The new guidebook was released in December 2023. See below for retailers.
Fully revised from the 2006 guidebook, with over 180 new topo diagrams, 14 maps and over 900 routes, plus a Special Feature section for those aspiring to try Ozymandias Direct. It is bound into two separate volumes so you only need to carry the section you’re interested in.
Available from the following retail outlets:
Adventure Outdoors, Katoomba NSW
- Climbing Anchors, Melbourne, Sydney and online
- Bogong Equipment, Melbourne Victoria
- Arapiles Mountain Shop, Natimuk Victoria or theclimbingshop.com.au
- Bright Outdoor Centre, Bright Victoria
- Mountain Equipment, Sydney NSW
- Alpine Shire Visitor Information Centres: Bright, Myrtleford, Mt Beauty
Can’t get to any of these? For direct orders, email crashdog@toal.id.au
Updates – as of 27 May 2024
27 May 24: I was recently sent some material that was on the VCC’s web site at some stage but was lost during an upgrade.
Volume 1
Lower Mackey’s
A number of climbers are still having trouble finding the start of Count Of Mounting Crystals/Good Luck and Good Management. The follow photo topo (thanks Gordon) may help:
There’s also reportedly a cairn at the base.
Two bolts have been added to the previously-unprotected pitch 5. Yes it is normally a very easy pitch, but the top seeps after rain, meaning it could be wet and mossy, unprotected slab climbing that for some were the scariest moves on the route.
Devilled Cream Buttress p65
It’s subsequently been confirmed that there are fixed anchors (chain+ring) at the top of Commander Cody. (Thanks Gordon.)
Mushroom Rock p61
Teflon Tortoise certainly needs a rebolt, the first bolt is too high (you could rap in with a stick clip, I’m not sure I should suggest that though) and the twist-in rings need replacing. Crux moves at the bottom may be 17 not 16.
Eastern Tiers p71
The topo line for the last part of the first pitch of The Crystal Edge (route 49) shows it going up a crack on the face. The text correctly describes it going up the corner to the right of the crack. (This is on the right-hand edge of the number “49”).
Beowulf p106
Be aware, the huge block below Beowulf looks like it’s mostly resting on a rotting tree stump and will take a trip down the gorge one day.
Sewer Wall p108
An error: the topos on pages 108 and 110 show route 43 (Gorgeous George) starting from low down in the gorge. However – as is stated clearly in the text – route 43 is only the last pitch of route 44 (Pooh Corner). The lower “43” markers should be “44” instead.
The topo on page 110 shows route 46 (Iron Maiden) starting well down the face – that “46” should be “47” (Running the Gauntlet).
Oval Area p117
Wicked Solitaire Variant 1 is listed with an overall grade of 17 but pitch 2 is graded 18. Which is correct? You’ll have to find out.
Waterfall Area page 123
My last-minute renumbering woes continue, with Fantasies of Gail (route 83) being correctly marked as 83 at the start of the route, but 82 at the top. Similarly Gail Who? is correctly marked 82 at the bottom but 83 at the top i.e. just switch the uppermost 83 and 82. Apologies.
She/Ozymandias Area page 139
Some additional beta for Knocking On Heaven’s Door from way back 2006 came to my in-box:
Take gear up to #4.5 Camelot. The second pitch should be slightly longer than stated and the belay is ABOVE the bulge on a cluster of bolts (and gear in a crack to the right). The third pitch is slightly shorter, and ends at a 3BB in the slot. The fourth pitch traverses R (past a bolt) and into Ozy.
Queen Victoria Buttress p161
Heaven on a Stick: ‘Rene’ was not on the first ascent.
Volume 2
Reservoir Road p12
Page 12 – “Reservoir Road … heads east from the main road” should read “heads west from the main road”. The next paragraph states ‘west’ correctly.
Little Mt Dunn p17
A new route has been uncovered from old archives:
Madame Fang (17) 12m
Around right of Not The Dunn Thing on the South arête. Up the hanging flake and on to the top. Liane Hughes, Ian Anger, Rolf Shoenfeld 12.98
Devil’s Couch p19
I came across an old report from Ian Anger regarding Faust and Elizabeth:
“35m 23. FFA Paul Hoskins Feb 94. Awkward start which is worth pulling past. The remaining 30m is a fantastic podded crack at about 19. Take many small wires.”
Parallax Boulder p29
Now has a proper set of abseil anchors – SS chain+ring.
Chalwell Galleries p43
Hand Vice is probably more like grade 20.
The Sentinel p54
This tor now has a proper rap anchor.
The Keep p56
The topo line for Y-Fronts has been confirmed. The start is perhaps slightly left of the topo line.
The Castle p61
The previously unnamed route which I gave the name Sinking Slowly turns out to be: Firing Blanks. FA Ian Anger, Greg Pritchard January 92.
The Cathedral p74-80
The abseil anchors above Sunrunner can be used to get down to Bloodnok (30m), Sunrunner (25m) or The Viking (about 32m). The critical point here is that a 60m rope isn’t long enough to rap into The Viking. This is clearly noted on page 76 but the topos are all marked as “30m” (and the arrow points in the direction of Bloodnok).
Page 74 topo: the rap chain above Substance Abuse can also be used to get down to the Maharajah ledge. 25m by trending left (RFO) over Shell Shock.
Page 78: it is rumoured there are rap anchors at the end of p1 of Substance Abuse, meaning it could be climbed as a single pitch of grade 22. To be confirmed.
Page 78: Updated route description for Substance Abuse from Ian Anger: (1) 40m (22) Up thin cracks, then wander up arête and wall past 3 BR and 3 FH to SH 2 FH belay. (2) 45m 23/24 Grin up arête past 8 FH. Mark Colyvan, Ian Anger (alt) Greg Pritchard. Summer 91/92
Page 78: Alternate route description for The Dreaming from Ian Anger: (1) 40m (21) Up LH of two ramps at bottom of face. Up past BR then 3 FH tending R to the dyke. Up left on dyke for 10m then straight up past B to FH/ B belay stance on arête. (2) 50m (23) Step R then straight up past 2 BR. Head back L toward arête and straight up past 3 FH to chain belay. Page 80: The Edge Of Pleasure FA details should read: “Greg Moore, Ian Anger (alt) summer 91/92” and not “Ian Anger, Greg Moore..”.
Ariel Area p94
Black Serpentine was rebolted (February 2024). Now 4FH then 2 BRs at the top. It now gets two stars.
Old Flying Fossils was brushed and rebolted (February 2024). Now 5FH (including the first FH on Black Serpentine) and 2 BRs.
The Hump p104-108
Arse Transplant total length should be 95m not 90m.
The route Talbingo is noted as 85m (which is probably correct) but only two pitches are described which add up to only 40m. There must be at least one more pitch – this appears to have been an error in the original route description.
It’s possible to skip the first few metres of The Initiation and reduce the grade to 15 by rapping in and belaying on the flake above the steep start.
I was sent an old description states: “They Might Be Giants starts at thin cracks 2m R of Blowhole”. Not verified but appears consistent with the topo as drawn. There are also stainless steel abseil chains on the DBB of TMBG.
Tatra Rocks p123-124
A rap anchor has been added near the top of Obsessive Compulsive that also services Knee Jerk Reaction. Scramble down and right a little (RFO).
Tombstone Rocks
A new route has been established next to Spooky.
*Spunky 27m 17
Start as for Spooky, step R out of its initial flake crack and climb up the face right of it (6FHs) to a new fixed belay/rap anchor. Kevin Lindorff, Geoff Gledhill 12.2023.
Monkey Wrench Gang was rebolted. 6FHs and abseil anchors at the top. The grade is more like hard 22 than 21.
Back Wall p134-139
The final (3rd) abseil is 56m not 46m.
The topo for Crun on page 139 shows pitch one too far to the right. The topo on page 136 is correct.
The pitch lengths for pitchs 1&2 of Crun are believed to be understated.
Bonaparte-Crun was climbed recently. The bolted variant to pitch 1 has now had its FRA: Steve Toal, Paula Toal, John Fells 19.02.24.
The individual pitch grades (of the link-up) are: 15, 15, 16, 15. The length of pitch 1 is 42m not 46m. The total route length is 127m.
Pitch 2 could also use some pruning but climbs OK as it is.
However pitch 3 has a section of dirt-filled crack on it that really needs a clean. Otherwise, it requires some delicate pulling on snow-grass. It is also worth moving the belay down the ledge to the start of the climbing on P3.
The previously unnamed route #15 which I named Forward Thinking was originally recorded as:
Back Door’d ** 50m 21 Great well protected climbing on beautiful rock. Abseil in to Venom ramp as for DLB. Wander up delightful flakes and face past 4 BR, 4FH and a couple of largish cams. Ian Anger, Liane Hughes, Malcolm Matheson, Kirsty Hamilton 25.1.1995
The Mothballs p145
Jamie Armitage has come forth and identified the two previously-unidentified lines marked on the topo:
- Sunset Swarm 16m 24
Bolted route on NE side of the tor. Move L and up past 4FHs. Rap anchor on top.
Jamie Armitage, 12.2016 - The Great Migration 16m 16
Climb the hanging corner 1.5m right of Sunset Swarm onto the pillar then up the arete. 2FHs.
Stuart Barnes, Jamie Armitage 12.2016
Tetris Blocks
A new area where Malcolm Matheson has established two new routes. Clearly visible when looking south-east from the Horn Road down below the Mothballs. The access directions have not been verified.
Park as for The Mothballs. Walk back down the road to the third hairpin bend below, about 200m. From there head into the bush from the corner, roughly ESE towards blocks on the hillside opposite, staying high to avoid most of the blackberry bushes. Cross a small stream and gully and up to the NW-facing blocks. About 300m, 15min of thrashing from road.
- Interlock 20m 20
Climb the open-book corner to a flake at the top, then left and up the groove to lower-offs. 3 FHs plus cams.
Malcolm Matheson, Ben Wright, Haily Nguyen 21.02.2024 - Tetris 20m 24
The undercut crack on the next block right (10m R of Interlock). At the top of the crack trend L then up the blunt arete. 3 bolts plus cams and wires.
Malcolm Matheson 21.02.2024
Topo is in the printable version, see link below.
Dreamworld
Route 14 is missing. It was Trouble In Taggerty (Michael Woodrow, Anthony Bishop, Jane Gray 26.1.1995) but this is essentially a repeat of Buffalo Soldier with very little independent climbing. The description was removed in the very last edits prior to publication but the other routes weren’t renumbered.
Abseil anchors have been added at the top of Cameo, approx 20m to the ground. SS ring + chain (February 2024).
The Horn p161
Under the heading “Northern Outcrops” the next sentence should read “the next four routes..”.
The length of Horn Again is overstated, assume 18m.
Link to a printable version is below: