Mt Amos
10-30 min
All day sun
Pink and grey coarse granite, 10-50m
Introduction
Mt Amos is the highest of the Hazards, and has a popular walking track to its summit. The routes on the North Face are good value with a most varied bunch of routes generally less than 60m high. Most are well protected for the Hazards and several are outstanding.
Access
Park at the Wineglass Bay Track carpark inside the National Park, but take the Mt Amos Track instead. This track passes close by to first the Alps, then Southpark. After about 30 minutes the track passes the right hand side of the North Face. Walk left along the base of the cliff to find the routes.
GPS
Mt Amos Lower Slopes
The area is really a collection of boulders on the way up to the main Mt Amos cliff. They are, in the order the track passes them: The Alps, South Park and the imaginatively named Mt Amos Boulder .
The Alps
A complex area of boulders with very easy access from the Wineglass Bay car park. From the car park follow the Mt. Amos track for around five minutes, until a short section of wooden duckboard is reached. To the right can be seen a large triangular shaped boulder, Matterhorn Rock, 100m or so away. To get there continue on the main track until a boulder is passed just on the right of the track. Turn off here and work your way up Matterhorn Rock. There are a large number of boulders in this area that show some potential for development.
Matterhorn Rock
The largest boulder looks like its namesake. There is a U-bolt belay on top.
Follow the slab and left arête of the south face.-bolts. The further right you go the easier it is. A single bolt belay exists at the top (to the extreme right of the face). It's not possible to rap the route to clean it from this bolt if you want to pull your rope.
Nick Hancock, Carol Hurst, 10 Sep 2001.
The easy right hand arête - no protection.
Nick Hancock, 10 Sep 2001.
South Park
Ten minutes along the Mt. Amos track the path ascends some easy slabs. At this point traverse right to the large boulder. The following climbs are on the west face and are easily identifiable by their bolts. To descend from the routes, or belay a second up, have your belayer tie the rope off to a tree behind the boulder as there is no gear on top. It's not as epic as it sounds, apparently, but putting lower-offs on sports routes is not a bad idea.
The left arête. Hard moves to gain the arête from the right and pumpy climbing above. Lower off finally added 20 years after the first ascent!
Nick Hancock 10 Sep 2001.
The next climb right. Desperate moves right via two bolts lead to a horizontal and a thin groove above. A half-friend and wires are needed.
Nick Hancock 10 Sep 2001.
The desparately thin finger crack to the right. Razors.
Nick Hancock 8 Nov 2002.
Start as for You're a Towel and follow the obvious horizontal hand crack left below the top of the boulder. Good jamming with minimal feet.
Tom Fulton & Pat Eberhard Sept 2020
On the South Park boulders, in the middle of the three biggest is one for the belayers. Up the awkward handcrack to finish up black water runnel. Tape up!
S. Young, 2010 (no-one game to second).
Mt. Amos Boulder
About 200m before the North Face is an enormous pyramid shaped boulder 50m off the track to the left, just after it ascends some water runnels.
The route takes the west face. Climb via bolt to top. Long runout above bolt. Downclimb the north face to descend.
Marcel Jackson, Peter Jackson, Dec 1989.
Mt Amos North Face
This is the obvious big cliff which can be clearly seen from Coles Bay. To get there go up the tourist route to the summit of Amos until you reach the level of the bottom of the cliff and then traverse left around under the cliff. The point where you leave the tourist track is marked by a very definite short corner (Dogstyle). It takes ~30 minutes to reach the cliff and you can descend at either end of the cliff. A most varied bunch of routes generally less than 60m high and well protected for the Hazards, with several that are absolute crackers.
Mt Amos North Face
East Coast Low
Sketchy route details. Takes the runnel to the left of High In The Bight as its first pitch.
P. Jackson, N. Ward.
Al Adams, Garn Cooper, Jul 1986.
P.Jackson, R.McMahon, Nov 1971.
Garn Cooper, Al Adams, A.Morgan, Jan 1991.
Peter Jackson, I.Lewis, J.Burgess, Aug 1972.
J.Friend, R.Jamison, 1974.
Garn Cooper, Al Adams, Jul 1986.
M.McHugh, P.Jackson, R.McMahon Nov 1971
Al Adams, Nick Deka Apr 1991.
Gerry Narcowicz, Pete Steane, Dec 1981.
Pete Steane, Garn Cooper, Jan 1987.
L.Closs, M.McHugh, Nov 1971.
From the first belay of RH Negative, climb up the original route for a few metres, then reach round to the handcrack on the right side of the nose. Sharp jams lead into the original climb.
Nick & Heather Hancock, July 2015.
An excellent varied climb up the groove and slab left of Little Bits of Wire. Climb the easy corner for 10m, then reach up left to clip the first bolt. Step up then right into the right trending groove. Follow this delicately to a cruxy bulge, then climb an easier knobby runnel that peters out into a blank slab. Scratch up this, trending right to a DBB. It is possible to rap off with a single 60m rope if you go via the American Beauty rap station.
Nick & Heather Hancock, May 2013.
Garn Cooper, Al Adams, Mar 1986.
A wonderful pumpy climb up the steep diagonal seams above the golden wall, left of the white runnel. Make a few moves up the easy corner of Little Bits of Wire, then head up the wall to a ledge. Climb the thin seams up rightwards, to a technical bulge and a few more hard moves, before somewhat easier climbing up the right arete to a DBB (it is possible to lower off from here with a 60m rope as the direct descent to the ground is shorter than the climb itself).
Nick & Heather Hancock, Gerry Narcowicz, June 2013.
Nick & Heather Hancock, June 2015
It is a fine struggle that has prompted some major air over the years. Black and white, this left-trending corner is easily recognised even from Coles Bay. Originally climbed as two pitches, it is best done in one. A lot better than it looks like it's going to be when you're standing at the start. Gear is spaced at times but the climbing is easier when it is most run-out. Take a big rack, especially wires and very small up to medium cams. About 10m from the top the crack fuses and you step left out of the corner via a hole on the white water-steak; go left and up from there. Save a mid-sized cam or two for the top few metres.
P. Jackson, M. McHugh, 1970. FFA: Hot Henry Barber, L.Closs 1975.
Mt Amos North Face
Heather & Nick Hancock (Alt) May 2006.
M. McHugh, P. Jackson, R. McMahon, 1970
Climbs the scoopy and pocketed wall to the R. A hard start leads to easier climbing followed by a diabolical traverse right on miniscule holds.Trend up left a bit then straight up via more thin moves to a DBB.
Nick & Heather Hancock Jun 2018
P. Jackson, M. McHugh, R. McMahon, 1970
A thoroughly enjoyable excursion up the middle of the blank triangular slab, best done as 1 pitch.
1.15m 24 Climb steeply up to a slight R facing groove at 5m, then more easily to a DBB on a ledge.
2.32m 22 Climb up nicely featured rock to a very thin overlap and then up to a DBB.
Nick & Heather Hancock, Ben Griggs, June 2015
An ill-defined and wandering route on a slab just left of Titus Groan. Start near the middle of the bottom of the big obvious slab. Trend diagonally right until you hit the main line and then head left. Climb where you think you might find runners (because this was Phil's behaviour on the original ascent).
Phil Cullen, M. Burton, 1982.
This is an obvious right trending grey band at the right hand end of the cliff. The climbing eases to very easy after the start.
M.Burton, Phil Cullen, 1982.
Right of Titus Groan is a right leaning overlap groove. Climb this, then the slab above, then up to finish up the venerable grade 14 crack of enigmatic origin.
Phil Cullen, M.Burton, 1982.
Sustained and rewarding. Start at the obvious corner mentioned above. Climb the corner, a No. 5 cam is useful at the top.
Hot Henry Barber 1975.
The bolts on this climb have been removed by a community member due to concerns about impacts on bush-walking amenity and possible secondary ramifications, and after consultation with the FA team.
Historic description: Around the corner to the right of Dog Style, just beside the main track to the summit of Mt Amos. Follow the grey dyke past 7 bolts to rap point.
Norm Selby, Jun 2004.
The bolts on this climb have been removed by a community member due to concerns about impacts on bush-walking amenity and possible secondary ramifications, and after consultation with the FA team.
Historic description: Same start as I Wish She Were Mine, then go right, past 7 bolts to the same rap point. Now harder due to the loss of a hold.
Norm Selby, Jul 2004.
Below the right hand side of Mt Amos North Face, is a small cliff (also facing north), with two very worthwhile routes on it.
The central seam crackline with a bolt at half height, 20m left of Fin D'amour. Good wires lead to the bolt and the crux, followed by easier well-protected climbing to the top. No lower-off installed so get someone to 2nd you, or rap off the tree at the top and walk back around to get your rope.
Nick Hancock and Andrew Bissett, 15 Sep 2001.
The arête you walk under to get to the main wall. Start on the right via two u-bolts to gain a small ledge. Move onto the arête and continue past another 3 bolts to the top. Good climbing on solid crystals. Descent as above.
Nick Hancock and Andrew Bissett, 15 Sep 2001.
Mt Amos West Face
At the top of Mount Amos West is a massive square block facing north, with a thin water runnel in the centre. Approach by heading up the Mt Amos track for 5 minutes beyond the turn off to the North Face, then trend up right (at GPS: -42.151043, 148.296485) through light scrub and boulders, following some cairns to below the largest face.
GPS: -42.151194, 148.295224
One of the best face climbs on the Hazards. Climb the short layback in the middle of the face, then continue up the shallow runnel on surprisingly good holds, until the angle lessens along with the size of the holds. Teeter up to easier ground and a DFHB. Mallions needed on the belay.
Nick & Heather Hancock, June 2013.
Near the top of Mt Amos western side, and approached from above via a tagged part of the Skyline Traverse, is a long slightly left leaning handcrack, easily identifiable from the old Wineglass Lookout. Abseil in from a tree (60m). Climb the thin intermittent crack, to easier moves on good holds into the long handcrack.
Nick & Heather Hancock, Ben Griggs Apr 2017
If you climb up Mt.Amos from the saddle between Mt.Amos and Mt.Mayson you'll encounter one or two respectable buttresses with some potential. It is a fair hike but it is a decent cliff and it is good to have a new perspective on the peninsula. The first climb I am aware of in this area was done in Jan 88 by Garn Cooper and Allan Adams, and is probably the furthest right line (it is quite nice and about grade 17). The only other time I know of anyone climbing here was when four blokes from Canberra (namely Dave Jenkins, Mark Sands, Rohan Hyslop and Robert Appel) visited in early 1989, and did these routes.
These three climbs are on the buttress up the ridge from the lookout : good luck finding them
Up the obvious crack in the middle of the wall.
M.Sands, R.Hyslop, D.Jenkins, Jan 1989.
Start 15m R of Spoonerism, at a cairn. A direct finish is posible at 22 but unprotected at present.....
M.Sands, R.Hyslop, D.Jenkins, Jan 1989.
Shares the same start as Kamikaze Squad and steps R of the smooth slab at th etop. Probably Al and Garn's original climb, "Mythrin and Naomi's Cubby House".
A. Adams, G. Cooper, Jan 1988.
Start 70m right of Kamikaze Squad. Up ramp then wall to large block. Over this on jugs.
R.Appel, D.Jenkins, Jan 1989.
Up steep wall left of black overhang.
M.Sands, R.Hyslop, D.Jenkins, Jan 1989.
This cliff is at the northern end of West Amos crag just left of a large overhanging orange wall (which has an awesome steep and wide crack on it waiting to be done, only if you like potentially dangerous exfoliating gravel climbs!). This crag is much easier to reach by traversing around right from the Mt Amos track a bit higher than the North Face. A bit of an adventure to find it.
Superb well-protected climbing up the well-formed dyke. Note this climb name has been changed in 2025 after consultation with the FA team.
R.Hyslop, D.Jenkins, M.Sands, Jan 1989.
Very Good. Up The Blind Watchmaker for 4m. Traverse right to a runner, then up thin diagonal to left. Follow large crack up. Seconds did direct start at 21.
M.Sands, R.Hyslop, D.Jenkins, Jan 1989.
The left diagonal line on the left of the buttress. Up this line and then up the arête.
D.Jenkins, R.Hyslop, M.Sands, Jan 1989.
Lookout Cliff
The following route lies on the east side of the Winglass Bay Track in the saddle between Mt. Amos and Mt. Mayson. Follow the track to the saddle and turn left along the Lookout Track for 15m. The climb ascends the boulder on the left.
The leftward tending short, steep diagonal crack on the boulder.
Hamish Jackson, Adele Vincent, Dec 1994.
The following four climbs are on the west side of the Winglass Bay Track near the old Lookout.
On the upper tier climb, the wide crack with an undercut start, off a boulder, on the leftmost buttress. Counterbalance abseil to get off the top.
Nick & Heather Hancock, Ben Griggs Apr 2017
Thirty metres right climb another wide crack with another undercut start. Head left and easily up to the summit, when the crack ends. Scramble down the back.
Nick & Heather Hancock, Ben Griggs Apr 2017
Doug Fife, Nick Ward, Sep 1979.
This might have an aid move.
Doug Fife, Nick Ward, Sep 1979.
Mt Amos East Face
Just southwest of the saddle between Dove and Amos is a high slabby broken cliff which was first ascended in 1976. I have no record of this route. This cliff can be reached by extrapolating along either the Windy Hill route or the Amos north face route.
N. Duhig, P.Jackson, Apr 1986.
In between the Amos East face and North face lies a 15m tall vertical wall surrounded by slabs on either side. Best accessed from the top by following the Mt Amos track to just before the summit and then cutting down the hillside in the direction of Mt Dove’s Trig point. Rap in or walk down either side.
Start beneath the obvious featured arete. Climb the RHS of the arete until the first rooflet. Turn the arete to the LHS and continue up the diagonal to the top.
T Fulton, J Riaz, Feb 2022.
As for LSP but continue up the RHS to climb through the two rooflets and mount the jug. Sew up crack with your smallest wires before teetering up the arete using side pulls and chicken heads.
T Fulton, J Riaz, Feb 2022.
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