The Word: More mossies than classics. The Crag Classic: Freedom of a Fiend (**** 7a+) The (not-so-)Hidden Gem: Topless chicks along Phra Nang beach as you walk in. Sun/shade: Faces S - shade all day Mar to Sep, sun all day Oct to Feb. Wet weather options: Possibly the hard routes. Style & Length of Climbs: 10-25m sport, vertical and slightly overhung. Grades: 4-8a+ (14-31?)
The Details: Short vertical routes, plenty for the beginner to flail away on.
Access: Wander to the W end of Phra Nang beach and up into the bush fighting the mossies the minute you step off the sand, for about 50m to the base. Probably the easiest climb to get your bearings from is Humming Song, which takes the nice corner crack system at the R end of the vertical wall.
Goodbye Salvador 10m 6a+
Starts at the top of the muddy little gap which takes you to the huge cave at the left end of the crag, about 15m L of S&E. Unfortunately, when I got on it the first 4m (at least) was literally caked in mud from assholes who were too lazy to clean their shoes. Consequently I was greasing off every hold and eventually canned it altogether.
** Short and Easy 15m 5 (16) (OS)
Quite solid for the grade, it certainly rivals several 6a's I did. Quite a nice steep little problem though, up a corner with fewer stemming opportunities than you'd like. It's also possible to traverse right at the top to set up a toprope on Don't Grab the Krabi.
** Don't Grab the Krabi 14m 7a+ (24?) (TR)
A very nice climb, though a bit sharp at the top. Bouldery start and tough clips lead up to nice flakes and good halfway rest. More steeply up to the sweet top bulge which goes to a great sequence of about 6 moves each about grade 23.
The Playground 12m 4 (13) (OS)
A pleasant enough little warm up.
Long Doo 12m 5 (14) (OS)
So close to TP it's hard to know the difference, but I figure this one finishes up the short diagonal.
Another 6b near Humming Song 14m 6b (20) (OS)
Over the bulge just R of LD to almost join it at the short diagonal, then crux up R through bulge to jugs above anchor (which can be clipped before you do the crux!).
Escher Wall viewed from Phra Nang Beach. Short and Easy (** 5) is marked, the big walls on either side are unclimbed.
* Yet another 6b near Humming Song 14m 6b (20) (OS)
2 routes L of HS. Start at the base of the L-leading diagonal, then a little bold to pull over the bulge onto the face. Up the streak (it can have several seapage patches but the holds will all still be dry), then trend L up the juggy top flake through the bulge to the same anchor as A6bNHS.
There is one more unnamed route up the face just L of HS which looks ok and is probably 6b like the rest!
** Humming Song 15m 6b (21) (OS)
One of the best here, some excellent moves up the steep smooth corner actually requiring a moderate amount of crack technique! It's a sport route on slings despite what the guide says.
Scorpion 15m 6a+ (19) (OS)
Goes up the front of a slight rounded arete 2m R of HS. It's slightly overhung and on the first juggy rock L of an impressive polished wall (with hard things on it). As the first route we did here, I thought it was S&E so got quite surprised at the difficulty! It's not bad and quite pumpy and sustained for the first half, but the top gets nasty and sharp and the anchor was a sodden lump of moulding slings.
