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Mt Keira

The Word: Has it all for beginners and middle grade climbers.
Sun/shade: Either, any time.
Wet weather options: None.
Style of Climbs: 10-30m routes, with equal numbers of sport, trad and mixed routes. Take your rack.
Grades: 8-26

The Details: A great little area, offering plenty of classics across all grades. The West Face is a pleasant shady secluded area, which gets like Pitt St at times. The South face is also popular and has the added bonus of longer routes and some fantastic views over Wollongong and the ocean. In particular, Travail (13) is a must do. Take the stars in the guide book with a grain of salt - several climbs get given more stars than they are worth. (The stars given below are my opinion.) Nevertheless, there are still a stack of great and good climbs here. Mt. Keira has enough climbing for many enjoyable visits, even for lower grade climbers. The gradings are not soft however.

Access: Follow the signs to Mt. Keira look-out. There are four faces; West, South, North and East (in order of popularity).

West Face:

Head to the South lookout from the carpark, then turn R, and follow tracks approx 100m to top of cliff/slope, head down and R. There is a good bouldering boulder about 20m past the descent at the far (N) end (ie about 50m L of Blossom). It has a good landing, nice face problems, a tricky traverse, and a roof problem that is well worth the visit. Unfortunately, some moron has bolted it as well, even though it's only about 4m high.
Climbs are described from L to R.

* Blossom 8m 16 (YP)
Tricky start, crux up centre (R hand crank) - don't cheat left! 4 BRs, rap off.

* Hangover 8m 12 (OS)
3BB to DBB belay. One tricky move down low, then obvious to the top.

** Corny Hesitation 15m 16 (L)
Start 2m L of JC. 10m up the easy wall (friends for protection) to the big roof. Reach out to clip ring, then out the roof on buckets. Up nose and R-ish exit. A pumpy lead.

** One Blank Wall and 3 Bloody Rooves 12m 20 (YP)
A classic route but too short for 3 stars I'm afraid. 4 RB to DRB rap. Marked. Balancy to break, RB, then undercling at L or R end to get feet into break. From the R end of the break (no using the crack!), stretch L hand to fingerlock under flake. Hang on this (crux) and run feet up blank wall to gain good laybacking up flake, RB. Up to ledge, RB, L hand undercling up to slopers, then into jugs. Past final RB to DRB, rap. Bloody great!

* Space Trucken 10m 15 (OS)
2m R of OBWA3BR. 3 BB to DBB. A couple of delicate moves past first bolt are the crux, then easier to top.

** Nursery 10m 8 (OS)
Good for trad leading practice, and as a beginners climb. A little insecure down low (try fistjams, arm bars etc!!), but then plenty of jugs. Bolt belay at ledge, exit up R, or rap off OBWA3BR rings.

** Crawdad 12m 19 (L)
Tough for the grade, and even tougher to onsight! A worrying first clip, take care. Up the sustained thin fingery wall past a marginally easier 2nd clip to a semi-rest under the roof. Undercling out roof (RB), L hand into hidden pocket on L, then crank R hand up to non-obvious juggy sidepull, higher than all the cruddy holds. Jug up headwall to BB & RB.

** Short Fingers 15m 14 (OS)
A good warm-up, though don't take the tricky start for granted. Pleasant sustained moves up flake (wire, 2BB) to steep moves to break (more like 16!). Cam, swing R round bulge then straight up through top bulge to DBB.

* Brigetta 6 10m 11 (YP)
Balancy start to #1 cam in pocket. Sidle L up ramp, FH. A move or two to gain break, then easy to top past cams. DBB.

Piece of Piss Direct 7m 15 (YP)
Start 5m R of B6. Undercut start, then up short arete. 2FH.

South Face:

Ganglion 5m 16 (YP)
Very L end of first short wall. Not worth it.

No 1 Crack 6m 14 (YP)
I can't believe some of the shit that Rod Young gives stars to!! At least this one isn't a complete waste of time. 3 layback moves and you're home.

* Down and Going 20m 18 (RP)
L most climb on slab. 1) (18m, haven't done) Starts on the L side of slab. Up the slab to ledge, up wall above bolt to ledge and BB. 2) (* 8m 18) Fantastic position, nice enough moves (put your photographer 10m L above the gully!) Now has 3 RBs. Thin steep moves into crack, then up tricky steep crack on R of arete. Swing around to L side of arete for steep topout. Tough 18. To see a photo of it, click here.

** Mind Games 20m 16 (OS, alt)
Another very good slab, both pitches are quite tricky for 16. Start on the slab as for DAG. 1) (** 19m 16) Pull onto slab (BB) and up R to RB. Slopey moves straight up wall past 2nd ring to ledge. Step R and insecurely up crystally wall past ring to DRB belay over R. 2) (* 8m 16) Up the short flake and wall past 3 rings to bolt belay on block.

*** Travail 20m 13 (OS)
A classic slab. Maybe a touch stiff for 13, but well protected, awesome exposure and views, and most importantly, excellent climbing. Start at BB. 1) (*** 20m 13) Pull onto slab (bolt), then marvellous engaging traverse R across slab past RBs to arete. Up exposed arete to ledge, then tricky off ledge. Continue up easier slab with fantastic positions high above Wollongong, to large ledge with DRB as for MG. 2) (* 8m 11) Move R from belay and up easy crack. Alternatively, finish up MG, or just rap off the DRB. To see a photo of it, click here. A climb not to be missed.

* Chottomati Direct 25m 11 (YP)
Starts 3m R of R. Up jugs past bolt. Continue straight up wall past sling runner, bolt and off.

* Jaunt 45m 15 (YP)
Some good sections. Start about 100m round from Travail. 1) (35m 13) Up corner under horrid choss, then over some blocks to tree (possible belay). Good moves up corner, or easy dull face on left. More blocks to belay under final corner. 2) (10m 15) Nice corner but watch for loose blocks! Traverse left under roof with spaced hands and poor feet, to a horrendous final move.