Vie in Mt Hay

This is the corner crack below the chockstone abseil in Butterbox Canyon. To access this route you must go through the canyon. See the canyoning online guides for information on Butterbox Canyon.

This is the first corner crack, located to the right after you exit the main constriction, jump 2m into water, and swim across the pool.

Gear required: Double rack of cams sized from your smallest to #4. Triples in #0.75, #1, #2 recommended. A standard rack of nuts.

1. 40m (19) Excellent climbing. Start on the right, and climb to a small ledge 5m up. Then 35m straight up, belay on large ledge. Save a #4 for about 2/3 height. Had minor seep at the start during the FA. Some gardening may be required depending on how much traffic the route gets. You will need cams in the 0.75 - 3 size range to build the belay, and you will likely want to use those sizes elsewhere.

2. 20m (18) Great climbing up a #0.75-3 crack. Belay at next ledge.

3. 10m (17) Continue up the crack to the top.

The exit involves walking up a steep scrubby slope (burnt out a few years ago) and wandering between various broken cliff lines, before walking along a ridge back to the Butterbox Canyon track.

Exit route used to get out of Butterbox Canyon that doubles as the access to the bottom for all of the climbing routes. One short (~12m) section of technical climbing (or an abseil when descending) that is massively overbolted.

Stiff moves for the original grade (8) especially with a pack on and canyon gear. The traverse on a sketchy ledge that leads up to the climb has also been bolted. Bolts can be used to rig a traverse line.

A long, adventurous route up a prominent line. Some good exposure and excellent long pitches. Rock is of mixed quality, but bad sections can be avoided. Several pitches are broken up by 50m hikes up steep, loose, vegetated sections which can be quite taxing when added to the length of the climb. Rope drag can be a problem on some of the long pitches, and can be mitigated with twin ropes of at least 60m in length (but be careful of rope tangling during the hikes). Be sure to bring at least a full rack of Cams up to #5 (possibly doubles up to #3), wires, plenty of slings, and optionally a set of hexes (good placements on last pitch). Helmets are a must against loose rock/vegetation, and headlamps are recommended. Starting from the 8th pitch there are a few carrot bolts (slightly off-route) so bring a few bolt plates in case you want to use them.

1. 13m (13) Marked start of the climb. A tricky and rather poorly protected traverse left leads to a large cave (good gear to protect second), walk left past a loose block to a belay out on the arete.

2. 35m (9) A long and pleasant pitch up the nice tortoise shell wall above, getting easier with height. Wire and cam belay.

3. 42m (11) Step up on top of the large flat block, place some gear at the back of the scoops, then step right to steep and juggy moves. These lead up for about 8m to a bushy ledge. Walk left along this, slightly down around the arete and left for approximately 30 metres across an easy wall to a tree below a crack through the bulge. Tree belay. Rope drag on this pitch is a serious concern.

4. 55m (9) A really enjoyable and surprisingly long pitch. Head up the crack for a couple of metres then step out onto the right face. A long and juggy wall awaits, with a variety of gear. Tree belay on the halfway ledge. Follow the track up or 40m to the start of the upper cliffline.

5. 58m (9) Start on the juggy face just to the right of the short right facing offwidth corner crack in the block. Another long, juggy and really enjoyable slab, with some good exposure up higher and well spaced but adequate protection. Go up for about 15m, left and up onto next slab, right at the top to avoid steep bit. Rope drag this pitch is a serious issue. Can be mitigated with double ropes. Walk up to next cliff.

6. 55m (13) An excellent pitch and one of the hardest on the route. Up the lovely corner above, then up two lovely little 5m finger size layback cracks above that. Tree belay.

7. 35m (13) Climb the initially vegetated, but nice corner up to the big roof, then traverse left to the arete. Straight up this, using the face on either side when it blanks out (take care of the hollow flakes on the right of the arete). A #5 Camalot is highly recommended for this section. Continue up to small tree and mid size cam belay. Walk 25m right to the obvious chossy chimney and a poor belay off a small tree.

8. 30m (8) Up the chossy and unpleasant chimney for 8m or so (some pro in crack in left wall), then traverse out right on the easy ledge to big exposure being careful to avoid the flakes and weakened rock. Up the short wall to the next ledge, then crawl back left to the belay cave. Ridiculous rope drag is inevitable on this pitch, but can be mitigated with double ropes. Very poor belay off a single small thread in choss at the back of the cave. The second should exercise extreme care on this pitch, since a fall could blow the belay. There is good gear 1m higher on the left wall of the crack to beef up the belay. NOTE: There is a bomber thread inside the cave that goes from the bottom right (facing in) up the back to the outside of the cliff, a 120cm, thin (Dyneema) sling is required to reach and fit through the little hole. a poking stick helps too.

9. 30m (6) Step left onto the easy wall, place a #4.5 or #5 Camalot just above the roof then easily up a dirty groove to the final ledge. A single carrot bolt sits at the bottom of the off-width crack for belay. Walk 20m right to the end of the ledge and the base of the final pitch, twin rings for belay. NOTE: Pitches 8 and 9 can be linked by continuing straight up the wide corner above the chimney, instead of traversing right. This is a much better alternative, though a little runout.

10. 30m (9) Step up and right onto a small ledge below a left leading groove. Delicate stemming up the groove leads to a banksia tree and a final small ledge. Good gear in lovely crack on right then step up and over final 8 foot wall to the top. Twin rings for belay. Walk right 30m until you meet Canyon exit track, and follow this back to the carpark.

This climb takes the prominent ridge left of MR that can be seen standing at the top of the original 12 metre “Mt. Hay Canyon exit” climb.

A few pitches may appear harder than the crux, which some leaders have found alarming. Individually, no pitch should be harder than grade 15.

Start about 200m left of MR at a wall with a hollow the shape of a 5 foot upside down pear (also looks like a map of Tasmania according to Jon).

1. 45m Climb directly over pear hollow onto ledge and right though small overhang. Up slabs to tree belay.

2. 35m Up easy slabs and onto right wall to tree belay.

3. 10m Walk right and down around arete traversing to corner and down climb corner to large tree belay.

4. 35m Climb offwidth/chimney corner and slab using horizontal friend placements and chock stone for runners. Over shorter corner above. Tree belay.

5. 12m Up short overhanging crack to halfway ledge. (Walk diagonally leftward towards the main ridge to some short slabs. You should be on the right side of the main ridge.)

6. 18m Up slabs and left onto ledge.

7. 40m Climb 2m onto shale ledge and easy crawl/walk traverse left onto black slabs. Carefully move left over large loose block to arete. Climb arete then move back right, over chossy mantel and harder mantel near top to ledge.

8. 20m (Crux) Climb face onto ledge below yellow corner crack. Climb chossy overhanging corner (good friend protection). Belay in slight cave on ledge.

9. 40m Up wall left of slanting crack over various slabs. Tree belay. (scramble to next cliff and walk left 10m)

10. 25m Climb unprotected slab between two good looking corners (right corner climbed). Move right and easily leftward to ledge. Backside friction belay. (Move right 10m to start next pitch)

11. 30m Up slabs to offwidth corner to top.

Hayden Brotchie & Jon Castley (Alt leads) 6-12-97 & 7-12-97

Note: Access from the halfway ledge is also possible and can be achieved without a rope. It is a little slippery in one place and is not recommended.

A shorter route that neither starts from the bottom or finishes at the top. 2nd and 3rd ascents have done alternative pitches to 4 & 5 going to the left and right - reportedly offering good climbing. The loose pinnacle rock could not be found. Best to just climb where you like to the ledge.

Start at the half way ledge about 50m left of Margarine Ridge at a clean 12m high slab.

1. 18m Up slab past bolt runner near top. Tree Belay.

2. 16m Climb right to bolt runner and up to ledge.

3. 30m Move left and up middle of wall to ledge. Walk right and up juggy overhang to belay on ledge.

4. 35m Move left and up juggy wall and carefully over rocking pinnacle. Up to ledge.

5. 15m Up easy juggy rock to overhang. Awkward move onto ledge. (The climbing finishes here. Move 20m right and continue on Margarine Ridge)

Hayden Brotchie, Bryden Allen (alt. Lead) 28-11-97

The first climb on the lower black slab (wall really) left of Margarine Ridge. Relatively clean rock and good protection all the way makes for enjoyable climbing. The aid move can be easy done with a long sling and will eventually go free probably at 19-21. (Note: Has been freed by Andrew Jones – single move Grade 21)

Start: About 40m left of Margarine Ridge (lower tier) in middle of black wall at right facing flack\crack.

1. 20m. (14m1) Up crack to ledge, sling bolt for aid move. Clip BR moving right on ramp to V groove. Up groove BR and left on wall. Tree Belay.

2. 12m. (14) Up wide corner crack to ledge, move right around nose. Up to small foot ledge on wall. Bomber No.3, 0.5 Camalot and high nut for belay. Take time with belay.

3. 22m. (17) Up to bolt and climb headwall near left arete. Tree Belay.

4. 22m. (10) Up groove and juggy wall. Tree belay.

5. 13m. (3) Ramble over jug city to the bushy halfway ledge.

Hayden Brotchie, Jim Croft (alt Lead) 2/8/98

Various finishes exist - The start of Middle Slab (16) is approx 30m left, Margarine Ridge (13) is to the right or simply walk back to the Mt Hay Canyon Exit (8).

Mostly short, generally easy pitches but with a great 5th pitch (the eponymous pitch). This climb has not received many repeats, so be particularly careful if you plan to attempt the route.

The climb starts about 750m right (facing out) from the base of the Mt Hay canyon exit climb (head right soon after doing a short abseil off a big ring bolt). The start is on a small belay ledge about 5m up, about 20m past a small creek fed from a wide, dripping waterfall high up on the cliff.

1. 15m (16) A nice technical start to the climb. Orange corner left of belay. Hard moves up the corner, then easier up the flake/crack and a gully to a tree belay to the left.

2. 35m (walk) Walk and scramble up and left, then up a short corner to the base of the second short corner.

3. 10m (10) Easy wall right of corner to long, narrow ledge below nice black ironstone slab

4. 18m (15 R) Easily up unprotected black ironstone slab (numerous variants) to small ledge (piton up high to the left). Crank up short, steep wall (crux) on thin chickenheads to atmospheric belay ledge under roof (BB and cams). NOTE: Pitches 3 and 4 could be linked quite easily into a single pitch.

5. 60m (15 R) The money pitch that the route is named after. Traverse right from the belay (be careful of the thin plates below where the ledge runs out), over the bulge on jugs then up the long slab above with sparse and wandery gear (double ropes recommended). Tree belay on halfway ledge. NOTE: This is a full 60m pitch - on the FA, the second started simulclimbing before the leader had reached the halfway ledge, which (given the minimal pro) was a tad "exciting". After the FA, a BB was added in the middle of this pitch, allowing it to be led as two pitches on a 50m rope instead (and making it safer if led as a single pitch).

6. 30m (walk) Walk up halfway ledge to a pleasant belay under a small roof.

7. 15m (10) Step right onto block then up to ledge. Up pleasant slab to ledge (tree belay).

8. 25m (walk) Walk up and left to small ledge below hollow corner.

9. 5m (13) Up hollow corner into cave (small cam with runner out onto face), then back onto the overhanging face and up to ledge.

10. 20m (walk) Walk up and left to chossy cave. NOTE: From here on, the climb follows the easiest line to the top of the cliff, thereby avoiding a lot of the great looking rock on offer to the right. It is expected that a better, direct finish could be done beginning here, and heading out to the right on the nice looking slabs.

11. 25m (8) Step left and up around arete to ledge, Straight up buttress (or walk up at left hand end). Scramble up to ledge below chossy roof.

12. 25m (10) Walk left along ledge below chossy roof, then easily up blocks to base of pleasant black slab. Left and up the black slab to belay ledge below steep orange wall.

13. 15m (12) Up choss to layback crack on right. Pleasant layback to top (tree belay 15m back).

To walk out, head up and right, passing an unusual "inverted V" cave. Keep heading right until the open heath is reached, at which point continue straight up the ridge top, up a short, steep white slab and over the top to the walking track. Walking time to the carpark: 20 minutes.

Alternative finish to Monks Wall, extending the climbing by 2 pitches.

From P10 belay of Monks Wall, climb straight up and right of chossy cave, better protected than any previous pitch. Once past the roof, follow the crack trending back left above the belay, and actually re-join the original Monks Wall route and probably belaying in the same spot. About 30m, grade 15 ish.

Another 10-15m of climbing straight up a short wall, leads to bush bashing up steep dirt. It's about 50m to good trees where the angle eases enough to un-rope.