<guide pagesize="500" version="2"><header access="Access from St.Marys is via Gardiners Creek Rd (past the hospital), turn right at the crossroads (left is back to highway), up and along Top Marshes Rd for about 3km, and turn left up to South Sister lookout. All outcrops are described in an anticlockwise direction around the mountain, from the main track, and climbs from left to right. From the end of the road, follow the main track. The first outcrop up to the right is "Carpark Buttress", leave the track when level with it (cairn). " acknowledgement="by Ashley Mason, originally published in Craglets." history="To my knowledge, South Sister was first visited by climbers in the early 80's by K Biscoff and A Wing then later in 1984 when the party R McMahon, G Narkowicz, D Kearnes, & H Mohler etc. led some excellent lines on the largest east facing buttress; Canyon Buttress. The mountain may have received visits after this initial period, but its climbing potential was rediscovered in Autumn 1995 by myself, P Wines & P Witton, accessing new crags, cleaning cracks, and putting up new routes. Many undescribed lines and problems have been top-roped, due to lack of placements or too hard." intro="Situated at the eastern end of the Nicholas Range, above St. Mary's lies South Sister, a beautiful rocky peak rising to 832m, with transmission masts and fire tower on top. Typical dolerite crags abound the mountain offering some excellent climbs, with a strong emphasis on cranking cracks, as well as some varied routes. The rock is generally sound, and existing routes are clean, but care should still be taken of loose rock. All routes are naturally protected, so a full rack including hexs and cams is necessary. As the crags face different directions the decision where to climb may depend on: weather conditions, time of year, and time of day. West facing crags are best in summer, especially afternoons, whereas the eastern facing crags are good any time, especially in winter, when the cold westerlies whistle over the top of the mountain and the rock is bathed in winter sun, it is generally dry, though not recommended during an easterly. The crags have a friendly atmosphere, are a great place to perfect your jamming skills and are a good training ground for longer routes, as many cracks are single pitch yet sustained. On a clear day, views of the east coast from Freycinet to Flinders Islands, The Fingal Valley and the mountains of the North East can be gained. The flora, fauna, geology, etc. are fascinating, but that's another story, enjoy this magical place and stay safe." name="South Sister" rock="Vertical dolerite buttresses, up to 25m" sun="" walk="10 mins" id="1"/><image noPrint="false" src="south sister overview.png" width="" id="2"/><image noPrint="false" src="south sister detail.png" width="" id="3"/><text class="heading3" id="4">Car Park Buttress</text><text class="text" id="5">The first three lines start from the grassy ledge.</text><climb extra="" grade="19" length="10m" name="Fat Jam" number="" stars="" id="6" fa=" Ashley Mason Oct 2004">Climb thin corner and face to ledge, then fistcrack to top.</climb><climb extra="" grade="16" length="10m" name="Sheavinos" stars=" ** " id="7" fa="Peter & Shea Wines, Dec 1996.">Up steep face using twin cracks to gain ledge, lay back corner to top. </climb><climb extra="" grade="14" length="10m" name="Laid Back" id="8" fa="A.Mason, Nov 1996.">Climb cracks to sloping ledge, then layback to top. </climb><text class="text" id="9">Immediately below is a smaller cliff.</text><climb id="75" name="Euphrasia" length="10m" grade="20" fa="Ashley Mason & Peter Witton Feb 2005">The cleaned face at star t(left side) of lower tier. </climb><climb id="76" name="Intro" length="6m" grade="18" fa="Ashley Mason & Peter Witton Oct 2003">Climbs small pinnacle via crack.</climb><climb extra="" grade="14" length="9m" name="Oh Well" id="10" fa="A.Mason, Sep 1996.">Up chimney and out right on face holds. </climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="9m" name="Problem One" id="11" fa="A.Mason (TR as no placements), Jul 1996.">2m from corner, a small triangular ledgr in niche is gained delicately, contiue straight up. </climb><text class="heading3" id="12">Caramel Slice Buttress</text><text class="text" id="13">This area is best accessed from the last lefthand bend on the road. Follow a small track contouring north, passing some small outcrops, until you reach a larger crag about 5mins away. This is the beginning of Caramel Slice Buttress.</text><climb id="77" name="Forrestry Vandals" length="8m" grade="16" fa="Ashley Mason & Norm Selby July 2003">Just before the main crag is a small face. Climb this. </climb><climb extra="" grade="15" length="11m" name="Stay Sharp" number="" stars="" id="14" fa="TR Ash & Plonky, 1995.">Grunt up the offwidth using the sharp arête. No pro. </climb><text id="74">5m down on a large ledge next to a big white gum is a clean face.</text><climb extra="" grade="17" length="25m" name="Exit Stage Three" stars=" ** " id="15" fa="P.Wines, Jul 1995.">Climb the face/thin crack on left hand side to under cling, to first stage, up middle of face, step left to gain offwidth crack on arete, a balancy move, but becomes easier towards the top. A beaut. Belay, same as Caramel Slice. </climb><climb extra="" grade="16" length="25m" name="Caramel Slice" id="16" fa="A Mason, May 1995.">Ascend face to undercling, layback and straight up to horizontal break. Step right, onto sharp edge, gain the wide crack with difficulty and continue to the top. A harder/bolder varient is to go left from the sharp edge, onto face and straight up. </climb><text class="text" id="17">Around the corner is another face.</text><climb extra="" grade="18" length="20m" name="Ramble On" stars=" ** " id="18" fa="A.Mason, Mar 1997.">Climb the blind crack on the right side of face to horizontal break. Move delicately up face on finger flakes, (2RPs) to top left corner. </climb><text class="text" id="19">10m further on is another clean face with a large flake going half way up. The left side has been top roped.</text><climb extra="" grade="19" length="18m" name="Turn the Page" number="" stars="***" id="20" fa="Norm Selby, Ashley Mason 13 Jul 2003.">This is the first bolted climb at South Sister area. The line of bolts left of Science Circus and to the right of the big gully. 7 bolts up an arête to the rap point. </climb><climb id="78" name="Hot Piss" length="22m" grade="19" fa="Gerry Narkowicz & Bob MacMahon 1984">Start as for Science Cricus but head up left across the blank face to finish up hand crack. Poorly protected.</climb><climb extra="" grade="15" length="22m" name="Science Circus" stars=" *** " id="21" fa="Ashley Mason, Jul 1996.">Layback the right-hand edge of the flake to the slabby face. Move up tending right to crack, then step right and up face to finish. Classic. </climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="22m" name="Gritstone Roots" stars=" * " id="22" fa="Ashey Mason, Jul 1997.">Start 1m to right of chimney using small square undercling, move delicately up face to spike runner, accend slab to 2nd spike runner and continue easily to top. Spaced gear. </climb><climb extra="" grade="22" length="24m" name="Judgment Over the Dead" id="24" fa="G.Narkowicz, 1984.">At the lowest point a steep, slightly overhanging face is broken by a thin crack, layback this on finger tips (crux), continue up crack and face to top. </climb><climb extra="" grade="20" length="18m" name="All Most 27" number="" stars="**" id="25" fa="N Selby, A Mason 6 Sep 2003.">First line of bolts right of J.O.T.D. 8 bolts to rap point. </climb><climb extra="" grade="22" length="18m" name="The Grand Final Addition" number="" stars="*" id="26" fa="N Selby, A Mason 27 Sep 2003.">Start as for All most 27 then head right up to the same rap point. </climb><climb extra="Þ" grade="26" length="15m" name="Slice of Life " number="" stars="**" id="27" fa="Nick Hancock Apr 2004.">At the right side of the cliff climb the sharp overhanging arête by ludicrous barn-door lay-backing to DBB. </climb><text class="heading3" id="28">Canyon Buttress</text><text class="text" id="29">Walk in a northerly direction, gradually accending until large twin buttress. The first line is on the left of the southern buttress.</text><climb extra="" grade="15" length="18m" name="Barley Straw" id="30" fa="H.Mohler, 1984.">Climb the obvious crack system to the top. </climb><climb extra="" grade="21" length="18m" name="Wide Open" id="31" fa="R.McMahon, 1984.">A delicate face climb, finishing up the righthand crack. Sparse protection. </climb><climb extra="" grade="19" length="22m" name="Small Beers and Thin Books" stars=" *** " id="32" fa="G.Narkowicz, 1984.">Bridge the twin finger cracks, contiue to top. Classic. </climb><climb extra="" grade="19" length="22m" name="Lawyers, Guns & Money" number="" stars="" id="33" fa="R.McMahon, 1984.">Grunt up offwidth crack. </climb><climb extra="" grade="17" length="22m" name="The Way We Were" stars=" ** " id="34" fa="R.McMahon, 1984.">Climb corner, then bridge between wide and thin cracks to top of piller, continue to top. </climb><climb extra="" grade="23" length="22m" name="Leather Joyboys" id="35" fa="G.Narkowicz, 1984.">Follow the thin crack on small holds and fingerlocks (awaits a 2nd accent). </climb><text class="text" id="36">A few metres over on the Northern Buttress is a longish hand crack.</text><climb extra="" grade="20" length="22m" name="Bischoff and Wing's Original" stars=" ** " id="37" fa="Kim Bischoff & Adrian Wing ">From the grassy ledge, follow the hand crack directly to top. </climb><climb id="80" name="Knee Deep in Gore" length="22m" grade="20" fa="Gerry Narcowicz & Bob MacMahon July 1984">Climb the grim offwidth to the top of the pillar, then the good cracked face above.</climb><climb id="79" name="The Three Musketeers" length="22m" grade="20" fa="Ashley Mason, Peter Witton& Peter Wines Oct 1997">A more pleasant, but runout alternative start to Knee Deep in Gore. Climb the sparsely protected arete just to the right and finish up the top crack of the original.</climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="25m" name="Sizzling Snags" stars=" *** " id="38" fa="R.McMahon, 1984.">Start at low point, climb arête tending rightwards and on to big ledge (belay). Step up and left (crux) on small holds, becoming easier towards top. </climb><climb id="81" name="Roo Burgers" length="16m" grade="19" fa="Ashley Mason & Peter Witton Aug 2003">2m R of Sizzling Snags climb finger crack to sloping ledge then hand crack.</climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="15m" name="Happy Cummings" id="39" fa="Some Lunatics in the 80's ">A grunt of a climb up the grim offwidth.</climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="18m" name="Have Hans, Will Jam" stars=" * " id="40" fa="R.McMahon, 1984.">A classic hand crack. </climb><climb extra="" grade="17" length="22m" name="Just Slipped In" id="41" fa="A.Mason, Feb 2001.">Bridge between crack and offwidth edge on face holds to horizontal break, Follow crack to top. </climb><climb extra="" grade="20" length="18m" name="Emptiness, Eagles, & Snow" stars=" *** " id="42" fa="G.Narkowicz, 1984.">Beaut layback/finger crack, becoming offwidth (crux). </climb><climb extra="" grade="19" length="10m" name="Pleasure in the Pain" stars=" ** " id="43" fa="G.Narkowicz, 1984.">A short finger/hand crack. </climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="9m" name="Solitary Pleasures" stars=" * " id="44" fa="G.Narkowicz (solo), 1984.">Another short vertical crack line. </climb><text class="text" id="45">On a small overhanging crag, in front of the main southern buttress, is a thin crack.</text><climb extra="" grade="20" length="7m" name="Manx Minx" id="46" fa="G.Narkowicz, 1984.">Attempt to climb this overhanging gritty slit. </climb><climb id="90" name="End of the Line" length="8m" grade="17" fa="Ashley Mason & Peter Witton Apr 2004">Crack up pinnacle at top of Northern buttress.</climb><text class="heading3" id="47">Absent Friends Buttress</text><text class="text" id="48">There is one more decent buttress on this side of the mountain. Walk in a westerly direction for about 10mins. This characteristic lump of dolerite offers some excellent fingerlicking cracks.</text><climb id="82" name="Good Friends" length="12m" grade="20" number="**" fa="Ashley Mason & Peter Witton May 2003">The left hand finger crack.</climb><climb id="83" name="Three Ancient Treasures" number="***" length="13m" grade="20" fa="Gerry Narcowicz & Ashley Mason May 2003">The second finger crack.</climb><climb id="84" name="The Loner" length="16m" grade="20" fa="Gerry Narcowicz May 2003">Fist to offwidth crack.</climb><climb id="85" name="The Heights of Zaphon" length="16m" grade="23" number="**" fa="Gerry Narcowicz & Ashley Mason May 2003">Thin seam up shallow corner to small ledg,e then sensational left finger crack.</climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="16m" name="Absent Friends" stars=" * " id="49" fa="A.Mason, Oct 1997.">The furthest crack on the right. Climb to horizontal break on good holds, then hand jam to top. </climb><text class="heading3" id="50">Dogwood Buttress</text><text class="text" id="51">Walk up to summit antennas and at the last building head down slightly R down gully then head NW for 5 mins. Down R is a smaller crag facing South, with 2 crack lines.</text><climb id="86" number="**" name="New Creation" length="15m" grade="20" fa="Gerry Narcowicz & Ashley Mason April 2003">Hand crack in middle of crag.</climb><climb id="87" number="**" name="Brand New Man" length="15m" grade="23" fa="Gerry Narcowicz & Ashley Mason April 2003">Thin crack on right.</climb><text class="heading3" id="52">Dinosaur Buttress</text><text class="text" id="53">Access as for Dogwood but head left to bigger crag facing west, opposite pinnacle.</text> <climb extra="" grade="24" length="20m" name="The All-consuming Fire" stars=" * " id="54" fa="Gerry Narcowicz & Nick Hancock, May 2004.">The thin crack left of T-Rex. </climb><climb extra="" grade="21" length="20m" name="T-Rex" stars=" *** " id="55" fa="Ashley Mason.">Climb the double cracks in a recessed corner. </climb><climb extra="" grade="16" length="20m" name="Aging Dinosaur" id="56" fa="Ashley Mason & Peter Witton Dec 2000">Climb the crack that zig-zags left at about half-height.</climb><climb extra="7Þ" grade="23" length="20m" name="Archaeopteryx" stars=" ** " id="57" fa="Ashley Mason Apr 2005.">Start near the base of Aging Dinosaur but follow the bolts up into the headwall right of it. </climb><climb id="89" name="Raptor" length="20m" grade="19" fa="Ashley Mason & Peter Witton 2001">Wide crack. </climb><climb extra="7Þ" grade="27" length="20m" name="Let's Evolve" stars=" *** " id="58" fa="Nick Hancock, May 2004.">Fridge lifting arête right of Ageing Dinosaur to DBB. </climb><climb extra="8Þ" grade="24" length="20m" name="Ice Age" stars=" *** " id="59" fa="Norm Selby 2005.">The beautiful bolted arête at the right end of this face. The top 5m is climbed to the left of the arête. </climb> <text class="heading3" id="60">The Pinnacle</text><text class="text" id="61">The Pinnacle is a large isolated buttress on the southern side of the mountain below Dinosaur Buttress. Access by scrambling down beside Dinosaur Buttress, or abseil from Dinosaur Buttress and scramble across 5m below the top of the pinnacle towards the RHS is a ledge from which to abseil. 25m directly below this ledge are twin jam cracks starting from a small ledge halfway up the cliff. All routes start from this ledge as the bottom half of the cliff is vegetated, but the top 25m are spearing crack-lines.</text><climb extra="" grade="22" length="25m" name="No Condemnation" id="62" fa="Gerry Narkowicz and Ashley Mason, Apr 2004">The thin jam crack on the L below the abseil line. </climb><climb extra="" grade="22" length="25m" name="Not So Squeaky" id="63" fa="Gerry Narkowicz, Ashley Mason, Andrew Martin, 9 Dec 2004.">The precise, strenuous thin handcrack on the R below the abseil line with a small roof at half height. </climb><climb extra="" grade="19" length="25m" name="Squeak Is My Hero" id="64" fa="Gerry Narkowicz, Ashley Mason. Andrew Martin, 9 Dec 2004.">The next crack to the R, beginning as a finger crack leading to a neat hand-crack through a roof. Belay on ledge, and then lead short easy chimney to finish. </climb> <text class="heading3" id="65">Breakaway Buttress</text><text class="text" id="66">To access this cliff, walk up the main track to the last building on the ridge. Walk down left hand gully and bear left to walk out on top of buttress. Abseil, or walk down. From the lowest point, the left hand crack system is:</text><climb extra="" grade="17" length="45m" name="The Ho Chi Min Trail" stars=" ** " id="67" fa="P.Wines, Oct 1996.">Start at left side, climb up to first ledge. Climb crack using pocket on left to gain next ledge, and continue up left crack to third ledge. Follow wide crack to top. </climb><climb extra="" grade="18" length="45m" name="Tin Pan Alley" stars=" ** " id="68" fa="A.Mason, Oct 1996.">A few meters right is a thin crack, step up 1m and layback to reach lip on left and mantelshelf, and up to ledge. Delicately climb slab and up grove becoming easier, to large ledge. Follow crack above to top. </climb><text class="heading3" id="69">Tea Pot Rocks </text><text class="text" id="70">This is an outcrop on the eastern end of the Nicholas Range. The main crags face north, about halfway along is:</text><climb extra="" grade="16" length="27m" name="Tea Pot Crack" id="71" fa="A Mason, Apr 1996.">Climb the obvious large crack, easily at first, becomming more difficult, hand jam at half height, and bridge offwidth to finish under protruding flake. </climb><text class="text" id="72">Further on is a clean west facing wall, broken by a crack.</text><climb extra="" grade="18" length="20m" name="Red Light Jam" stars=" ** " id="73" fa="A.Mason, May 1996.">Climb the hand crack, becoming easier towards top as the crack veers left. </climb></guide> |