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Climbing Nowra

The Word: A sport climber's dream.
Sun/shade: Either, any time.
Wet weather options: Yes.
Style of Climbs: 8-30m sport routes, with everything from slabs to walls, pockets and aretes, and best of all, overhangs and rooves. Take 15 draws plus a rope, and leave the rest at home.
Grades: 11-32

The Details: One of the best sport climbing areas in NSW. The sandbag reputation is only really true in relation to certain routes - eg there's certainly the odd soft grade round as well. The worst sandbag I've been on is Bozo (Bartondale), then after that probably Burping Burgers (S. Central).
Anyway, as usual, its best to work it out once you're there by starting a few grades lower than you expect to climb, and go from there.
Thompsons Point is sunny in winter, after about 11am, but crowded. We had The Grotto to ourselves one nice winter morning, and it was still OK - but it'd be very chilly on brass monkey days as it's totally shady.
Know how to thread safely at the top of a climb.

On a darker note, this is the only place I personally have seen a helicopter evacuation of a climber, after a 12m grounder caused by either failure or incorrect use of a Grigri. (Knowing your average sportclimber it was probably the latter . . . )

Double (triple!) check everything in your system (harness, tie-in, belay device etc) before starting up any route, be it on Dogface or the Pocketed Wall at Thompsons Point!

Thompson's Point          The Grotto          Donutland         

Ken'n'Barbie Land          South Central          Cheesedale

  Mortein Wall/Rosies/Bartondale          Bomaderry Creek areas

© 2000 Will