The Breach

The Word: Worth a visit or two.
The Crag Classic: Oranges and Lemons (solid 22)
Sun/shade: Shade and sun are both available in the morning, sun only from mid afternoon.
Wet weather options: None.
Style & Length of Climbs: 15-35m trad and mixed routes. Some cracks but mainly vertical faces.
Rock type: Your usual compact Grampians sandstone - great.
Available Grades; Best Grades:18-23, 21-23

The Details:It's good to do this crag the day after Gilham's, and after Gilham's leave your packs up there to ease the longer walk in to the Breach. Anyway, The Breach has quite a different feel to it, as it's on either side of a small creek/gully. Most routes are on the shady side of the creek making it a good hot weather crag. Descend by walking L along the top back towards the access track, to where a gully drops you at the bottom about 50m L of OaL.
Access: 40min walk. As for Gilham's, then continue uphill for another 15min, breaking off to the R after a long traverse.
Descent(s): Walkdown at the left end (facing the cliff).
Described L to R, facing the cliff.
?? 10m 14 (YP, 10/3/02)
The short corner 5m L of OaL. The top 20m is apparently pretty bold.
*** Oranges and Lemons 40m 22 (TR)
A fantastic route up a slightly over-vertical wall following a flake system. Fairly easy start, up the corner then delicately pad R to the easy ramp. From the top of the ramp some tricky moves over glassy bulges between horizontals leads to a bolt, which you could probably skip as there's a rest here and an easy move to a cam break 1.5m higher. From there, 15m of fantastic climbing at about 20/21 follows the small flake plus several faceholds on the L, with awesome gymnastic moves, big reaches, and all well protected by trad gear, brilliant climbing. The crux actually ruins it a bit though, it's an incredibly awkward move off a flat jug and shite feet to gain a sharp crimp way out up & R then pure cranking power to gain a horizontal. Not elegant and quite a sandbag. The guide says to mantle to gain the crimp but that was even harder IMHO.
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Michael on Oranges and Lemons (22)
The Breach

Coldilocks and the 3 Brrrs 20m 18 (OS)
A stylish corner crack, though the crack itself has some shattered rock in places. The crux is an ugly grunt move down low over a small roof onto a small ledge, but then the corner is great stemming, steeper than appears and quite tiring. The finish is the best bit, stepping left onto an overhanging face, great cams for 5m up an overhanging wall on huge jugs!! Not quite worth a star though.
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Coldilocks and the 3 Brrrs (18). Some 21/22 routes breach the nice wall on the L
The Breach

More Internet Sites on The Breach

Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) go here to check for new routes, and/or upcoming trips to this area.

Bureau of Meteorology Navigate to "Wimmera" - Horsham's weather is the closest.

Australian Maps Enter "Camerons Rd" as the street and "Laharum" as the suburb (and Victoria as the state).

Parks Victoria Park information, downloadable maps, etc.

Parks Victoria Education Resource Kit A fascinating explanation of Grampians climate, geology, wildlife, vegetation, soils, history, park management, and visitor impacts.

TheCrag.com As always. Record your Breach ticks here, and see what everyone else is climbing.

� 2002-2004 Will