Edited by Roger Parkyn
This is a collection of routes done since the 1992 guide book. Some of these are routes of the finest quality (and I am quite definitely not biased!) so you won’t be wanting to wait 10 years for the next Pipes guide. Note that the layout for this section is a little different in that the first line of each description gives a reference to the 1992 guide. All routes subsequent to the 1992 guide are shown; those added since the last edition of Craglets are coloured.
SPHINX ROCK:
Short Sharp and Shit Hot 24 8m
40m left of Phoenix ( p140)
Climb the very steep wall pasts two bolts to a rap station. Garry Phillips, Apr 96.
Mr Wiggles 8m 25
LOST WORLD:
Quarryman 25m 18
The twin cracks between ‘Face It’ and ‘Play Dirty’at Lost World (p123/124). An epic clean on lead and upgraded from "only 12". Kim Robinson, Phil Robinson (22/8/99)
Don’t Eat Yellow Snow 15m 25
(p 131)
The old aid line is now free and makes for some good climbing. Climb the very thin crack with increasing difficulty. Small camming units required. Marcel Jackson, Feb 95.
ORGAN PIPES:
**Dominator 12m 20
The Slab above Frustration Buttress, visible from the Springs (p119). Well worth the walk over. Nice face climbing up the thin line in the middle of slab. Kim Robinson, Alan Williams, Phil Robinson and Campbell Godfrey (7/12/97).
*Torre 8m 25
The south side of the free standing pinnacle at the top of Avalanche Couloir (p100). 2 BR with some natural gear. Kim Robinson April 2000
Seamstress 25m 25
Spurline and Assault Course (p 116)
Lovely climbing. The crux is near the top. Mostly on eyes but also requires some natural gear (#0 and #2.5 friend). Sam Edwards, Nov 95.
The Truth 20m 22
Line two metres left of The Way. Natural gear then U’s. Un-obvious, bizarre and interesting. Roger Parkyn, Nov 94.
The Way 35m 24
The Good the Excellent ..etc (p 114)
+
1) 20m 24. Excellent face climbing up a slightly overhanging wall (about 10m left of The Good...etc. The difficulty (but not necessarily the pump) decreases with height. Can also be done by traversing right after the first U and climbing a crack-line to the right (clipping the Us by reaching left) then re-joining the route between the third and fourth Us. It’s a pleasant enough variation, and one or two grades easier, but avoids the meatiest part of The Way.+
2) 10m 20. Ascend via the corner and buttress (note that the second U on this pitch is not visible from below).Roger Parkyn, Oct 94.
The Light 35m 23
(p 114)
Completes the trinity. Start on the face between The Way and The Good etc. Technical climbing past three Us leads to a crack (about grade 18 to finish). Roger Parkyn, Mar 95.
Blind Faith 35m 21
The Good the Excellent ... and Two Angry Young Men (p 113/114)
Start 20m right and up from The Good the Excellent ... below a nose of rock. Climb the steep wall (crux) to an easier crack. Finish up the hand-crack on the left side of the nose. Abseil off a bollard (you may want to take your own sling). Sam Edwards, Feb 95.
Terra Nullis 30m 21
Between Flying Dutchman and Reindeer (p109/110)
+ Pleasant arete and face climbing. There is a crux near the middle. Nine fixed anchors. Roger Parkyn, Feb 94.
Mildly Amused 35m 24
Kwang Hwa Lantern 20m 27
The face/Arete on the left, at the top of avalanche couloir (p100). Start on the sloping ledge, at the base of the crack to the right, step left to climb the face then continue up arete. Six fixed hangers and a #2 Camalot to double rings. Alan Williams, April 2000.
Cold Power 30m 21
Right of The Wizard (p103)
On the south facing wall of the buttress. A scarey start with a pumpy finish (it might be advisable to have your belayer stay down in the gully below as this would avoid the 4m horizontal from the belay, RP). Pete Steane, Mar 96.
Mothers on Adrenaline 25m 20
**Masacre Madness 40m 21
Between Janzoon and Suicide Sadness (p87)
Climb to the crux of Suicide Sadness (the bit just after the blocks, at about 15 m). Instead of mantling up right to the ledge as you would for Suicide Sadness, step left and climb the face to the Janzoon ledge. Protection is a little problematic but, according to Pete, adequate. Pete Steane & Doug Fife, May 1996.
***Sucked In 23/24
A direct finish to ‘Left Out’ on Step Tier (p92 and p96). Instead of going left onto the arete at the higher horizontal break, continue straight up. Kim Robinson, Campbell Godfrey (16/1/01).
The following trio is on the steep wall at the top of the cliffs between Explorer and Melancholy Mania. Between Step Tier and Great Tier (p89).
**Static Journey 50m 19
Abseil 50m down from a ledge just north of the top of Teardrop Wall (north of Sheeza). The line is 2-3m right of Explorer. Shady, but a pleasant route in summer. Can be done in two pitches with a good ledge at half height. Phil Robinson, Kim Robinson 15/4/00.
Choc-o-Block 25m 17
Abseil 25m down to the ledge on Static Journey. The wide crack system just right of S.J. Climb the crack and move left to the off width with chock-stones. Phil Robinson, Kim Robinson (23/12/00).
**Dynamic Journey 25m 20
Abseil to the ledge on Static Journey. Climb the steep wall (crux) from the ledge to the overhang. Turn this on the left and follow the hand crack past a flake to top. Good value. Phil Robinson, Kim Robinson 23/12/00.
***Terror Firmer 20m 25
The Roof near the top of Suicide Sadness (p87). On the 2nd pitch of Suicide Sadness (as described in the 1992 Pipes’ Guide) do not traverse left but climb up to the roof and under-cling out right underneath it. Climb seam above to the abseil bolts at the top of Suicide Sadness. Kim Robinson, Phil Robinson 15 April 2000
*Menhir 40m 20
The wide crack system to the right of the large pillar on the south side of the Arena (p79/80). Climb the chimney and the off-width crux (Sounds great doesn’t it!). Nice climbing follows to the top. Phil Robinson 30/3/01.
*Asterix 27m 15
On the south side of the Arena amphitheatre, facing north (p79/80). Viewed from the top of Centurion it is the 2nd crackline from the left. Right of Menhir and left of Gladiator (which faces east). Abseil off a large bollard to the sassafras bush down below. Follow the pleasant crack to the top. Phil Robinson, Bruce Terry (16/3/01)
Obelix 40m 18
The corner, 2nd line right (north) of the Spear (p79/80). Abseil in. Climb the chimney and overhang. Follow the corner all the way to the top. Phil Robinson, Tony McKenny (1/4/01).
Catacomb 30m 17
Chimney/crack line left of Centurion (p80). Climb the open corner and continue into the tight chimney. Exit out left onto the wall when the chimney becomes a squeeze and follow the steep crack to the top. Tony McKenny, Dave Gardner, May 01
Youth With a Mission (Direct Start) 19
2m right of Spartan Ethics (p72)
The nice crack/face. Step right to the flake near the top. Pete Steane, Mar 96.
Acid Test 20
3m right of Butt Funkey (p70)
1) 18 30m. Climb up the wall to large tree, then from the block behind the tree climb the steep crack to belay.
2) 20 40m. Traverse right onto the buttress and follow the weakness directly up the middle of the buttress (well protected).
3) 20 45m. "Up crack to next buttress to horiz. Step L and around arete then up crack for 6m then back R and up excellent face above to a large ledge" (Editor’s note: evidently some climbers have trouble with sentence construction; left as is to avoid possible translation error).
4) 5m. Up the wall above to a rap station.
Garry Phillips, Doug Fife, Apr 96.
Drama Queen 20m 24
Straight up the nose of the minor buttress 10m left of Nefarious. A crack (natural gear) leads up to the arete (3 U’s). Rap anchors. Sam Edwards, Jan 97.
Nefarious 30m 22
Between Pooch Gully and Slippery Sensation (p64)
+ Arete/face. Crux towards the top (some of the anchors after this are not visible from below). Roger Parkyn, Jan 96.
**Slipper 30m 20
Neon God 50m 25
Between Fiddlesticks and Big Sticks (p62)
1)+ 25m 21. Follow the straight line of U’s on the wall to the right of Fiddlesticks.
2)+ 25m 25. Continue up the line past a thin and technical crux at about one third height. Rap anchors.
Sam Edwards, Jan 97.
The Holy Road 25m 23
+ An alternative (easier) second pitch to Neon God. The crux is passing the second U. Roger Parkyn, Jan 97.
After Midnight 50m 23
Digitalis and Brown Madonna (p62)
+ Yep. Another amazing arete. The lad has shown what can be done with school holidays and a nickel-cadmium power-pack. The route is quality all the way and is destined to become a modern classic. Fifteen draws required en-route plus something to clip into the abseil anchors. Sam Edwards, Jan 95.
Pleasant Screams 55m 26
Tasmania’s To Bolt or Not To Be! Between Digitalis and Brown Madonna (p62)
+1) 20m 25. Climb up the flakey wall to a hanging belay. An emminently good pitch to "work" in its own right. The flakes are reputed to have resulted from the 1967 bushfire and provide good reason for wearing a helmet (although they aren’t sufficient to detract from this brilliant pitch).
+
2) 35m 26. Continue up the amazing face above, past another 12 U’s.Sam Edwards, Dec 96.
Cruel But Fair 25m 22/23
In Flagrante Delicto 55m 23/24
Between Sky Rocket and Potem Tole (p46/47)
An amazing arete of sustained quality and difficulty (done as two pitches). Mostly protected by U’s but take a few friends between ½ and 2½ size for the first pitch. Roger Parkyn, Dec 93.
Slap Dancer 10m 26
Albert’s Tomb (p37)
+ A funky and physical climb up the two north facing aretes on the Tomb. Sam Edwards, Mar 97.
Completion Backwards Principle 27m 26
The Fifth Elephant 25m 27
The bolted arete starting 3m right of Completion Backwards Principle. Access by abseil from anchors below Alberts Tomb, or death scramble up Rockaway gully (not recommended). Alan Williams, Jan 2001.
James' Arete 15m 25
The track from Northern Butress up to the Amphitheatre passes below an orange wall; downhill of Albert’s Tomb (p37).
+ Named in honour of James Moar, a good freind, who died high in the Southern Alps. He didn't die trying to be a hero; he was just doing what he loved. I know he would have loved this one too.
Climb the arete on the right side of the orange wall. Anything in or beyond the crack right of the arete is off-route (not as contrived as it sounds as once you get going it is quickly left behind). Sustained climbing to a crux high up. Roger Parkyn March 1998.
Great Pets 18m 23
Between Skyline Major and Sorrow (p34)
Climb the thin face and cracks a few metres right of Sorrow. Doug Fife, Feb 96.
*Frostbite’s for Wusses 25m 20
Boys Games 30m 22
Between Excellence and The Labyrinth are to the left (p25)
Climbs the front of the buttress right of Excellence. Some natural gear can be placed after the first bolt (a half then a 2 friend then a wire). The climbing gets harder after the second bolt. The fourth bolt is best clipped when at chest height as it is pretty strenuous otherwise; the run-out isn’t excessive. Six bolts in all, the top two with fixed hangers. Roger Parkyn, 1992.
Cascade Crack 27m 25
(p21)
Same place, the last pitch is now free. Three U’s protect the first third (technical crux) then a #2 Camalot, small rocks and cams protect the very sustained upper crack. Evan Peacock, Jan 94.
Sergeant Slaughter 12m 21
Johnson’s Knob area (p16)
+ Pleasant climbing up the face starting about 30m diagonally uphill to the left of Johnson’s Knob. Garry Phillips, Oct 95.
Great Red Pointer 12m 19
Johnson’s Knob (p16)
+ Bizarre climbing up the side of the phallus that faces Northern Buttress. Involves using the aretes on either side; sometimes simultaneously. Three bolts. Roger Parkyn, 1993.
A listing of abseil anchors on the Pipes is shown below:
|
Area: |
Route abseiled past: |
Approx Length |
Access from Above ? |
|
Broken Buttress |
The Way |
35m |
walk |
|
University Buttress |
Carpe Diem |
45m |
scramble |
|
Bulging Buttress |
Malignant Mushroom |
50m + 30m |
no |
|
Step Tier |
Lone Stranger |
40m + 40m |
walk |
|
Great Tier |
Janzoon/Suicide Sadness |
50m |
no |
|
Central Buttress |
Linda |
50m (to ledge at Linda chock-stone) + 25m (to Battlecruiser ledge) |
scramble |
|
Flange Buttress |
1) Top part of Bert’s Fear 2) Brown Madonna |
15m + 50m 50m |
walk climb/abseil |
|
Columns, left |
Cruel but Fair/Daedelus (top access for Icarus also) |
24m to Cruel belay (with rap anchors) then further to base or 50m (with scrambling to base of cliff) |
walk |
|
Columns |
Holiday in Cambodia, Ultrasound |
35m (not to base of Organ Pipes) |
walk |
|
Columns, central |
Sky-rocket |
50m |
no |
|
Amphitheatre |
Bob Gnarly/Ethnic Cornflake |
30m |
walk |
|
Northern Buttress |
Down through the Chasm |
50m |
no |
|
Johnson’s Knob |
Great Red Pointer |
15m |
climb |
Al Williams on the second ascent of James's Arete.
Near the crux on James's Arete.
Sam Edwards on the first ascent of Slap Dancer (26). A Pipes modern classic.
Matt Perchard climbing Ceci n'est pas une Pipe (19).
Stefan Eberhard finding The Way (24).
Andy Wakefield on pitch 4 (?) of Fiddlesticks; another cold day on the Pipes!
It's Sam again!