The Cliffs of Insanity are on the western slopes of Stepped Hills. The excellent quality conglomerate has potential for a lot of wild adventure climbing on its 150-300m high faces (maximum unbroken height 170m). The rock is classified as Reed's conglomerate (the same as Adamsfield), but the composition of the conglomerate makes for quite a different climbing experience with far fewer cobbles, larger sections of cobble free quartz-sandstone matrix (which is very hard and smooth), and almost no sharp holds. The cracks often feature no pebbles on their edges, so the natural protection is generally very good (where-as at Adamsfield it is poor). Much of the climbing is also notably different the Tyndalls conglomerate experience due to the much lower density of pebbles here.

Lines here tend to be easier than appearances would suggest due to positive holds - this allows for overhanging features to be tackled ground up on trad gear. There is space for hundreds of routes on the large walls and the many smaller crags that surround them. Access to date has been via boat/kayak to base-camp, and walking to the base is now relatively easy since the 2019 Gel river fires.

Ethics
The cliff is within the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and the Tasmanian World Heritage Area, so please respect the principals of minimal impact bush walking and climbing defined for this region (see CCT code of conduct).

The cliffs can be accessed by driving 3 hours from Hobart to the end of Clear Hill Road (improved with works in 2021) and taking the eastern spur (now 2WD in 2022) to reach the Boyes Basin 'boat ramps' (limited infrastructure) on Lake Gordon. There are two such informal 'boat ramps' on the southern shore of Boyes Basin:
- the eastern one is preferred as it has a better surface and is closer to the cliffs, but the last bit of the bit was recently blocked by fallen trees that hopefully will be cleared soon (Jan 2025).
- access to the western ramp has to date always been maintained as clear (used Jan 2025); it about 3 km paddle from basecamp.

Carrying chainsaw is advised on some fishing web-sites - as trees can fall across this remote road.

By Boat.
From the eastern ramp it is only 2km by watercraft to the Nor-eastern shoreline under the cliffs, where a base camp can be set up (typically near the prominent boulder).

Note that launching a speed boat can be tricky if the lake level is lower than 26m from full on the western ramp (hydro tas site), or lower than 23m from full on the eastern ramp (larger numbers means further from full - ie a lower level). Flotsam wooden can be used to span the mud if levels are low!!

By foot:
Theoretically one could access these cliffs without a boat by walking the shoreline of Boyes basin from the eastern boat ramp, then rock hopping across the Gordan river near the cliff base (estimated 2 hours walk). An old road exists back from the southern shoreline that it is blocked to traffic, but may be easier option than the shoreline for accessing the river crossing.

From Base-camp to cliff.
Until 2019 the approach to the cliff-base was rather challenging due to thick scrub; since the 2019 fires the access spurs to the main buttresses are now clear. The route of MP was climbed as 30 hour 'round trip' from Hobart in 2022. I have done 2 day trips to these cliffs by leaving Hobart before dawn, but camping is recommended for the first trip to the longer climbs. Dead slicks still slow walkers progress in certain areas, such as the main gullies. In 2025 the access to Dump Luck was 20 mins walk, and Mapali Patrula was about 90 mins.

Shoreline beaches below the cliff line. The swimming here is pleasantly warm in the summer months.