<guide><text class="heading1">The Organ Pipes
</text><text class="text">Climbing on the Pipes is serious. Occasional loose rock, complex route finding and a sense of exposure heightened by the kilometre drop down to sea level all contribute to a wilderness adventure. As Phil Robinson said in the 1981 edition, 
</text><text class="text">"In terms of mileage of routes, skinned knuckles, expenditure of effort and annual traffic, the Organ Pipes is the major focus of climbing activity in Tasmania"
</text><text class="text">which is still true today. Yet all this fun is just 20 minutes from the centre of the City.
</text><text class="heading3">Rock
</text><text class="text">A number of separate buttresses up to 120m high of vertical dolerite, typically in columns. The rock is very compact, though there is surface exfoliation in places due to bushfires. Large blocks that look precariously stacked, are mostly just that. Be especially wary in spring, as frost action is instrumental in loosening previously solid blocks. Vegetation has crept back onto the less frequented routes and may need gentle gardening as you go.
</text><text class="heading3">Aspect
</text><text class="text">Facing east and sheltered from the prevailing westerlies, the crag catches most of the morning sun but the altitude means it can get cold very quickly when the sun disappears.
</text><text class="heading2">Access
</text><text class="text">An access track to the bottom of the Pipes starts at the end of the small parking bay on the LH side of the road 2.7 km passed the Springs. The parking bay can accommodate five cars at a squeeze IF cars are parked perpendicular to the road. From the LH end of the parking bay a definite track leads straight up the hill through a boulder field to meet the Organ Pipes Track. 
</text><text class="text">Directly opposite this junction is a track that leads uphill to the Northern Buttress. At the base of the Northern Buttress the track to the Ship Wreck forks L continuing R provides access to all the Northern Buttress crags. The Amphitheatre Ledge, Rockaway Gully and the Columns can be accessed from the Ship Wreck. 
</text><text class="text">The other crags L of Flange Buttress are best accessed directly from the Organ Pipes Track - see the individual crag sections for details.
</text><text class="heading3">Access from the top 
</text><text class="text">From the summit lookout head directly down, hop the rail, to pick up a loosely defined and cairned track till you reach the top of the cliff line. Immediately to your L is Cossack Column with a rap station to its left, further left is the curve of Northern Buttress, accessed by reversing Exit/Entry or using the Amphitheatre rap station above Ethnic Cornflake. To the R is the bulky Double Column Central then the twin 'ears' of Split Column, with the rap station for Ultrasound just to its R. The Daedalus rap station is about 50m R, along the cliff top past the distinctive jammed block/slab of Icarus (the bolts on top are for a project), in the gully to the R, off a yellow ledge. Further details are included in the text for each Column or area. Land marks south are more difficult to pick, follow your nose or ask a local if you can find one. Other rap station are noted in the text. 
</text><text class="heading3">Climbing info
</text><text class="text">Over 325 routes so far, the majority are trad climbing but with an increasing number of bolted walls and arêtes. Routes look serious and intimidating, but the stepped nature of the cliff line generally allows rest stances between difficulties. 
</text><text class="text">The climbing is typically a mixture of face holds, jugs, and jams with few routes involving pure crack techniques. Dolerite friction allows feet to be placed almost anywhere. Having said that there are few quality easier climbs, most are steep and physical. Slabs or gentle walls are a rarity, Blue Meridian (17) being one of the few exceptions. 
</text><text class="text">For those unversed yet curious about the delights of the sinker jam or those simply wishing to sample 'pure crack technique' check out the Jammer's Guide at the end of the guide. Taping up is neither wimpy nor a demonstration of poor technique.
</text><text class="heading3">Gear
</text><text class="text">A standard rack of cams (with a couple of big ones for off widths - yum), hexes (yes we still use them here), wires, stoppers and RPs is usually sufficient. Twin half ropes (50m minimum) are the standard on the multi-pitch trad climbs, particularly as the abseils are usually that long. Bolt rap stations are now common and their location is indicated in the climbing descriptions. Hangers are not generally required but there are still some carrots around - treat with caution as they may have been there for some years. 
</text><text class="text">Descriptions generally flow from R to L - North to South, areas such as gullies that do not follow this flow are noted in the descriptions. 
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