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<guide>
<text class="heading1">Rockaway Gully
</text>
<text
class="text" new="false"
number="null.">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. Abseil down (tape). Climbing up 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.</text>
<climb
extra="Þ ↓" grade="26" length="27m"
name="Completion Backward Principle" new="false" number=""
stars="***">The thin aid line on the RH face of the corner down the hill L of Punk now goes free. It is obvious from the scree adjacent to Jackson's Apprentices. Take a #1 Camalot for the start then U-bolts to the top, superb climbing up the seam. Access as for The Fifth Elephant. D. Fife, Phil Steane, 1982. FFA: A. Williams, Apr. 2001.</climb>
<climb
extra="Þ ↓" grade="27" length="25m" name="The Fifth Elephant"
new="false" number=""
stars="***">The bolted arête starting 3m R of Completion Backwards Principle. Access by abseil from anchors below Alberts Tomb. A. Williams, Jan. 2001.</climb>
<climb
extra="Þ ↓" grade="25" length="15m" name=" James's Arête"
new="false" number=""
stars="***">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. R. Parkyn, Mar. 1998.</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="19" length="23m" name="Punk" new="false"
number=""
stars="***">If you want jamming, this baby is for the diehards. Located halfway up LH side of Rockaway Gully this crack has gradually widened over past 20 years. Scramble up Exit Entry past Albert's Tomb to base of final difficulties. Turn R through notch onto ledge overlooking 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. P. Bigg, D. Fife, S. Parsons, 1982.</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="" length="" name="Albert's Tomb" new="false"
number=""
stars="***">This leap of faith is guaranteed to sort out a hangover. Albert's Tomb is the headstone-like gendarme near the top LH side of Rockaway Gully, just R of Exit Entry. From Exit Entry climb or solo to the top of the platform that overlooks the summit of Albert's Tomb. To sit alongside the little gnome who guards the top of Albert's Tomb requires a leap from the platform. Not for the faint hearted, as the top of the "Tomb" is narrow and to misjudge the distance would be embarrassing. The return leap for the platform edge is an even bigger test of faith. 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. First Leap: R. Williams, Apr. 1967.</climb>
<climb
extra="Þ ↓" grade="27" length="10m" name=" Slap Dancer"
new="false" number=""
stars="***">Funky and physical. Follow the line of bolts up the two north facing arêtes on Albert's Tomb. S. Edwards, Mar. 1997.</climb>
<climb
extra="Þ ↓" grade="24" length="15m" name=" Fall Out" new="false"
number=""
stars="*">The awkward face and crack behind Albert's Tomb. Fully bolted. G. Phillips, J. McKenny Feb 2000</climb>
<climb
extra="↓" grade="M3" length="10m"
name="Sweet Poison Fan Club Crack"
stars="">Guaranteed to raise your blood pressure. The hairline crack on Albert's Tomb which becomes expanding 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. D. Fife, R. DeCesare, Nov. 1980.
</climb>
<text
class="heading1">Amphitheatre Ledge
</text><text class="text"
new="false"
number="null.">Uphill L of Rockaway Gully is 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, 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 25m below the top of the cliff. This is Amphitheatre Ledge and the easiest access is by Exit Entry or abseil in (see below). The first route starts directly downhill from Albert's Tomb while the next two start L of here near the head of the gully and end up on Amphitheatre Ledge.
Descent: Either reverse Exit Entry (vegetated and often slippery) and descend down the Gully (see below) or abseil down the Amphitheatre rap station (Marked by cairn and blue dot. Replaced 2007. 30m to the access for the Amphitheatre routes, 50m to the Gully floor.</text><climb
extra="" grade="7 " length="" name="Exit Entry" new="false"
number=""
stars="*">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. 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 traverses off to the L here, with access to Rockaway Gully and Albert's Tomb to the R. To continue up Exit Entry, follow a R trending ramp and move 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 as an alternative means of descent as far as Ledge.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="20m" name="Afterburner"
stars="">This route starts uphill 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. A. Herington, E. Peacock, G. Narkowicz, 1983.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="8 " length="30m" name="Reds Route"
stars="">A series of short routes are accessed directly from Amphitheatre Ledge. Red's Route is the first. The large chimney a few metres L of Exit Entry. Climb the chimney. J. Burgess, M. Emery, Oct. 1971.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="20m" name="Galah Performance"
new="false" number=""
stars="*">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 Lou 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 think that just a tad conservative as this climb has handed out more beatings than Madame Lash! I. Lewis, K. Carrigan, S. Karpiniec, M. Dunstan, Jan. 1975.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="25m" name="Beast" new="false"
number=""
stars="">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. S. Parsons, P. Bigg, S. Brennan, 1980.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="M5" length="25m"
name="Bob Gnarly And The Nailers"
stars="">Aid the thin line between Bella Donna and Beast with knife blades and RPs. D. Fife, solo Apr. 1982.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="30m" name="Bella Donna"
stars="*">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. G. Tempest, D. Bowman, Dec. 1978.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="19" length="30m" name="Ethnic Cornflake"
new="false" number=""
stars="">L of Bella Donna, scramble to large ledge with a big block on L. Climb crack past large bush and continue straight up. J. Friend, D. Bowman, Dec. 1977.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="26" length="25m" name=" Second Coming"
new="false" number=""
stars="*">The very thin crack R of Resurrection Shuffle. Climb it. J. Kennedy, S. Parsons, 1985.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="30m" name="Resurrection Shuffle"
stars="**">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 ledge at 12m. Deep and delicate hand jamming up the final 15m is required to prevent permanent scarring to the forearms. Take a couple of #4 friends and don't forget that arm-barring is truly good for you. I. Lewis, K. Carrigan, 1975.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="14" length="30m" name="The Munt"
stars="">A very striking vee-chimney near the L end of Amphitheatre Ledge. Follow the chimney to a large ledge. Up a crack to another big ledge and finish by the L hand of two possible cracks. I. Lewis, L. Closs, Oct. 1971.
</climb><climb
extra="" grade="" length="" name="Doug's project" new="false"
number="" stars=""/><climb extra="" grade="11" length="30m"
name="Richard Scraper" new="false" number="" stars="">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. J. Davies, J. Burgess, Oct. 1971.
</climb>
</guide>
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