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<guide version="3">
  <header access="" acknowledgement="" history="" intro="These two separate areas uphill from Northern Buttress provide some interesting and classic climbing." name="Rockaway and Amphitheatre" rock="Dolerite columns and pinnacles up to 30m" sun="Not much sun" walk="10 min from Northern Buttress" id="1" camping="" autonumber="true"/>
  <text class="heading2" id="12">Amphitheatre Ledge</text>
  <text class="text" id="13">Uphill and L of Rockaway Gully is another broad gully which leads to an impressive cirque or amphitheatre of columns. Perched in the middle of the scree below them is a large isolated rock known as the Shipwreck (GPS MTW020), which is a great vantage point from which to get your bearings. R of The Columns is a natural continuation of shorter lines, most of which begin from a ledge 30m below the top of the cliff. This is Amphitheatre Ledge and it can be accessed from below via Exit Entry or from above via abseil from the Amphitheatre rap station (see below). Descent: Either reverse Exit Entry (vegetated and often slippery) or abseil from the Amphitheatre rap station (GPS MTW130 – marked by a cairn and blue dots, 30m to Amphitheatre Ledge, 50m to the gully floor).</text>
  <text id="34">The first few routes, best accessed from the bottom, start near the head of the gully and end up on Amphitheatre Ledge (see Cossack Column topo).</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="21" length="20m" name="Afterburner" number="1." stars="" id="16" fa="A. Herington, E. Peacock, G. Narkowicz, 1983.">This route starts uphill and L of the start of Exit Entry, at the apex of the cirque. Climb the thin crack immediately to the R of the body chimney with a bush at half height. Climb past the roof 12m up to finish on Amphitheatre Ledge below Resurrection Shuffle.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="7 " length="" name="Exit Entry" number="2." stars="" id="15" fa="">An easy yet exposed scrambling route to the top of the Pipes that follows the spur leading past Albert's Tomb. This route is used primarily to access Amphitheatre Ledge and Rockaway Gully, and was once the usual decent for many routes on the Pipes. It is still used occasionally as a descent from Sentinel Ridge or climbs in the Columns. Walk up the grassy slope for 50m into the cirque to a damp chimney crack in the R wall. Traverse in from the L to gain the top of the chimney and follow a distinct track via a couple of short walls to the base of the final steep section. Amphitheatre Ledge begins off to the L from here, with access to Rockaway Gully and Albert's Tomb to the R. To continue up Exit Entry, follow a R trending ramp and then move back L to a ledge that allows one to gain the top of the Pipes via a 5m chimney. Descend by down-climbing the route. Alternatively, use the Amphitheatre rap station 10m uphill from the top of the Exit Entry.</climb>
  <climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="25" length="15m" name=" James&apos;s Arête" number="3." stars="**" id="14" fa="R. Parkyn, Mar 1998.">Named in honour of James Moar, a good friend of the first ascentionist, who died while climbing in NZ. The track from Jackson's Apprentices to Exit Entry, passes below an orange wall, downhill of Albert's Tomb. Climb the bolted arête on the R side of the orange wall. Anything in or beyond the crack R of the arête is off-route (not as contrived as it sounds). Sustained climbing to a crux high up.</climb>
  <text class="text" id="17">The following routes are on on the Ledge proper and are described L to R.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="11" length="30m" name="Richard Scraper" number="4." stars="" id="27" fa="J. Davies, J. Burgess, Oct 1971.">Start 3m L of The Munt. Attain a definite ledge at 5m and then continue L up the chimney to another ledge at 25m. The top is reached by a short crack on the R which avoids a messy chimney.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="14" length="30m" name="The Munt" stars="" id="26" fa="I. Lewis, L. Closs, Oct 1971." number="5.">A very striking vee-chimney near the LH end of Amphitheatre Ledge. Follow the chimney to a large ledge. Up a crack to another big ledge and finish by the LH of two possible cracks.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="20" length="30m" name="Resurrection Shuffle" stars="**" id="25" fa="I. Lewis, K. Carrigan, 1975." number="6.">&lt;br/&gt; An exciting layback flake that leads to an aerobic workout finale. Near the LH end of Amphitheatre Ledge a layback crack curves to the R to meet the base of a hand crack in a shallow corner. Layback and jam the flake to a stance at 12m. Deep and delicate hand jamming up the final 15m is required to prevent permanent scarring to the forearms. Take a couple of #3 camalots or #3.5 Friends and don't forget that arm-barring is truly good for you.&lt;br/&gt;</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="25" length="25m" name=" Second Coming" number="7." stars="**" id="24" fa="J. Kennedy, S. Parsons, 1985.">The very thin crack R of Resurrection Shuffle. Climb Resurrection Shuffle until you can traverse right into the base of the finger crack. Originally done with a bouldery direct start, which is a tad harder and not as good.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="19" length="30m" name="Ethnic Cornflake" number="8." stars="" id="23" fa="J. Friend, D. Bowman, Dec 1977.">L of Bella Donna, scramble to large ledge with a big block on L. Climb crack past large bush and continue straight up.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="21" length="30m" name="Bella Donna" stars="*" id="22" fa="G. Tempest, D. Bowman, Dec 1978." number="9.">A 6" tube is useful – or a very large cam (or two) in today's language! Another sandbag waiting to happen. On the nose several metres L of Galah Performance is a crack widening from fist size to a chimney at the top with a bush at one-third height. Climb around the bulge and continue up past the bush to a ledge, then up to the top.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="M5" length="25m" name="Bob Gnarly And The Nailers" stars="" id="21" fa="D. Fife (solo), Apr 1982." number="10.">Aid the thin line between Bella Donna and Beast with knife blades and RPs.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="20" length="25m" name="Beast" number="11." stars="" id="20" fa="S. Parsons, P. Bigg, S. Brennan, 1980.">The corner above a ledge R of Bella Donna. Jam the corner to the R of the ledge using an intermittent crack on the R. Pull around a block to finish.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="20" length="20m" name="Galah Performance" number="12." stars="*" id="19" fa="K. Carrigan, I. Lewis, S. Karpiniec, M. Dunstan, Jan 1975.">Climb the sustained crack line just L of Reds Route. One of the classic climbs of the period, and scene of considerable dogging and many repeated attempts, although the climb is probably now easier than it used to be, due to the removal of the concrete cockatoo (hence the name) from the crack. The cockatoo had been placed (on abseil) by Ken McConnell sometime prior to the first ascent in the early '70s. Large tubes were used to protect the off-width section at the top (take your large cams now) and protection was left in place between lead attempts, but the rope was pulled back down (as was considered 'good practice' at the time). There was some discussion between Kim and Lew as to the grade - was it 19 or 20? You had to be brave to start a grade number with a two in those days, so 19 was decided on... most climbers today will find that just a tad conservative, as this climb has handed out more beatings than Madame Lash!</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="8 " length="30m" name="Reds Route" number="13." stars="" id="18" fa="J. Burgess, M. Emery, Oct 1971.">The large chimney a few metres L of Exit Entry. Climb the chimney.</climb>
  <text class="heading2" id="2">Rockaway Gully</text>
  <text class="text" id="3">The site of a large rock fall in 1985, this vegetated gully is located immediately L and above Jackson's Apprentices. Rockaway Gully is bounded on the L by Albert's Tomb, the conspicuous 10m gendarme complete with the resident red and white gnome, and on the R by Sentinel Ridge. Access to the top of the routes is gained by scrambling up Exit Entry (see Amphitheatre Ledge) until near Albert's Tomb, then traverse R to overlook the Gully and abseiling down (tape). Climbing up Rockaway Gully from below is death on a stick. The routes are all on the LH side of Rockaway Gully and the descriptions start from the bottom and work towards the top (i.e. L to R).</text>
  <text id="33">The following routes are found on the upper buttresses of Rockaway Gully.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="19" length="25m" name="Punk" number="14." stars="***" id="11" fa="P. Bigg, D. Fife, S. Parsons, 1982.">If you want jamming, this baby is for the diehards. Located on the LH side of Rockaway Gully near the top, this crack has gradually widened over past 20 years. Scramble up Exit Entry past Albert's Tomb to base of final difficulties (or alternatively access from above by downclimbing the final section of Exit Entry). Head through notch onto ledge overlooking Rockaway Gully. This is the top of Punk. Rap down the climb and belay in gully. Jam the hand to fist size crack to the final layback moves below ledge.</climb>
  <climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="24" length="15m" name="Fall Out" number="15." stars="*" id="10" fa="G. Phillips, J. McKenny, Feb 2000.">The awkward face and crack facing Albert's Tomb, on the next platform up the gully from the Tomb. Fully bolted.</climb>
  <text id="30" class="text">The next four routes make their way to the top of Albert's Tomb itself, in one way or another.</text>
  <climb extra="↓ " grade="" length="2m" name="Albert&apos;s Tomb" number="16." stars="***" id="7" fa="First Leap: R. Williams, Apr 1967.">This leap of faith is guaranteed to sort out a hangover. Albert's Tomb is the detached pinnacle halfway up the LH side of Rockaway Gully, R of Exit Entry (EE). From EE climb to the top of the platform that overlooks the summit of Albert's Tomb, from its uphill side. To sit alongside the little gnome who guards the top of Albert's Tomb requires a little hop from the platform. Not for the faint hearted, as the top of the "Tomb" is narrow, and to misjudge the distance would be rather embarrassing. The return leap for the platform edge is an even bigger test of composure. Descend by abseil if in doubt (rap station). The Mangle: A bent and narrow gutted crack that is an alternative route to the take off platform.</climb>
  <climb extra="↓" grade="M3" length="10m" name="Sweet Poison Fan Club Crack" number="17." stars="" id="9" fa="D. Fife, R. DeCesare, Nov 1980.">Guaranteed to raise your blood pressure. The hairline crack on Albert's Tomb which expands towards the top. Avoid over-driving your top pin placements or you risk expanding the crack and facing a ground fall when all the gear below you drops out.</climb>
  <climb id="35" name="Priapism" grade="29" length="12m" fa="G. Phillips, Mar 2011" extra="Þ" stars="**" number="18.">Climbs the arête 3m L of Slap Dancer.</climb>
  <climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="27" length="10m" name=" Slap Dancer" number="19." stars="***" id="8" fa="S. Edwards, Mar 1997.">Funky and physical. Follow the line of bolts up the two north facing arêtes of Albert's Tomb.</climb>
  <text id="28">Access for the following three routes is by abseiling from the rap anchors below Albert's Tomb.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="18" length="30m" name="The Times They Are A-Changin&apos;" number="20." stars="*" id="4" fa="Jake Bresnehan, Alan Williams, Jan 2008 (not 1968!).">The wide crack just L of Completion Backwards Principle. Follow perfectly sized squeeze crack of least resistance up. Big gear. A number 5 Camalot comes in handy for the last 10m.</climb>
  <climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="26" length="27m" name="Completion Backward Principle" number="21." stars="***" id="5" fa="D. Fife, Phil Steane, 1982. FFA: A. Williams, Apr 2001.">Superb climbing up a seam. The thin aid line on the RH face of a corner near the bottom of the gully, obvious from the scree adjacent to Jackson's Apprentices. With the aid of some retro-bolts the route now goes free. Take a #1 Camalot for the start, then follow the U-bolts to the top.</climb>
  <climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="27" length="25m" name="The Fifth Elephant" number="22." stars="***" id="6" fa="A. Williams, Jan 2001.">The bolted arête starting 3m R of Completion Backwards Principle.</climb>
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