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| Will's Rock Climbing Page > Crags > AU > Vic > Arapiles > The Far Northern Group | Last updated: May '04 |
The Details: Bloody excellent. Deserted, plenty of routes, and absolutely perfect rock - make sure you get to Curtain Wall, and also take a squizz at Goodbye - this is as good as Arapiles rock gets!
Described L to R.
Descent(s): Rap chains above each route.
One of those Arapiles walls which doesn't grab your eye but actually offers a stack of lovely routes.
** Down and Out 20m 20 (OS)
A great route! Not one to sport climb though, due to the traverse at the start, the fact that you don't want to rap back into the base of the gully, and the crappy anchor - a wad of mangy old slings. So someone has to second it. It's very odd in that it starts off a chockstone about 10-15m above the floor of a gully, with the other side of the gully only about 3-4m behind you as you climb - so in a way it's both more exposed and less exposed than you expect! Getting down to the chockstone is a little worrying too, so in general, keep your head screwed on while you're here! Anyway, from the chockstone a thin traverse leads out L above the gully to a short crack, which quickly steepens. Sink lots of gear about 2m below the roof, it's your last for a while! Steeply up to where the crack blanks out, then swing L on the lip of the roof (better holds than you expect) to an exciting crank up the wall above to the first of a series of juggy but well spaced horizontals. From here up it's all lovely reachy vertical jug hauling, on brilliant orange rock, to the final steep bulge. Wander back and L to the slings.
* Menagerie 15m 8 (OS)
A great little steep route which looks about 10 grades harder, being vertical with occasional bulges on gorgeous smooth orange rock and enormous jugs. Step R at the top to nice convenient rap chains.
* Affinity 15m 16 (OS)
Another one which looks harder, but this time because it is! It's more like 17. Nicely up smooth wall with little gear to the big break, then crux moves up the blank orange wall above on smallish holds, until you awkwardly hoick your feet over the break to a cramped squat, to do quite a big reach. Step R and up the nice corner, then finish direct through the bulge (don't step R). Good climbing the whole way.
Descent(s): Rap rings above all these routes.
One of the finest walls at Araps. Unbelievably good rock, awesome pro, fan-bloody-tastic climbing, and best of all everyone else is queueing up for the Bard so you get these stunning climbs to yourself!! The following 3 routes are all awesome.
** Sideshow 35m 19 (YP)
Energetic! Obvious crack at the left end of the wall. Boogy through bulge, then steep and pumpy. Finish as for E.
*** Entertainer 40m 18 (OS)
Brilliant! Tricky to get gear behind the crux layback flake down low, and then great moves all the way to the roof. Juggy traverse left leads to a final undercut move, then up to triple RB. Note: it�s possible to traverse R from here to the TRB of CR at about 16.
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*** Comic Relief 40m 21 (RP) The best single pitch route I've done at Arapiles - by far. Every single move is awesome. Tricky moves up initial layback flake (#00 and #0 RPs available), then delicately stand up to good gear at about 6m. Tricky moves gain layback, then steeply up past great #3.5 cam to roof, and more great gear. Step L under bulge, then crank to R gaston and cross through to good holds above - brilliant moves! Move R to groove, and up to a necky thin move 2-3m above gear to surmount steep blank finish. . . . . .
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Access: As for Curtain Wall, but when about 80m below it, traverse R around the hillside for 80m. Descent(s): Walk miiiiles right if you go all the way to the top. A beautiful wall, with the following 2 routes round on the L.
* Silver Bullet 40m 8 (YP)
Solar City 20m 21 (OS) . . .
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