© 2002 Will
The Details: A magnificent area for "getting away from it all", offering incredible positions and magnificent views back up the awe-inspiring Grose Valley. Allow a full day for most routes.
Access: 3min walk to clifftop. 90min drive from Sydney CBD. Turn N off the Great Western Highway in Leura down Mt Hay Rd. Drive ~10kms to the end (2WD fine). Descend as for the Mt Hay canyon exit, ie, wander over to cliff following good trail (from here look 30m R and you can see the final groove of MR - intimidating eh?), then drop down L with path, for about 200m towards big gully. When track gets close to the main cliff edge, don't go back L towards the major gully, instead go R towards the cliff edge and down a small steep gully (well travelled). Veer R at the bottom, rap 15m off a RB, then walk 300m R along halfway ledge (obvious ridge dead ahead is MR). Scramble down as close as possible to ridge.
** Margarine Ridge 340m 13 (OS)
A contender for the longest route in the Blueys, and a definitive route. An absolute must if you want to sample the entire "Blueys experience".
Start about 10m up and R from the very base of the ridge. 1) 15m (13) Step up, then 12m traverse L, the first 5m being cruxy - flat handholds and small feet. Belay at a loose block on the arete. 2) 35m (11) Up nice low angled wall with good pro when required, with an overhang move off a ledge at half height being a little tricky. 3/4) can be combined - 40m (12) Step R off blocks onto steep arete, a few jug moves then onto ledge above, then walk 25m L, the last 10m being on rock and quite exposed but a doddle. 5/6) can be combined - 50m (12) A beauty, 5m up an overhung crack/groove, step round R onto the lip, then great jugs for 25m up a great wall and again, good gear when required. Some great wires up P6 and you're at the halfway ledge. You can start here.
7) 58m (10) Slab staying mostly 5m L of arete proper, first half well protected but the second half not so much. 8/9/10) can be combined - 52m (13) One of the best sections of the whole route. 10m scramble up ledges, then swing L round an overhung nose into a steep (vertical) scoop, jugs lead to corner/chimney. Some tricky stemming gains a stance at the top of the chimney, and the lovely corner continues for a few metres with nice stemming moves and sinker cams in gorgeous orange rock. Swing L out of the corner to jugs on the face, straight up to rejoin the corner for its last 5m, slightly overhung to a ledge. Two consecutive lovely 5m finger sized corner cracks lead to a 10m wide sloping bushy ledge. 11) 35m (12) 20m corner past bush, step L and up final 15m arete or flake to the right. Belay then wander 25m to the right to the end of the ledge (exposure!!!) and a rather chossy looking chimney with a poor belay. 12) 33m (11) Up poor rock, then gear in face crack protects a tricky chimney section. Best to continue straight up to link into p13 - a line of holds 4m L of the chimney lets you avoid the blank overhung squeeze section. An easier but slow and undesirable option is to traverse 10m R (exposure), up the face then 10m back left against horrendous drag. Poor belay in cave. 13) 15m (10) Step L out of cave to good face holds (#4/5 camalot handy). Up, dirty gully to bushy ledge. Belay then walk R 20m. 14) 40m (11) Some tricky moves off the ledge on rather fragile holds, good cam, then easy wander right to the groove. Pleasantly challenging stemming (#4/5 cams handy), scramble 10m to twin cracks up final 5m wall and belay in awesome position above the 300m wall opened up below.
To see what this crag looks like, have a look at my photos .
© 2002 Will