Ascensioni in Australia da Dave Scarlett

Small to medium nuts, small and micro cams, and one each hook and break placement. The crack didn't really seem suited to cam hooks, but ate offset nuts. Bailed off to the right at the horizontal break as the offwidth at the top needs at least 2 BD #4 cams, possibly something even bigger.

Steep and spectacular, on sharp crimps, flakes and side-pulls. A bit beyond my abilities though...

Easy start, then gets much harder (slopers) towards the front of the cave.

Managed to get each of the moves, but couldn't put it all together.

Super bouldery past first two bolts to good rest. Not over yet, as a traverse right into NDW on awkward Punks in the Gym bulges is needed before the grade 19 finish.

Feel towards the end of the traverse. Seems doable, with the section of traverse after the bolt (reachy, poor feet) being the crux, and then maybe sustained grade 22 climbing once you're properly in Portland Criminals. (Or harder, depending on how you approach the initial overhang.)

Really hard. Bouldery and reachy, but at least well bolted, and with the bolts being right where you'd want them. Seemed to be mostly a matter of hauling up to a bolt on good holds, clipping, then working through a hard, bouldery sequence past the bolt to the next decent holds, and repeating that 10 more times.

Ridiculously thin in the first half.

Got past the crux a a couple of times after hanging on the second bolt, but never managed to get it clean from the ground up. Next time, Gadget, next time.

Thought this was seriously hard for 21. After 4 or 5 failed attempts at the dyno, I got someone to check the guidebook. Turned out I'd started up the wrong route and wasn't actually on Broken And Barbed.

Nice, but the stand start definitely isn't V3 - it's jugs the whole way up! A sit start would probably be significantly harder, as the good holds start from about 2m up.

Easy if you've got a good reach, just a starting dyno up to a jug. Maybe V3 if you've got very short arms.

Just couldn't get feet to stick, trying to smear on a bad angle.

Not quite there yet... Got up to the third jug, but couldn't quite commit to the crimp and bring my other hand (or dangling feet) up.

Hard! Took about a dozen attempts before I got it. Very sequency hand movements combined with poor feet. Gets slightly easier the higher you get.

Difficult traverse on slopers, but from the end of the traverse up, it's all jugs.

Much easier when you know where the holds are! P1 only. Went up on top-rope to clean it after someone else had finished leading it. The bolts up the slabby upper section are quite spaced, but it looked like there were opportunities for micro nut placements between bolts 7 and 8, a BD #1 size cam between bolts 9 and 10 (just prior to the awkward traverse), and then a BD #.75-1 cam or large nut between bolt 10 and the anchor, with the last placement being particularly justifiable.

Ridiculously reachy and bouldery start, going from wide left to wide right, to wide left. Still a little delicate getting up to the 2nd bolt, but eases from there.

Another quick lap to finish.

Big runout between bolts 1 and 2 (mediocre small nuts and/or micro cams in the crack right of the arete are possible), though easy climbing in that section, then really ramping up in difficulty from bolt 2 to the top, with reachy moves on thin holds.

Fantastic climbing on steep pockets, with generous bolting and enough rest opportunities to keep it sane. Powerful and pumpy start leads to a rest in the cave, then slightly easier moves before final, tricky moves to finish.

Spotted the cracked bolt, but wasn't too concerned about it, as it looks like it would still hold all but the hardest climbing falls, even if it wouldn't be up to its full rated strength, and with easy climbing to the next bolt once above it, and the previous bolt still not being too far down, it seems unlikely to cause problems. Should definitely be replaced though.

Steep, thuggish jug hauling, with enough rest opportunities to keep it sane. Brilliant fun.

Rope drag wasn't too bad, but to minimise it, bring long draws for bolts 1, 2, the original chains, and maybe the final bolt. A revolver on the old chains' draw would improve this further. There's also an amazing thread for a double length sling between bolts 3 and 4. Stick clip not really necessary despite the high first bolt, as the crux is the bouldery start, and it's easy once you're high enough to want a rope.

Got it first attempt, but that seemed to be largely luck... The crux is sequency and on terrible slopers, and if on lead, your last placement (a bomber small nut) would be at foot level.

Sustained grade 20-21 climbing with a crux finish that is very much grade 22, and quite reachy. Led on our told pre-placed draws.

Surprisingly nice. Very bouldery crux moves past the first bolt, then thin, slabby and crimpy moves to finish. Consensus of 6 climbers who attempted it was that it was grade 22, or 23 if you're short.

Just spectacular. Continuously difficult the whole way, but with plenty of rest stances, and an increbile variety of climbing. Pumpy, overhanging crux start (figure out where you want to go before leaving the ground!), then delicate, balancy slabbing, then a final, committing bouldery move getting around the bulge past the final bolt.

Definitely take a BD C4 #1 size cam, as it is quite runout from the final bolt to the anchors. (The placement, about 3m above the final bolt, tapers down perfectly, so a large nut would also work.) Micro nuts are also very useful for a thin crack after bolt 7, which will take a large RP or small aluminium nut.

Hard moves pulling through the roof, and then again after the last bolt. A couple of hand to thin hand size cams will adequately project the easy middle section. Bring an extra long draw for the second bolt (under the roof).

Fell on the third bolt when a foot slipped pulling past the roof. Came down and got it second try.

Good feet but tricky hands most of the way, sustained, except for a bomber hand jam crack and undercling flake at 1/3 height, then a nice layback flake finish.

Fell on the first bolt a couple of times before figuring out the moves.

Easy start, but then gets very hard through the last 3 bolts or so. There seemed to be easier climbing about 1m left of these final bolts, but then this is awkward (especially for a second) as the climb then suddenly swings right to reach the ledge.

Great fun, but those with a short reach would probably hate it. Aside from the crux lunge and the tricky moves immediately following it, the rest of the route is probably only around grade 20, with a bouldery start and then delicate, Nowra-esque face climbing in the upper section, before traversing to the chains on a huge, juggy rail. If you think you need pre-placed draws for the crux, take a 60cm sling on your shoulder instead and throw it over the second melon.

Rested on the pre-lunge bolt and then on the aforementioned sling.

Hard start, good clipping jug for the first bolt, then a crux reaching up to and past the third bolt. Fell on the second bolt while trying to work out a good clipping position for the third.

3 climbers, 9.5h car to car, 7h climbing. Rested and pulled on draws during the harder parts of P1, climbed the rest clean. Led pitches 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10. A pretty full-on introduction to Pierce's Pass!

BETA:

1. Solid for the grade. Crux pulling first roof, hard reachy moves below 2nd roof, hard thin finish. Good rests in between. Semi-hanging belay. Maybe grade 20 with quickdraw-pulling in the two roofs.

2. Slabby, and a bit runout just before it becomes less steep.

3. Easy.

4. Super easy.

5. Fun jug hauling up the wall, then just a walk left from the top.

6. Crux moves off the ground pulling the roof, then easy (grade 17?) but runout and massively exposed traverse. A second falling here would be bad, and they may need to be lowered to the start of P5! Use a long sling for bolt 7.

7. Crux move off the belay, then cruisy jug hauling.

8. Cruisy. Use a long sling/draw in the first cave.

9. Walking. No bolts, forget the belay and coil the ropes. Head right past cave until rock turns dark grey.

10. Sandy, brittle, and unpleasant. Beware sharp edges and loose rock on topout.

Slightly committing moves up to the horizontal break, which offers a good rest, then a sequency, crimpy crux between bolts 3 and 4, before an easier finish.

Hand moves coming out of the cave, then pumpy until the finish. One rest two bolts from the anchor.

Spent way too much time searching for the holds on the initial overhanging section. Rested on the 3rd bolt (crux), then pumped out, gave up, and lowered off after the 5th bolt. It definitely would have helped to try to spot the holds more from the ground before starting!

Allegedly graded M2 when aided, but that's only if you have an unlimited amount of big gear! The crack became too wide for my #3 Big Bro about 2m before the top, so I ended up going out onto the arete on very thin hook placements.

Easy slab start, becoming much harder when crossing and continuing past the ridgeline. Good hand jam or undercling rest immediately after the awkward corner crux, then only just slightly easier climbing above, before easing at the finish.

Sensational! Perfect hand crack with just one brief wider section leads up to a good rest immediately below the overhanging, finger crack crux. Fortunately it's just a move or two of finger jamming before good face hold appear, then a slightly easier finish.

Very thin and crimpy down low, with delicate footwork and a crux at about 1/3 height, then easing after that. Gear looked sparse - definitely wouldn't want to have been leading it!

Seriously sustained up to the ledge, and then a tough finish getting around the arete on the headwall while fighting rope drag. Probably not recommended to attempt this as your first 21!

Thin, delicate, and bouldery, on small crimps and a super-sharp finger pocket. Clipping the second bolt is difficult and has definite groundfall potential. Recommend climbing on double ropes (or folding a single in half) to avoid that.

Tricky moves approaching the cave, and exiting it, the latter probably being a bit reachy. Both seemed reasonably well protected though.

Super reachy crux getting past the overhang, then a pumpy finish.

Excellent! Awesome hauling and heel hooking through the overhanging corner. Not all the holds are great, but enough of them are.

Felt a bit contrived, being wandery and not really following any natural line of climbing. Reachy finish post last bolt with ledge fall potential, but at least on good holds. Definitely didn't feel any harder than Try Land.

Very reachy crux between bolts 2 and 3. The pockets at the top were surprisingly fairly juggy. Placed a mediocre BD #1 size cam in a pocket above bolt 2, thin hand size cams in the horizontal break, and then a thin finger size cam in a pocket about a foot up from the break.

Pumpy jug hauling through typical Point Perp pockets and breaks over steep terrain, with some nice moves on flakes to finish. Definitely not grade 21. Placed a BD #1 size cam between (I think) bolts 3 and 4.

Straightforward​ with lots of rest up until about 3/4 height, then ramping up in difficulty. Final traverse was on mediocre hands but reasonable feet.

Very nice. Bouldery start then thin moves on the face. Unfortunately the final bolt isn't in a great position, as the crux is below it, and is quite run out from the previous bolt. By the time you reach the final bolt, the difficult climbing is all over, and there's trad placements available anyway if you want protection for the easy finish. If that bolt were a metre lower, then it could protect the crux.

Very soft for a 21! Let's call it 20. Very nice climbing through a series of juggy breaks with occasional reachy moves and a few of the horizontal breaks being quite rounded. Lead on pre-placed draws.

Difficult moves approaching (reachy) and after (crimpy) the big horizontal break.

Got it first attempt after bolting. Very tough and sequency start!