Nodes em The Rock

Know as Kengal to the local Wiradjuri people, The Rock towers 250 metres over the surrounding countryside, and is thought to have been a site for initiation ceremonies. The reserve is an island of natural habitat for native animals, including the turquoise parrot and glossy black cockatoo.

The Rock Nature Reserve is in the southern Riverina of New South Wales, and lies on the boundary of two major physiographic regions: the Riverine Plain and the western slopes of the Eastern Highlands.

On a clear day, you can see Mount Kosciuszko and the Victorian Alps from the top of the three kilometre Yerong nature track.

The Rock is comprised of a hard quartzite like stone laid down in a diagonal like strata. This leads to some beautiful and technical corner, crack and face climbing with lots of diagonally facing holds. Traditional gear is the go to on many of the routes with many good technical placements being found.

The Towers is the North facing cliff line that is visible from the car park and contains the majority of the routes at The Rock.

Bolting new climbs is prohibited under the Code of Conduct that allows climbing to take place at The Rock.

L of TL is a prominent arete with a steep R face. Follow the R side of this arete.

Superb steep and technical climbing, packs in a lot for 20m. Line heading up R from C. Climb C till the 4th RB then head R and up the steep wall, keep L of the slab corner.

An easy beginners' climb on small clifline L of where old track ascends cliff. Start at the ladder like recess.

Wall several metres L of descent gully.

This reserve is 6 km west of The Rock village on Lockhart Road, 35 km east of Lockhart and 40 km south-west of Wagga Wagga off the Olympic Highway.

From 1st July to 31 December The Rock is closed to all 'Rock Sports', due to breeding Peregrine Falcons. A sign is put in place when the birds are nesting in this area. For more information check the NPWS website: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/adventure-sports-experiences/the-towers

Climbing is only permitted at The Towers and is prohibited in other areas of the reserve at this time.

Wall R of descent gully.

The nearest I can figure is that this climbs the crack on the face to the Left of Kidstuff, assuming that Kidstuff takes the line in the chimney/gully.

Layback crack 8m R of DG Line L of bush, then directly to roof.

Start is marked (T1). Directly up crack, veer slightly left about halfway up onto slab, exit via gully on the left. Nice easy warm up piece.

Start is marked (T1). Directly up crack, veer slightly left about halfway up onto slab, exit via gully on the left. Nice easy warm up piece.

Start marked (TN). Nose to roof. Step R and ascend wall.

Start marked (BC). One of the first climbs completed at The Rock. Chimney formed by large block. Veer slightly R up wall, then gully. Two alternative finishes are on wall L of exit gully. Line closest to gully is grade 10; line further L is grade 8.

Start marked (T2). Corner, then pleasantly up wall. Veer slightly R to roof. Traverse R under roof to easiest line on R side of overhang. Slight bulge, then directly up.

Start marked (HH). Crack, then finish by way of BC's gully.

Some delicate footwork whilst on side pulls gets you to an easier finish. Start as for HH, boulder up R to RB then straight up the wall to lower off on ledge.

Start marked (MF). Crack up to small overhang, step left onto slab, up to wide ledge then exit via chimney (BC's gully). Ledge can be used for top belay if done in two pitches.

A good climb if one resists the temptation to escape to easier climbing on L. Start just L of Terminator. R side of face. First crux face is protected by 3 BRs. Rest of route is adequately protected by gear. From horizontal, move R to join Terminator (best finish) or step L through bushes and up face to a large ledge. Continue up gully or climb unprotected roof (20/21) on R side of gully.

One of The Rock's classic test-pieces. Start Marked. Start 1m L of Scratched Knees on top of rock. Up L side of recess through spectacular roof line. Turn lower roof on L using prominent hold on L wall to gain halfway ledge of Traverse #2. (Belay possible under main roof but don't bother) Turn second roof using underclings, then large jam-crack to reach jugs on lip. Wall above. (Both roofs easier than they look)

Start marked (SK). Starts 1m R of Terminator (just L of large nose). R side of recess and overhang to roof. Don't pike on R, but head straight up through roof and finish up L line.

Excellent climbing in unusual place. Start as for SK, moving R to join bottoming crack. Do not hang around crack like a wallflower - continue up arête. This leads to easier climbing and lovely stroll to top. Protection a bit dubious, but small RPs in strange places will protect crux.

Start 2m R of Wallflower on the face under the roof. Up this face to the roof. Step L into WF for a few moves then traverse back just above the roof to the arête. Follow this to the top where WF joins it.

The Rock's first classic test piece at this grade. Start 2m left of prominent corner. Prominent upside-down staircase (two BRs) to ledge.

Start as for Angie. Up this for 5m to a traverse line. Traverse L to join SC for about 4m then traverse L again to the arete and follow this to the SC anchor.

Excellent climbing at this grade. Prominent corner marked 'A'. Corner to roof. Pass the roof on the left. Continue past some large, loose blocks, then up to the top of the cliff.

Follow Angie to roof, then follow R line through roof. Straight up loose, R-facing corner to lower offs below loose wall at top.

Steep with a difficult move to reach the lip. Start as for OE or LWF and climb either of these for the first 5m before stepping onto the arête. Follow this to the first roof, step R under this, up a move then a hard move out L to the lip. Finish up the face to the lower off on OE below the death choss at top.

Beautiful line done in two pitches to reduce rope drag.

1. Start R of Angie and follow thin, diagonal line on face to roof. Exit R. Belay just round roof on blocky stance. DBB lower off here also.

2. Step back L, then steep line.

First line R of LWF. Thin crack, moving R to horizontal. Traverse L along horizontal to meet LWF.

Climb SAM to horizontal, then move R to overlap. Move R past a FH up thin flake and face past 2FHs to small roof. Over roof and up face until just R of large roof. Finish up closed flake past 2FHs to lower off R of LWF. (#5 stopper and 2 small cams is useful after roof). Direct finish added in May 2017, makes for more direct and fun route.

A link of Chaos Roof and Where Iron Crosses Grow. Start as for Chaos Roof. Up past the first few bolts to the roof and instead of pulling the roof move, step L and up into the roof of WICG.

Climb CHAOS past the 3 FHs and small roof then traverse L climbing the lip of the LWF roof and face before reaching the lower off on OE.

Start marked. Easy corner past pillar and up L side of wall.

Start as for JD but at about 15m follow easy crack on L wall.

Start 2m R. of JD at L. side of face. Hard face moves with scant protection lead by way of loose rock to shallow corner. Follow this up to top of pillar. Face above.

Thin line 3m R of BM leading to shallow corner. Start behind large black and climb onto face. Difficult moves to horizontal. Pull past this to easier climbing. Protection difficult to place.

Marked corner 9m R of JD. Awkward start leads to quality. 20m slab corner. Easily to top.

Follow for VC for 1m, then move R onto arête. (If you reach L into corner grade is reduced to about 15). Crux is getting past overlap.

Nice face climbing, a little contrived as it steps L into Mohammed. Start 2m R of VC. Pull up R onto face for a few moves then Boulder L to join M. Up M for a few moves before traversing R a few metres before climbing diagonally R over the overlap and face to the anchors of BS.

Start 3m L of CD. Make some hard moves diagonally R to a jug then up a short crack to a horizontal. Step L 2m then straight up over the Arapiles style bulge to the finish.

R of VC and round corner is 1m high ledge below steep face. Line from middle of ledge, moving R. At horizontal, swing L and up into loose corner.

Excellent climbing on good rock. Small corner just R of CD for a few moves. Where CD traverses L, climb thin, R-leaning crack. Follow this thin line (crux) to horizontal. Finish up corner. If crux is too hard, climb up L and traverse R along horizontal to finish the line (23).

Superb rock and nice face climbing. Starts 2m R of SJ follow the thin R leaning line up the wall staying approx 2m R of SJ the whole way.

Steep face 4m R. of VC. Take line at R. side, about 3m L. of Andrew and detached block. Veer L. with line into short corner (crux).

Fantastic face and arete climbing with a sneaky step R at 2/3s height that makes it all go. Climb the arete immediately L of A to the second break after the slopy ledge. Step R into A at the roof climb this for a 1m and then step back L around the corner to the next BR. Climb the last bit of arete and face in a spectacular position to the top. Lower off below the choss at the top.

20m R. of VC is corner which starts behind L end of large, detached block. Up between block and wall to join corner.

Follow Andrew to ledge (level with top of block). Crack out of R side of Andrew. Thin moves to good stance. Finish up corner.

Bouldery crux down low. Face route up wall in behind detached pillar crossing OOA finishing at the anchors ledge on the ledge of Andrew.

2m R of Andrew is a bottomless, shallow corner behind a detached block. 'Delicate' is the flavour of this test piece.

Just L of The Brisbane Line at end of detached block is 4m face leading to horizontal. Ease up face L of arête on micro holds to horizontal. L-leaning line to ledge, then face above.

Starts at R end of detached block. Overhanging corner, then step up next (tricky) corner above. Major corner-line above to little ledge with small tree, then last part of corner.

Thin, discontinuous crack 1m R of BL to horizontal ramp of April Fools. R corner. A bit of manual manipulation will see you through this section. Continue up broken face.

Starts 5m R of BL on ramp. Follow L-sloping ramp to small ledge. Traverse round nose to main crack-line.

20m Start at belay 13m R of AF (up scrubby gully). Tend L, then cracks and ledges to main ledge.

At the bottom R end of The Towers wall before it turns chossy is a 20m high buttress about 50m R of Benders Lane. Start directly in front of buttress and up 5m past a finger crack to a large ledge. Continue 10m up corner and step left onto smaller ledge. Up last 5m past large broken crack and block. Ascending -from the top 50m further to the R a cairn marks an easy ramp scramble back down.

Climbing is currently prohibited at the Central Buttress by NPWS.

Start at L. side of (marked) buttress. L. crack system.

Start at R. side of (marked) buttress. R. crack system.

Start marked. Zigzag up start, then wall.

Start marked. Easy gully to top of cliff.

Start Marked. Up large crack to alcove on L. Follow obvious crack to crux. Reachy move into alcove rest. Step R and up to belay on L.

Start marked. Start on high-angled, mossy slab about 60m from Exit Gully. Directly up slab.

Easy crack just R. of Friction Boots slab.

Start marked. Up crack past bushes, follow layback right past small roof then on to top

On the right side of the Central Walls are two large chimneys readily seen from the road when driving to the Rock Nature Reserve from The Rock township. Big L. chimney

On the right side of the Central Walls are two large chimneys readily seen from the road when driving to the Rock Nature Reserve from The Rock township. Big R. chimney

Climbing is currently prohibited at The Main Face by NPWS.

First corner-crack on L. side of cliff.

'There are routes and there are routes - but this is not one of them. It will surely land on the packs in years to come'. Loose. Start about 2m R. of RC. Move up L. and scale loose rock to perch yourself on person-sized, loose flake. Continue up even looser line above.

Corner R. of Running Crack.

Corner R. of Solo Crack.

Start in crack system just R. of arête between January Crack and Carcinogenic Cloud. Crack until arête can be gained.

Corner R. of January Crack.

Start marked. Corner R. of Carcinogenic Cloud. Crack and wall above.

3m R. of Greg's Climb is ledge 3m off ground. Boulder to ledge and climb corner to roof. Step R. to gain beautiful finger crack. Wall.

A classic climb and the first done at The Rock. Start marked.

1. Scramble to corner crack which give access to R. sloping ramp. Climb ramp which runs to large ledge. Belay on ledge.

2. Traverse L. along ledge and round buttresses to reach exposed eagles-nest-like stance where ledge terminates.

3. From stance climb crack, then veer slightly R. to escape wall and face (crux).

Exposure is grade 15 on its own.

The Rock's original 'big wall' climb. Start marked.

1. Cracks to ledge

2. Aid thin crack which arches L. to join main crack/chimney line.

3. Chimney-crack.

Start marked. Line of least resistance up mossy slab on R. side of face.

Climbing is currently prohibited at the Upper Terrace by NPWS.

Ramble up R. side of cave, then traverse L. to base of crack. Climb crack.

Blank corner 2m right of WAR. Move R. at ledge and up corners (crux).

On the terrace above the Main Face are some interesting lines. About 100m from the L. are two good-looking lines. L. one is steep, closed corner starting halfway up cliff; R. one is saner version with a steep, blocky crack line at half height.

1. 15 m Follow some moderate ramps to blocky belay a few metres R. of above mentioned lines.

2. 15m Move up and slightly R., ignoring two hardish traverses L. Step out R. on to large, bottomless blocks below little crack through top roof. Step up and continue.