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General Climbing Discussion

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Vic/NSW big wall 19-Jun-2014 At 10:02:54 AM Wendy

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You may have noticed, but Oz doesn't have much in the way of big walls ... Anything around 100m is big to us!

I thought it might be good to clarify how confident you feel on these sort of routes, because many of those suggested are remote, with varying degrees of poor rock and poor gear. So if you are saving Angels (which is one of the best protected, best rock routes listed so far), I thought you should be aware that places like the Bungles, you are looking at crap all gear on crap rock. Stunning location though. The stuff at Mackey's Lookout is run out on easy terrain but generally safe enough, and the access descriptions are much more reliable (and should be tracked these days) than things such at the Queen Vic route, which Kieran is probably the only person to have done in the last 25 years. I haven't done the Blue Mtns routes, but again, be ready for appalling rock, and not so detailed/accurate route descriptions and no obvious trafficked lines. Now is a pretty terrible time of year for buffalo, although I have wanted to go and climb something on the cathedral in the winter, because it would be beautiful with snow on the plateau.

The gramps have lots of classic, "meduim" length routes - with Mt Difficult and Stapyton closed though, Mt Rosea and the Asses Ears are the best options. Heretic is an awesome route. I can't think of a bad climb that is starred in the select guide at either crag, but again, routefinding and rock may be interesting on occasions, but a lot less so than in the Blueys or the QV route. Power Dive on Mt Abrupt was a fun day out, mostly for position than quality of climbing ... again, interesting rock. And not clear where the last pitches go, I suspect I just ad libbed. There is a longer 15 up the Chimney Pots, and I think a long 17ish thing in the Serra Range, both of which could be quite adventurous and untrafficed. Kieran can probably provide details of both, I imagine he has done them.