Routes as trad in Eastern Gara Gorge

Start: At the left hand end of the bluff to the left of the northern descent gully.

Up corner into off-width, past loose block then through vines to ledge.

Abseil off or scramble to top.

Start: 15m right of 'Cleaver'.

Up flared chimney, then scramble over blocks (10m), right onto large sloping ledge and up to top.

Start: At the bottom of the descent gully at the left end of the cliff. Scramble up to ledge left of big chimney with tree.

1. 20m Up crack corner to, traverse right to chimney, up this to ledge and tree belay.

2. 20m From tree scramble right up cracked wall to obvious crack. Up crack to top.

Start: about 30m right of the northern descent gully, two chimneys intersect at right angles.

Up chimney intersection, then up the thin crack, traverse right across slabs to tree.

Abseil off or scramble to top.

Start: Horizontal recess some meters right of 'Intersection'.

1. 30m Traverse rightwards out of recess to below corner. Awkwardly up into comer and up to roof, exit left up crack to slab. Traverse left around arete to good ledge.

2. 10m Traverse left to off-width. Up this to scrubby ledge.

3. 30m Climb up through tree, step left then up to ledge on arete. Up trending left to jams below bulging wall. Traverse left until it is possible to climb a corner which leads to a large flake. Up this to top.

A short line on good sharp rock.

Start: Left of a large 'Bomb Bay' chimney, left of 'All for Perks'.

1. 9m Up onto ledge, traverse left then up under roof and traverse back right, move up the crack to a large sloping ledge.

2. 7m (crux ) Move to the right of the ledge, swing around and up an open corner. Exit left at top to a large tree.

Abseil off.

Start: About 30m left of 'Inception'.

1. 20m Up corner then left to small chimney and up onto ledge.

2. 35m Bridge and jam up crack to top.

Start: Right of 'All for Perks' on small cliff below main nose of cliff.

Follow leftward leaning crack to to large ledge/terrace.

Start: Layback corner just to the right of the lowest part of the cliff.

Up crack, right onto ledge then up onto wall. Left into off-width and up to large ledge.

Scramble off to left.

The first route in the descent gully. Mike's brothers York and Eric were there too! Start: The wall 3m left of 'Humble Pie'.

Up the wall, past 3 BR's. Third bolt is a difficult clip - makes it that little more exciting. Belay on ledge (medium friends and wires) and walk off right, or... continue up hand-crack to top (grd. 18)

Rather awkward and strenuous.

Start: The first obvious crack in the descent gully.

Awkward fist jamming to top.

The obvious crack immediately left of Arms Race.

1. Climb through bouldery start to good pro in crack and up this moving right after half height and up to top.

Gentle start, but gets nice and pumpy towards the top.

Start: Rightward trending corner crack immediately right of 'Evil Angels'

Diagonally right, taking care of rock and protection, to base of vertical crack. Up crack, step right and on to top ( crux).

Note: On the first ascent Brian climbed from a rest directly up the vertical crack, involving a sequence of moves about grade 22/23. The first free ascent stepped right beneath the short headwall and up to top. First free ascent of the complete route with direct finish by Carol Lee 22/08/15.

Start: 3m right of 'Arms Race'.

A short slabby wall then join up the cracks through two small roofs (2 B.R.'s, #1.5 friend and wires on route ).

Crank up slabby wall (crux) past two B.R.'s, then up through two small roofs trending right to final vertical seam. Up seam and finish as for last moves of 'Arms Race'.

Destined to be a classic.

Start: The obvious wall/crack route, on the terrace, that exits through the roof.

Straight up the wall, crack to roof and through the exciting roof crack to the top.

Start: The corner left of 'Men of Good Fortune'.

Straight up corner to top.

Exciting!

Start: 10m right of 'Resurgence' on the main terrace. The flake up an overhanging arete. Up flake, then move right and up cracks to top.

Start: The second crack at the right end of the lower tier.

Up crack to top.

Start: 4m left of 'Physical Jerk'.

Up crack to top.

Start: The crack just left of 'Lolita'.

Up crack to top.

Start: crack just right of the small roof.

Up crack to top.

Start: The crack below the small roof.

Up off-width and around roof to top.

Start: 30m left of the main 'Yellow' face on a broken section of the cliff.

Traverse right under small overhang onto tree. Up tree then back onto rock to go through roof, then up twin cracks to exit right onto ledge, through fig trees and up easy corner to belay on large tree.

For many years the 'Last Great Problem'.

Start: 3m left of the large off-width at the left end of the Yellow face.

1. 14m Up a short finger crack (4m) to edge then right to straggle up corner crack in body ' V to the top of the block.

2. 9m Delicately up the open corner (cruxy) to the large ledge (halfway). 3 B.R.'s.

3. 8m Boulder problem start the easy finger crack to ledge below the small roof.

4. 26m Up crack to roof, around roof (crux) then continue up layback to small ledge, tiptoe left then continue to top.

Start: As for 'Agent Orange Sunset'

1. 25m Up crack for a couple of meters then move left into obvious traverse line. Continue traverse until large ledge at base of rightwards trending ramp.

2. 25m Follow ramp to roof. Move left onto huge ledge with solitary gum-tree.

3. 25m Up wall to horizontal crack, have a breather, then continue up rightwards trending line to top.

A chance find.

Start: As for A.O.S.

1. 25m Up crack and wall of A.O.S. (5m), then traverse left to the diagonal crack. Continue up crack and flake to a tree on a large ledge.

2. 25m As for pitch 3 of S.F & F.I.

"What’s this rash that comes and goes, Can you tell me what it means? God help me; I was only nineteen." - Tadpole

A classic line (both the climb and the song).

Start: At the far right-hand end of the Main wall; at the top of the gully about 60m right of the 'Golden Handshake'.

1. 35m A block and a short wall then a short chimney lead to the main crack. Up the bulging crack (crux ) to the bush, past the bush and belay below the roof in the telephone box.

2. 15m Pull up over the roof and step right along sloping ledge, up corner past one B.R. then scramble to top.

Does not go to top.

Start: Below a half-height diagonal crack.

Up to hanging block, left and up groove to ledge, then right up diagonal crack to belay. Abseil off or down-climb to the left.

The first pitch is rather dangerous with some loose rock on it. Take care with your placements.

Start: On the ledge up-hill and 15m left of 'Pin Up'. The thick flake; done in two pitches to reduce rope drag.

1. 10m (crux) Up crack and past flake and right to belay.

2. 10m Up corner crack to overlap and up right-hand crack to top.

Abseil off.

Hard and gnarly. One of New England's hardest crack lines. Can easily be split into 2 pitches at the ledge.

Originally all aid by R. Dixon and A. Stephens in 1976. M. Colyvan and G. Croft freed it up to the ledge in '81 and P. Bayne and A. Stephens freed the remainder in July 1982.

Start: 5m left of 'Gnome Tree', the left of two cracks.

Follow intermittent crack and shallow comer to ledge then take the superb, sharp finger crack to the top.

Tricky, sustained and simply superb.

Start: The crack/seam immediately right of 'Pin Up'. Follow the crack to the ledge then on to top.

Start: The crack about 8m right of 'Magnifascent'.

Up the crack to overhanging section, then detour left up slab and crack to bush belay.

Loudly marked 'D.D.D.' (Originally named 'Debbie Detour Direct').

Start: As for 'Debbie Detour'.

Straight up the line, ignoring the detour, and on to the Gnome tree.

Start; Corner off-width just right of 'Gnome Tree'.

Strenuously up off-width to awkward exit onto ledge.

Sustained and varied climbing up a steep wall. This climb has a reputation for not having many repeat ascents - not for want of people to try it!

Start: 8m right of'Shady Lady'.

Up thin seam trending left to rightward trending crack, some exciting moves up to leftward groove past one B.R. to top.

A dangerous lead.

Start: The arete right of 'Sundance'.

Up the arete via a B.R.. Some cute moves.

Start: The slabby lay-away corner 10m up and across right from 'Enfant Terrible'.

1. 20m Up lay-away line, then on up chimney to large ledge.

2. 7m Around right, then up chimney (this pitch is contrived and rarely repeated).

“If you go out on the rock today, you're sure to get a surprise"

Hard and sustained climbing.

Start: The cracks about 20m right of 'Zussamen'.

Follow overhanging cracks to top.

A wall lay-back and jam crack........ it's got it all. Take small wires, #'s 1, 1.5 &2 friends and 3 bolt plates.

Start: 3m right of Teddy Bears Picnic'.

Crank the wall (B.R.), then strenuous lay-back (wires and 2 B.R.'s ) leads to a short jam-crack.

Clip the chains and abseil off.

A testpiece for climbers who are new to grade 19 cracks.

Start: As for 'Dynamic Bureaucrat'.

Awkward to roof, then strenuously through roof to top.

Start: 5m right of 'Teddy Bears Picnic', below the overhanging crack (The Push).

Up comer to ledge, traverse right along ledge to thin flake. Up flake, through the small roof and open corner to top.

A fine climb for a sunny Sunday morning (most parties do the direct start)

Start: 10m right of 'Dynamic Bureaucrat'.

Awkwardly onto ledge, then up a tricky corner followed by superb climbing to top.

A bouldery direct start to Sunday Morning Energy.

Start: Directly up from where climb is marked, then awkardly onto ledge, up a tricky corner followd by superb climbing to top.

Start: The crack 1m left of 'Social Misfit'.

Up the crack the step right to the flake and haul up the next wall (2 B.R.'s) on beutiful jugs, then up the final slab (B.R.) to chains.

Start: The large flake/block left from 'Fugitive'.

Up outside or inside block, left around corner, up block to free.

Start: 30m right and uphill of 'Social Misfit'.

The left of two cracks. Up to tree belay.

Nasty on the hands.

Start: The crack immediately right of 'Fugitive'.

Pull up to rest below obvious leftward trending crack. Up crack and step left to exit at top.

A death-trap, full of loose, crumbly rock.

Start: The left-hand crack in the chossy alcove immediately right of 'Portable Rip-off.

Awkwardly up hanging channel and up crack, keeping to the left.

A real gem, with a secret jug to dangle off and pose for photos.

Start: Corner crack 10m right of 'Portable Rip-off.

Jam and bridge up crack to belay off gum-tree further back.

Just brilliant. Thin and technical face climbing.

Start: The thin flake and wall 2m right of 'Wee Dangler'.

Up the thin flake past the first B.R. Clip the second B.R. and step out right onto the wall, then move up to clip the third B.R. off a good stance. Step slightly left and haul on up to the top. Belay off gum-tree further back.

Start: From the descent track, traverse along the ledge, through some fig tree branches, on the left side of the main bluff.

Up hand-crack to top.

On a lower terrace right of the main block.

Start: The thin crack corner.

Up crack to top.

Start: On the lower rock terrace below 'Switchblade'. Abseil over or scramble up from 'Saracen'. At the extreme left-hand end of the rock face, left of two overhanging cracks that can be seen high up on your right.

Up wall and curving crack to horizontal, then up sharp crack to top.

Up corner on left for 3m, then traverse right into great layback and straight up.

Up face, through rooflet into offwidth curving to the right then up face.

Start: On the left side of the descent gully. Obvious fist crack.

Up crack to horizontal break, left, then up crack to top.

Start: At base of short corner crack that leads right to obvious flake.

Up corner crack to horizontal break, right to flake. Follow flake to corner crack, up crack to exit through small roof.

It's looser than it looks.

Start: The big orange corner above that of 'Bent'.

Follow corner through loose rock and small roof to top.

Start on orange wall around from 'Little Hands' and directly beneath roof.

1. 15m (14). Up flake crack, to ledge. Up diagonally R through blocks to roof, traverse R to the base of 'Little Hands'. Belay off Acacia/vertical crack. Climb 'Little Hands' or walk out.

A little beuty.

Start: At the base of a short very clean corner crack.

Up crack to top.

On a cliff across the gully to the far right of the Asylum.

From the viewpoint block, walk right, down gully, then left along ledge and up to chimney.

Start: The crack in the right wall of the chimney.

1. 30m Up crack, through hole then follow crack through roofs to sentry box.

2. 5m Step right then up to ledge, step left then up crack to top.

Approach by way of the upstream gulley.

Start at left end of main cliff where it is possible to scramble up to a large terrace which leads right. Take the lefthand of the two obvious lines in the middle of the terrace.

1. 45m Straight up the crack marked by a cairn. At top of crack step up and right onto dished slab.Up this to horizontal break, left and up to base of corner.

2. 38m Up corner to about 3.5m where it closes down, hand traverse 2m right and up into next line. Up this to top. (crux)

Not the recommended finish to A & U.

1. 35m (19) From the belay ledge on top of the 1st pitch of 'Angels and Us', head up obvious corner crack (3.5m), Traverse L above orchids for 5m (straight forward but poor pro), to base of vertical off-width crack (large cams). Up this & L onto blocky ledge. At L end of ledge head up vertical closing finger crack into base of fig tree. Sling this & traverse out left until clear of fig before topping out using one of two lines. Tree belay 10m back from cliff edge.

Start at back of bay 5m right of 'Angels and Us'.

1. Up into back of corner and continue up to terrace.

2. Up easiest line behind tree.

Escape up descent ramp

Double ropes advised.

Start at right hand end of the ‘Orchid View Terrace’ below a curving, fingery layback crack.

1. Climb over the first huge orchid patch taking care not to damage it and up the layback to exit left at the top. Traverse about 6m left then straight up to a one metre high flake and continue up to bulges. Left around rib to semi-hanging belay.

2. Traverse Right, then awkwardly up onto a large ledge and then, at its right hand end up to a second ledge and a Kurrajong tree.

3. Scramble to the top ... carefully!

(This was the scene of a near death experience for the first ascentionists when Curtis, scrambling up the easy exit, dislodged a block the size of a small fridge which trashed both ropes and missed Oddie’s head by about half a metre, hitting the Kurrajong tree to which he was belayed before disappearing into the void.)

Approach by abseil from the point where the cliff starts to lose height at the downstream end. Abseil to a terrace with a diagonal ramp/corner crack at it’s right-hand end. NB. The position of the climb on the topo may not be reliable.

1. approx. 35m Climb the corner to an awkward rest where it eases to vertical. Make a difficult move back into the line and continue to the top.

Start at the left end of 'Broken Terrace' at the leftmost flake.

1. (17) 24m. Up flake till it widens and an easy ramp leads off to the right. Step onto ramp and up this to belay behind the pedestal.

2. 26m. Climb onto pedestal, and step onto main cliff. Traverse right and then up to below roof. Continue traversing and belay below extreme right-hand end of overhang. This belay avoids the rope drag which is almost inevitable if the last two pitches are done as one.

3. 10m Climb the crack through the small easy overhang and move left onto 'Orchidview Terrace' to belay.

Escape left where scrambling through 'The Jungle' leads to the bottom of descent ramp.

Accessed by abseiling 40m from the downstream end of the Orchidview Terrace.

First done from the ground up with several easy pitches to start. It could turn out to be pitches 5,6 and 7 of 'Facial Discrimination' but on the second ascent of SR a crucial hold was broken off (perhaps explaining the one grade difference).

1. Straight up to huge chockstone and belay as for Tiny Tips.

2. Straight up and move left into shallow corner after about 5m. Follow this to top.

Start from same belay as 'Surprising rising'.

1. 17m Climb the right-hand crack below the huge chockstone. Squeeze behind the chockstone and belay.

2. 5m Descend to tree belay.

3. Up curving crack to leftward leaning ramp. Climb nearly to the top of this but exit up short finger crack on right wall to ledge.

Exit right. Finish by pitches 2 and 3 of Sailors of the Sun.

Start - Abseil from the gum tree at the bottom of ‘Orchadia’ for about 40m to ‘Broken Terrace’. Scramble right (facing cliff) past the obvious line of ‘Surprising Rising’ to the obvious corner crack, overhung at its base.

1. 30m up awkwardly into layback crack and up this to top.

2. At back left of the bushy terrace is an easy ramp leading diagonally left. Climb to top of this and traverse left to end of ledge.

3. (exit) Downclimb for a few feet until it is possible to move left to beneath a small overhang. Climb this to the Orchidview Terrace.

Enjoyable, on clean rock.

Start: The first good line down the rocky descent ramp.

Mixed jambing and bridging off the vertical.

There's a man-hole atop the chimney!

Start: Short recessed offwidth with black/grey granite at it's back -left of 'Colonial Daze'.

Chimney style to where cracks in the right wall provide sound holds. Up to chock stones and man-hole - swing out and around to either right or left hand deep crack finishes (.5m apart).

Mixed and varied climbing up the center of the main wall.

Start; From the descent gully go right to the bottom of the main wall. The clean layaway corner.

1. 20m. Up crack to join large crack on right, continue up to tree belay.

2. 10m. Walk right to tree and up thin crack below "cat's tongue block" to the ledge on right.

3. 20m. Up vegetated chimney/gully, right of belay and continue through fig tree to belay.

4. 25m. Traverse left along treed ledge to belay below two converging cracks with a large block wedged at top.

5. 15m. Up right hand crack, under block to belay atop the block.

6. 25m. (crux) Up to base of off-width then up thin left crack up to ledge and ramp to belay under small roof/cave.

7. 10m. Up through roof and follow crack left to large ledge and tree belay.

8. 50m. Leftwards up ramp over blocks and continue to start or rock ramp, then right to good ledge.

9. 30m. Move right and around corner to intermittent crack system. Follow this to obvious ledge.

10. 10m. Follow ledge left and up dirt slab to base of off width immediately right of huge orange roof, then left to tree belay.

11. 15m. Up small corner and crack trending left to diagonal crack and under cling and roof to top.

Start: About three-quaters of the way to the top on the left-hand side of the Grey wall (in the descent gully) under orange outcrops, there is, on the right, a fine line which starts in a tree alcove.

Layback start and easily to ledge. Up short off-width to enjoyable roof. Over roof to top.

You'll even meet spike on the second pitch, but don't expect to laugh!

Start: At the left-hand end of the main cliff, scramble up to large ledge at base of two fine corner crack systems. The Goon Show' takes the right line.

1. 30m Avoid orange rock by traversing right to base of offwidth, chimney cracks. Up twin cracks on right to ledge with large tree.

2. 15m Follow fine layback flake into comer: follow crack on right through bulge (crux) to base of fine corner. Spike is perched rather humorously on the right! Up corner, with care, onto ledge underneath huge roof.

3. 20m Easily up huge ramp to top (as for 'Menagerie').

Start: As for 'The Goon Show', on the left side of the main wall.

1. 30m As for pitch 1. of 'The Goon Show'. Avoid orange rock by traversing right to base of offwidth, chimney cracks. Up twin cracks on right to ledge with large tree.

2. 30m Up curving layback, onto block and belay.

Abseil off.

Start: At base of obvious diagonal ramp (right to left across face ); right of 'The Goon Show'.

Follow ramp to top.

Start: At the bottom of the main wall, down and right to the right of 'The Goon Show'. A left hand corner crack. Scramble up to small trees and ledge to start.

Up corner to ledge, trend left, over a bulge then traverse left to fig tree.

Down climb to the ground.

Mixed and varied climbing up the cenre of the main face.

Start: From the descent gully, go right to the bottom of the main wall. The clean layaway crack.

1. 20m Up crack to join large crack on right, continue up to tree belay.

2. 10m Walk right to tree and up thin crack below "cats tongue block" to ledge on right.

3. 20m Up vegetated chimney/gully, right of belay, and continue through fig tree to belay.

4. 25m Traverse left along treed ledge to belay below two converging cracks with a large block wedged at the top.

5. 15m Up right hand crack, under block to belay atop block.

6. 25m (crux). Up to base of off-width, then up thin left crack up to ledge and ramp to belay under small roof/cave.

7. 10m Up through roof and follow crack left to large ledge and tree belay.

8. 50m - Leftwards up ramp, over blocks and continue to start of rock ramp then right to good ledge.

9. 30m Move right and around corner to intermittent crack system. Follow this to obvious ledge.

10. 10m Follow ledge left and up dirty slab to base of off-width immediately left of huge orange roof, then left to tree belay.

11. 15m Up small corner and crack trending left to diagonal crack and under-cling and roof to top.

An exposed climb (and enjoyable if you like sparse protection), which ranks with 'Action' ( Dangars Falls).

Start: Roughly in the middle of the wall, there is a leaning pillar with a left hand crack.Further to the right of the pillar is a ramp leading to a tree. Start here.

1. 25m From tree, easily at first, then more difficult, to a good belay in obvious crack on left hand side of a small flake.

2. 30m Move left and up, past thin crack (which affords some protection ) to belay.

3. 30m Left again and up thin, slightly vegetated crack to belay on grassy ledge under small roof.

4. 30m Move left from ledge (placing protection high to protect traverse) to crack. Carefully up crack to belay below crack lines above.

5. 35m Up initial crack and right to thin crack splitting small roof. Step out left under roof and up to small trees. Continue up to uncomfortable belay under tiny cracked corner.

6. 30m Diagonally left under roof (heading towards huge roof at extreme left), around smaller roof and up to top.

Start: The fine crack that rises up from the slab on the shorter western face.

Up finger crack to ledge, then left and over block to top.

Start: At the the base of the crack line that leads to to the obvious chimney up higher on the main face.

Up right-hand flake, then left to bulging crack. Over crack to ledge then chimney to top.

Start: Obvious overhanging crack on the western face of the pinnacle.

Straight up crack to top.

The aristocrat of New England cracks. An airy hand traverse to relieve the boredom.

Start: The beautiful clean crack that splits the main face.

1. 20m Up chimney, then crack to main ledge.

2. 25m (crux) Short chimney into main off-width which splits the face. Up off-width until crack runs out. Hand traverse left into corner and belay.

3. 12m Up chimney, through tree, then to top.

The first route climbed at The Glen. Starts on the left hand side of the main wall. Belay from under arete overhang - out and left from base of climb. The first pitch takes the obvious crackline on the left wall with a large flat chockstone protruding from it near its top.

1. 20m (17). Up slabby start to obvious vertical weakness starting in the corner. Up through blocks with great pro. A bit of loose rock here will clean up nicely. Trad belay on spacious ledge.

2. 30m (20, crux). Up onto block above and right of belay ledge. Traverse right to a stance beneath blank corner (small pro). Up blank-looking right face, trending left on diagonal lines to an obvious vertical crack line in corner. Once at the pyramid top of the off-width crack, traverse out right (5m) until you are beneath the small but obvious line with the shrubby top-out. Tree belay 10m back.

The central route on the main wall at The Glen.

1. 20m (22). A relatively slabby run-out start (small wires low down). Obvious L trending crack provides first decent pro. Follow obvious line diagonally R through layback crack & on to belay ledge (small & extra large cams).

2. 30m (22). Up & L behind large flake to good pro at top of ramp. A committing blank traverse out right with good feet to base of diagonal L layback with pro (small & med cams). Up through L diagonal to rest before tackling the obvious blocky vertical lines in corner. Same exit as Brawn & Bovril

The obvious right trending diagonal crack line on the right hand side of the main wall. Scramble up large rock fall to start.

1. 20m (22, crux). Up obvious finger crack which starts vertical and then trends diagonally R. Follow line (selection of wires and small cams) to large prominent overhanging block. Chimney up behind block to trad belay on top - obvious horizontal seam at back.

2. 15m (18). Traverse down and R through large juggy window feature (large cam/s) before continuing up and R and around arete through undercling. From here, take your pick of the three vertical exit lines - original ascent used the third line on the R. Tree belay 15m back.