Step Tier

15 min
Morning sun
Clean dolerite cracks up to 80m

Introduction

Step Tier offers several fine climbs, all virtually next door to each other. The tier is narrow with a conspicuous platform (the Step), a third of the way up the left prow. The base of Step Tier supports a large tilted slab, and the gully to the left is known as Teardrop Gully.

Access

Approach via the Step Tier Track, which is signposted from the Organ Pipes Track.
Descent: The Step Tier rap station is found at the top of Ophthalmia (2 x 40m; 40m to a sloping ledge, 40m to the ground). There is a rap station 5m right and below Step Tier rap station, at the top of Conjunctivitis (1 x 15m to the Bokeh rap station). From the Bokeh rap station it is (1 x 55m) to the ground.

The first two routes start from the top ot the step in the prow of the tier.

Like tears in rain

★★35/ 50m25R

A tad bold and graded for the lead. Safe only with gear clustering and requires a few small offset cams 0.2 to 0.4 (+ numerous small cams, single rack from 2-4, single set wires). Readily top-ropable from Left Out/C O Magic anchors (?24 TR).

Start at old piton (LO). Up 3m to horizontal, left 3m to arete. Sustained climbing up arete for 25m until you meet Left Out at high traverse line. From here either up arete to anchors or reverse Left Out traverse and go up Sucked In for a very long pitch (still a bit mossy despite a clean, quadruple of 0.1-0.4 helpful).

H Jackson and J Spencer Feb 2026

Left Out

★★★35/50m21↓

A sustained pitch with a big reputation. Climbs the face, left of Moonraker's second pitch. Take some small cams. Starts from the step at the top of the first pitch of Moonraker. Traverse left on the horizontal break and down 5m below the step to the intermittent crack line. Up this and the face above for 20m to another horizontal break. Move left to the arête and climb up it to the shallow corner. Up this to The Colour of Magic DBB (35m). Abseil from here down the wet gully or better still rap from Step Tier rap station at the top of Ophthalmia (2 x 40m)..

D. Fife, Pete Steane, Jan 1991.

Sucked In

★★45m23/24

A direct finish to Left Out. Instead of going left onto the arête at the higher horizontal break, continue straight up.

K. Robinson, C. Godfrey, Jan 2001.

Clutching at Straws starts on the wall of the left hand side of the prow, to the left of Mothers on Adrenalin. The start is best accessed from the right hand side of lower Teardrop Gully.

Clutching at Straws

28m17

Takes a crack line that leads to the step, broken by a ledge at 5m. Start on a grassy ledge at the base at a thin crack left of a short wall. Climb crack to a good hold and continue by using the V groove and/or by pinching the rib. Scramble up 3m past a bush and continue up the corner/V groove above. Easy climbing above to reach the step. Rap off from slings (28m) or continue up Moonraker.

P. Robinson, C. (Basil) Rathbone, 5 Feb 2015.

Mothers on Adrenaline

25m20

Follows cracks on the prow of the buttress left of Moonraker. Start as for Moonraker but instead of traversing, continue straight up and follow the prow to the Step at the foot of Moonraker Pitch 2. Finish up Moonraker or Left Out or abseil on slings (30m) back to the access ledge.

D. Fife, 1996.

Moonraker

★★★77m16↓

A terrific climb, this popular route climbs the left side of the wall to the step and then the steep wall just left of the prow. Start at the far left-hand end of the main access terrace, at a pile of stacked blocks (The original route climbed the easy angled slab below the blocks (Grade 8) to join the terrace, but access is now very vegetated, and it is rarely climbed).1a. 30m 17Alternative start. Climb the finger crack on the left for 10m and then hand traverse right on the horizontal break to rejoin the original start at the cave, or…1b.30m 15Climb the crack for 2m before traversing right and up across the face on dubious rock to the next crack line. Up the crack to the cave then continue up the crack directly above to reach the 'step' of the tier.2a. 42m 16Follow the crack line up the steep wall left of the arête past an old piton (present in 2019). At a small ledge, either keep left of the prow all the way through the bulge and the tight chimney to a large ledge or, better, step right onto a small ledge on the arête and climb the crack and short corner till a step back left over the corner joins the line left of the arête.2b. 42m 18Face and Arête Variation. RPs (optional) and small cams make for adequate protection. From the belay head up and right to the arête and climb up confidently for 20m, swapping sides repeatedly, to reach the small ledge of Pitch 2a. Continue straight up, or step right onto a small ledge on the arête and climb the crack and short corner till a step back left over the corner joins the line left of the arête. .3. 7m 14Chimney up behind the pillar to finish at the Step Tier rap station at the top of Ophthalmia (2 x 40m).

M. Douglas, R. Williams, Nov 1966. (1a): D. Hain, M. Dunstan, B. Kennedy, Jan 1975. (2b) H. Jackson, S. Joseph, 2011.

Explorer

135m12

Take a GPS. An early route of consistent standard that starts at the slab below Moonraker. The route wanders rightward across the entire cliff, then finishes up the vegetated chimney right of Peacepipe.1. 18mUp the easy angled slab to belay at the stacked blocks.2. 20mUp Moonraker 2m on good holds, then traverse diagonally right for 10m to the vertical groove. Up this for 6m.3. 10mMove right onto the scrubby Terrace and traverse across into a deep vee-groove (Peacepipe Pitch 2).4. 25mChimney up the vee-groove as for Peacepipe, then move right up the nasty steep grassy slope and belay above the vegetation.5. 10mUp the corner crack on the left to belay on a large shelf at foot of the irregular chimney.6. 30mFollow the chimney over a bulge and into a deep recess. Continue up the wider chimney above and belay on a scrubby flat on top of the main buttress.7. 22mUp a line of weakness to finish on a ridge leading to the top.

J. Whelan, R. Williams, Oct 1966.

One Way to the Moon

40m19↓

You'll need to escape earth's gravity first. The start is midway between Moonraker and Xenophanes. Climb the crack to the right side of the Moonraker 'hole', continue straight up the face and climb the black water-streaked wall with the thin cracks above. The gear is adequate but well spaced. Belay on the step as for Moonraker. Rap off using slings (30m).

A. Wilson, J. Otlowski, Dec 2001.

Xenophanes

★★80m17↓

A clean and consistent line that is genuinely thrilling. The second line right of the start of Moonraker. Take a #4 and #5 camelot if you have them.1. 24m 16Climb the crack to a small sloping ledge.2. 30m 17Up a short corner and face above to a ledge below a wide crack. Take a deep breath, climb the crack and establish yourself in the corner above (crux). Continue to a belay ledge.3. 26m 16Follow the sensuous hand crack to a ledge, then up a short chimney behind a pillar to reach the Step Tier rap station (2 x 40m).

I. Lewis, D. Hain, Jan 1974.

10.

Lone Stranger

★★★78m19↓

Test out your finger strength! The brilliant corner that takes the left hand of the two cracks in the middle of the Tier right of Xenophenese.1. 26m 16Up a short groove and negotiate the crack system on the wall above to the left-hand end of the terrace. Climb the groove and wall above past a thought-provoking bulge to a ledge below the steep corner.2. 26m 19Bridge, hip smear and finger jam the steep corner to a large ledge and bollard belay. Extra finger sized cams buy some stress relief.3. 26m 18Switch right to the natural continuation of the Ophthalmia line. Follow the finger/hand crack around two roofs to the top. Traverse left 3m to Step Tier rap station (2 x 40m).

K. Carrigan, I. Lewis, Jan 1974.

11.

Ophthalmia

★★81m18↓

So named after the large quantities of loose dirt which once remained after the devastating 1967 bush fires. The route follows the right hand of two crack lines in the middle of the Tier that are 4m apart. The second pitch is steep and sustained and harder now the dead tree has departed.1a. 24m 16Climb the first pitch of Lone Stranger as far as the terrace. Traverse right 4m and belay at the foot of the prominent crack.1b. 20m 17Alternatively climb the direct start up the blocky orange face 3m right of Lone Stranger..2. 36m 18Up the prominent crack into a chimney to reach a small bush (50-50 friend or foe). Navigate past the bush and up the delightful crack above to large belay ledge.3. 21m 16Switch to the left hand crack, moving up past two awkward trees to reach Step Tier rap station (2 x 40m).

J. Moore, R. Williams, Mar 1967. Direct start: Phil Steane, Pete Steane, Oct 1982.

12.

Conjunctivitis

15m225Þ↓

Originally a trad route done as an alternative finish to Ophthalmia pitch two. This route was inadvertently bolted in 2017 as the original description had not appeared in the pipes guide. To reach the start, climb either Bokeh or pitch two of Ophthalmia until just below the final bushes, before heading 2m right and around the arête to the Bokeh rap station.1. 15mUp the face to the major overlap. Bouldery moves through a finger crack in the bulge lead to a widening hand crack and a stance on the arête. A reachy move right gains the airy face which is climbed to the rap station. The bolt runners on this route are spaced considerably more sportingly than most. Rap (1 x 15m) to the Bokeh rap station, (1 x 55m) to the ground.

D. Rollins, L. Besnard, Mar 2013

13.

Fuzzy logic

22m20

A good climb marred by some dodgy rock down low, and a scrubby top out. If green pointing the Bokeh section, take care not to fall onto ledge!
Start 2m right of Opthalmia direct and climb diagonally right on slightly dodgy rock to reach ledge at 12m. From ledge, join Bokeh pitch 1 for 4m, but instead of exiting left, continue direct up thin crack (crux + small cams) to bushy ledge at 25m. Scramble through bushes to belay at base of Bokeh pitch 2.
From here continue up Peace-pipe, Bokeh or Opthalmia; or scramble down to rap station atop pitch 1 of Bokeh.

H Jackson, M Spicer and S Joseph 2020.

14.

Bokeh

★★63m2418Þ↓

If combined with Conjunctivits this allows for 3 pitch sport route to the top of the wall.Start at the base of the blank grey wall 8m right of Lone Stranger (5m right of Ophthalmia direct start). The second pitch navigates the middle part of the wall and hanging corner right of Ophthalmia. Bokeh pitch 2 joins Conjunctivitis 15m from the top (anchor), making it possible to combine these into a single 50m pitch.1. 21m 18 9ÞOne of the better easy sport pitches on the mountain and a good warm up for pitch 2. Follow the grey wall with increasing difficulty to reach ledge at 12m. Lovely moves above ledge culminate in a fun crux move left to a jug, and a crank to the ledge. Belay on ledge 2BR (or lower off 20m to ground).7m Traverse/walk across the terrace to the right and reset the belay directly under the rooflets 4m right of Ophthalmia.2. 35m 24 15ÞA bouldery start up through the rooflets, then up an easier face to the obvious hanging corner exiting through an overlap to a ledge and rap station. Note it is best to clip the 5th bolt (equipped with a single maillon) with a single screw gate. Rap to the ground from this ledge (1 x 55m) OR Rap to top of pitch 1 (1x35m),Optional 3rd pitch: Continue up Conjunctivitis (22) on spaced bolts for a further 15m to the Conjunctivitis rap station at the top of the wall (rap 58m to bushy ledge at top of pitch 1, then rap another 25m to ground).

H. Jackson, M. Spicer and S.Joseph, Mar 2020 (pitch 1 as described added 2022)

15.

Peacepipe

★80m16↓

Excellent, sustained climbing on the fourth major vertical line on the Tier, at the right hand end. Either start as for Lone Stranger or abseil in via the Step Tier rap anchors to the terrace (1x 52m) and climb pitches two and three.1. 28m 15Climb first pitch of Lone Stranger as far as the terrace and traverse right for 9m to the base of the crack system (the original first pitch to the terrace followed the loose and scrubby corner below here).2. 24m 16Up the open crack past an overhang (crux) formed by a large flake: the left hand variant via the small tree is about the same grade but a tad loose. Belay on the wide ledge (worth saving a medium sized cam or two for the belay).3. 28m 16Continue up the interesting and sustained steep crack and chimney, moving right at the top over the chockstone. Belay at the trees. Traverse 8m horizontally left from here to Step Tier rap station (2 x 40m).

J. Friend, D. Bowman, Jan 1977.

16.

Sunday Morning Fever

★25m17

The face to the right of the scrubby corner. Start to the left and then climb the cracks and flakes, staying on the middle of the face: it's a bit run out at the bottom. Belay to the left on the step at the tree. Rap from here also (tape).

A. Wilson, J. Otlowski, et al, Dec 2001.