<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<guide><header access=""
acknowledgement="By Peter Booth and Tony McKenny"
history="It is not known definitively who first climbed ice here although in 1978 Ross Mansfield and Chris Penner climbed a multi-pitch route on Stacks, probably on The Amphitheatre. In 1984 Tony McKenny and Peter Booth climbed a route on The Amphitheatre, wandered along the edge of the plateau and saw the daunting top pitch of The Trident. In subsequent years regular trips were made to the Amphitheatre, mainly by northern climbers, with sporadic forays to the Trident, invariably foiled by bad weather, poor conditions or the sheer effort of battling snow covered boulders and scrub on the approach. The route became a slow burning obsession. Success finally came, to Peter Booth and Bill Baxter, in 2004.The ice was in perfect condition and the final 45m.crux pitch up the iced flank of a dolerite column provided a fitting climax to a 20-year dream.
<br/>On the Northern Escarpment the first recorded ascent was in 1983 when Peter Booth, Tony McKenny, Dave Buckingham and Dave Gardner climbed The Ice Candle. Subsequent ascents were made by Jim Duff and others before the feature finally fell down. No other ascents in the area have been recorded.
<br/>In the meantime, in 1994, Peter Booth and Ross Mansfield first visited The Knuckle, finding no traces of previous ascents. Knuckle Butty was the first blow in their campaign, a line up the major icefall and still one of the better routes. For two seasons they had the crag to themselves and climbed most of the main lines. Subsequently, on weekends when conditions were good, there were often several parties climbing. Gary Khuen was an enthusiastic protagonist and left little ice uncramponed. In later years indifferent seasons saw less activity but periodically good climbing still occurs and then a hard core of ice enthusiasts converge on the crag from around the state.
<br/>Are you an obsessive ice fanatic with plenty of imagination, considerable patience, luck, and in possession of a long neck? If so, there are further opportunities for new adventures on the escarpment.
<br/>"
intro="Conditions are rarely right for ice climbing in Tasmania due to the influence of the prevailing maritime westerly winds and the relatively low altitude of the mountains. Ascents have been made in winter conditions on Federation Peak, Cradle Mountain and Frenchman’s Cap but the only area to consistently produce quality ice climbing has been the Ben Lomond escarpment, particularly the south-facing cliffs around Stacks Bluff.
<br/>Although the effects of global warming are evident in the frequency and duration of climbable ice, given the right climatic sequence (see notes on specific locations) good conditions can be found at any time between early June and early September. July and August give the best possibilities.
<br/>The two main areas, Stacks Bluff and The Knuckle, are very different in character. Stacks gives a steep, open face with an alpine atmosphere and, to date, one classic gully climb. The Knuckle is ice cragging with a wide range of short (to 50m.) steep routes on water ice.
<br/>Despite the ‘ease of access’ comment, the rugged terrain engenders a feeling of remoteness and on a clear winter day the prospect of crags, extensive boulder fields and wild eucalypt forest with the Fingal valley far below and the distant sea to the east, makes climbing ice here a unique experience. Rarely, when at its best, the climbing can match any of its type anywhere.
<br/>The Stacks Bluff area is very exposed to bad weather, particularly so in winter, and in such conditions there is no easy retreat, with difficult terrain compounding any navigational problems. Winter climbing on the Bluff invariably feels like a big day out; days are short - carry torches. If visiting the area for the first time, take careful note of the route back. Any walking tracks on the plateau are nothing more than ill defined and poorly marked routes. Similar comments apply to The Knuckle although the area is less exposed to bad weather and access is much easier.
<br/>As is usual with ice climbing, do not expect to find perfect protection. In general, nuts and cams are ineffective in ice-glazed cracks (when you can find any) and pitons are better. Ice screws are often the best or only option; take tie-offs. Specific comments on conditions and equipment will be found in the respective crag descriptions. Nothing is guaranteed; a high degree of judgement and initiative is required in this type of climbing. Take care."
name="Ben Lomond Ice" new="false" rock="Alpine dolerite"
sun="Mixed sun and shade" walk="30min - 2 hours"></header><text
class="heading2" new="false">Northern Escarpment</text><text
class="indentedHeader"
new="false">Intro: There is one exception to the rule that all the ice is on the Southern Escarpment, and that is found on the North facing Whymper Crag, just east from the bottom of Jacobs Ladder. However, given the location of the climb, it is even more weather dependent that the southern climbs, and ice forms rarely, and only in very cold winters. When it does, it provides some of the most spectacular ice climbing in Tasmania.</text><text
class="indentedHeader"
new="false">Access: From Launceston, drive through St Leonards and along Blessington Road (C401), following signs to Ben Lomond. Four kilometres before Upper Blessington, turn right to Ben Lomond. Continue up past the Carr Villa turn off and park at the first major bend right, at the bottom of Jacobs Ladder. Walk east, across the Strickland Gorge to west side of Whymper Crags. The ice formations are visible from the bottom, tucked into the cliff. </text><climb
extra="" grade="" length="50m" name="The Ice Candle" new="false"
number=""
stars="">1) 30m Climb up the ice covered rock steps of the lower gully slopes to the base of the Candle.
2) 20m Climb the vertical Candle, finishing up behind the chockstone at the top. Rock pegs, ice screws and a cam were used on the first ascent which included a spectacular head-first fall by Peter Booth. Very exciting… Peter Booth, Tony McKenny, Dave Gardner and Dave Buckingham, 1983.
</climb><text
class="heading2" new="false">Southern Escarpment</text><text
class="heading3" new="false">Stacks Bluff</text><text
class="indentedHeader"
new="false">Access: For Stacks climbs, traverse the boulder fields below Denison Crag and continue towards the toe of the Baleen to the west; some tedious scrub on this section. (See Stacks Bluff Guide for more detail on access to the area). Access the Amphitheatre, the steep, open, snow / ice slope to the west of The Baleen, by an easy gully, normally ice glazed, to the left of the buttresses. The Trident lies to the right of The Baleen. Alternatively follow the walking route to the summit of Stacks Bluff; the top of The Amphitheatre is due S.E. An easy angled snow slope adjacent to the flank of The Baleen leads to the top of the easy gully, abseil the gully. 1:25000 Tasmap Stacks 5439. </text><text
class="indentedHeader"
new="false">Conditions: A good snowfall on the mountain, cold nights, and The Amphitheatre is soon climbable. It presents as an unbroken snow slope when viewed from the valley. The Trident requires snow lying on the plateau for a couple of weeks or so with cold nights to enable the ice to build. The route is undoubtedly climbable much more often than the 20-year gap between seeing and doing would suggest. </text><text
class="text"
new="false">The Amphitheatre – from the top of the easy gully (see access) move left and pick your own line. Several pitches on snow and ice; ice screws, a few slings, pitons and snow anchors could be useful. The Trident is the major gully between The Baleen and Blade Crag and the headwall can be clearly seen from the valley.
</text><climb
extra="" grade="WI 4/4+ (Scottish Grade 5)" length="170m"
name="The Trident" new="false" number=""
stars="***">The base of the gully is blocked by a large chockstone but above this widens and becomes well defined. Ice screws (45m. ice pitch); slings, pitons; No’s. 4, 3.5, 1 &1.5 cams.
1) 5m. The chockstone presents some difficulty if not well banked with snow, otherwise easy.
2) 50m. Up the gully, snow with ice bulges.
3) 35m. Continue up the gully to the foot of the two-tier 70m. headwall. Belay in a recess on the left (cams) near the base of a deep-cleft chimney. (From here the line follows a streak of ice up the wall on the right. If this is broken the headwall is inaccessible. The deep-cleft, ice-glazed chimney can be followed to an enormous chockstone, 50m below the plateau rim. Progress from here would be problematical. A rotting abseil sling marks the spot.)
4) 35m WI 4. Up the streak and the wall above via an airy traverse and steep ice runnels to the steep-banked ledge. On the first ascent a belay crack was excavated, with considerable effort. An elegant pitch.
5) 45m WI 4+ (85 degrees). The left hand line. Move up left and steeply up the iced column, the angle eases a little towards its top. (On the first ascent the crux move was a mantelshelf onto the sheared-off top of the column, where the ice ran out). Easier to the plateau snowfield.
Peter Booth and Bill Baxter, 2004.</climb><text
class="heading3" new="false">The Knuckle</text><text
class="indentedHeader" new="false">Intro:</text><text
class="indentedHeader"
new="false">Access: The Knuckle crag is clearly marked on the map (1:25000 Tasmap Mangana 5639) on the southern slopes of The Knuckle. Take the Stacks track but turn right at the track junction at 1.5 Km. and park just before the creek (Storys Creek). Cross the creek and continue along the track (Sphinx Bluff track) until at approx. 2 Km. the cairned route leaves the forest and takes the boulder field below the Bluff. From here leave the cairns and head in a northerly direction through scrubby forest and boulder fields until two large rocky pinnacles (ring contours on the map) can be seen up on the left. These form a useful landmark; climb the boulder slope to the right of the pinnacles and you’re there. If there is a good snow cover, an alternative route is to ski from the Ben Lomond Ski Village, a long day and a fair old distance.</text><text
class="indentedHeader"
new="false">Conditions: At 1350m the crag is considerably lower than Stacks but its unique topography makes it the most reliable ice venue. Set back from the main line of the escarpment and facing due south, it takes drainage from the slopes above right across its 500m width. Consequently, when in condition, it is festooned with ice. At leaner times the main lines can still provide good climbing. At the base of the crag a shallow, boulder-strewn bowl, together with the two detached pinnacles immediately to the south (Aiguille de Knuckle!), form a pronounced frost hollow. All this adds up to ice building faster, and lasting longer, than elsewhere.
A wet or snowy period followed by a week or so of cold weather should give something to climb. The springs that feed the ice flow strongly, so expect to find water running over the ice on some routes, even on cold days. Water running strongly behind the ice and ice dropping off in chunks gives food for thought; assess conditions carefully and err on the side of caution. As a rule prolonged spells of cold weather without prior precipitation do not build ice here.</text><text
class="indentedHeader"
new="false">Climbing Info: Ice screws give the best option for protection with rock gear sparse (pitons). Expect to be tying off screws, particularly low down on the climbs. Slings are useful. An abseil chain is located at the top of the 25m wall, a 50m rope just makes it. Overall gradings are around WI 3 although on the steeper routes things may feel a little precarious at times. The longer routes are up to 50m – two pitches – with the second pitch invariably easier unless a sporty finish is taken up the vertical wall above Zigzag. The area to the right of the main crag contains two easy gullies, bulges and slabs of ice that can provide a useful introduction.
Up to 20 routes and variations have been made with more possible if we ever have another exceptional season. All routes were first led on-sight. Top roping is discouraged; conserve the ice, retain the adventure! No route descriptions are given; just use the topo and your imagination.</text><image
new="false" noPrint="false" src="TheKnuckle.jpg"
width=""/><climb extra="" grade="" length=""
name="Knuckle Runnel" new="false" number="1." stars=""/><climb
extra="" grade="" length="" name="Knuckle Butty" new="false"
number="2." stars="">There is also a RH variant.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="" length="" name="Zig Zag" new="false"
number="3."
stars="">Various direct starts and finishes.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="" length="" name="Testing Titanium" new="false"
number="4." stars=""/><climb extra="" grade="" length=""
name="The Prow" new="false" number="5." stars=""/><climb
extra="" grade="" length="" name="APSI" new="false" number="6."
stars=""/><climb extra="" grade="" length="" name="Cold Knuckle"
new="false" number="7,8,9."
stars="">Several variants.</climb><climb extra="" grade=""
length="" name="After Thought" new="false" number="10."
stars=""/><image new="false" noPrint="true"
src="Ice Bill The Runnel.jpg" width=""/><text class="noPrint" new="false">Bill Baxter climbing The Runnel, on the Knuckle.</text></guide>
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