Ben Lomond - Southern Escarpment

1 hour +
Morning sun
Alpine dolerite, less regular than the northern escarpment

Acknowledgement

Based on an original guide by Garn Cooper

Introduction

To the east of Launceston is the great bulk of the Ben Lomond Massif, a high plateau capped by a layer of Jurassic dolerite. At the southern end of the plateau is a long escarpment terminating in a mighty corner pillar rising up to 1527m, Stacks Bluff. This southern rim to Ben Lomond is a line of huge dolerite cliffs, forming one of the finest mountain landscapes in Tasmania, with spectacular views from the top - Mt Wellington is clearly visible on a good day far to the south.

The cliffs on Ben Lomond are at present no bolt zone. Here, this presents a different proposition to the Northern Escarpment, as the lines of the Southern Escarpment are less continuous and yield far fewer safe, traditionally protected lines. While bolts and pitons were used in early attempts to pioneer new lines at Stacks, these have been removed and a headpoint ethic now exists for the cliff. It's something novel for Australia and many opinionated mainlanders and Tasmanians alike enjoy the idea of this experiment. Despite this, only Aqualung, Maxalon and Overhanging like a Sausage receive much traffic and the headier lines are filthy and require a thorough clean before repeat ascents anyway. Given this, the headpoint ethic is perhaps not such a loss to those who prefer to climb ground-up as it seems.

In the future this situation may change and it should be considered an open topic for discussion (consensus climbing ethics aren't, after all, carved in stone). In the meantime please respect the current no-bolt status and remember to do your research before approaching any of the harder lines ground up.

History

Many of the higher cliffs in Tasmania pose major challenges to climbers seeking new routes. Difficult access, complex route finding, variable weather, steepness and sometimes loose rock, all combine to make any climb a major undertaking. Yet each new generation has some climbers who are attracted to the mountains by those very difficulties, the innovators who not only push grades but also move out into new areas, explore the possible and give the improbable a shake as well. And so it has been at Stacks Bluff.
It wasn’t until the early 1970s that the first recorded rock climb was made when the redoubtable Reg Williams and Lyle Closs climbed Brunhilde (16) on Rhine Buttress, with Bob Bull and John Moore adding two more lines a month later. The early pioneers from that time reads like a “Who’s Who” of Tasmanian, and Australian, climbing. Peter Jackson, Kim Carrigan, Ian Lewis, Bryan Kennedy, Bob McMahon, with Williams and Closs, between them established many of what are now recognized as the classics of the area. In 1973, this culminated in the ascent over three days of the “Trinity” (Aqualung (21), Blue Eyed Son (18) and No Blind (19)) by Closs, Lewis and Kennedy on Denison Crag, serious, long and committing climbs which have maintained their grade to today. Not content with these classics, Lewis returned with Carrigan two weeks later to add Maggie May (21) and Overhanging like a Sausage (19) to the tally.
Exploratory trips by John Burgess, Mike Douglas, Mick Steane and Chris Viney in the late 1970s opened up new faces and climbed the prominent summit ridges, but Carrigan with a youthful local boy, Simon Parsons, was back in ’82 to add the classic Maxalon (23).
Activity subsided for some years. McMahon and Robert Staszewski put up Visiting Earth (21M1) in the mid 90s, before Garn Cooper became enthused by the cliff and its potential. Over the next couple of years he repeated many of the classics and added a number of classy climbs of his own such as the South Side of the Sausage (20) with Hamish Jackson, and The Definitive Article (17) on Rhine Buttress with Bruce Terry. McMahon was back in 1997 with Norm Selby on Ulster (18), but it was Al Williams, climbing some 30 years after his father, Reg, pioneered the first climb in the area, who led the next push with Doug Grubert and Cooper on such classics as Hybrid Vigour (21) and the Wall (19). The Tasmanian Climbing chronicler, Gerry Narkowicz has added to his tally for the mountain with Cornercopia (23), climbed with Gareth Llewellin, and most recently, in 2008, Kim Robinson and Claire Hewer have breached the Baleen with two more quality lines. There is still a phenomenal amount of rock awaiting the next generation of ambitious and restless climbers.
The southern escarpment is also an important ice climbing area and a short guide to Ben Lomond has been prepared by Peter Booth.

Access

Traveling from Hobart or Launceston on the Midland Highway, turn east on the A4, just south of Conara Junction, and head for Fingal. At Avoca turn L and drive up the B42 to Rossarden, and then about another 6km on to the abandoned tungsten mining township of Storys Creek.
Alternatively if traveling up from the east coast, follow the A4 to St Marys. Continue towards Fingal but turn off R on the B42 through Mangana and onwards towards Rossarden. After about 20kms, take the turn off R to Storys Creek.
The road for Stacks starts from the far end of township, about 100m past the old hall on the R. The turn is sign-posted by a blank sign. It heads up towards the mountains for about 1.5km. There a cairn marks the turn off to the right on an older track. Not far up this is a spot with ample parking and room to turn around at a track junction. Best to leave your car here and walk, unless you have a 4WD, in which case you can drive on further up the LH track, saving maybe 25 mins walking.
From the end of the 4WD drive track follow the cairns and red tags up and out of the bush to the base of the talus slope, about half an hour's walking. Continue across the blocks towards the base of Denison Crag.
Camping and backpacker accommodation are available at St Marys, or you may opt for the great campsite by Tranquil Tarn, located a couple of hundred metres east of the marked track below Denison Crag. (See Tasmap St Pauls, 1:100 000 or Stacks 1:25 000 [5439] ). Alternatively the newly opened Craggy Peaks resort has upmarket accommodation at Rossarden (www.craggypeaks.com.au).
The area is within the Ben Lomond National Park and is a fuel stove only area. A Parks Entry Pass is required.

Climbing Info

The walk-in takes only about one hour from the road head but the cliffs of Stacks Bluff are exposed and high, rising up to 1500m, and inevitably catch the prevailing weather. In winter the crag is often ice covered, while in summer changes in conditions can be rapid and unexpected. The climbing is fairly typical for dolerite, with steep and strenuous cracks interspersed by walls and corners, broken up by welcome ledges. The longer routes are up to 200m making them a serious undertaking. This is a bolt-free crag and the consensus seems to be that it should stay that way. Please respect the local opinion on this one. There are four main cliffs in this area. To the L (west) is Stacks Bluff itself, with a series of ridges leading to the summit, then the columnar cliff called the Baleen. The Blade Crag is next, followed by the impressive Denison Crag to the R, the most popular to date and most accessible. For more information and additional topos, see “Climb Tasmania, A Selected Best Guide” by Narkowicz 2005, and "Memory of a Journey" by McMahon & Narkowicz 2008.

Crag Steward

Rock climbers please contact the Cliff Steward (benlomond@climbersclubtas.org.au) if you have any queries or concerns regarding social or environmental impacts of rock climbing at this crag. Do not email regarding general travel, seasonal advice, or lost property - this is not the Steward’s role. If you have important safety information to communicate (e.g. risks due to recent and large rock falls) please also consider updates on thesarvo forum, facebook group and/or online guidebooks as appropriate. Please copy in cct@climbersclubtas.org.au if you feel you have a high level concern which may imminently impact the crag or climbing community.

Non-climbers, other users, land managers: please also contact cct@climbersclubtas.org.au if you have important climbing related queries at this location.

GPS

Africa

Africa is a series of massive (up to 200m) and isolated cliffs on the south western edge of the plateau. It's about a two and a half hour walk via Stacks Bluff. There are 31 routes described in the 2008 McMahon & Narkowicz guide.

The following routes are updates to the 2008 guide.

Ragnarock

140m22

Access: Walk 200m past Kurtz passing a big bushy gully (which ends at the top of Ragnarock). Continue past a 25m high detached boulder with distinctive diagonal lines on its south facing cliff (the Rock Island). Start left of the arete directly below the gigantic capstone at the top of the buttress. The splitter crack below that is the hand crack of pitch 4. Gear: Double set of micro offset wires (peenuts), set of offset wires, set of RPs, single rack of cams from blue alien up to #4 Camalot.1. 30m 22Climb from the left easily onto a pedestal at 5m. From there smear up the corner crack to a bulge. Traverse right and climb the next corner crack (crux) to a scary pedestal under a dirty finger crack. Instead of going up this traverse under the roof right and gain the right hand roof crack. Airy moves on disconcerting but solid holds lead to righthand ledge.2. 30m 22crux). From the ledge, climb left along a thin crack to another ledge. Up the obvious corner crack (crux) until it ends. Step left and mantle onto belay ledge.3. 35m 24Up the long corner crack until it ends. Climb left around the arete. Step on loose boulder and climb two corners. Traverse on jugs several metres left and belay at the base of the hand crack in the corner (on the first ascent this pitch finished before the traverse).4. 45m 18Climb the hand crack in the corner to the next ledge. Climb the right offwidth to the top. A step over the void to the left leads to easier ground. Another 15m or so of easy climbing leads to the summit.

Stacks Bluff - Summit Ridges

There are three big ridges terminating near the summit of Stacks Bluff. Quite a hike and a big adventurous day.

Typhoon Ridge

★240m14

"A ridge where you need a hemp rope, a couple of no. 1 slings, and one or two ex-W.D. krabs. Great rock, climbing, positions, and nearly all the climbing is easy, a bomber of a route." Start: At the far southwest corner of Stacks Bluff there is a series of six or seven ridges leading up to the top of the mountain. Typhoon Ridge is very broken at the start and is the last one before you start heading uphill on a traverse from the lake under the cliffs. The first two pitches were on rather bad rock but the quality improves radically. The hardest pitch was when the route went out left over a freshly cut bit of rock and up a rather bare area. Another bit is where the route goes to the right of the ridge and up thin cracks to the top of the ridge again. Apart from these, the route is plain sailing, especially when the wind is doing 70 - 80 mph.

Lyle Closs, Bryan (Hooks) Kennedy (alt) 25 Dec 1973.

Hagen Ridge

★280mStraight Forward

Hagen Ridge is a long enjoyable route on sound rock. A fairly strenuous 9 pitch climb amidst impressive surroundings. Excellent chock protection is available on all pitches. There are three prominent skyline ridges on the southwestern end of Stacks Bluff and these merge near the summit. The left hand (northeastern) line was climbed by Closs and Kennedy. The right hand (southwestern) line is a curved gendarme ridge. Hagen Ridge is the long narrow ridge between these two lines. It leads directly to a conspicuous exit chimney (Fafnir's Chasm) which is easily recognised by the mass of huge chockstones blocking its roof. Start: There are two pulpits at the base of the ridge, with a large cairn built flush against the right hand pulpit. The climb commences with the crackline behind the right hand pulpit. Climbing time approximately 6 hours.1. 15mUp steep crack/corner line to ledge.2. 25mCrack/chimney line a little to the right of pitch 1. Leads to a platform below a 10m needle (Adrian's Pillar).3. 20mScramble/climb to belay platform.4. 35mAn entertaining piece of climbing. Thrutch up to the crest of the ridge and mantleshelf onto it. Traverse right on a ledge leading to a short but strenuous crack cum chimney. A further traverse on easy ground leads to a belay near a large scoparia bush below a narrow chimney.5. 35mTackle the chimney and continue on large blocks to a big sloping platform on the ridge crest.6. 50mTake the right hand line which is about 10m below the ridge crest. Slither across a lichen covered slab, then walk/scramble/climb on a grassy line to the base of a chimney filled with small chockstones.7. 35mA fine pitch, though rather strenuous. Climb the chimney (which is longer than it looks) to a belay platform at the base of Fafnir's Chasm.8. 25mMantle shelf over the huge chockstones in Fafnir's Chasm. A foot sling on a thread runner was used for aid to surmount an overhanging chockstone about half way up this pitch.9. 40mGo through the big exit doorway just below the roof of Fafnir's Chasm. Climb the obvious rightwards trending line, then up a thin crack (hard to see in the dark) to the crest of the ridge. This is more or less the end of the climb. A scramble along the ridge crest from here eventually leads to the summit of Stacks Bluff.

Mike Douglas, Chris Viney Mar 1975.

South East Ridge

★240m13

This is the eastern most of the three main ridges on the southern end of the bluff, and joins Hagen Ridge (the central of the three) after about 150m. Another real bomber. Start: The route starts a few yards right of the base of the ridge and follows an obvious left trending line for about 70m to the crest of the ridge. Here there are two huge chimneys; the left hand one leads back up to the ridge crest, and from here a crack goes straight up to the skyline to the first pinnacle before the junction with Hagen Ridge (150m). From here a short abseil and traverse lead to a narrow chimney at the top of the grass pitch of Hagen Ridge, ie up chimney, exit out back of Fafnir's Chasm, up crack at left of skyline, along skyline and across slabs to exit cracks (240m).

John Burgess, Mick Steane (alt) 7 Dec 1976.

NB: Instead of traversing left at the junction with Hagen Ridge, an idea would be to go straight up the crack which splits the wall ahead (serious) or else there are some big lines on the east wall; an attempt on one of these was thwarted by an uncooperative tree. These cracks would probably come out above Fafnir's Chasm.

The Baleen

This is the very regular columnar cliff between Blade Crag and the top of Stacks. It is probably best to walk to the top of this cliff, dump your gear, and abseil down the gully between the western and the middle buttresses. The bottom access is quicker but scrubbier.

Between The Eyes

145m18

Also known as The Tim Chappell Memorial Route, this route is on the western most and highest of the Baleen Buttresses (the regular columns). It goes between the two roofs which are ~30 m below the top. Start: At a 25 m high corner with a 2 m flake leaning into it. When you stand at the start you seem to be directly below the RH roof.1. 45m 17Climb the corner and then 5 m up the bulge onto the shrubby ledge. Move up the corner and L to belay on arête.2. 45m 18Continue into the LH corner and follow this to the foot of the columns. Two cracks lead to the RH roof. Take the right one to the belay 25 m up.3. 25m 18Climb using both cracks to the roof and move L to belay.4. 30m 17Move carefully to the top. We took the L line and face.

Bruce Terry, Garn Cooper, 2 Dec 2000.

First In Best Dressed

★★70m17

From the western descent gully, this route climbs up the south western part of the middle Baleen buttress. Start: In the descent gully near where the cliff first reaches 70m as an unbroken column. To the R of this column there is a deep recess with a 5m slab at its base - very clean. At the top of the slab is a perfect hand crack on the L.1. 35m 17Zoom up the hand crack to belay at the break where it is starting to become a little wide and flaky.2. 35m 16Keep going up the wide flaky stuff, which soon relents.

G.Cooper, A.Bown 7 Dec 2000.

Being Krill

★★70m19

This route goes up the middle of the middle Baleen Buttress. In the middle of the buttress are two complete columns which are not encroached on by any nearby columns. This climb is the tight hand crack up the left margin of the left pillar.1. 32m 19Up the initially sustained crack, which eases and belay at the break.2. 38m 18Bridge elegantly with airy stances to the top.

A. Bown, G.Cooper 7 Dec 2000.

The next two routes are located just to the right of the large pedestal in the center of the Baleen. They start on a ramp 5m up from the base of the wall and are easiest to access from the top. Located at the top in the middle of the cliffs length is a large cairn. To access theses climbs abseil down just to the east of the cairn.

Humpback

★★59m20

Abseiling down 1m east of the cairn will send you straight down the line. If accessing from the base, this is the 2nd line R of the pedestal.1. 25m 20Technical climbing up the seam and arête, belay on the ledge just below the horizontal in the centre of the baleen.2. 34m 20Continue straight up the fused corner which opens up after about 10m, protection is adequate.

Kim Robinson, Claire Hewer, Mar 2008.

Minke

★★61m22

Abseiling down 5m east of the cairn will send you straight down the line; a 60m abseil will reach the base on rope stretch. If accessing from the base, this climbs the 3rd and 4th seams R of the pedestal.1. 30m 22A bit of everything, delicate bridging, arête climbing and jamming up the improbable twin seems. If you've approached from the base don't be concerned, there is plenty of gear. Belay on the ledge which runs across the centre of the baleen.2. 31m 19Continue up the twin cracks.

Kim Robinson, Claire Hewer, Mar 2008.

Cornercopia

★★60m23

Start: At the RH end of the middle Baleen buttress, this is the most obvious protectable line. It ascends a broken crack in a corner, then at mid-height moves L with the broken crack, into the next corner until the top.

Gareth Llewellin, Gerry Narcowicz 2006.

Blade Crag (Upper Tier)

Icing Legitimate

35m14

Start: This route climbs the blade on the crack where it joins the right wall.1. 27mBridge and chimney up the groove without much difficulty to a peg belay at the foot of the 8m corner.2. 10mA bold but straightforward layback up the corner to the top of the blade.

R. Bull, J. Moore (alt) Easter 1971.

Blade Crag (Lower Tier)

Windhover

65m15

Garn wrote this description from looking at Jackson's drawing - this route needs to be climbed for a good non-pictorial description. Start: Up left from the foot of Blade crag, beneath the bristling overhangs.1. 40mUp and past overhangs on the right. Back left after overhangs and belay.2. 25mEasily on to the walk off ledge.

P.Jackson, R.Williams, 1971

Schinken

70m14

Start: Up right from the foot of Blade Crag, at the first steep black line.1. 50mUp steeply with difficulty for 6-7m, then wander up to your left. Continue up, keeping a few metres left of the arête. Belay on big ledge.2. 80mTrend up left on the steeper slabs to the left arete and up this to finish.

Lyle Closs, Robert McMahon 1971.

Hydatids

50m15

Starts: At the right hand end of Blade Crag there are two small buttresses with a gully between the two.1. 25mUp the gully to large loose looking block (piton used to surmount this on first ascent) and pull over it to belay on small spike.2. 25mContinue up and break out right to the crack on the wall. A superb pitch.

R. Bull, J. Moore (alt) Easter 1971.

Denison Crag

Ach!

An obvious line on the far left hand end of Denison Crag, facing across the gully to Blade Crag. One pitch - a grunt of a climb, best defined by its name.

Lyle Closs, Bob McMahon early 1971.

The Easter Island Bunny

10m19

At the top of the western descent gully is a lone pillar which resembles a rabbit. Climb the easiest line on superbly solid rock.

Alan Williams (solo) 6 Dec 2000.

The next routes are just left of Lucifer.

Vogelsang

70m19

Corner crack around left of Sky Mark, with a bush one third the way up.

Robert McMahon, Mick Ling 1997.

Sky Mark

70m18

Start: At the base of the gully left of The Wall.1. 10mScramble left and up to a stance at the base of the finger crack.2. 40m 18Follow the finger crack which widens to hands to a ledge then continue up corner above.3. 20mScramble to top.

Doug Grubert, Alan Williams (solo) 6 Dec 2000.

The Wall

★★50m19

Fifty metres right of the western descent gully is a slightly narrower gully above a col. This route takes the crack splitting the wall to the right of the gully.1. 25m 19Up face and seem for 12 m to small ledge. Continue up immaculate crack (fingers to hands) to a comfy ledge below the final corner.2. 25m 17Follow the corner to the top of the column. Belay. Abseil off, or scramble to the top.

Alan Williams, Doug Grubert 6 Dec 2000.

Lucifer

80m13

An interesting chimney route without too much thrutching, in an obvious corner just right of a huge wide chimney, towards the western end of the crag. There is a white spot on the wall about 20m up. Start: From the lake walk around the cliffs past the Trinity, past Overhanging like a Sausage. Just before the scree slope that runs up to the plateau at the extreme end of the Denison Crag cliffs there is a very prominent corner. This is Lucifer.1. 23mStraight up to belay above huge rectangular block.2. 35mStay right when chimney divides, until it deepens to a comfortable chockstone belay above a couple of small overhanging chockstones.3. 22mContinue up then across a paddock, and up easy exit chimney to finish on the plateau.

John Burgess, Michael Steane (alt) 30 Nov 1975.

Molly Bloom

80m17

Prominent crack R of Lucifer.

Robert McMahon, Robert Staszewski 1997.

Buck Mulligan

83m17

Next crack line R of Molly Bloom, move L at 15m.

Robert McMahon, Norm Selby, 1997.

Next Of Kin

100m15

Between Overhanging Like A Sausage and its descent gully are two large chimney/gullies. This route is the left facing corner between the these two gullies. It has a white spot about 30m on the right and a big roof at about 40m, which you can pass easily on the left. After the roof, stick to the broad arete on the right, passing up a little (3m) detached pillar which leans over the chasm on the right.

Garn Cooper 30 Nov 2000.

Puff The Magic Dragon

100m22

Start: Approximately 40 m left of Overhanging Like A Sausage at the base of the right facing corner with a small roof at 35m.1. 25m 17Follow the corner to a stance 10m below roof.2. 45m 22Continue up corner, stepping into right hand line to pass roof (crux). 10 m of bridging follows until easing to a chimney. Belay on large vegetated ledge.3. 30m 15Continue to top.

Alan Williams, Doug Grubert, 5 Dec 2000.

Scimitar Buttress

The leftmost major buttress on Denison Crag (aka Nibelung Walls) is called Scimitar Buttress (and Rudiger's Castle).

The South Side Of The Sausage

★★125m20

Takes the first major corner system to the left of Overhanging Like A Sausage.Start: At a neat little corner on the nose of the sausage.1. 48m 20Up the little corner for about 15m, then traverse left into the main line. Continue to the roof without being drawn out to the arête. After passing the roof (with possibly a spell on the arête), continue in the corner to the belay. Do not be tempted by the left arête.2. 45m 16Up the left V corner to a pile of stacked blocks. Nice steep varied crack climbing above to the belay.3. 32m 14Easily to the top.

Garn Cooper, Hamish Jackson, Jan 1999.

Overhanging Like A Sausage

★★★175m19

A classic climb, with four great pitches. Previously named scimitar by some twit. Start L of the last major gully on the crag at a corner that looks unlike a scimitar (except to twits), but which does look like an overhanging sausage.1. 45m 17Climb over large blocks at the base, then continue up corner with increasing difficulty to a tiny ledge on the L.2. 45m 19Head up the bulging corner to a small resting place. Continue up corner to a small chimney. Up this, pull over roof, then continue up short corner to semi-hanging belay in a small cave.3. 15m 16Contort your way up the very overhanging chimney above, then traverse R to a bushy ledge.4. 25m 16Up large off-width corner for 20 m. 5 & 6. Finish pleasantly up slabs on R to top.

Kim Carrigan, Ian Lewis (alt) 12 Jan 1974.

On the butrress R of OLAS is:

Idiot Savant

200m19

Corner system on recessed buttressed R of Overhanging Like a Sausage.

R. McMahon, P. Hensley, 1998.

Right of Scimitar Buttress a prominent tower stands out from the cliff about 3/4 of the way up it. A route called Danube Buttress by Whelan, Prins and Lawson starts below this and finishes up to the right of it?

The next major buttress to the right is called Saxon Spur and was possibly climbed by Douglas and Whelan.

Rhine Buttress

And the next is called Rhine Buttress.

Double Edged Sword

~100m20

A route left of Brunhilde which finishes on top of the same buttress. Start 15m L of Brunhilde at chockstone filled crack. Descend on left by abseil.

G.Narcowicz & R.McMahon mid 1990s.

Brunhilde

115m16

Location: On a partly detached buttress of the Nibelung Walls. The buttress is approximately 2/3 of the distance along the walls, from right hand end. It has two slender columns above and set back from it. The route takes a prominent crack and deidre line splitting the nose of the buttress. It is a clean line of sustained high standard and calls for a variety of techniques. Protection is good throughout, but there is a certain amount of loose rock in places. Start: At the foot of the buttress, below a pale scar left by a recent rock fall.1. 25mClimb up the scar, move left for a metre and ascend a rib to a position below a horizontal crack. Move back right, into the corner and continue to good ledge beneath a pair of twin cracks running up the dierdre. Good bollard belay.2. 20mClimb the twin cracks, moving onto the right wall when near the top, then climb out onto a large ledge on the left. Good bollard belay.3. 40mContinue up the line. Move onto the left wall on approaching an overhang approximately half way up. Climb to a small ledge below a clean crack. 4. Climb the crack and continue up steeply. Toward the top the line divides. Take the left hand line for a metre or two and then move back into the right hand line, and emerge onto a large ledge. Belay.5. 10mTraverse back into the left hand line and continue to the top of the buttress - steep but with good holds. Descent: The party abseiled off on the left of the buttress with darkness approaching. Given more time, the two previously mentioned pinnacles would be worthy of attention. Future parties may find it convenient to combine pitches 1 & 2 and pitches 4 & 5. In the latter case the left hand line mentioned in pitch 4 would be followed to the top.

Lyle Closs, Reg Williams (Alt) 6 Mar 1971.

The Definite Article

★★140m17

About 150m left of the trinity is a low buttress, 100m high with two pinnacles on it which are obvious from the right. This climb takes the strongest line up the sunny face of the high recessed buttress immediately to the right of this two pinnacle buttress. Start: To avoid a scrubby approach come in from the left. Scramble up to 2m below the low roof in the strong line marking the right hand boundary of the high recessed buttress. Start here.1. 45m17 Up the obvious line after the roof for 25m to below roof forming bottom of leaning black pillar. Pass this on the right and continue for 15m up beautiful features to belay at good small stance.2. 50m17 Continue up beautiful features, with spectacular easy bridging to pass first roof on left, and second roof on right. Continue up twin cracks, initially on left and stepping right into chimney when left crack fails. Belay on step.3. 45m17 Up 6m bodywidth which eases after chockstones. Continue up classic ridge to the top (variations on this pitch abound).

Bruce Terry, Garn Cooper, 11 Jan 2003.

Brownian Motion

170m19

On second buttress L of Trinity between Definite Article and Thackery.

Robert McMahon, John Fisher 1997.

Thackeray

170m16

Starts: in the corner just left of the base of the obvious right-trending line left of the Trinity.1. 42mUp corner to ledge on left wall.2. 30mContinue up corner through a couple of friendly bushes, over roof and up flaring corner above (crux). (This was led using two chocks for aid near the top due to the crack being full of dirt etc. Second arrived at a cleaned crack and climbed it free). Belay around left in grassy alcove.3. 36mArm jam/layback up overhanging flake on right, then up steep grass to a thrutchy chimney. Up this to another paddock and belay. Not a good pitch.4. 16mUp double cracks above, then slabs on right to a small ledge.5. 46mUp sharp edge at left of belay, then follow left trending line to the surface. Beware of loose chock stones at exit.

John Burgess, Michael Steane (varied leads) 11 Dec 1977. An old abseil sling was found just above the roof on the second pitch.

Chaos

170m19

A wandering line up face R of Thackery and finishes up scrubby gully.

Norm Selby, Bill Chilvers, 1997.

The Trinity

This is the most impressive part of Denison Crag, and one of the more impressive chunks of dolerite in the entire state.

No Blind

★★190m19

Start: Up the grassy gully behind the left hand and middle lines of the Trinity (the three impressive lines to the left of the obvious corner of Tommy).1. 48mBe careful not to go out left. Belay at a small ledge in company with some friendly loose blocks.2. 28mUp to a scrubby comfortable ledge via some offwidthing. This pitch is as hard as it looks.3. 45mExcellent jamming up the crack above to an acute left facing corner requiring fist size gear, climb this for 8m to belay below the first main overhang.4. 30mClimb through two cruxy overhanging offwidth sections and continue on to belay at a big grassy ledge5. 42mAnother excellent pitch of jamming to top of pillar, then up and back right easily to the surface. Note: Large gear required upto #6 Camalot to easily protect the offwidth sections.

Lyle Closs, Ian Lewis (alt), 27 Dec 1973.

Blue Eyed Son

★★165m18

What did you see? The middle line of the Trinity. Start: As for No Blind, but go right. The line is rather obvious.1. 50mUp to belay to the right of the crack. Severity depends on leg length.2. 33mUp the unfortunate crack above. Strenuous and holdless (crux).3. 40mUp to the overhang, and up yet again. The overhang is easy, but the bit above is very stretchy and exposed. It keeps on coming out. Belay on the nice ledge.4. 40mThe first little bit is a little sizzly, but the rest is easy to the top.

Ian Lewis, Lyle Closs (alt, sort of) 26 Dec 1973.

Trinity Split

The Trinity Split (24) goes direct up the face L of Aqualung and R of Blue Eyed Son. Four pitches, 22, 24, 23 and 19, involving spectacular face climbing in some very runout situations.

The first pitch takes adequate gear and can be climbed as an appealing single pitch excursion from the ground. Descent is from the slung horn beley. A 30 m rap will get you to Aqualung Pitch 1 tat-station or 55 m rap to the ground, or traverse into Aqualung and continue up that.

Gerry Narkowicz and Pat Butler, 2012.

Aqualung

★★★175m21

The right most line of the Trinity. Start at a chimney below the prominent corner high above.1. 25m15 Climb the chimney then trend R to belay below a thin corner.2. 35m21 Up the finger crack in the corner (crux), then continue more easily to belay on the slab below the roofs (Suggestion: instead belay earlier, at the ledges after the crux corner - it is actually only 25m from there to the ledge at the top of pitch 3).3. 25m16 Move L past the overhangs, pull through steeply, then wriggle up and around a large flake. Belay below the major corner.4. 55m20 A fantastic and intricate pitch calling upon a variety of techniques. Not to be missed. It is possible to set up a hanging belay from around the 40m mark (and do a separate pitch up the hand crack over the bulge to the belay ledge), but try to climb all the way through if you have the gear and the willpower.5. 30mContinue easily from the back of the corner, up and right, and thru a tunnel to another ledge.6. 15mWalk across the blocks, over the spike, and up the 8 meter handcrack, to the top. Can be abseiled using bollards from top of pitch 4: 4 to 3 = 50m; 3 to 2 = 30m; 2 to ground = 50m.

Ian Lewis, Bryan Kennedy, 28 Dec 1973.

Tommy

★★190m16

The massive corner is a real gem, but every pitch earns a tick. Mind the grading though, it's a tad 'old school.' At the very bottom of the Trinity Buttress there is an obvious chimney leading to a rising traverse with a huge corner above it.1. 45mUp the chimney to the obvious V-groove. Climb this for 10m to belay ledge on LH wall of groove.2. 52mContinue up the groove, trending R into other line and up though vegetation to base of short crack with funny tree. With aid from the tree, climb the crack then follow the obvious RH rising traverse, squeeze behind detached pillar and up delicate chimney (thoughtful bridging at top) to belay on the large sloping ledge at base of huge corner.3. 43mBridge and jam the all too obvious LH crack in the corner. Awkward steep moves lead through a wide section of crack (crux). Up chimney, swing through bulge and up crack to belay below final chimney.4. 40mChimney over chockstones to beautiful huge ledge. From LH end of ledge, climb cracks and chimney to summit. Finishes on an island.5. 10mJump across to mainland and climb to top of the obvious clean jam crack. Final 2 pitches can be combined if rope drag is OK.

L. Closs, I. Lewis, Feb 1973.

Brave New World

★★★23R

Named after a book where things are a bit less inclusive and wholesome than your overlords would have you believe. Could be either fitting, or ironic!

Two independent pitches, branching off from Aqualung at the second belay for that route, following the very appealing line of shallow corners, rooflets and flakes to rejoin Aqualung after its fourth pitch. Protection is adequate apart from a 12 meter runout section of grade 19, with a few loose blocks. The money pitch is 55 m and can be rap inspected (or top roped) from an anchor 5 m to the right of Aqualung's fourth belay.

Visiting Earth

21M1

The Ridge Right Of Tommy was climbed by Stazewski and McMahon in 1995, with a touch of aid.

Maggie May Buttress

Hybrid Vigour

★★★90m21(aka Palm of Pleasure)

On the wall left of Maxolon are two big continuous lines. This is the left of the two. Start: 4 m left of the line and up the gully is a short crack. Start here.1. 45m 20Up 5 m, right 4 m into line. Straight up to belay about 10 m after the crux.2. 35m 21Up and onto the big detached flake on the right. Now the fun begins. Up a few metres, then step left into space and follow the awesome line to belay on the vegetated ledge.3. 10mEasily to the top.

Alan Williams, Garn Cooper 1 Dec 2000.

Maxolon

★★★100m23

The corner on left wall of Maggie May. Pitch 1 as per MM but belay 3 m to the left. Up the searing corner crack, through rooflet, and stick in there for the pumpy and sustained wide finger crack above. A sensational pitch -- perhaps one of Tasmania's best cracks.

Simon Parsons, Kim Carrigan Mar 1982.

Maggie May

★★★100m21

Best done as a 45m grade 17 access pitch, followed by a 50m crux pitch (sensational), followed by a short easier pitch Start: 100m right of the Trinity. An obvious line.1. 30mClimb up short corners, trending left to below major corner system.2. 12m 17Up short corner to a large bushy ledge.3. 35m 21Up the corner. Stemming and finger crack with some chimney-ish feeling moves. Protects better than it appears it will. A good supply of wires is a plus.4. 20m 12Up to top.

Kim Carrigan, Ian Lewis (varied leads) 13 Jan 1974.

Sentimental Nonsense

100m20

Two pitches of hand to offwidth cracks up the right wall of Maggie May.

Kim Carrigan, Simon Parsons, 1982.

Mungrl Buttress

Mungrl Buttress (aka Wizard Buttress) is the buttress between Maggie May Buttress and Tranquil Tower. The first route is to the left of Druid.

Vortigern

★145m19

The first two pitches offer excellent, well protected (wires and cams to #2) and sustained jam-free climbing. It is possible to retreat off a chockstone a few metres up the third pitch (52m to ground). Start about 5m left of highest point of rock step in front of buttress.1. 30m 19Follow the crack system till it ends, move left and belay at prominent horizontal break.2. 25m 19Up corner, move left up diagonal crack, and up to base of left leaning bottomless corner. Up this to belay on ledge to its left.3. 35m 17The mossy corner and its right wall to bushy ledge. Up layback flake in wall above to ledge belay.4. 25m 16 M0Up vegetated wide crack for 5 metres to rooflet on left. Traverse left under rooflet to corner which leads to ledge near left arête of tower. Traverse left around arête to dirty crack to summit. Would be wise to break this pitch to avoid near terminal rope drag up final crack (rest was taken on gear on 1st ascent).5. 30m 14Rap 5m from sling, walk across to easy angled corner, up face on left of corner to mainland.

O Gervasoni, T Kohl, 10 Feb 2008.

Druid

150m16

Start: The easiest bit up the wall at the start of the best line on this buttress (Mungrl Buttress), second on the right hand side of the crag.1. 35mAlmost straight up the wall past an interesting short chimney to a belay below an obvious corner before the line leads out left.2. 35mUp a few moves, then out left, charge up again until a large ledge is reached. Don't belay here as there is one just as good 10m up. Belay up there.3. 30mShoot up the back-leaning corner, then out left past an overhang or two, being careful not to go out left (HUH???). Belay below an overhanging block not far from the top.4. 10mOver the block and easily to the top.5. 40mClimb down the other side and up obvious corner to mainland.

I. Lewis, L. Closs Feb 1973.

Tranquil Tower

The northeastern most part of Denison crag.

Blue Lake

80m14

Start: Just to the left of Tranquil Tower there is a gully with a large chockstone in it. Start at the foot of the chockstone.1. 35mUnder the chockstone then onto the left wall. Up to a good stance.2. 30mUp!3. 15mUp to walk off ledge.

Basil Rathbone, John Burgess 27 Jan 1980

Ulster

★110m17

Worth a look but fails to live up to its hype as one of Australia's 50 best crack climbs. Starts in the big groove a few metres R of the divide between buttress and the Tower.1. 50m 17Bridge up groove with sparse yet adequate pro. At 25m step R from the corner to access the chimney (grade 21 variant heads straight up). From top of chimney climb up to traverse line which is followed back left. Climb up to belay ledge.2. 15m 12Climb up to big ledge below summit tower.3. 45m 17Follows the RH line/groove to summit. Climb the crack for 4m and lay off the thin vertical flake, swing right and gain access to the groove. Up the groove to top and finish up the L wall to reach the summit. Finishes on an island. Descend back of tower into notch then back up to mainland or leap across.

Robert McMahon, Norm Selby (alt) 1997. Pitch one variant G.Narkowicz 2004.

Out In The Cold

80m12

On Tranquil Tower, right hand side. Start: A wee way up the gully/scree slope. Aim for a slab with a crack in it perhaps a 1/3rd of the way up the buttress.1. 27mUp to the foot of the slab with crack in it.2. 15mClimb slab/crack.3. 38mTo the top of the buttress.

Phil Robinson, Basil Rathbone and John Burgess (alt) 26 Jan 1980

The Lake Cliffs

Where Teeny Boppers Dare

45m12

The biggest line on the small cliffs above the lake. Like all the lines on this bit of cliff, it looks pretty grotty, but is actually quite good, being a mixture of slabs and overhangs in a huge corner.

Mick Steane, John Burgess 10 Dec 1977.

Cerro Blow Wave

80m15

On the biggest cliff in Tranquil Tarn slightly to the E and above the lake.1. 35mClimb to the L of overhangs at 20m on LH side of cliff2. 45mTo top

Robert McMahon, Robert Staszewski (alt) 1997.

Sphinx Bluff

Sphinx

60m17

Located on a satellite peak to the L of the main peak at Sphinx Bluff. On the way up to the Knuckle, the track comes to a tarn and scree slope. From the tarn head east up the scree slope to the most decent looking face on the west facing slopes of Sphinx Bluff.1. 40mUp the face to a ledge.2. 20mA crack system to the top.

Dennis Kearnes, Andrew Bisset, 2001.

Pavement Bluff

Pavement Bluff is an isolated crag on the SE corner of the Ben Lomond plateau.

Access (described for arriving from the Midlands Highway):
1) Drive to Rossarden; continue 5 km to a dirt-road on the left at a RH bend (ignore the turn-off to Storey's Creek; the dirt road is about 1.8 km past "Craggy Peaks").
2) Drive 100-200 m up this then take a left turn.
3) Follow this for 100-200 m until a 4WD track can be seen on the right. This may be hard to see so the GPS coord may be useful. If you have a 2WD car, park here and start the walk up the 4WD track.
4) With a 4WD you can continue for another 1.2 km (to 920 m asl).
5) When the 4WD track finishes a walking track continues. It is a little vague for the first 100m but then becomes easy to follow although somewhat over-grown.
6) After about 45 min (depending on pack-weight!?) the track emerges onto the plateau at 1325m asl.
7) It is then 1 km across the plateau to Pavement Bluff. Then is some scrub but it is open enough to make walking reasonably easy.

There is a stream and campsite about 200 m before the cliff itself.

Panzer Breakout Buttress

Das Reich

90m20

See Narkowicz guide.

Robert McMahon, Gerry Narkowicz, Greg Moore; Jan 1984.

The Road to Ballyshannon

★★★60 m22

It is possible to get to the bottom of this with one 60 m rap (see the Gothic Line description).1) 15m 20The start is at a pair of cracks only a few meters left of Gothic Line. The left crack can be climbed directly to a ledge (the left part of this ledge is askew).2) 30m 22.Initially on this wires (1-4 rock??) in the right crack and then, after about 8m (?) use the left crack, which is initially thin then gradually widens to about #2 Camalot (gold) width. Belay at the same ledge recommended for Gothic Line (i.e. above it's off-width section).3) 20m 19.Go left back to the line (i.e. to climb the line left of Gothic Line). Continue up that and then cross back near the top to finish up as per GL.

Robert McMahon; Gerry Narkowicz. November 1984

The Gothic Line

★★6520

Access from above: It is possible to get to the bottom with one 60m rap (from the same place as the one for Road to Ballyshannon). The GPS coord should get you close to a boulder that can be identified as having a 30cm wide by 1m tall recess behind it, with a flat bottom, that can be used to stash gear. The crack in front of that is where Gothic comes up. You could set up a rap there or up to 10m northwards.
1) 35m 20 Climb the twin cracks, initially thin and later widening to hands. The climbing is often on face-holds; many of which are flexing; still reasonably enjoyable climbing though. This leads to a sloping ledge at 30m. If you have enough gear left continue another 5m up the wide cleft to a better ledge (offwidth but has face holds and small-gear options).
2) 20m 20 Technical bridging up the corner above.

John Fantini, Mick Ling; Jan 1984.

Gothic Line, pitch 1.
★★★The Road to Ballyshannon22
★★The Gothic Line20

Eastern Front

★70m20

See Narkowicz guide.

Gerry Narkowicz, Rober McMahon; Dec 1984.

Bob and Doug's Second Route

70m18

See Narkowicz guide.

Doug Bruce, Rober McMahon; Feb 1991.

Tirpitz

100m18

See Narkowicz guide.

Steve Moon, Tim Carrol; Jan 1994.

Stranded Freighter

80m17

See Narkowicz guide.

Steve Moon, Tim Carrol; Jan 1994.

Scourge of the Atlantic

80m19

See Narkowicz guide.

Gerry Narkowicz, Greg Moore, Robert McMahon; Jan 1984.

Pologhda

★★60m21

See Narkowicz guide.

Gerry Narkowicz, Robert McMahon; Dec 1984.

Panzer Breakout

★★60m20

1. 15m 20The crack with a small overhang at half-height. Starts thin and techy and then widens but stays nice.2. 45m 19The hand crack on the prow of the buttress. Some loose flakes but great fun. Big ledges at about 30m provide an optional belay, otherwise continue upwards via blocks and corners.

Robert McMahon, Gerry Narkowicz, Mick Ling, May 1982

Burning Bridges

60m21

Bruce Cameron, Robert McMahon, Jan 1983

Battle of Britain

★60m20

Neale Smith, Mick Ling.

Stalingrad Buttress

Bob and Doug's Route

Robert McMahon, Doug Bruce, Feb 1991

Tailgunner

50m20

Neale Smith, Mick Ling, Jan 1983

Kursk

★60m18

Robert McMahon, Gerry Narkowicz, Jan 1983.

Danzig Corridor

★★★50m20

1. 30m 20A beautiful recessed corner on the left side of the nose of the buttress. The ledge at the bottom of this corner can be reached on abseil from the top of Stalingrad (but veer leftwards a bit as you abseil). Takes a range of gear from small cams and medium wires up to three Camalot size. At the top belay on the ledge or continue diagonally rightwards to a ledge a few meters further up on the nose (this gives a better view of pitch two).2. 15 m 18Follow the crack to the top.

Robert McMahon, Gerry Narkowicz, Nov 1983.

Nightmare in a Damaged Brain

45m

Stalingrad

★★47m

A few meters of chimney at the bottom, and then a few face moves, lead to an excellent twin crack system. Takes loads of gear (esp hand-crack size but smaller and larger cams also). Good belay spot at about 35m if you're running low. Worth three stars despite a little loose stuff.

Bruce Cameron, Robert McMahon, Jan 1983.

Long Range Desert Group

★★45m15

This goes up the big cleft in Stalingrad Buttress. Start about 3 m right of Stalingrad. It climbs well and is good fun on an interesting feature. Can be climbed as one pitch but there is a good belay ledge at about 8 m, where the hardest climbing is over.

Greg Moore, Gerry Narkowicz, Robert McMahon, Jan 1984.

Bomber Command

★★45m20

Right of LRDG there is a wall with three vertical cracks about 2m apart. This starts up the first (leftmost) of them and then crosses into the middle crack (the third crack is Desert Fox).1. 32m 20Climb the lefthand crack, which is supplemented with numerous face holds, until nearly at the ledge at 8m, trend right into the middle crack (joining it at the level of the horizontal break). Continue up the middle crack to the sloping ledge. The off-width crack before the ledge is easily passed on face holds. Good gear all the way.2. 12m 15Go left 1m an ascend the hand crack just right of LRDG.

Roger Parkyn & Steve Goss, Jan 2012.

Desert Fox

45m22

This goes up the third crack (on the right of LRDG). Given two stars in Gerry's guide but it is very dirty and pro appears poor. There is a flat ledge at 32m. From the ledge go up the leftmost corner (hands/off-width; right of the flakey buttress).

Gerry Narkowicz, Robert McMahon, Bruce Cameron, Dec 1983.

Rommel

45m18

Looks really dirty. A couple of meters right of DF.

Robert McMahon, Gerry Narkowicz, Greg Moore, Jan 1984.

Blitzkrieg Buttress

Dieppe

20m17

Looking from Stalingrad Buttress you can see the wall which this route goes up the middle of: see the following pic. Might be good if it were clean; but it isn't.

Robert McMahon, Gerry Narkowicz, Jan 1983.

Bloodrunner

★★75m22

With this and the next two routes it appears that the best is the top 35 m, which starts from the "Blitzkrieg Ledge". Blitzkreig Ledge can be reached easily enough on abseil (which looks a lot less work than the walk to the bottom described in the 2009 guide).[Comment by Roger: I don't know what the bottom pitch is like but the top one is a 3-star classic ... provided you like cracks. The ledge at the start of it can be reached with a 30m rap. Take lots of camalots 0.5-4 but especially red and gold (#1 and #2).

Mick Ling, John Fantini (alt), Jan 1984.

Blitzkreig

★★70 m21

It looks best to abseil in to Blitzkreig Ledge and just do the top two pitches.1. 20m"Easy corner" then ledge and offwidth.2. 35m 21Tackle the corner with the shrub at about 8 m. Physical and sustained. [Graded 21, opinion of Steve Goss and Roger Parkyn].3. 8m 14Exit up the last section via one of the cracks.

John Smart, Robert McMahon, 1981.

Howitzer

★★★75m22

1. 20m"Easy". As for Blitzkreig (if you can be bothered; otherwise skip it by abseiling into Blitzkreig Ledge).2. 35 m 22The straight line right of Blitzkreig (Blitzkreig is the one with the shrub). Looks like it would take a lot of 0.75 Camalots (?).3. 8m 14Exit up one of the cracks.

Gerry Narkowicz, Robert McMahon, John Fantini, Jan 1984.

Viewed from Stalingrad Buttress. The line near the prow with the tree/shrub is Blitzkreig; Bloodrunner is to its left and Howitzer to its right.

The Grand Hoax

65m19

1. 57m 19Up face and corner to a ledge, then up hand, fist, offwidth crack. The horizontal breaks take smaller gear. No.5 camalot useful at the top.2. 8mJam to top.

Andrew Geeves, Ben Veltkamp, Jan 2009.

Guderian

65m20

1. 25m 20Vegetated corner to ledge.2. 40mTraverse left into long hand sized jam crack.

Passport to Freedom

65m23

1. 25m 20As for Guderian.2. 40m 23Strenuous and sustained poor finger locking with extreme bridging.

I Came for You

50m17

The Golden Path

★★45m22

Abseil to the ledge 5m above the gully. Superb face climbing with an occasional jam. Cruxy for the first 8m.

Ben Veltkamp, Andrew Geeves, Richard Halsey, Jan 2009.