[ This guide contributed by Neil Monteith and Kieran Lougrahn. Disclaimer: Rock climbing is a dangerous sport. None of the information contained in this document has been verified. Treat all fixed gear with suspicion, route grades may be incorrect and the rock may be poor. The editors of this document take no responsibility for any injury arising from the use of this information. If there are mistakes in this guide then let the editor know by emailing nmoneith@yahoo.com. ]

Crag: VIC : The Grampians : Northern Grampians - Mt Zero Range : Mt Stapylton -
Amphitheater (WIP)

Description: The best thin (exciting!) single pitch face climbing in the Ampitheatre, possibly the best of its style in the Grampians. Excellent edges, horizontals and pockets on gritty rock. This is the most developed cliff on the vast blob of rock below Lower Taipan Wall. Due to its exclusion from the Tempest/Mentz Select Guide this area has been totally neglected - which is very unfortunate as it really is a fantastic crag. Some of the routes are almost sport-climbs and others are definitely not. It is shaded until early afternoon. All bolts are stainless and in good nick.
Location: Walk up Flat Rock and follow the track past Epsilon Wall to a track on the right about 100 metres past Crossfire. This track comes to you courtesy of the Department of Name Changes. Follow the track down into the valley, cross a duckboard-cum-bridge over a swamp and continue for about 150 metres. A tree forms a natural arch over the track and the cliff can be seen up to the left. Head up through light bush (an animal pad helps) to the cliff. In all, no more than 30 minutes from the car. People tend to arrive at a flake-buttress (Rosy The Riveter) that marks the left side of the main wall. All descents are by single-rope abseils rather than lower-offs as the anchors are usually above some sharp edges.

Access to the top of the crag is a total nightmare of grey explodo jugs so make sure you can make it up your chosen route! Climbs are described from left to right.

Rock angle: Vertical
Orientation: NW
Walk in time: 15-30 mins
Approach: Steep
Kid friendly: Yes

Routes:

1: Rosy the Riveter 12m 16 [Sport]
Don't try to off-width it! The steep corner on the left side of the flake buttress marking left side of main wall. Three FHs and a optional medium cam. Rap-anchor. Descent: Lower-off. Kieran Loughran, Meg Sleeman, Norm Booth, Louise Shepherd, Tania Lieman & Keith Lockwood 06-11-1994

2: You Have Gotta Be Happy With That 15m 22 [Trad]
Why? Balancy face 3m R of Rosy the Riveter to steep, R-leading horizontal crack. Perhaps you traverse R here. Who knows? The description doesn't say. Descent: Rap-anchor. Peter Woolford, Matt Darby, Stephen Hamilton 01-04-1995

3: Scots Body 12m 21 [Trad, serious]
Contrived. Shallow corner groove on right side of flake-buttress. Take care placing RPs at start then up and slightly right. Descent: Rap-anchor. Peter Woolford 01-04-1995

4: Mutiny On The Bounty 20m 24** [Mixed]
Nice style. If only Captain Bligh had had a #4 cam! Desperate crimpy start, juggy wall then a technical grit boulder problem finish just when you thinks it is all over. Start from a flake where the buttress abuts the main face. Step right off flake to clip first FH. Four FHs, #4 cam and maybe a wire or two to rap-anchor. Descent: Rap-anchor
Hugh Widdowson 06-11-1994

5: Mutiny On The Bounty Variant Start 25m 25* [Mixed]
Technical pocket pulling. Start down right and dog-leg past three FHs to join original at bolt below break.
Descent: Lower-off Hugh Widdowson 1994

6: Abandon Ship 25m 26** [Mixed]
A direct route up the smooth orange wall. Several huge dynamic moves, and is very
well protected despite appearances. Start about 4m right of the variant start to Mutiny On The Bounty at a thread in the wall. Up easily to slot (wires, small cam), delicately up to slot below overlap (#1, #1 cams). Dynamically past 2 bolts to another slot (#2 cam, wires) and on via pocket to top. Descent: Rap-anchor. Steve Monks 1995

7: Open Project 20m 0 [Sport]
Looks like another stellar line awaiting a free ascent. From start of Abandon Ship go up past carrot, broken flake, 3 FHs. Descent: Rap-anchor. Equipped by Steve Monks 1994

8: Call Of The Sea 25m 24** [Mixed]
Cast away! A superb sustained wall. Start at base of ramp just right of Abandon Ship. Move R up easy ramp to carrot bolt. Delicately past carrot to break (small cams/wire) and up to FH. Continue strenuously leftwards past two more FHs and an elegant mono-doigt at the top. You'll need a small cam as well. Descent: Rap-anchor. Steve Monks 1995

9: Talk of Mad Women 25m 21** [Mixed]
Beautiful, steep ripply wall. Start easily just right of smooth orange rock. Up right along ramp, ignoring high carrot, then up past FH, step left to runners and straight up to horizontal break. Blast boldly up bulge to FH and on to chain. Rap-off rather than lower-off as the chain runs over a rough edge. Trad gear is small/med cams and wires. Descent: Rap-anchor. Louise Shepherd & Norm Booth 06-11-1994

10: Roaring Forties 25m 23* [Mixed]
Hard crux. Bridge up using a convenient tree about 12m right of Talk Of Mad Women and onto the wall. Hand traverse right to avoid all of the big loose blocks sitting on the ledge and up to FH. Hard crux past FH then more easily straight up juggy wall past another FH to belay at double FHs above Spice Islands. Walk off right to rap anchors above Lord Jim to descend. Descent: Rap-anchor. Keith Lockwood & Norm Booth 11-02-1995

Descent from the remaining climbs is by abseil down Lord Jim.

11: Spice Islands 25m 23** [Mixed]
Keeps your interest.Hard start and exciting, pumpy moves on the bulge. Start in centre of wall, about 10m right of Roaring Forties. Pull off boulder onto wall, FH, and crank hard to reach break. Left a fraction at 2nd FH then back right and up to mailbox slot (vital large wire). Motor up and left on the headwall, hoping that the hidden 3rd FH will be staring you in the face when you peer over the top of it. Pull up and continue with a big runout to double bolt anchors. Walk right to chains above Lord Jim to descend. Descent: Rap-anchor. Keith Lockwood & Kieran Loughran 06-11-1994

12: Anchors Aweigh 25m 21 [Mixed]
Serious. Scarcely a natural runner worth spitting on in the first half. Start at tree 10m R of Spice Islands, 1m L of Lord Jim. Use tree to gain several metres, clip the 2nd bolt of Lord Jim, drop down a bit and traverse 4m L. Weave up wall with a variety of dubious runner arrangements, to bolt R of yellow streak. Up headwall then follow
jugs dramatically L for 3m on crest of headwall. Go up when it seems to be the best option. Descent: Rap-anchor. Keith Lockwood, Keiran Loughran, Meg Sleeman, Eric Jones & Norm Booth 19-11-1994

13: Lord Jim 23m 23* [Mixed]
Glorious juggy rock on the headwall after a desperate crimpy start. Screwgate for 1st FH, #1 cam between 3rd and 4th bolt. 5 FHs. Start 11m right of Spice islands below left side of orange streaks. Hard bouldery start past bolt, teeter past second bolt then motor up wall. Don't touch fragile flake up right of 5th bolt. Descent: Lower-off. Keiran Loughran, Keith Lockwood & Norm Booth 12-11-1994

14: Man the Lifeboats 25m 20 [Trad]
"Nice climbing, despite its humble appearance", Noddy. The only humble thing on this climb will be you if you take it lightly. The first climb on the wall. Take a few slings for the headwall. Towards right end of wall is a long roof-line. Start left of the left end of roof in a grove of native pines about 3m right of Lord Jim. Step off long, skinny boulder and follow your nose up the wall to an obvious slot with a tuft of reedy grass 2/3rds of the way up the wall. Straight up steeply to finish. Descent: Rap-anchor. Keith Lockwood & Louise Shepherd 10-10-1994

15: Walking The Plank 40m 20 [Trad]
It's the final step that counts. Start at extreme R end of wall, at easy L-facing corner. Up corner to roof and traverse L for miles until roof is only 1m wide and crossable. Up over roof and R-wards to finish. Descent: Walk-off. Louise Shepherd & Keith Lockwood 24-10-1994

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