Pretty End Ridge
Dolerite
Acknowledgement
By Gerry Narkowicz
Introduction
A series of substantial buttresses on the ridge east of Pretty End Creek. Discovered by Sam Tolman in 2023, Gerry Narkowicz and Garry Phillips started bolting the first routes in August 2023.
Access
It takes about 40 minutes to drive from Fingal. About 1km east of Fingal, turn right into Valley Road, signposted to Meadstone Falls. The sign says the road is closed, which is due to a washed out bridge, but most cars can easily ford the creek. Follow signs as if going to Meadstone Falls and about 4km from the falls is the creek crossing. After crossing the creek, keep going for one kilometre where a sign points left to the falls, indicating 3km to go. At this junction turn right. Follow this road for about 3km until some rocks and boulders appear on the right hand side of the road. The main area is at Twin Seams Buttress, and 200m further west is the Sweet Dreams Buttress.
GPS carpark Twin Seams Buttress: -41.72475 148.05942. Locate a cairn marking the start of the track when boulders and cliffs start appearing on the hillside above the road.
GPS carpark for Sweet Dreams Buttress: -41.725261, 148.052401. Park at a right bend in the road 200m past the car park for Twin Seams Buttress. If you cross Pretty End Creek, you’ve gone too far.
Crag Steward
Rock climbers please contact the Cliff Steward (fingalvalley@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
Sweet Dreams Buttress
From the car park, on the RHS of the road and about 100m east into the bush is an amazing chasm/cave feature with a tall mossy cliff. You want to be on the ridge above this chasm where the going is easier. Follow the ridge top for about 300m to the top of a stunning grey wall of immaculate rock about 20m high overlooking a gully full of cliffs. Either rap from trees or scramble down the eastern side of the cliff via an easy gully.
On the far LHS of the cliff beside a prominent chimney is a line of 8 bolts up the wall. Engaging and balancey climbing with a few awkward moves. Great route.
Gerry Narkowicz, 2 August 2023.
The prominent corner with a precise, sharp edge on the LHS of the cliff. Nice jamming and laybacking all the way with a small roof for added spice. Well protected.
Andrew Martin, Gerry Narkowicz and Pierce Brickell, 15 October 2023.
To the right of the big corner crack on the left side of the cliff is a line of bolts up a faint weakness, beginning in a short corner with a finger crack. Nice climbing up the finger crack and face to the small overlap where the hard climbing begins. A series of powerful, awesome moves up to the anchors.
Garry Phillips, 2 August 2023.
Twin Seams Area
This is the main area and is about 200m east of the Sweet Dreams Buttress on the far RH end of the Pretty End Ridge cliffs. About 200m back down the road from the park for Sweet Dreams Buttress is a cairn marking a track about 100m up to the cliffs. The main crag is dominated by two right-trending diagonal seams.
Pierce's Pass
The amphitheatre 30m up and left of the Twin Seams Buttress.
Up L of the Twin Seams Buttress is an amphitheatre with a prominent right-trending jam crack in a corner. A good route with jams and laybacks in the corner and nothing much for the feet on the slab. Tree belay.
Pierce Brickell and Gerry Narkowicz, 18 October 2023.
The bolted right-trending slab. Climbs nicely with a very thin crux going past the 2nd and 3rd bolt to gain the large foothold on the arete out right. Easier climbing to the anchors from there.
Pierce Brickell, 24 October 2023.
Twin Seams Buttress
The largest buttress in the area with prominent twin right trending seams.
On the far left of the buttress is an easy angled right-trending slab which has been excavated from the moss. Climbs very nicely and is technically interesting the whole way. When scrubbing the moss for hours, I was questioning my sanity as to how worthwhile this route would be. But I suppose the new route itch has to be scratched, and this nice little climb cured the itch for the time being…a bit like Anusol, a very effective haemorrhoid cream.
Gerry Narkowicz, 24 October 2023.
The left face of the buttress with a thin seam and line of flakes culminating in a right-trending corner at the top. Superb climbing up the flake to reach a restful stance at half-height. Lay off the thin seam to gain insecure holds in the base of the corner, then a cruxy, powerful move to pull up into the corner. Excellent route.
Andrew Martin, 20 October 2023.
An entertaining link-up with great moves. Climb Ethical Murder for 3 bolts, then traverse right across the face to gain the right-trending ramp. Layback up this to the top of the ramp where it shares a couple of holds with Holding the Line. Dyno up to a flat hold on the face left of the crack then continue on jugs to the top.
Gerry Narkowicz, 12 November 2023.
The incredible right-trending seam on trad gear. Challenging, awesome climbing with fiddly, but good gear. The bolts on the face to the left are not to be clipped.
Ingvar Lidman, 1 November 2023.
The right-trending seam underneath and to the right of Holding the Line, fully bolted. Nice layback moves at a cruisy grade of 20/21 lead to a diabolical crux going past the second-last bolt.
Gerry Narkowicz, 6 November 2023.
Pierce's Pinnacle
In front of the Twin Seams Buttress is a unique little pinnacle with a slabby face. Bolted by Pierce Brickell using a lasso technique to sling the top of the pinnacle to create an anchor.
The bolted slab on the pinnacle with a few nice technical moves. Good fun. Dito Medio is the middle finger, a bit like the appearance of the pinnacle.
Giovanni Giudici, 14 January 2024
Sugar Glider Wall
About 40m down right of the Twin Seams Buttress is a neat, blank looking wall. A nest of sugar gliders was found in the blobs of moss on the cliff about 3m from the top. This is the first cliff you come to on the approach.
On the far left of the wall is a tiny arete with three bolts, offering a few nice moves.
Gerry Narkowicz, 24 October 2023.
The attractive right-trending thin crack. Quite technical climbing and not straight-forward. Well-protected with trad gear.
Andrew Martin, Pierce Brickell and Gerry Narkowicz, 10 November 2023.
On the LHS of the wall is a line of six bolts in a blank, right-trending corner. Delightful technical stemming which eases off near the top with some large holds.
Gerry Narkowicz, 19 October 2023.
The bolted line straight up the middle of the wall, starting at a large right-trending flake. Lovely moves at about grade 22 to half-height then sticky fingers required for a series of thin crimps and gaston moves, before trending right for a tricky conclusion up to the anchors.
Ingvar Lidman, 5 November 2023.
On the far RH end of Sugar Glider Wall is a prominent wide crack which has been excavated from the dirt and moss. A pleasant enough layback up the edge of the wide crack with good gear – take a couple of big cams.
Pierce Brickell and Gerry Narkowicz, 27 October 2023.