Elanora Heights

What we found was quite amazing (given that the current edition of the Sydney guidebook doesn't mention this crag at all!). Having struggled up through the bush for almost an hour, we arrived at what I would describe as probably the most extensive hard sport crag in Sydney.

The developed part of the crag is split into two sections, the main area (with approximately 20 climbs) and a smaller area (with only 2 climbs) to the south. All routes are sport routes, equipped primarily with rings, fixed hangers and U anchor lower-offs. There are some carrot bolts, but they appear to be remnants of earlier development, and most are too rusted to use.

The main wall is about 25m high, with a vertical to just over wall of about 15m, then rooves for about 10m. The lower part of the wall is a slick, grey, pocketed sandstone (similar to the rock at the Mini Wall at Thomson's Point, Nowra), while the upper wall and rooves are that beautiful hard, textured, orange rock so often found under rooves in Sydney and Blue Mountains sandstone.

The smaller wall is about 12m high, and overhangs by at least 1m (there are 3m rooves here, but they are undeveloped and probably unclimbable). The rock here is the more usual Sydney sandstone, although under the rooves the rock is hard and quite slick (quite similar to the rock at South Coogee).

Although we didn't do any of the climbs, they all appeared to be at least grade 22, with a number of projects still being worked on (these are marked in the usual way: a bit of tat tied to the first bolt).

So, how do you get to the crag? Drive to Amaroo Avenue, Elanora Heights (near Narrabeen), and park. Walk west for about 30 seconds until you either see the cliff or fall over it. Head south (to the left) along the cliff top for about 50 metres until you see a set of etriers tied to a red gum. Head down these, walk north (right facing out) along the ledge until you see another set of etriers anchored to a bolt and hanger. Head down these and you're at the small (southern) section of the crag. The two climbs are at the northern end, one with hangers (a project) and the other with ring bolts (it appears the first ring bolt has pulled). To get to the main crag, walk north on the path along the base of the cliff for about 150m. This section is obvious, with extensive bolting and even a fireplace.

There is heaps of potential for new routes at both of these crags, and even further north on the same line of cliffs.

The guide for the area is the newly published Sun, Surf and Sandstone online guide book. This crag is described here.