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ZigZag
Zigzag is a good little crag located south of Mt Victoria (just west of Mt Piddington and Corroboree Walls). The
cliff line is shorter and more broken than Mt Piddington, but has some excellent climbs nonetheless. The rock quality
here is of quite consistently good quality, with generally exceptional rock on both the Taipan buttress and the Dress
Rehearsal Rag buttress.
About the only problem with the crag is its (ab)use by hordes of commercial groups. Not only is the crag often
gang-roped, but during the late 1990s someone installed an insightly set of ladders in the gully behind the first
buttress, so that their abseiling clientelle wouldn't have to struggle up the heinous zigzags to get back to the top
of the cliff.
The cliff line faces predominantly west (as does Mt Piddington), so is better in the morning in summer, and the
afternoon in winter.
The guide for the area is the "Rockclimbs in the Upper Blue Mountains (2nd Edition)" guide book.
Ethyl the Aardvark Goes Quantity Surveying (variant to lower offs) 15m 18
The right hand route on the first orange wall you come to. Head up past four BRs (take brackets), then traverse left
to the last hanger on the left hand route (crux), before finishing up to the double ring lower off above the left hand
route. Just before the traverse left, the original route (grade 17) continues straight up past another two fixed
hangers to the top of the cliff. A surprisingly steep, but rather repetitive and boring route.
Deceptor 35m 10
An easy romp up the obvious low angled triangular buttress just before the Taipan buttress. 9 BRs in all (take
brackets), although 2 are pretty old and manky. Tree belay. A good beginner's lead.
Giggles 23m 16
A sustained, pumpy and excellent pitch up the middle of the blank wall right of Taipan. Very similar climbing to the
1st pitch of Taipan, with an easier crux but more sustained climbing. Start up "Rickapoodle" (the corner crack at the
right hand end of the buttress) passing one low BR, then traverse left along the obvious ledge at about 6m (BR). Blast
straight up the wall past 3 more BRs and a #2 camalot placement to the Taipan belay ledge. Step right and belay off
the double ring bolt rap anchor.
Taipan ~45m 16 or 19
A fantastic two pitch trad route that follows the obvious sinuous crack up the steep wall, then punches through the
overhanging orange rock to the left. Deduct a star if you do the original second pitch.
Pitch 1 28m 16
A truly excellent pitch up the sinuous crack in the steep, grey wall. This pitch is surprisingly pumpy, due to the
fact that the wall is only just off vertical, and most of the footholds are very small. The crack itself takes some
amazingly good small to medium wires, however the first placement is a foot or two up from the bottom of the crack,
so don't despair if you can't get good gear in straight away! The belay is all natural, with bomber wires, hexes and
cams. Double ring bolts at the far right hand end of the ledge (above Giggles) allow you to abseil off after the
first pitch.
Pitch 2 12m 19
A rather pathetic pitch, with one hard, bouldery move off the belay ledge then a doddle up an easy corner. Protection
for the move can be hard to arrange, with bomber gear down low (where it won't stop you hitting the ledge), but only
smaller gear higher up. I'd recommend taking some micro wires (wallnuts, RPs or the like) and maybe a small cam (an
alien might go in somewhere). The belay at the top of the corner is natural with good wires, hexes and cams.
Variant Pitch 2 20m 16
A fantastic journey up through the overhung orange headwall. From the belay, step left to the steep corner then up
the overhanging, bird shit encrusted flake to the roof and a slight stance. Fantastic and massively exposed moves
left (crux) on some rather scary holds to a decent ledge. Step back right then squirm and wriggle up the V groove
through the overhangs. Tree and bollard belay.
The following three climbs make a really nice three pitch link up.
Catweazel 15m 22 (originally graded 21)
The arete to the left of the chimney start of Taipan. Easy moves past a friend placement to the first bolt, then
balancy layaways up the arete to the second bolt. Thin and desperate moves from here up to the natural belay ledge
(wires and cams).
Fer De Lance 15m 18
The obvious orange corner crack to the left of the Taipan face. A really nice layback (#1, #2 and #3 camalots)
leads to a good rest, then a slippery, greasy traverse left to the belay (cams, wires, hexes).
?? 15m 19M1 or 23
The suprisingly steep arete above the belay of Fer De Lance. Nice moves up the finger crack (BR) lead to a large
break (BR). Traverse right over the void to a rest and a FH. Fiendishly hard almost feet free move (crux) past
the hanger to jugs (BR) then up the crappy rock (BR) to the belay (3 BBs). Great photo opportunities!
Groovie 15m 12
The blocky corner in superb rock just left of the start of Catweazel. Easy moves up to the corner, then the business -
5m of tenuous chimneying up the flared thrutch slot. Great stuff!! Continue up the horrendous looking squeeze chimney
above the Catweazel ledge, or belay then down-lead the start of Taipan / Fer De Lance.
Van 20m 16
The obvious crack visible on the black wall well above the track. A great little romp, with one hardish move to
get into the crack, then nice sustained moves up the crack above. Belay off two BBs (take brackets) at the top of the
crack, then step right to a double ring rap station.
The Mixture (first pitch only) 12m 8
A good beginner's lead. The low angled corner crack just right of Dress Rehearsal Rag. Not a bad little climb, on
generally excellent rock and with good protection (although it is a bit of a watershed, so can be dirty). Belay off
a tree and a single bolt up at the base of the second pitch.
Dress Rehearsal Rag (1st pitch only) 18m 18
An excellent pitch of slab climbing with two cruxes and some decent rest stances. The 4 carrot bolts and overchalked
rock are a bit of an eyesore, and the second bolt is hanging out from the rock somewhat, so be careful. Pleasant moves
to the second bolt, then a balancy crux to jugs at the third. Above this is a reachy crux to gain the dish near the
fourth bolt. Easy moves from there to the belay ledge. Belay off the abseil chains about 4m left of the top out.
Fairy Tales 15m 16
Located at the left hand end of the Dress Rehearsel Rag slab. A surprisingly steep and sustained route, with 2 BRs
(take brackets) and a variety of wires and small cams. Belay off the rap chains to the right. Rap off.
Black Bart 32m 19
A truly superb one pitch outing up a stylish and deceptively steep arete. While none of the moves are particularly
hard for the grade, the length and sustained nature of this climb is guaranteed to uncurl your fingers (particularly
when you hit the rounded crimps at the final bolt)! Take a #1 camalot for the start, and lots of bolt plates and
quickdraws for the remainder of the route. The belay (off a couple of trees) is way back from the edge, and (to be
quite blunt) is a bit of a pain in the arse. Take up a longish sling to put around a dodgy plate above the top
of the climb as a directional. To get off, walk right (facing the cliff) 40m or so then rap down the gully from a
tree opposite Amok Time.
Stuffed (1st Pitch Only) 26m 16
Puts value back into grade 16! A great pitch on gorgeous orange rock, although quite a bit more strenuous than it
looks. While the crack offers just about as much protection as you can place, it's awkward and strenuous to place
through the crux section (which is down low). Take care. Belay in the first large cave you get to, with a huge slung
chickenhead and a #3 camalot in the crack at the back. The first pitch stays completely dry in the rain, although the
second doesn't - in this case it's better to rap off from a mess of tatty slings about 5m below the belay cave.
Honey Dip (1st pitch only) 40m 13
Huge jugs through the roof (unnecessary BR) to gain the surprisingly steep corner (cams/hexes/wires). Increasingly
easy up the corner past some suss rock to the big roof. A nicely exposed (and underprotected!) traverse left to the
belay ledge (chains).
Knot the Mumma 15m 20
An irritating, low angled slab route that looks bloody easy but isn't. Don't bother if it's even slightly warm! A
dodgy wire protects the first bouldery move, then 3 FHs up the slab to a (rusty) double chain lower off.
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