup of the start of Philanthropist into the finish of Slap Happy that avoids the desperately hard start of Slap Happy. Gear is pumpy to place on top wall.

3m up Lennox, then head diagonally R to ledge, 2m further R, then up flake. Take lots of cams. Start as for L.

As for Slap Happy (crux) to the ledge, then follow the bolts. Better than it looks and manages to stay out of Slap the Philanthropist. Start as for SH.

Short crack, bulge past bolt and gain the ledge near the R end of The Philanthropist's diagonal. Continue straight up the thin crack above the ledge. Start 2m R of L.

Up the slab L of Kincaid to a desperate slap for a jug. Finish L of Kincaid if you can be bothered (contrived). Just toproped off the chains.

Start a metre right of the rock step and follow initial couple of bolts through crux sequence to ledge, step left on ledge and up through proud rock. Small wires and small cams.

A more obvious direct version of Mr Happy. After the first two bolts of Mr Happy head straight up the wall via horizontal with small to medium cams to join the end of Kinkaid.

A sweet slab. Has lower-offs.

The L arete of the chimney, with a small yellow groove. Start just L of G.

Start on the L wall, then the R. Bridge airily to an awkward and runout finish L around the roof. Start on the next buttress uphill from Morfydd, at a chimney with a square roof.

Direct finish to No Place For Foxes. A little light on gear.

This bit of rock is getting more crowded than High Dive Gully. It would be surprising if any of the climbing is new.

Start up Kincaid then cross to steep juggy crack on the right wall. From the big ledge (belay possible) climb past the No Standing chains then centrally up headwall.

Start below tiny steep corner in arete R of G. Pull up the buckety arete, up to ledge and up groove. Start just R of G.

From the ledge on NPFF, head up intermittant flakes leading onto the right wall and up to anchor on NS.

Good climbing some dodgy gear.

Very good climbing. Choose either crack to start (both tough), then follow the thin diagonal line with good gear up to and past an old piton (pin can be backed up with modern small cams and isn't really needed any more). Start in the middle of the buttress L of Morfydd.

Short groove with piton to join NS. Where NS goes L, step R and up seam. Start 2m R of NS.

The line delineating the L side of the Morfydd pillar is freshly cleaned. Desperate start protected by a 1 RP leads to sustained, thought provoking crack climbing. Traverse off to NS anchors.

Just right of Stillborn, head up past pockets to intermittent crack. Written up as finishing L into the scrappy finish of Stillborn, or step R to finish up Morfyne (much better).

Note: The added bolts have been removed as there is good gear now with modern gear, (especially near the pin which should not be trusted by it's self), but can you hang on to place it. The high bolt on Morfyne should also be backed up.

Close to Morfydd at times, but still a very appealing wall. Start 3m L of Morfydd.

Note: the top bolt should be backed up; easy to do in the horizontal just below.

Not given many stars until recently, this is now widely considered one of the finest 19s at Arapiles. It used to be 20 so don't expect a soft touch. Start under the prominent line up the south face of the pinnacle. Rap anchor at the top.

This is really Visual Laxative VS, joining VL immediately after the first bolt and retroing the crux.

Accidentally retroed but probably benefits from it as it might now actually get climbed. Start 5m R of Morfydd. Shallow groove to ledge then L and up concave face (crux) to second ledge. Weave R then L through juggy overhang then R up seam to finish L of arete. Some loose feeling rock.

As for Visual Laxative to the first ledge, then dodge the crux by going straight up the flake to the second ledge.

The retrobolt eliminated serious fall potential, making this route a must for confident leaders at the grade ... but don't expect to be sewing it up with gear every metre. The southeast face of the Morfydd pinnacle faces the back of Fang Buttress. Start under this face.

Start in the gully right of Bygone, below the crack near arete. Looks rather serious.

A climbing route that follows Ali's, then goes up to the top of Bard Buttress. Not great rock but a great position. Start 10m left of Ali's.

1. 55m 8. Ramble up the slab for ~20m (minimal pro). Clip a bolt on Ali's, and cross to the R, over a small lip, onto a ledge at the base of ridgeline going up Bard Buttress.

2. 25m 10. Traverse R onto the arete/ridgeline, and follow the ridge to the top.

This is just one of innumerable soil-to-summit enchainments of Arapiles which have been enjoyed by countless parties since time immemorial, and which are best left as a choose-your-own-adventure. See the FA notes if you really want to know how this one goes.

Probably the most descended route at Arapiles (by abseilers using Ali's rap anchor). May also be the least ascended. Start 5m L of Ali's.

Climb the corner system, which these days is laced with long lengths of fixed chains to ease the way for soloing (this being the fastest way to get up to the Bluffs climbing areas). If you do decide to solo up or down it, don't underestimate the polished rock and the deathfall potential; consider using a suitable running tether. Start 15m R of Bygone, under the huge left-facing corner system, behind Fang Buttress.

Start 1m left of Nursery Rhymes. Climb the funky roof to the left of Nursery Rhymes' crack passing 2 bolts. Join Nursery Rhymes on the arete and follow this to where it moves right. Move left instead passing a third bolt to gain an enormous hanging jug and a cramped rest. For full value avoid the temptation to bridge out left. From the jug step back right and crank a short boulder past a final bolt before finishing straight up the delightful headwall above. Bring a full set of wires to supplement the bolts.

Start as for Ali's. Attack the awesomely steep arete just R of Ali's, starting with a roof crack, R to a bulge, the crack just L of the arete, R along a break and up the arete.

Up the diagonal crack of Meanderthal, then instead of traversing R continue up the arete.

Start as for Directathal. Then what? (Maybe it takes the middle of the bulge then the face R of the arete, staying between Directathal and Meanderthal?)

Start as for Ali's. Take the L leaning diagonal crack on the R side of the arete, then traverse 5m R to steep jugging.

Up the corner of Sisyphus to ledge, then head up L on red wall.

Start at Ali's.

1. 26m (9) Traverse 5m R then juggy corner and into cave on Orpheus (which is described in the Bard Buttress area).

2. 18m (12) Bomb-bay chimney as for pitch 5 of Orpheus then traverse R (probably better to go left instead and continue up Orpheus).

3. 20m (9) Nasty wall, then R, watch for loose blocks.

4. 16m (9) R, then over big block.

Follow Sisyphus for 15m, then begin a long traverse. Pass Orpheus and Eurydice's 2nd belay, and reverse THE traverse on Bard. Now downclimb the Bard.