접속점들 Hunter Valley에서

Whether it's bouldering, sport, trad or DWS climbing the Hunter Region has something for everyone. The region covers the Watagans to the west, Central Coast to the south, Bulahdelah to the north and Port Stephens to the East. The Watagans is made up of numerous sandstone cliffs in a National park. Port Stephens has some fantastic sea cliff climbing on quality granite like rock. Bulahdelah is made up of an alum/rhyolite rock. This rock is very stong and lends itself to some interesting featured climbing, inclucing the famous cave. The Central Coast has fine, compacted sandstone with some great sport climbing caves and bouldering areas. Also has some great trad spots along the Hawksbury. For more information see the Hunter Valley Rockclimbing guidebook.

The Watagans are comprised of a number sandstone cliffs. West of the M1 (Newcastle to Sydney) Freeway, the area is mainly National Park though some sections are in State Forests or on private property. The rock is softer and has more conglomerate bands than Sydney or Blue Mountains sandstones, but if you stick to the worn classic you should enjoy.

Monkey Face is the main area. It is a good place for beginners and is easy to set top ropes. It is often used by the Scouts and the Newcastle University Mountaineering Club.

This area is on Private Property (with a residence directly below Rindgold Wall) and permission must be obtained in advance, to access the area. The number as listed in the guidebook is disconnected ( 2018), a long way to go to find Grant is not at home- working on new phone details

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Splitter crack to an old carrot bolt (protrudes 50mm with bomb-proof cams adjacent and above), then follow finger crack over roof to an awkward exit.

Steep corner crack, BB marked on the right wall

Directly up wall, 2m left of the Battle of Rahmizies to an old carrot bolt, then follow slabby corner left to tree belay.

Wide corner crack, 2m left of Rabies, through a blocky roof, finishing past 2 carrot bolts on the upper right wall to a bolt belay (2 bolts with fixed hangers set back from the edge)

Obvious, overhang wide hand-crack with a difficult offwidth section. Either finish on broad terrace (tree belay) or step left and continue up the 2 bolt finish to the Battle of Rahmizies

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Most routes have been retrobolted, bolt plates needed. The original route, Rhinegold starts in cave on left at 1/3 height and runs diagonally right across wall.

Start as for Rhinegold direct from ground level but continue straight up passing 7BRs to DBR belay on top. Used to have only 2 bolts.

Starts at ground level 1m right of chimney. Up slab to join Rhinegold where it steps right out of cave then up diagonally right passing 6BRs to DBR belay near arete.

Step out ofcave at 1/3 height on left and head diagonally right up wall to finish near arete.

Boulder the right side of the Rhinegold wall past 3 bolts, moving leftwards to join Rhinegold at it's final bolt.

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Climb the Scotch and Dry crack all the way. Easier approached as a pure trad climb, avoiding the old bolts

Originally a straight forward aid climb with an exciting free section for it's day. The aid was the initial bolt ladder and a sling aid on the final bolt.

1. Climb the wide crack next to the bolt ladder to a bolt belay at half height.

2. Follow the flake / ramp rightwards to a bolt belay. Climb the short final wall past a bolt to a final bolt belay.

The line of stainless carrots 2m right of Scotch and Dry

The diagonal thin crack right of S&D after boulder start.

A serious climb that remained the hardest climb in the Hunter valley well into the mid '70's. It's original grade of 12 ensured that Hunter valley climbers travelling to the Blue Mountains were quite competent at any grade 12 they cared to try (originally called E&S after the bank whose logo was a sheep, suspended from a rope). Start at a vaugue flake below a bolt, 3m left of David's Hangover. Climb the pocketed wall past 2 bolts to the cave / ledge. pull up and right passing a bolt to David's Hangover's top bolt belay

Start at DH to block then step left following carrots to cave and up as for DH direct

Climb the first pitch of David's Hangover then continue directly up the arete (devoid of protection). May now be a fully carrot'ed sport climb?

Start at the the short crack below the western arete of the main buttress. Climb the short crack then up the blunt arete past a bolt to a bolt belay in the cave. Traverse 10m right to a difficult move to a large ledge and tree, bolt belay well back.

Shady southern side of the Pinnacles

Offwidth flake, then slab passing a bolt with several shallow chipped holds

Chimney then overlap / chockstone and crack

Chimney, to chockstone, then climb easy wall to the right.

Climbs the slab between Noel’s Masterpiece and the corner of Pee Wee’s slab. Good rock but a no gear... so solo or toprope.

Classical slabby corner with awkward overlap.

Layback to break, step right, then up gully. One of the Hunter valley's earliest climbs, now a largely vegetated gully line.

The RH Corner and jamb crack start to the M1 to gully.

Splitter Jamb crack through some painful conglomerate

Climbs the large, deep, hanging chimney. The access pitch follows the long right leading ramp. The Hunter's second recorded climb, M1 being the first climb, graded "Moderate", D2 being the second climb, graded "Difficult" in the pre-Ewbank system, British ajectival grading

The first pitch of D2 lies below the track and is a worthy climb in its own right. The easy splitter hand crack

Climb splitter crack right of D2, traverse right and finish up crack to tree. NB there is no longer a potential belay tree on the half way ledge.

Climb the crack and chimney system 10m right of Heart failure past a peg to a bolt belay.

Steep corner 5m right of Bakers Chimney. Fingers to thin hands.

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Easiest line to the summit, from the west

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Crack and chimney line at the LH end of the north face

P1 : Up chimney an bolt over chockstone to belay. P2 : "Toohey's Traverse" traverse right to bolt belay.

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

Climb the bolted NW arête of the Central Buttress

The chimney/cleft on the dark side of the central buttress.

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

4 carrots up a short wall and flake system on the right wall of prominent chimney. DBB

Possibly the chimney left of "Astro Turf" (2013 guide noted it had been top-roped)? DBB

Short slab past 2 carrots

Despite the name, this is a fun, short, clean hand-crack

Fine short slab past 2 carrots

Short under-vertical crack (possibly a guide typo at 17?)

Good thin slab climbing past 2 carrots

If you have benefited from climbing infrastructure in NSW, please consider making a donation towards maintenance costs. The Sydney Rockclimbing Club Rebolting Fund finances the replacement of old bolts on existing climbs and the maintenance of other hardware such as fixed ropes and anchors. The SRC purchases hardware, such as bolts and glue, and distributes them to volunteer rebolters across the state of New South Wales. For more information, including donation details, visit https://sydneyrockies.org.au/rebolting/

The ramp left of the arête on small gear then past 2 RBs to DBB

The left side of the arête

Majority sport routes on quite good rock for the Watagans, The first ascension details are unknown. It is believed that i was a boilermaker from the Sanitarium factory that established the crag. Take bolt plates, a brush and snake repellant.

The great looking crack with 2 variants on the top pitch.

Top left of the amphitheatre on large hex bolts.

Left route on rings. Belay on glue in bolts on top of block.

A little hard to find. But access as for the Dora Pinna

Left of offwidth on same block as UR2. Thin moves to same carrot belay on top of block. Can abseil off tree to clean.

2 hex bolts then 2 rings up the steep wall. Watch out for the resident snake!! Has "T" etched into rock at base. Belay machine bolts on top.

U bolts up the high steep arete.

Lower slab/arete on hex bolts.

Up the slab at start to climb the orange rock up high with a traverse right below small cave, then up to lower off.

Climb the central line of bolts up the slab, left of Flying Orchid. Friction and pebble climbing.

Tough slab climbing just left of the arete and 5m right of the corner.

Extension of the Great Arch, up flake system onto arête and up

Climb the arching crack to the left of the Great Wall (red C4s are useful)... Finishing at a single ring above the corner (can be backed up with cams)

The blank slab on the southern side of the fence. Up for a steep finish.

One of the largest crags in the Hunter region, Monkey Face has a good collection of short crack lines and sport climbing.

Although containing some interesting climbs, this area was originally used for training of scout climbers due to it's manageable size, easy climbs and proximity to the camping area at the end of Bangalow Rd. The rock in this area tends to be grainier than most other cliffs at Monkey Face.

The dirty corner at the far left end of the cliff.

The track passes a steep buttress and an overhung corner, before 80m of blank wall lead to a large tree and 'Deamon'.

The knobbly flake, 80m right of Dougal's Crack.

Wall / slab past a letterbox slot and bolt a metre or so right of Deamon.

The slabby corner.

Wall and crack leading to a diagonal line of holds right to a groove.

Continue directly up wall after Photogenic's bolt

Hanging corner to an arete, carefully up the corner (peg missing) to the grainy arete.

Slabby corner and left leading ramp, used as access.

Corner / flake above Solo One.

Wall and overlap 15m right of Snake. Climb diagonally rightwards to gain the cave, then over the bulge past bolt

Unprotected wall to join Oxymoron at it’s cave.

Up wall 5m right of Oxymoron Direct passing 2 bolts and a small overlap

"It's 16 going on 17". The wall at the right hand end of the overlaps, 3m right of Menstration Day.

Up wall past a slot & 2 bolts, 5m right of 'Von-Trap'.

The area directly below the parking area at the western Monkeyface Lookout. This is the only area that is visited from the lookouts above the cliffs and is of sufficiently low quality to have had very few visits from the lower car parks. Beware of the rock!

"a different type of jug?" the rotten corner at the left end of the main slab.