Bard Buttress

The Details: Possibly the most gawked at bit of rock in Australia, given that it holds a handful of stonking routes usually offering plenty of spectator sport, and looms over the walking trails from the campsite to Central Gully, Tiger Wall and beyond. Pretty impressive to wake up to at dawn on your first trip, especially if you arrived at 2.30am and slept out on the ground!

Access: 2min walk from the campsite. You can't miss it!

Descent(s): From Bard Terrace (70m off the deck) an exposed traverse leads around L to the Ali's descent. I always rope up for this traverse but it seems many people don't. If topping out (eg on Bard), clamber down off the back of the buttress and almost straight down into the deep dark hole that is Ali Baba's cave. Squeeze through this to pop out behind John's Pinnacle and below the impressive Denim Wall. (John's Pinnacle is marked in the last photo below). Wander 270 degrees anti-clockwise around John's Pinnacle to the Ali's descent. There are a few options for the Ali's descent: (1) a 40m rap down the slab (2 ropes obviously); (2) those with a lower safety expectation than me can solo down the corner on the side of the slab, with about 15m of chains for the steep bit - however this is scary (IMO) and has killed people; (3) if you have a 60m rope, there is now an abseil station above Morfydd (30m to the ground). The Morfydd rap is on the pinnacle down and to your right, when standing at the rap chains above Ali's and looking out over the Pines. With a precarious climb down the slab to an exposed scramble over the large chockstone which bridges the gap across to the pinnacle, you'll be better off doing a first "rap" (20m) off the Ali's chains to make it safer.

Described L to R.

The Bard Buttress

Bard Buttress - climbers dwarfed by it. Eurydice follows the curving line just L of the arete closest to camera. The Bard (12) wanders up just R of the same arete.

Bard Buttress in glorious morning sunlight, looking further right along Tiger Wall, with Castle Crag at bottom right.

** The Desired (aka Tony's Route) 70m 19 (YP)
An excellent first pitch, offering great climbing over a number of steep sections. Do it on a cool dry day, because high humidity and sweaty hands make it seem a lot harder due to the many glassy holds!! In the above photos, Orpheus (yucky major diagonal) and Eurydice form a large guano-stained V. The Desired takes a subtle direct vertical line which blasts up about 5m L of the V. 1) (** 48m 19) Wander up to initial diagonal, take care with your wires here. Surprisingly tricky moves lead up L to stance below steep glassy bulge (cams out L and R). Swing R into the layback flake and (crux) crank your way up it on shockingly slick feet, totally desperate when humid! Step R to stance then up to roof and back L to obvious line through bulge. Cool steep cranking over bulge gains major diagonal (Orpheus). Great climbing continues for 20m up steep line above, not too hard but needs plenty of stamina. 2) (20m 13) Nice exposed moves off belay then doddle to Bard Terrace. (The 20m wall above looks ordinary). Exit via a roped traverse 40m L to Ali's.

*** Eurydice 100m 18 (OS) Absolutely excellent. Only just shaded by Skink for the best 18 I've done at Araps. The most impressive line up the Bard Buttress. 1) (*** 33m 18) Easily up initial slab to crack, plenty of pro from here on (which is why its so amazing that there’s a bolt on both pitches). Beautiful face and crack climbing past bolt, up to white niche. Head up and R-ish to all the slings, and (crux) pull the slightly overhanging section, with poor feet, to pop onto the belay ledge. 2) (** 35m 18) Pull the overhanging corner (laybacking worked for me), then delicious climbing all the way to The Bard Terrace. A 60m rope affords a little more luxury for setting up the belay. 3) (32m) Pick and choose, but we finished up The Bard. The direct line through the overhang looks ok too. Eurydice pitch 1 - me settling that #11 hex in. This is an absolutely excellent climb.

Eurydice - spot the climber! Me lost in an ocean of stone, onsighting the first pitch of Eurydice (near the birdshit niche).

** Checkmate 70m 17 (OS)
Another great route, up the proudest arete at Arapiles. Double ropes preferable, for the 2nd pitch in particular. I don't recommend combining the 1st 2 pitches, protecting your second on the traverses is incompatible with controlling rope drag. 1) (* 27m 12) Same as for The Bard up the polished slab (one good small wire keeps it sane), then the cracked corner. Belay at the top of the crack (don't head R up Bard's ramp). 2) (* 20m 14) A steep move up L off the ramp over the bulge gains a short slab, which is used to traverse airily L around the arete. 3m around the arete a line of holds appears, follow these for 10m to a ledge. Move back R along ledge to belay on arete. 3) (** 38m 17) An excellent airy pitch, though solid for the grade and not the easiest to sew up. Climb about 2m R of the arete for about 6m up off the belay, into a small corner with a small roof. Arrange pro here, then launch diagonally up L onto the steep prow and power up it for several metres. The cracks here would probably accept pro though you'd get massively pumped - I ran it out for about 7m. Slightly easier climbing with well spaced pro trending slightly L onto the very arete, which is blocked by a roof, split by a corner. Airy (and hard!) moves up into the corner, up it, then step airily R before an easy 10m ramble back up to the Bard Terrace. Finish up Bard or walk off left (about 40m round to Ali's - I recommend staying roped up).

The mighty arete of Checkmate, just right of Eurydice. Castle Crag stands out like dogs balls, with Mitre Rock in the distance.

A climber above the 3rd pitch crux of Checkmate. Down lower another climber can be seen on the p3 crux of Bard. The Pines is at bottom left.

*** The Bard 120m 12 (OS, alt) Despite it’s incredibly high profile, this route never disappoints - undeniably a classic. 1) (* 46m 12) Lovely deceptive slab with sparse pro, then up steep corner. Easy to top of ramp, or continue to the start of the p2 traverse (for the photos!). 2) (** 10m 12) Step R around arete, up a bit, then the famous squatting traverse back L on the short hanging slab under the roof. Airy and scary! Belay at L end of ledge. 3) (*** 30m 12) Hard off ledge for a few moves (crux), then awesome undercling traverse R. Exposed stemming up shallow short chimney to excellent ledge. 4) (** 14m 11) Step L and up surprisingly steep crack with endless supply of cliff-towing wire placements. Magnificent positions. 5) (* 30m 12) Tricky into chimney corner, then excellent up past gratuitous #5 camalot, till corner ends. Step L to immediate exposure (beware big loose block) and easily to top. . .

Bard - the top of the slab on pitch 1 (most people climb a few metres further L).

Bard pitch 1 - Damien lost amongst the sea of rock. Look for his purple tights (yes purple!), at the 1st belay. The exposed 2nd pitch traverse can be seen 8m above him (below the shaded 1.5m roof). Checkmate takes the blunt arete L of centre.

Bard pitch 2 - Nicola looking rather comfortable on the infamous second pitch traverse, proving that its not too bad after all!!! A great airy position though!

A view of Lower Central Gully R side, which I have included to illustrate the descent off Bard Buttress. Ali Baba's Cave is below the right hand edge of Bluff Minor, and leads you towards camera where you pop out behind John's Pinnacle and below the partially obscured steep orange Denim Wall. Ali's rap chains are 10m right of the base of John's Pinnacle.

© 1998-2004 Will