Handsome Crag
5 min
All day sun
Free standing sandstone boulders
Introduction
Handsome Crag has quite a decent amount of reasonable sandstone. There is a quite a lot of potential here for bouldering, and there has been a rapid amount of development here since it was kicked off by Dave Humphries, Jon Nermut and Campbell Godfrey in May 2008. The crag faces north and gets a lot of sun, so is a good winter venue, but too hot in summer. It's high enough that it mostly escapes the New Norfolk fog.
Access
The crag is on Crown Land, administered by Forestry Tasmania. To get there head up to New Norfolk and cross to the northern side of the Derwent River. Head up river and take the first right, followed by a left. Follow this through the outer suburbs of New Norfolk to the T-junction: to get to the cliff turn right along Back River Road. When it was developed, you used to be able to drive within a couple of minutes of the Stronghold and the Weakhold. Unfortunately there is now a gate on the road and the new owner doesn't want climbers driving up it. Instead, a longer access method is described below. The turn-off to the crag is about 2.75km along Back River Road from the T-junction. Enter Handsome Cave Rd and park on the green patch on the L. If you have a 4x4 with A LOT of clearance you can keep driving on Handsome Cave Rd over some rough terrain. At the top of the first hill, where the two tracks merge again, follow the road to the L, past a shack on the L and keep driving/hiking until you get to a locked gate with a sign that says "Bushwalker's Access to Handsome Caves, Private Property Both Sides of Road". This is about 20mins if you are walking. Park a bit back from this so as to not block the road. From here follow the foot track, taking the left option just a bit past the gate. 15 minutes past the gate the track goes under Handsome Caves, keep going up left. This is relatively easy to follow if you stay observant and look for cairns where they mark a divergence from the old track. At the top of the cairned track you will arrive at the old access road, you will be able to see the huge boulders of the Weakhold up to the left. Head back right along the road for another five minutes to find the cairn that marks the walk up to the Stronghold.
The drive takes about 45 min or 40km from Hobart, the walk between 30 and 50 minutes.
GPS
Main Cliff Boulders
There are lots of boulders under the main amphitheatre of cliffs. The potential isn't quite as good as you'd expect, but there are a couple of good looking boulders down the left hand end that are yet to be developed.
Lebowski Boulder
This boulder is one of the first you come to at the far right hand end of Handsome Crag, and is only 20m up from the road. It is directly below the furthest right buttress of the crag.
Face around the corner to the L. Up flake and onto slab.
Project - left arete
Left to right lip traverse.
Project - left of centre
The right arete, made easy by holds on the right face.
Excavator Boulder
This steep face is about 20-30m along the road from Lebowski, just up off the road.
Steep left arete.
From low rail, up middle of the steep face, finishing left.
Project - Up face and finish straight up.
Bulldozer Boulder
About 50m past Excavator Boulder a rough track goes up to the left. This steep face is right by the track, leaning on a tree.
Big pull off shaky flakes to top.
Crowbar Boulder
Follow the road under the cliff, and park at the lowest point where there is a decent sized pull out. Head up left to where you can see a steep prow and wall (that unfortunately has a lack of holds). Behind this are quite a few more steep boulders, but they will need some landing engineering. The steep face has good potential for some classics, but needs some landing engineering.
Unnamed
V0Around left from steep face
These problems are around right on the back of the boulder.
Unnamed
V0(SDS)Sit start on the arete, head left and up. Not as bad as it looks.
Unnamed
V1(Stand)Face right of the arete
Unnamed
V0(Stand)Flake in middle of face
Unnamed
★V3(SDS)The steep arete on the back of the boulder. Start low on slopers.
The Blockhouse
The Blockhouse is a fairly small area above the left hand end of Handsome Crag (straight above Hard and Fast), with potential for maybe 15 problems. Park 50m past the crag where there is a pull out on the right. Walk back towards the crag and up the ridge through a gap in the cliffs, to find an area of about 4 free standing boulders back by some cliffy bits.
The Choss Block
This is the chossy block closest to the road. There are a couple of easy slabby climbs on one side, and some chossy stuff on the bottom.
Unnamed
VE(Stand)Left side of featured slab
Unnamed
VE(Stand)Right side of featured slab
Unnamed
V1(SDS)Chossy jugs at the bottom of the boulder
Merci Boulder
The is the large boulder with the obvious steep face facing the road, and a high vertical face.
Very nice flakes up left side of steep face. Head right to finish.
Starting on the right hand pocket and left hand pinch. Up shallow crack without using arete.
M. Hitchcock 2010
The right arete of the steep face.
Thin crack 1.5m left of Show Day Special.
The right arete of the vertical face
Stubbie Boulder
This is the small boulder to the right of Merci Boulder.
Slab on far left of boulder.
Project - sit start and up onto slab.
Sit start from two crimps. Stand start off opposing side pulls is about V2.
The Theatre
A good little cave below the road, stays dry on rainy days. There are a several more problems to do here at a similar grade. The rock here cleans up well however quite a bit of cleaning is required. From the Stronghold carpark head 50m back down the road to the cairn, walk down through the cliff band (just the first level of cliffs) then follow it back along to your right for 50m or so.
Unnamed
★V1(SDS)Big jug haul starting on the far left of cave to finish at the same jug as Borborygmi.
A great sustained problem. Start at the back of the cave on the underclings, work your way through the cave finishing on the jugs above the lip.
The Stronghold
This area has about a dozen beautiful free standing boulders with some fantastic lines. Good rock too. Continue on Handsome Caves Rd past the Main Cliff for another couple of hundred metres until you get to an area with a couple of free standing boulders in a flat area on the right, with a small cliff line behind. You should be able to spy some more boulders up above the left side of the cliff line - this is where the good stuff is. Park in a small sandy pull out, and head up the hill for 5 minutes. Once you are above the small cliff line you should be able to see the boulders. The boulders are described pretty much top-to-bottom and left-to-right as they appear in the plan topo below.
There are plenty of new problems to do here. Bring a brush and spend some effort to contribute to this great area.
Lower Boulders
These first problems are on the two boulders just off the road to the right of the track up to the Stronghold. Not much chop.
Dodgy flakes a couple of metres left of no 2.
The left leading ramp on the front of the boulder
Sit start on jugs, up the rubbly ridge to the summit. Good training for New Zealand mountains!
The next problem is on the furthest right boulder. Not much potential here, but lowball traversing problems exists if your willing to scrub.
Wombat Arete
★V1(SDS)The most worthwhile problem on the boulder, the southern arete. Great moves for the grade, albeit extremely short. Watch you don't put your foot in the wombat burrow.
M. Hitchcock 2010
Back Wall
There is a whole bunch of potential for high balls along the cliff at the back of the Stronghold. Not much done yet.
Al's Arete
V0(Highball)The juggy arete on the left hand end of the cliff line.
Directly behind Crack of Doom is an undercut prow.
Up left side of prow to the jugs above the old carrot. Continuing on towards the prow will take some balls.
Project
Beginners Block
These next problems are on the boulder across from "Al's arete" and "Pommie Ring In". Quite a few problems have been done on this boulder, topos and descriptions to come.
Up the middle of the face downhill.
Starting on low crimps, climb the arete right of the slab.
M. Hitchcock 2010
Climb up the centre of the slab that starts round waist height.
M. Hitchcock 2010
Up the horizontal slopes from a sit start.
M. Hitchcock 2010
A right-left traverse has been done starting on #4 finishing on Sunset Arete.
C. Allen 2010
The obvious traversing arete, classic at the grade.
M. Hitchcock 2010
The next problem is on the waist high rock between "Beginners Block" and "Pommie..". Topo to come.
Easy In An Easy Chair
★V0(SDS)Laydown start on the rail under the lip. Heelhook the lip and mantle. A classic in the same league as "Titantic".
M. Hitchcock 2010
The following problems are on the face around to the right of the prow, and only go to about half height.
Start at the big hold as for the next problem, traverse left along the lip with choss for feet.
Sit start at big jug, straight up face to hole.
Arete, then move left to hole.
Up dirty arete to big hole.
Start to the right, move leftwards up flakes to hole.
This face is about half way along the back wall, behind Dave's Arete.
Project
V?Awesome highball arete.
Traverse from jugs leftwards on flakes towards the jugs on the arete. No doubt will get harder as the flakes bust off.
Smear Boulder
A smaller boulder with a nice clean face down the hill a bit.
Up the clean face starting with the opposing side pulls, give yourself a V7 tick if you doit with a sit start.
Hang start on the sloper. A couple of tricky move will take you onto the holds on 1, up this to finish.
These problems are on the other side of the boulder from Smear Test.
Start at the very bottom of the boulder and thrutch up on the sketchy slab. Evil.
Project - Start at low jugs, up onto slab
Start on low jugs, lip traverse right on great slopes.
Start on slopers half way along, pull up into mantle and onto slab.
Fat Boulder
This small boulder is just across from the Smear face.
Arete
Dirty face to right of arete
Inner City Boulder
These are two smallish boulders that lie against each other.
On the left of the cave, start from slopers on lip.
On right of cave start at hueco, finish over tree.
Unnamed
V1(SDS)A couple of metres right climb the arete.
Inner City Blockies
V2Start on the #3's arete, traverse leftwards to finish as per #1.
M. Hitchcock 2008
On the back of the boulder, left side of face
In middle of face, hang start off lower holds
Dirt Boulder
Nice little face just across from Barad-dur boulder.
Sit start on left of boulder, follow lip up right to jug then up.
Straight up to jug.
The footwork beta problem. Up the centre of the face from a sitstart. Harder if you're short.
M. Hitchcock 2009
Sit start on right side of boulder, follow lip left then up.
Barad-dur
The eastern of the two towers.
Project - The awesome steep arête. Traverse left to jugs about two thirds the way up.
Start up the crack a couple of metres left of Crack of Doom. Move right into Crack of Doom at the top. Good moves and improving rock as you go higher, a tad committing but with a flat landing.
The awesome highball crack
Harden the Fuck Up
★V3(Stand)Face around the arete right of Crack of Doom, to left of ramp.
Orthanc
The western of the Two Towers is pretty high with some awesome lines to be done.
Up the arete using pocket, then up jugs to top. Descent is to drop off onto the face to the left and step across to the block.
Up slab
Up to the right of the arete. Tricky moves at the start lead to exciting moves to get onto the slab
Project - Thin face right of Limpet. Move left at the top.
The right hand arete, with pockets.
Zinc Fingers Boulder
Zinc Fingers Boulder is just NE from Don't Fight It Boulder.
Unnamed
V0(Stand)Dirty slab to L of arete on back of boulder
Unnamed
★V2(SDS)Sit start and climb steeper R side of nice featured arete.
Sit start on left arete, head right to sloper on the arete then up Zinc Fingers to finish.
Groove up middle of the boulder. Stand start is about V2.
Easy arete on right side of boulder.
Don't Fight It Boulder
This is one of the first boulders you come to.
Unnamed
V3(SDS)Line up the face a metre or two left of Setting Sun. Would be much harder if you don't use the left hand crack.
Sit start of ramp, up on pockets then side pulls
Sit start and straight up into crack and over the top.
Start at a good sidepull right of "Bug, Powder, Dust", then up to rail and veer right past sidepulls and slaps to finish near "Don't Fight It". Refuse the temptation to use the left crack system. A little contrived.
Start a bit left of Don't Fight It, and traverse right to The Panics. Could start further left but pretty hard.
Blunt arete using pockets to slopers.
Overhang on right side of face. Starting on the obvious slopey jug.
Belly of the Beast
★★V4/5(SDS)Start on the same sloping jug as The Panics, do it's crux move and then go right and hug your way up the belly of the boulder.
M. Hitchcock 2010
Traverse the whole boulder from the start of Setting Sun to the end of The Panics.
Grey Slab
There is a small slab just up behind Don't Fight It Boulder.
Start left of the arete, move right
M. Hitchcock 2009
Short arete on left end of slab
L. Oh 2009
Up the groove.
Left side of slab.
Right side of slab.
Unnamed
V1(Stand)Traverse slab left to right. Starting on #1 finishing on #5.
This next problem is on the small boulder between the Vitriol Boulder and Grey Slab.
Titanic
★VE(SDS)A silly little problem garanteed to make you giggle. Sit start hugging the arete with two sidepulls, then go up. One star for making you giggle.
M. Hitchcock 2009
Straight Lines Area
These first problems are on the down hill side of the Vitriol Boulder, facing the Don't Fight It Boulder.
Unnamed
V3(SDS)Short arete on left side of the Better With Age face, from a sit start.
Nice face on the opposite side of the boulder from Straight Lines.
Unnamed
V1(Stand)Variant to Better With Age on flakes just to the right.
Left arete and scoop
Unnamed
★V3(Stand)Start as for the previous problem and traverse rightwards around to Straight Lines and up that.
Up arete then dyno up left to the scoop.
Up from flat hold, right of arete.
Pull up from very nice rail at head height, at bottom end of the slot between the two boulders. There is a tricky technical sit start using the arete.
Slab opposite Straight Lines.
Sit start using thin crack and edge. Start hold has been broken since first ascent making it very stiff 9
Pull up on jug left of arete.
Right of arete. There is a hard balancy sit start using the undercling on the arete.
Right hand side of slab
Project - awesome steep arete with no holds
Vitriol Area
The next problems are at the top end of the slot.
Start at narrow pocket, move left to arete and up
Arete opposite Vitriol, staying on the face.
The beautiful curved arete. Sit start is about V4 but awkward.
Vitriol Left
★V5(Stand)Start as 'Vitriol' then chuck left to a flake (topping out on this goes at V2) and continue left via crimps to top out on the obvious horn. Bring a couple pads or helmet.
M. Hitchcock 2009
Project
V?(Stand)Starting on the two sidepulls left of Vitriol, heading straight up. A harder line will go that starts further right leading to the sidepulls.
Two Face Boulder
On block just around to the R of vitriol traverse lip rightwards.
On the right hand side of the block, sit-start of the pinch on the arete and up to flat jug just below top of boulder and top-out as for problem 4.
Dave's Arete Area
On boulder between Dave's Arete and Two Face boulder. Sit-start off large rightward sloping ledge via slot to left arete then up to top.
The awesome looking arete. Gets a bit desperate at the top. Can be done with a sit start if the arete isn't inspiring enough for you.
Unnamed
V2(Stand)Slab to right of arete
Unnamed
V1(Stand)Next slab right
Unnamed
V0(Stand)Next slab right
Unnamed
VE(Stand)Right hand arete of the slab
Gatekeeper Boulder
Featured boulder to the right of Inchman - could do with some more cleaning and traffic.
The Balcony
This is the short exciting looking 45 degree wall on top of the cliff which can be seen on the walk up. Careful not to knock your spotter off, if you can get one.
Start on pockets then up and left to the big sloper - still awaiting a topout.
Inchman Boulder - North Face
Slab
Slab
Slab
Slab
Autobahn
★★V2(Stand)A marathon cleaning effort by Pete and an excellent warm up. Start up the right hand arete on the North Face of the Inchman Boulder and traverse the lip left to the arete, around the arete then follow the horizontal till you reach Fark knows..., if you're not warmed up then head back again.
Autobahn In Low Gear
★★V4(Stand)A footwork intensive low variation of 'Autobahn'. Start as per 'Autobahn' and traverse left keeping hands below lip, take a couple grades off if you use the detached flake on the ground near the left arete.
M. Hitchcock 2008
Inchman Boulder - East Face
These slabby walls provide some entertaining for those sampling their first bouldering experience.
Also the descent route.
A pleasant climb up the slab. Makes for a easy no-hands problem too.
Follow the edges up the slab. Makes for a intermediate no-hands problem too.
Inchman Boulder - South Face
The back side of Inchman has an impressive steep face which after many hours of brushing and a bit of landscaping is producing some classic problems.
Start around the arete left of no. 1, up to small pocket and then mantle left.
Sit start on the opposing side pulls, a big pull brings you up to the nose then up and right to top of the boulder.
Start right hand on the pinch and left on the gaston, up to slope then big pull to the top.
Start as for Ball and Chain and make your way right, topping out on Sledgehammer, pumpy climbing.
Nice face with slopers. Start on the edges below the big sloper. Take a grade or so off if you stack the pads up and start on the sloper.
Start as for Hang Me Up, traverse right and finish up Chain Gang. Originally grade V7 but after some of Tassies' hottest talent failed to send it V8 seems like a more appropriate grade ;-)
Start matched on incut diagonal hold a couple of metres left of Sledgehammer, up to top jugs.
Start left hand in crack. bad feet and bust up to big sledge hammer jug.
On R side of face - big pull from horizontal to horizontal then up over top.
Start on the double gastons a couple of tricky moves and a desperate swing will get you established onto The Never Ending Story, finish as for this.
Unnamed
V3(SDS)Just to the R of Sledgehammer, up to hollow holds.
Unnamed
V1(SDS)On far right side of face, just left of block. Climb up R on big holds.
The Musical Nook
These problems are found on the front cliff line, directly below the Inchman Boulder. Access near 'Don't Fight It' boulder and walk south along base of cliff or alternatively a loose downclimb near 'The Balcony'.
Start with left side-pull and right mono and then up the clean, south facing arete.
M. Hitchcock 2009
Dirty chimney to the right of the arete.
M. Hitchcock 2009
Meathook Cave
These problems are in the left hand part of the choss cave on the Back Wall, straight up the hill from Inchman Boulder.
Left line out the cave on jugs. Originally ended at the lip of the cave, but to add some quality and a star continue out the sentry box and up the pleasant face above at the same grade.
Extension up head wall by M. Hitchcock, 2009
Right line out of the cave on jugs. Topout waiting to be done.
The dirty chimney to the right.
Badass Wall
These problems are on the tall slightly overhanging face on the back wall, further right of Meathook cave. Uphill from Not My Problem Boulder.
Project- The tall overhanging arete, left of the main face. Gotta have some balls.
Climb the Slab.
The next line left of #1 and right of the corner.
The tall line up the prominent black streak. A classic highball, with the crux exactly where it's supposed to be. At the top.
M. Hitchcock 2010
Start on jugs under the small roof. Straight up to the pockets and a high topout.
M. Hitchcock 2010
Unnamed
V4(SDS)A traverse has been done from right to left starting on sidepulls underneath Fuck The Brakes.
The next problems are uphilll to the right of the main face.
A classic mantle problem. Start at the two obvious pockets under the roof, a big moves to the lip leads to the desperate mantle. Careful of loose rubble on the slab above, the initial cleaning of the problem ended up in a trip to the Emergency room.
M. Hitchcock 2010
This problem starts just right and uphill of 'Hit and Run'. Start on rail and pocket, slap up and mantle onto the slab.
M. Hitchcock 2010
This boulder is below the main face of Badass Wall.
Climb up the left arete.
White Noise Boulder
Between Inchman and Not My Problem boulders is a bloc with a large detached flake on the W side, and a tree at the right hand end.
The left hand arete
Stand start from the obvious edge in the middle of the face, head right to the top and a fun mantle. A harder sit start may be possible.
From the good pinch just left of the tree up and over the dead branch.
Not My Problem Boulder
This is the most southern decent boulder of the area.
Up on crimps and seams to groove and glory jugs!
Steep arete to balancy top out.
From scoopy holds with left hand, up arete via pinches to top.
Fiddler Boulder
About 100m further along on the edge of the ridge is a boulder with a prominent prow
Awkward start from the flake then up R via the obvious pocket.
The Weakhold
The Weakhold is a fantastic area with high potential for new problems of all grades. The climbing is varied, being composed of boulders from forty-five degrees overhanging to gentle slabs. The holds are typically quite slopey, however an assortment of pockets, crimps and jugs can also be found. The setting is quite beautiful, and the area tends to be a little shadier than The Stronghold. Contrary to the beliefs of some, the rock is typically good quality, however it can be quite dirty in places thus requiring intensive cleaning. The bulk of the problems already developed are of exceptional quality, with several being some of the best in the state. Having said this, there is definite potential for many more quality problems of various grades and style, so get out there and do some brushing! Keep going along the road until a track heads off left, park just before this. Scramble up the hill to find a series of about half a dozen large boulders.From the GPS co-ordinates it looks as though this area is in the corner of the same Crown Land parcel as the Stronghold. You can easily walk here from the Stronghold by walking about about 500m along the the hillside, keeping to the same level as the Stronghold. The boulders are described L to R, as you face the back wall.
J'Aimerais Bien Francais
This is the east facing wall at the far end of the massif.
An ultra classic problem. Sit start on the obvious jug and head up the wall into the committing finishing moves. If you break the crimps off at the start please put them somewhere safe.
The classic high arete on the right edge of the J'Aimerais Bien Francais wall.
Extra Terrestial Boulder
Extra Terrestial Boulder is the boulder below the end of the back wall and probably the southern most boulder at the Weakhold.
Unnamed
V?Project - This slab is begging to be climbed. Start on the obvious rail and head up onto the slab.
Someone's cleaned some holds here.
Superb climbing up the main face of the boulder. Start on the sidepulls on the face, climb delicately up the face before gaining the arête at about two-thirds height.
Not marked on topo. The arête to the right of James Wishes he was French.
Illumination Wall
This large featured wall is along a bit further from Heartstarter Wall.
Project
Up on pockets from right hand side of the scoop on the left side of the wall.
The classic of the crag. Squat start on the obvious rail about 1m off the ground, head up through the bulging wall to an interesting top out. Three stars anywhere in the world!
Starting on the jugs at head height up to the corner of the seam, past a crimp rail, to join Everything is Illuminated (a left healhook on the jugs is key). Probably a touch harder than Everything is Illuminated but not much.
Start as Rightly Illuminated but bust right into Ruination day and Illuminatie finish. Maybe just a bit harder than Ruination but maybe not significantly.
Start on the big jugs in the middle of the wall, head up and then punch out right to top out in the same place as Illuminatie.
Start on the jug at the right hand end of the wall, head straight up the face to top out.
The right most and easiest problem on the wall. Sit start on the juggy rail and head up and rightish.
Illumination Traverse
★★V4(SDS)Traverse the wall in either direction along the obvious line. How many cross throughs can you do on a single problem?
8 Seconds Boulder
This is the little freestanding boulder just next to Illumination Wall. It has a problem on each arete.
Unnamed
V0(SDS)Chossy jugs on the left arete of the face facing Illuminate Wall.
8 Seconds
★V5(SDS)The undercut righthand arete. Traverse the lip on slopers then up.
Unnamed
V2(SDS)The left arete of the opposite face.
Unnamed
V0(Stand)The right arete of the opposite face.
Big Ol' Slabby Wall
Between the Illumination Wall and Heartstarter Wall, above a large fallen dead tree, is the Big Ol' Slabby Wall.
The twin flake systems up the heavily brushed slab. Easier (or at least less committing) if you are tallish! Add a grade with the right hand start.
Heartstarter Wall
This is the first of a couple of very good quality overhanging walls on the massif that forms the right hand edge of the Weakhold. It is situated about 20m past the Seduction Bloc on the right hand side.
Project - This desperate little number needs to wait for a cold day. Start on the obvious edge on the lip of the steep section of wall, head up past slopers and sidepulls to top out.
Standing start on an undercling/sidepull with the right hand and a bad edge with the left, head up and left through a series of slopey edges.
Seduction Bloc
Nice Crack
★V1(SDS)Starts at jugs below the thin crack left of Bonjour, up past crack, onto slab, trend slightly right to top.
Sit start down and right on the jugs and head up and left onto the arête.
Head straight up past the slopey rails. Ultra classic.
Ca va Bien
★V5(SDS)The line of slopers just to the right of The Double - similar but much harder.
Sit start out right on the jug and traverse across the slopey break before finishing up Nice Jugs, or harder up The Double.
Unnamed
V3(SDS)From the start of The Double Traverse, up and left on small holds to jugs at the top.
Nice Flake
★V0(SDS)From the start of Nice Traverse follow flake up right then to bucket.
Bum Hummers
V1(SDS)Slab around to the right of the previous problems. Sit start on the sloping jugs and head straight up the face.
Humming Bums
V2(Stand)Starts 1m right of Bum Hummers and heads up and right to top out.
There Where the Pepper Grows
★★V5(SDS)Sit start in the slopey break and head up before busting out left under the arête to finish on the left face.
The Seduction of Silence
★★V5(SDS)The classic of the boulder. Start as for There Were the Pepper Grows but head straight up on the right side of the arête.
Elvis Boulder
This is the next boulder across, with an undercut front. First problems are on the front.
Unnamed
V?(SDS)From chossy jugs through bulge
Unnamed
V1(SDS)Start as for the next prob, head up and around left
Unnamed
V2?(Stand)Up crack line to slopey top out
These problems are on the back of the boulder, facing Nice boulder.
Elvis
★VE(SDS)Nice easy jugs on left end from rail
Unnamed
V1(SDS)1m to the right
Agent Smith Bloc (aka Rope Boulder)
This is the tallish boulder that leans against the right side of The Eco-terrorist Bloc. The problems on this boulder range from easy to moderate in difficulty. There are two descent options, the front face of the boulder, or the tree on the backside.
A beautiful little number. Squat start down low on some good holds, then head up and left through the moon scoop and top out.
Left of arete
Juggy crack
Start on the good slopey edges and head up and right through the weird slopey stuff
This is the bottom side of the same boulder.
Start on two edges and head for the big slope. Finish straight up.
Head for the big hole then right at the top.
Project maybe a little contrived.
Start on slopey crimp and head for the jug.
Start at low pockets 1m left of tree. Up to break then dyno to top.
Slopers just right of the tree
Line 1m left of Rope a Dope, to same top out
Jugs to slopey top out
The Book Thief Bloc
Book Thief
This is the gigantic bloc to the right of the Chronicle Boulder. There is a good flat boulder here to set up base camp on for the day. This boulder's namesake problem, The Book Thief, is surely one of the best in Tasmania. The Eco-terrorist Bloc leans up against the right side of this boulder.
Unnamed
V3(Highball, SDS)Follow the crack line to the left of the Book Thief.
Project - Stand start on two small small sidepulls, punch up and right to the arête and continue up just left of The Book Thief.
The striking highball arête on the main face of the boulder. Sit start on the jug at the bottom of the arête, lob up to the sloper and continue up past edges and pockets before cruising up the highball victory head wall. The easiest way down is to down climb the headwall and jump onto the pads.
It’s very hard to say how hard this is, maybe around V-6ish. Sit start with your right hand on the bottom most hold on the flake and the left hand on a small edge, slap up the flake to the jugs and head up the easy top out. Escape out right across the Eco-terrorist Bloc. If you start on the slopey jugs it’s a classic V1/2.
Start as for Pendulum then traverse left at slopey rail before making big pulls and a big cross over to finish up on the book thief
Jem Clemens and Max Simmerle
The right hand arête of the Book Thief Bloc. Sit start on the juggy slot at the bottom of the arête, head up and left via a series of slopes and crimps, top out as for Pendulum.
These next problems are on the small, steep face to the right - this is the Eco-Terrorist Bloc.
The left hand arête sit start to Eco-Terrorist. Start left hand on a dimpled sloper on the left hand arête and the right hand on a slopey break low down on the face, punch out and up to finish up Eco-terrorist. Harder than Eco-Terrorist.
The main face with two cracks spilling down it. Start with the left hand in the three-finger pocket and the right hand on the edge at the bottom of the crack, bust up using underclings and sidepulls. There is a direct sit start to go using two sloping edges on the face below.
The Chronicle Boulder
This is the first house-sized boulder you see on your left. There is potential for several problems on the main face, however they have not as yet been brushed. There is a classic V6 on the right face called Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
The obvious sit-start on two edges heading up the face below the main arête of the boulder.
Start matched on the one-pad edges on the steepest part of the wall, head up and left to top out.
Project - traverse in start to Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Starts way around to the right on the front side of the boulder.
Big Coins
VE(Highball, Stand)Start just left of arete near Book Thief. Head straight up, easy climbing after a low crux. Is this just the stand start to The Doctor?
Slabby Boulder
This low angle boulder is behind the Chronicle Boulder. It has some ok warm ups.
Left arete
Juggy face left of the arete
Slab
Slab
Double Dave Prow
This is the steep prow behind Slabby Boulder.
Up the left edge of the prow. Struggle up to the horizontal break then down climb off to the left.
Corner Crack Wall
This nice wall is at the far west end of the Weakhold, as the back wall turns left.
The obvious layback crack.
Start just right of the corner crack at a flat hold. Move right then up via slopers.
Politik Boulders
These are the series of boulders out from Corner Crack wall.
Easy slab on left
Tricky slab
Up seam line using side pulls on to slab
Start using undercling, up through bulge on slopers and crimps, a fun problem. The hard sit start is a project.
On the next boulder across, sit start using opposing side pulls, up on to slab.
Slab through little bulge. Harder than it looks.
Project - slab on the right
Monkey Boulder
This is the next boulder west from the Chronicle Boulder.
Undercut face on far left of boulder to sloper finish
Sit start just left of the arete on back of the boulder, head up and L.
Sit start at sloper in middle of face. Up.
Sit start as for the previous problem, traverse R on the line of slopers to finish up Wee Brown Monkey.
Start just right of crack, up.
The R arete of the face.
On the far right side of the boulder, just right of a thin crack. Start on edges, a couple of hard moves leads to jugs.
Caliginous Boulder
This is the next boulder along from Monkey boulder. It has some ok problems, but needs traffic.
Face left of the arete
Start on holds each side of the arete and head for the top.
Right of the arete
On the right of the boulder
Slackers Cave
The 'obvious' roof/cave below the Weakhold proper. Featured cave with glassy rock in places. The easiest way up is to follow the uphill track then head up the ramp to the eastern end of the cave.
Start on the big jug and finish hanging from the big mossy jug. Award yourself three foam stars for softness if you soften or pike the finish (includes cleaning the jug!)
Line to big jug and into corner.
Hard problem with interesting looking finish. Not a lot around the lip.
Follow the buckets to stand on the ledge. Down climb or don the moss slippers for the top.
Looks like a traverse either way may be on.
International Traveller Boulder
This boulder is about half way between the Stronghold and the Weakhold, and is easily visible from the road, with the steep left arete.
Sit start up steep bottom arete, best line on the boulder. Needs a bit more cleaning at the top.
Left side of bottom face.
Right side of bottom face.
Easy arete, also the descent.
Top arete
Left side of top face
The middle of the top face. SDS is possible.
Right hand side of top face. SDS is possible.
The Outpost
The Outpost is on the opposite hill side from the Weakhold, in the middle of a patch of bush. The Outpost Arete is quite clearly visible. To get there take the track on the left just after the Weakhold parking area. Follow this down to a gate, then take the right hand fork up the hill. Follow this across the top of the patch of bush, then go back down the hill on the far side. About half way down is a little triangle shaped orange rock - The Outpost is about 40m into the bush from here.
Outpost Boulder
Lower angle slab on the left of the main face.
Project - sit start a couple of metres left of the crack. Up through a big undercling to slopers and the slab.
Project - up the thin crackline to slab.
Project - Hard line a couple of metres left of the arete.
Steep start the climb left side of the arete.
The back of the boulder is a grey slab.
Sit start just left of the arete, follow the arete right to where it seems sensible to do a mantle.
Slab about 3m right of the arete.
Next slab right.
RIght hand slab.
The Bunker
The Bunker is a hidden gully above the Outpost. To get there go down the left hand track from the weakhold parking to a gate. Through the gate take the left fork which goes up the hill a bit. After a minute or two you can see a bit of scrappy grey rock up the hill. Scramble up to this. Just up behind this the hidden gully starts. This area is quite shady and so not much good in winter.
Lower Trackside
The access to this area is currently being investigated due to access issues and going to the boulders should be avoided until all access issues are resolved!
Lower Trackside is a small boulder field just off the main 'Handsome Cave' 4x4 track. Park near the old gate with the sign on it, or walk up to here, and take the fork to the right instead of left, a vague track leads into the bush next to a pile of old tyres. From there, the boulders are about 50 to 100 metres off the tyre pile straight through the bush (track marked by cairn). The short track forks into two after about 30 metres, left to the Watchtower Boulder and right to Edgar's Boulder.
Edgar's Boulder
Stand start on the sidepull edges, head straight to topout mantle onto the slab. Good warm up. Slightly harder sit start can be added, does not add any good climbing to it though.
T. Krauss, 2013
Stand start on the undercling/sidepull or good sidepull edge to the right of the hole. Up right to the good slopey crimp rail, match, straight up to slopey sidepull and mantle onto the slab via edges. Stay away from the jugs above and left of the start hold.
Start underclinging the hole/scoop and head straight up via jugs, edges and a high step.
T. Krauss, 2013
Just slight difference of The Fall, therefor not really a problem in its own right, nevertheless really good and fun climb for sure worth a try. Use hole/scoop undercling further left to start off with, throw for incut edge of The Fall, up left to sloper on the lip and mantle finishing up the slab as for The Fall.
T. Krauss, 2013
Either start as for The Fall or The Fall - Left and match on sloper on lip, keep traversing lip leftwards to slopey sidepull, depending on cojones and skill, either mantle when on slopey sidepull, or keep going further left to a mantle at the highest point of the boulder.
El Amigo Con Cojones Grandes, 2015
Henry's Boulder
Start on the jugs on the right, head straight up and follow the arete to the top of the boulder. Bring many pads, or even better, just don't fall.
T. Krauss, 2013
Start as for Wild Apples, head up and left to upper line of flat jugs, head left traversing around the front of the boulder, mantle onto rail and top out over good edges as feet on the left of the boulder, top out over highest point and have fun sliding down the backside.
T. Krauss, 2013
Start as for Wild Apples and Walden, head left on lower rail of good holds, traverse leftwards on goodish holds and up to meet flat jugs of Walden. From there, finish as for Walden.
T. Krauss, 2013
Grade highly dependent on height of climber and not confirmed as of yet, the easier it is to reach the sloper, the lower the grade. shorter people have to jump start, hence higher grade. Don't stack the pads for an easier start though.
Jump/reach to sloper, go right to good hold and follow hold line up to the left, mantle into the ledge and finish as for Walden and The Service.
Great little problem, good fun if you are short enough to have to jump to the start hold.
T. Krauss, 2013
Start on sidepull and pocket on the left, follow up the arete, make a big move to alright hold and finish as for Walden and others.
Start on the left side of the boulder on good holds, go straight up and finish slightly left of Walden and others. Good climbing, not so good landing. Not quite sure about the grade, confirmation needed.
T. Krauss, 2013
Jack's Boulder
Jack's Boulder is the next boulder about 50 metres down the hill from Edgar's and Henry's Boulder.
Easiest way of getting there is to follow the faint track down the hill from the right hand end of Edgar's Boulder.
Stand start on slopers and mantle up onto the slab, finish straight up.
T. Krauss, 2013
Start as for "Lost Face", traverse left along slopers and follow up the lib up to the good crimps, finnish on the left as for "Son Of The Wolf".
T. Krauss, 2013
Stand start on the sidepull, move up via crimps and jugs to finish up straight.
Not sure about grade yet, needs confirmation.
T. Krauss, 2013
Obvious sit start to "Son Of The Wolf - Stand"
Start on left hand sidepull and right hand crimp.
Not quite sure about the grade yet, needs confirmation.
T. Krauss, 2013