Ascensioni in Western Side

Also a contender for worst route at arapiles, but saved by the cool feature of climbing a steep fat crack that opens at the back into a cave beneath the tottering block that is the top of the pitch. It's cool, but also terrifying that the whole block might come down on you.

Possibly the worst route I have done at arapiles, and I have done some really bad routes here. Mossy, terrible rock, tottering boulders, vegetation, broken by ledges. It is nice belaying at the top of Campbell's kingdom though.

The start is the business.

Good if you avoid the widowmakers.

Improves up high.

Long, continuous, good rock, lovely position high on the crag, no chance of crowds. What more is there to want in an easy route?

Short but good, steep jamming.

Good old fashioned doesn't feel so easy kind of route. Some detatched rock up high.

Everything we climbed here had some interesting rock. This might have had the least. Tricky, pumpy climbing. Good fun was had.

Reachy move down low was a bit raucus for a warm up. Not bad climbing, some exiting rock up high.

Good fun, not really very mossy. In fact, Abby described it as "impeccable for an obscure route that hadn't been done in 40 years"!

Old fashioned team ascent. I baulked at relying on the old piton, Simey bravely went worth a few more metres before bailing for me to get us up the pitch. The climbing is actually pretty good, the gear a bit fiddly but would be safe if the piton was replaced with a bolt. Second pitch didn't look worth bothering with and we headed off left to the anchors on CdL. Finishing up Promite also looks good.

I have decided to just add 4 grades to everything with Hugh Foxcroft on the first ascent. Desperate fat hands to offwidth bulge (which is actually quite good despite being desperate) then the upper crack is formed by stacked blocks and generally nerve racking.

With my new found Hugh Foxcroft proviso, this is actually a good route. Not 15m though unless you want to solo another 10m chimney from the ledge to the top.

Quite good if you start up the wall right of the obvious corner (which has crap rock), then sidle left into the upper crack.

Easy chossy start but the business is good rock and an interesting crux down low (if you're tall) and sustained up high.

Rain whilst I bolted, rain when we climbed it ... why do people say winter is the best season at Araps? THe second pitch of this route is fun steep climbing on good rock with good gear.

I thought this was quite good - apart from being diagonal, the rock's pretty good (apart from the start) and the climbing's quite interesting.

This is really good. The loose easy start detracts but the business is really interesting climbing on good rock - and now has a rap station on top. Hard for the grade, even once I'd cleaned out the fingerlocks!

As I was seconding I could go up the 'mossy slab' which is quite nice climbing and rock. Not recommended to lead as it has no gear, but I might put a few bolts in it. This improves the route as it's more direct and better climbing - I thought it was a pretty good two pitch route. Amazing old twisted pine on top.

Some good climbing taking into account the usual Campbell's Kingdom poorly trafficked rock. Bits of pumpy, tenous, funky and a little exciting.

The first pitch of this route was filthy and loose which somewhat detracted from the rest of the route but it seemed ok overall in hindsight. The original finish seemed rather pointless and we took the direct. Nice corner in second pitch and DF.

The second pitch of this route is awesome. Slightly burly, old school funky crack. Sadly the first and last pitch are scrappy. Would be 2 stars without that. I might put an anchor above the good climbing.

I led the first pitch and Wendy led the second. I think we did the direct finish. Although my head is terrible for leading atm and I got the wobbles (despite good gear) I was genuinely baffled by the crux of the first pitch and pulled through it. Great effort by Andrew seconding it clean. It's worth a star but there are a number of loose feeling blocks and a huge wedge has fallen out of the initial corner. Thought both pitches felt like 21.

It's a shame that the rock is not so great on this as it's a nice long pitch which is fairly sustained and ends up in a terrific position right on the top arete of the buttress. There is one pretty obvious loose block at about 8m to avoid. A good onsight lead by Wendy!

The start's quite good, then the rock quality falls away a bit. Take a few big cams if you want to climb the LH corner, fortunately the RH corner has good normal sized gear and ok climbing.

I would describe it as 'horiffically smooth', but hey. The initial groove looks like 24 and is at least 19 and then the bulge has a hard slopey topout. (this may be a new direct finish). Then a bit of a loose and blocky ramble to the top but the bottom is quite worthwhile and the most-not-16 route I have ever done.

At least we did the first pitch of Marmite ... On reviewing the description, maybe we did the DF. Maybe we did a new route. All 3 of us failed to work out what the "obvious direct finish" was. What we did was good climbing marred by sufficient dodgy rock to make it, um, exhilarating.

After Douglas tore out a shrub or 2, this was a nice clean line on good rock. Might be a little tricky for 13, but good climbing

This was going to be a mega classic straightening up a wandery old route. Well, it does go in a lovely straight line but sadly passes some exciting hollow rock. I didn't expect the cool arete finish - funky moves in a great position, gear might leave a little to be desired though.

Or at least it might be Marmite...

Quite fun flared slippery jams to start. Lou tells me my perpsective is warped. A bit goey then easier but still ok climbing to top.

Climbing is quite good but it is disconcerting to see through the crack in the roof. Not sure how connected it is, but it didn't seem to be going anywhere.

The route wanders a lot, but has potential to be really quite good. Going back tomorrow to try a more direct version. And it's the same height as the other routes on the wall. Not sure where the enthusiastic 48m came from. Lou led as one pitch.

good climbing in the first half, but 16? Douglas was ready to give it 22 on second. Maybe we'll try 20 and see if anyone ever does it.

Really awesome route. Sort of like Frog climbing on Arapiles rock with a splash of limestone thrown in.

Awesome in the first half, the rest is much easier and some loose rock but wow the first half is amazing. Like a harder version of Toccata, and now has a rap station.

Got a bit psyched by the loose blocks.