Page History

<guide version="3">
  <header access="Access to the mountain is via the Sheffield-Gowrie Park – Cradle Mountain  Road  (C136). 2.2 km west of the Claude Road village, heading towards Gowrie Park and Cradle Mountain, turn L up Rysavy Road (signpost for the Silver Ridge Wilderness Retreat). Veer L at the top and continue to the farm. Steve Brown, one of the first ascensionists of the Ridge, now owns the farm and climbers are asked to phone him first for permission to cross his paddocks to the base of the cliffs (0408441945). Climbers are asked to park outside the farm gates, and to restrict their climbing, if at all possible, to between 8am and 8pm, to minimise disruption to the tenants living in the farm. Walk up a track past the L of the farmhouse and head up and across the paddocks to the far R corner, past the saffron fields, and up to a large cairn of rocks. A line of orange tape and the occasional small cairn mark a path from here up through the bush to the bottom of Rysavy Ridge on a bearing of 144° Mag if you have a compass. (Note: There seems to be various routes up to the crags. Others have gone up to Silver Ridge Wilderness Retreat, parked at the top, located the line from the topo and thus a bearing, and then headed up through the thick bush. It&apos;s up to you to decide which route to follow - all part of the experience). Time to the cliff from the farm is about three quarters of an hour (about 300m in height gain).  Bush camping is available a couple of kilometres further along Claude Road on the L at the O&apos;Neills Picnic Area or you can try the Budget Backpackers (64 911385), about another 500m down the road in the old hydro township, or what is left of it." acknowledgement="by Tony McKenny, with additional info from Matt Perchard &amp; Andrew Bissett, originally published in Craglets 6." guide.action="submit" guide.id="0" guide.page="0" guide.type="header" history="" intro="Mt Roland dominates the skyline of the approaches to the North West, but has received relatively little attention from passing climbers. Some shorter routes were made in the mid seventies by local climbers but it wasn’t until 1977 that the first major route was made with the pioneering of Rysavy Ridge by a group of North West climbers. Over the next three years, a number of new climbs were added but since then there has been only one more recorded. There are still many acres of untouched rock to be explored, but most climbers seem content to repeat the classic Rysavy Ridge. The Ridge is a long day out and can take up to six hours, with another couple for the descent: many climbers seem to underestimate the time needed and descents in the dark are becoming common. The record for the longest ascent/descent seems to be 23 hours!     &lt;br/&gt;The terms “left” and “right” are as you face the cliff. Route lengths are only very rough approximations.     &lt;br/&gt;There are no bolts to date on the cliffs and climbers are asked to respect this “no bolt” status." name="Mount Roland" rock="Conglomerate, up to 350m" sun="All day sun" walk="45?? min uphill" id="1" camping="" autonumber="false"/>
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  <text class="indentedHeader" guide.action="submit" guide.id="1" guide.page="0" guide.type="text" id="2">Caution: Given the height and exposed location of the cliffs, climbers should be prepared for mountain weather and variable conditions at any time of the year. The rock is conglomerate, and some is loose - a helmet is strongly recommended. The polished aggregate that makes up the rock can also be incredibly slippery when wet. Note there is no water in the area of the cliff in summer, so come prepared.</text>
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  <text class="text" id="4">The track to the cliff arrives in the middle of the face at the base of Rysavy Ridge. The wall to the left is Jubilee wall while further left is the Notch. The climbs are listed from L to R.</text>
  <text class="heading3" id="5">The Notch</text>
  <text class="text" id="6">The Notch is the saddle in the ridge up to the L at the top of Jubilee wall, below an impressive roof.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="15" length="45m" name="The Roof" number="" stars="" id="7" fa="T. McKenny, G. Marshall 1978">Climb the crack that splits the massive block on the L, finishing up a short chimney above. A further scramble was later added by F. Dutton, adding another 25m to the climb. Descend by abseil then traversing to the notch.</climb>
  <text class="text" id="8">Below The Roof and to the left of Fortunes Change is a gully that can be used to descend from Fortunes Change or ascend to the summit ridge - it involves scrambling and vegetation.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="14" length="80m" name="Fortunes Change" number="" stars="" id="9" fa="S. Brown, T. McKenny 1980">Left of Kestrel is a ridge with a face on the R side. Climb the obvious crack.</climb>
  <text class="heading3" id="10">Jubilee Wall</text>
  <text class="text" id="11">Jubile wall has three routes and is the wall to the left the ascent track. All three routes finish above steep slabs which lead back down R towards the Descent Gully. The easiest descent, however, is to climb back up towards the Notch, moving across the top of the slabs before then descending back R. Abseil to the solitary gum and so down to the main Rysavy Ridge Descent Gully.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="8" length="190m" name="Kestrel" number="1." stars="" id="12" fa="F.Dutton, J.Richardson, Mar 1977.">Left of Slab Crack is an edge bordering the deep gully. The climb takes this and the steep upper sections.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="12" length="90m" name="Slab Crack" number="2." stars="" id="13" fa="S.Brown, R.Hamilton, 1977.">Start on the wall left of Jubilee and below the most prominent slabs. 1. Ascend the loose rock to the ledge below this (or solo from the right). Climb the crack, then jam left across the wall to belay atop. 2. Climb the small pillar, move left, then climb the slabs above. Belay at the bushes on the ledge. 3.. Move to the lefthand end of the ledge, and climb the slabs, the crack through the overhangs. Continue to a small tree, then right to another crack. Up this to another wall, and belay in the gully. 4. Finish up the chimney.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="15" length="150m" name="Jubilee" number="3." stars="**" id="14" fa="T.McKenny, S.Brown, Aug 1977.">From the start to Rysavy Ridge walk left for 10m or so, until below the overhang (which appears detached). 1. Climb the slabs to a thin crack. Up this to a small stance. 2. Up to the roof, traverse left and belay on top. 3. After a move or two left climb the superb slabs above to a bush covered ledge. 4&amp;5. From the right-hand end of the ledge, climb a short slab and follow a crack through the overhang. Continue up the walls and chimneys to the large ledge. Descent is down ledges to the right and abseils to the gully floor (Kestrel is about 50m to the left and the two routes never get within cooee of each other).</climb>
  <text class="heading3" id="15">Central Buttress</text>
  <text class="text" id="16">This area is in fact a collection of buttresses above the last climbs and to the L of the main Descent Gully. The first route was an attempt to climb the massive boiler plate slabs on the wall to the east of the Rysavy Ridge Descent Gully.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="15" length="140m" name="The Wandering Jew" number="" stars="" id="17" fa="J.Richardson, R.Hamilton,1978.">Climb the descent route from the above routes, past the solitary gum, up the scrub, and to the crack up the slab. Traverse left to belay on the wall just right of The Roof. Avoid the crack and continue right across the wall, to gain the slab and finish– a tortuous but apparently worthwhile ascent. Descend as per that route.</climb>
  <text class="text" id="18">The next climb takes a line high up on the Central Buttress, on the wall to the L of the top section of Rysavi Ridge.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="17" length="120m" name="Overhanging Bastion" number="4." stars="**" id="19" fa=" P. Robinson, B. Rathbone, L. Linsell, 22 Oct 1978.">A fine exposed climb. Access to the next climb avoids the large chock stones in the Descent Gully by climbing up the gully to the R of Rysavy Ridge until a traverse can be made at about 150 m back L, over the ridge and into the Descent Gully. Continue up the Gully until below a very obvious clean-cut crack that splits the Buttress. Alternatively, as for the first ascent, climb up the descent gully L of Rysavy Ridge. This trends R nearly halfway up and at this point a scrubby crack-gully splits the middle of the face on the L. Just L of this is an obvious clean crack with overhangs, best viewed from the scree in the bottom half of the descent gully. Scramble about a third to halfway up the descent gully to a large green mossy cave. Ten meters below this is a damp 6m crack on the L wall. 1. 33m. Climb the crack and wall, scramble for approx 8 m to foot of two short crack lines. 2. 33m. Climb the RH crack, short walls and slab to tree belay at foot of corner. A scrubby pitch. 3. 26m. The start of the real climb! Pass the tree on the Rand two large grassy clumps in the corner. Up corner to overhang, traverse R to nose and jam crack to hanging belay beneath second overhang. 4. 13m. Surmount second overhang and jam steep crack to sloping ledge. 5. 13m. Up corner on R to chock stone, hand-traverse R and over top. Belay on tree. Either climb several pitches easily to summit or pendulum abseil R (50m) into a steep scrubby gully. A further 25m abseil leads into the main descent gully next to Rysavy Ridge.</climb>
  <text class="heading3" id="20">Rysavy Area</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="12" length="430m" name="Rysavy Ridge" number="5." stars="***" id="21" fa="S. Brown, T. McKenny, J. Richardson, J. Wood,  Feb 1977.">A true mountaineering route of classic proportions, with tremendous rock scenery and an awesome atmosphere. Among the best of it's grade in the state. The climb is fairly straight forward, generally following the line of least resistance up the ridge unless you want to make your own, harder variation (which many have, sometimes inadvertently). Having said this, it is not a climb to take lightly. To escape from the top 100m or so of the ridge is not easy, the exposure is tremendous and the rock can be very slippery if it rains …and the gear could be considered sparse if grade 12 is around your limit. At the top, a classic “cheval” joins the ridge to the cliff, and then an abseil can then be made down the gully to the Lleft. Look for the slings other parties have left behind (you may need to replace these) to guide you: five or six abseils should see you back at the bottom. The climb takes most teams at least six hours so leave plenty of time for the descent. Have fun.</climb>
  <text class="text" id="22">Two routes have been made on the steep wall that forms the RH side of the Ridge.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="17" length="150m" name="Second Encounter" number="" stars="" id="23" fa="R. Mansfield, R. Clements, 1978.">Climb up the RH gully to below a steep, fairly obvious crack. The route takes this to eventually join the Ridge.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="15" length="160m" name="Just Time" number="6." stars="" id="24" fa="R. Clements, R. Firth and R. Mansfiled, 1978.">Again, up the gully R of the Ridge for about 300m until progress is halted by a 15m overhanging corner. The route follows the crakline which fades in top third of th face.(The full climb can be seen by climbing out of the gully to the R). Start 7m down below the overhang, at a crack. May be damp to start. 1. 35m. Up the damp slab L of closed crack to scrubby ledge. Move L and follow disitinct crack, belaying on L at 30m. 2. 30m. Climb corner, past tree and follow good holds on wall to small roof. Easier climbing above leads to large ramp and belay. 3. 20m. Follow ramp to stance to R of crack (some large, loose blocks - care needed). 4. 30m. Move R, then traversoing back L to continuing crack. Follow the thin crack till it widens. Belay above large chockstone (possibly loose).5). 20m. Continue up line, belay on sloping ledge at base of final steep wall. 6). 25m. Move L round arête and descend 1m to get to diagonal chimney. Follow this to join the Ridge near the top. Finish the Ridge and descend via the abseils to the L.</climb>
  <text class="heading3" id="25">Clit Ridge</text>
  <text class="text" id="26">Tucked in between Rysavy Ridge and West Buttress is a subsidiary ridge that was subject to a mass assault by various North West climbers. The general opinion of the group as to its worth is not printable.</text>
  <text class="heading3" id="27">West Buttress</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="18  (16M0)" length="80m" name="First Taste" number="" stars="" id="28" fa="R. Mansfield, D. Buckingham 1978. FFA: N. Smith, M. Hewitt.">The first route made on the West Buttress is in fact on the large wall 70m up the RH side of the gully to the R of the Ridge. The climb starts at the foot of a shallow groove that curves up to a square cut overhang. A tension traverse was made from the overhang to gain the next crack to the L which is followed to a tree belay. Climb the ascending ledge to the Rand finish up the wide crack in the wall above. Descend the wide ledge to the L and abseil back to the gully floor.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="15" length="50m" name="Pebbly Staircase" number="7." stars="" id="29" fa="G. Kowalik, R. Mansfield and M. Tillema, 1979">On the obvious arête on the buttress R of the Ridge. Start at the first platform a few metres from the lowest point of the buttress. 1). 10m. Step delicately onto a thin slab and bridge up to attain good holds in a thin crack. Pull from the niche through the bulge to belay 4m higher. 2). 15m. A pleasant direct line on the arête to belay on a large ledge below the final impressive arête. 3). 25m. Follow the arête direct and finish by the obvious wide crack in the upper reaches. A suprisingly pleasant pitch with brilliant situations.</climb>
  <text class="heading3" id="30">West Buttress Face</text>
  <text class="text" id="31">Several climbs have been made on the main face to the R of the Ridge. Fight round the base of the crag through the scrub past large faces and overhangs till you reach the massive “half moon” overhangs with gentle angled slabs below them. To the L of these slabs is a rib and round that is a long chimney line, Orrifi, the most obvious feature from a distance in this area of the crag.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="15" length="100m" name="Simple Dreams" number="8." stars="" id="33" fa="N. Deka, R. Hamilton, 1978.">This climb takes a line to the L of Orrifi and starts from the same place in the scrub. Head up towards an open groove which is followed to a traverse R onto an exposed stance. From here, climb the wall above and traverse R to belay as for Orrifi above the first chockstone. Move back onto the wall and finish steeply up the crack. Walk off and scramble up to the R above the finish of Orrifi.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="12" length="150m" name="Orrifi" number="9." stars="" id="32" fa="S. Brown, T. McKenny, 1978.">A most unusual route. Climb up to the base of the chimney and then chimney up to below a massive chockstone. From here the route goes underground. - larger people will have to force an alternative round the outside. A speleological exit is made over the chock and a belay taken. The climb continues with a superb chimney and another improbable squirm under a chockstone to finish. The chimney suddenly finishes here but it is probably possible to continue up the slabs above and to the L. Descent down and to the R.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="18" length="60m" name="Mexican Wave" number="" stars="" id="34" fa="N. Deka and N. Smith 1985">Starts to the L of Simple Dreams, below the wall, which is just to the R of the offwidth overhangs, and below a corner that starts part way up the cliff. 1. 20m. Climb the wall diagonally up through the obvious weakness to a shallow corner which leads to the corner proper. Climb on for a further 5m to a sloping ledge 2. 20m. Climb up corner to broad sloping ledge 3. 20m. Traverse up and L from the corner to another corner with a thin crack. Climb this and the wall above. Descent by abseil down gully to the right.</climb>
  <text class="text" id="35">To descend from both climbs, traverse round the cliff to the R and abseil down the slabs to the gully floor.</text>
  <text class="heading3" id="36">Forestry Wall</text>
  <text class="text" id="37">The first recorded climbs were made here in 1976 on a small wall in the middle of the great sweep of the main Mt Roland face. Navigation is complex here - there are just so many buttresses and walls to choose from you may end up on a new route anyway! To access Forestry Wall, as you come from Sheffield, turn L in the hamlet of Claude Road and drive up to the end of Wildlife Road. Walk straight up to the wall, located above the main tree line.</text>
  <climb extra="" grade="11" length="20m" name="Assessor Wall" number="" stars="" id="38" fa="M. Chin, R. Hamilton, 1976.">A line on the LH end of the wall. Climb the crack, past two bulges.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="8" length="20m" name="Bird&apos;s Crack" number="" stars="" id="39" fa="R.(&quot;Bird&quot;) Hamilton, B. (Fred) Dutton, S. Brown, L. Dutton, M. Norris, G. Marshall, 1976">A short pitch but apprently popular on the day! An obvious crack, opposite to the Wall.</climb>
  <climb extra="" grade="11" length="75m" name="Warm-Up" number="" stars="" id="40" fa="S. Brown, F. Dutton, 1976.">1. Up delicate slabs to the L of the groove. Belay at the start of the traverse. 2. Hand-traverse through groove and across R wall to small ledge. 3. Straight up wall, along ramp, then up to top of wall.</climb>
</guide>