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Bowen's Creek
Bowen's Creek is a newly developed sport climbing crag, located just north of Bell's Line of Rd. If coming from Sydney drive 1.5km past the "Mt Charles" sign, looking for a small parking area on the left (which only holds about 10 cars or so). If you get to the Mt Banks turn off, you've gone too far. If coming from Bell, drive 1.3kms past the Mt Banks turn off, and watch for a small parking area on the right just as you come over a small crest.
The fire trail that leads to the crag leaves Bell's Line of Rd from the top of the hill at a locked gate (take care crossing the road). Walk along this for about 2kms (about 30 minutes), and keep an eye out for a cairn and a track leading off to the left. This first track leads down to the "Shopping Crag" end of the cliff. If you continue along the fire trail for another 15 minutes or so, you'll end up at some large power lines. Another track leads off to the left from here, and comes down at the other end of the crag.
The crag itself is extensively developed with about 70 routes (all sport) between grades 18 and 30 (see 
for some shots of Steve attempting his grade 30 project). Most of the climbing is in the 22+ bracket, although there are enough climbs below this grade to keep a bumbly like me occupied for a day or two.
The crag faces north west, and is hot even in winter. The main wall overhangs enough that most of the routes remain dry, even in the most torrential rain (it poured pretty much the whole time we were there). Some routes do experience some seepage, however.
The guide for the area is the "Blue Mountains: Selected Climbing Areas (2nd Edition)" guidebook.
Note: As of April 2000, this crag has been closed by the NPWS, pending an environmental assessment. See the climbing news page for details.
Climbs described right to left.
Bum Crag
The following two climbs are on Bum Crag, the nice orange slab under the roof, about 150m from the first descent.
Sludge Bottom 15m 21
An extremely technical and enjoyable slab, with the crux moves past the first four bolts. 7 ring bolts to a double ring bolt lower off. Bad rope drag when the rope is threaded through the anchor. Stays dry.
Lard Arse 15m 19
The route to the left of the previous climb. Another nice slab climb, although less sustained than the previous route. 6 ring bolts to a ring and U anchor lower off. Stays dry.
The chossy corner crack to the left has been climbed at about grade 13, with a grade 16 traverse at the top to get to the lower offs on the previous climb.
Main Wall
The following three climbs are towards the left hand end of the extremely impressive main wall (about 100m on from the previous climbs). This wall reaches about 40m in height, and overhangs at a pretty constant angle for most of it. The hardest climbs punch through a series of rooves about 20m off the deck, making for some spectacular wingers!
Blonde Gift 22m 25
Located towards the middle of the main wall (just past the ridiculously undercut area). Not a bad route, with a short hard crux at about half height and basically easy climbing on the rest of the climb. 10 ring bolts lead to a double ring bolt lower off.
Andrew managed to miraculously tie a knot in his rope as he was pulling it off this route; and yes, he did remember to untie his figure eight before pulling the rope: the rope actually whipped through the top 6 draws before somehow forming a knot and getting jammed in the fourth!
Kraut Pleaser 18m 20
Located towards the left hand end of the main wall, with a small right facing corner to start. Surprisingly steep and sustained climbing the entire way, with some rather thin moves between juggy breaks. The start may be harder since Will pulled off part of the flake above the initial corner (see for a photo mere moments before it blew). 7 ring bolts to double ring lower off.
Shut the Gate 20m 22
Starts at the obvious leftward leaning ramp, with a ring bolt at full stretch off the ground. Awkward moves onto the ramp, then surprisingly easy moves up the bizarre, carved darker rock. Good rest on a ledge to the right, then crux moves above the final bolt to the lower off. 5 or 6 ring bolts in total, with a double ring bolt lower off. Take care with the left hand lower off, since it has not properly bonded to the glue, and is loose.
Unnamed 20m 22
The next climb to the left, with a blank looking and rather desperate start (very hard for a second to unclip the first bolt). Steep and juggy the entire way, being more of an endurance climb than a technical climb. 4 ring bolts to a double ring lower off (take care: it's rather runout for the grade). When we did it, the crux was definitely at the top, where a large water streak ran right over the crucial crimp. A big static move or a fairly easy deadpoint gained the double ring lower off.
Mr Pink 15m 21
The second last climb on the main wall. Deceptively steep climbing, generally on jugs, with 5 ring bolts and a double ring lower off. The climbing is a bit run out past the first 3 bolts, but is better protected up higher (through the crux). There can be quite a bit of seepage on this route, which can leave many of the holds greasy and slippery even when they aren't actually wet.
Bull Crag
This wall is about 150m downstream from the main wall, and is distinguished by a sandy cave with a nice bulgy orange wall just beyond it.
Daydream Believer 24m 19
A good route that is somewhat spoiled by an unpleasant grunty move through the roof about 6m off the deck. There is also a little bit of potentially loose rock on this route, although I yanked or stood on all the obvious bits and nothing happened! While the start is probably the technical crux, there are also some technical moves higher up as well, and the original crux final moves have been avoided on subsequent ascents by stepping left before moving up to the anchors (to do the original crux, head straight up to the loose looking flake just right of the anchors, using a gaston off a brown surface flake). 9 ring bolts lead to a double ring bolt lower off. It's probably a good idea to clip the first ring bolt with a locking carabiner, to reduce the chance of a grounder should you blow the second clip.
FA. Andrew Duckworth, October 1999.
Walter Mitty 24m 19 (originally graded 18)
Shares the same start as the previous climb. This great route offers a nice variety of moves, including laybacking (something foreign to most sport climbs! :-) While the start is probably the technical crux, this climb is surprisingly pumpy, so milk those rests for all they're worth! 9 ring bolts (the first 3 are shared with the previous climb) lead to a double ring bolt lower off. It's probably a good idea to clip the first ring bolt with a locking carabiner, to reduce the chance of a grounder should you blow the second clip.
FA. Andrew Duckworth, October 1999.
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