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Mt York
Mt York, situated about 6km from Mt Victoria, contains great climbing of all standards. It tends to get very crowded,
as it's a popular destination for beginner climbing and abseiling groups. The size of the crag, however, means that
you can be assured of good climbing.
Although the guidebook splits the crag into sunny and shady sides, this is only the case in the morning. During the
afternoon, the shady side becomes sunny and the sunny side becomes even sunnier!
The guide for the area is the "Rockclimbs in the Upper Blue Mountains (2nd Edition)" guide book.
The Sunny Side
The most popular area at Mt York. Be prepared for crowds, abseilers, falling rocks, dogs, commercial groups and other
unpleasantness.
Galactic Gully
Has been fitted out with stairs by Blue Mountains Cliffcare.
Snap 20m 12
Quite a pleasant romp up the left hand side of the juggy slab, then up the juggy steep headwall on nice rock. Take
some long slings for a tree belay.
Pop 20m 13
A nice little jaunt up the right hand side of the nice tortoise-shell wall. Take a variety of wires, hexes and cams
and some slings for a large block on top (there are also a couple of cam placements for the belay).
Gilroy's Gully
Note: Gilroy's Gully has been closed for rehabilitation.
Aunty Jack 25m 18 (originally graded 19)
A fantastic pitch up the middle of a beautiful Blue Mountains wall. The climbing is engaging and the rock is excellent
the entire way up, from the awkward and underprotected start (take care!), to the perfectly formed summit jug. Take a
single bolt plate for the first bolt on Zipper, a full rack of wires, a couple of small to mid size cams and some slings
for chickenheads. Belay off two small cams (#0.5 camalot, #1 friend) in a pocket and a tree miles back.
Return of the Toecutter Gang 25m 22
A nice, reasonably sustained pitch up the wall right of Aunty Jack. The move over the bulge is ridiculously thin, but
after that the climb is sustained at about grade 19 or 20. I'd recommend that you preclip the first bolt.
Viparete 25m 17
An excellent climb with engaging climbing virtually the whole way up. The crux is off the ground and continues for
about 6m. There is little protection up this bit, so take care! A small (and dodgy) wire can be placed in the
incipient crack/flake on the right, then the next gear (a bomber small wire) is up to the left on the arete. From
here up the climb is well protected with a variety of wires, two cams (#0.5 and #1 friends) and a slung chickenhead
just below the top. Tree belay well back.
Lishenbak 25m 10
A wide, low angled corner crack (take #4.5 camalots) with a single BR below the roof. Nice moves around the roof and
up, but pretty worthless up to that point. Tree belay.
Echo Gully
The obvious descent just past the lookout sign that has recently been fitted out with stairs by
Blue Mountains Cliffcare.
The Obituary 24m 14
Marked. An excellent climb up the obvious textbook corner. The initial corner offers great laybacking on excellent
rock, and while the rock higher up degenerates somewhat, the climbing remains sustained and excellent. Take a full
rack of cams (to #3 camalot) and hexes and a set of wires. The double ring bolt belay allows easy descent back to
the base of the climb.
Refusal / Knights of Nee Link Up 22m 16
Avoids the yucky looking top bit of Refusal. Excellent jamming and laybacking for about 15m up Refusal until you
reach the ledge. Step right to the arete, clip the two bolts, then continue delicately up the arete to a small
cramped ledge (be careful of the loose choss!). Carefully step back left to belay as for Refusal. Take care with
the belay, since all of the bolts have been chopped and cemented, and the natural gear isn't great. To top it all
off, the slope above Refusal is very loose. Make sure your second has a helmet.
The Shady Side
A secluded and much less popular area that nonetheless has some good climbing on offer. The cliff here is quite
broken, with most of the climbing on the buttresses between the numerous gullies.
Blaxland's Gully
Venturi 40m 8
A rather fun little climb with surprisingly poor protection (the crack on the left is too large for most gear).
Careful placement is necessary, otherwise the rope drags around the lip of the roof.
Peeceezy 40m 4
A rather undistinguished climb with about a grade 8 move to get off the ground. Poorly protected.
The next four routes all start atop the huge block at the base of the main corner of "Thunderfart". To get there
scramble up the left side of the block and solo up the short chimney, or lead up the corner on the right hand side
(grade 6, but be wary of loose rock). The belay on top of the block isn't great, but the top is big and flat.
Thunderfart 24m 13 (originally graded 14)
The obvious cliff splitting corner crack. One hard slightly tricky move to start then lovely stemming up the steep
corner above. Gear can be a little difficult to find in spots, but it's not too runout. Don't bother taking anything
larger than a #3 camalot. Tree and cam belay at the top of the corner
?? 12m 20 (originally graded 19)
The first route right of Thunderfart. A sequency crux up the sinuous seam (past the 2nd bolt), then steep but
relatively easy jugging to the lower off. 4 BRs (take brackets) to a slightly manky chain and fixed biner lower off.
Noodles 12m 14 (originally graded 15)
The next route right. A steep but ridiculously juggy pump in quite a nice position. 5 BRs (take brackets) to double
ring bolt lower off.
Lexical Density 12m or 24m 18
The next route right again. Can be led from the ground (past a manky, hidden BR and a fixed hanger), but it looks
worthless. One move crux past the 1st fixed hanger on the upper wall, then jugs and a groovy (but delicate) sidepull
to glory. From the block there are 2 BRs, 2 fixed hangers then another BR to the double ring bolt lower off (the first
BR is shared with "Noodles").
Mezzaluna 25m 16
The second line right of the arete to the right of the previous climbs. A nice longer climb with lots of moves at or
near the grade. Unfortunately it's spoilt somewhat by the loose shale band at the start and some mediocre rock at the
top. 2 BRs, 2 fixed hangers, a BR, another FH and 2 final BRs lead to a double ring bolt lower off. Note: this route
is pretty long, and we were climbing on a 60m rope, so be careful if lowering on a 50m rope.
?? 15m 13 (originally graded 18!)
The route just left of Frolic. Easy moves on jugs past 5 BRs to a double BB belay. Take brackets.
Frolic 13m 9
The clean, wide crack in the middle of the wall right of "Mezzaluna". Take some large gear (#4 camalot / #11 hex) for
the crack, and a #0.5 friend for a small shale break about 4m up. Poor belay off a small tree and some cams in a shale
band to the right.
?? 12m 18 (originally graded 17)
The route just right of Frolic. Desperate up to the 2nd bolt, then jugs to the top (double BB belay). Take brackets.
Stinkeye 12m 15/17
The second route right of the previous climb (starts just to the right of Unethical). Fairly straight forward climbing,
but each clip is a real struggle (the bolts are very poorly positioned). Crux past the last bolt (17), or step 2 feet
left and head up the jugs (15). Double ring bolt lower off. Take brackets.
?? 12m 16 (originally graded 17)
The next route right, and the last on this wall. Jump to the starting jug (or chimney up the dead tree), then slopy
crux moves past the first two bolts. Above this the climbing eases and the rock degenerates past another 2 bolts to
the same lower off as for the previous climb. Take brackets.
Wentworth's Gully
The best access route for the previous group of climbs and the following climb. Located at the far right hand end of
the Mezzaluna / Frolic wall.
Grand Larceny 26m 14 (originally graded 13)
Marked. The wildly overhanging corner crack in fantastic rock, about 15m right of Wentworth's Gully. Excellent and
strenuous moves up the beautifully parallel overhanging corner crack to a hands free rest just above the lip. Easy
climbing up the lovely corner above. Take a #2 camalot for the start, and then just hexes and wires for the corner.
Belay off a #0.5 friend well back, and a huge slung bollard to the right.
Lawson's Gully
A steep, and rather loose gully distinguished by a short chain at the bottom. Best non-abseil descent route for
Dragon's Tooth.
Dragon's Tooth 30m 12
An absolutely classic square cut corner crack on exceptional rock. A wide and cruxy start (a #5 camalot is useful)
leads to easy but very pleasant climbing to the top (take a good selection of large gear). Keep an eye out for the
"dragon's teeth" formations just below the top. Tree belay.
Barden's Gully
The obvious descent route just right of Barden's Lookout.
Hermione 25m 17
A pleasant enough romp up the centre of the good looking wall right of the descent. Take a #1 camalot and some small
wires for placements in between the (widely spaced) ring bolts. Double ring bolt lower off. Check out the cave with
the deserted nest halfway up - it even has a pile of bones and fur in it!
Change Junkies 25m 19
Cool steep moves up the initial wall (BRs and FHs and a bit of loose rock), then an exasperatingly thin crux up the
steep slab above (don't stray left!). Double ring bolt lower off.
Starman 25m 19 (originally graded 22)
The easiest grade 22 in the known universe! Even at grade 19 it only has one balancy move worthy of the grade (above
the second bolt). Apart from that the climb offers pleasant rambling at about grade 17.
Electric Blue 30m 19
An excellent steep slab climb, with lots of moves at or near the grade. Take a wire and small cam for down low, but
don't bother lugging up a large rack (as I did!) since the entire upper wall is protected with bolts (5 in total plus a
piton down low). One thing to watch out for: it's very easy to stray onto the 21 to the left, since the top
2 bolts on EB aren't visible from below (while the ones on the 21 are). The trick is to make sure that you traverse
right at the 3rd bolt and then move up to a left facing flake. The climb has a recently installed double ring bolt
lower off, but be careful if you've only got a 50m rope - it may not reach the ground.
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