Berowra

The Details: A pleasant bush area offering convenient vertical sport climbing, especially now that so many lower-offs have been installed - thanks guys. It is excellent for winter climbing; in the summer months it boils, but climbing might be feasible on cloudy days, or early morning. We saw a small python in the crack of Savage Cabbage one day, and 2 weeks later he was still there - check before you climb!

Access: Find the end of Wideview Rd, Berowra. Follow L track 50m to top of crag. Descend at either end.

Described L to R, facing the cliff.

* Ladder of Gloom 12m 19 (RP)
Bulging and good fun. Crux traverse R to bottom of ladder. I personally undercling down low straight to the ladder, but I've seen people head up on the L, then across. Jug on up the ladder. 4 BRs. Rap off. To see what this climb looks like, have a look at my photos.

** Ladder of Gloom Direct 12m 22 (RP)
Great fun! Start just R of the ladder, 2 RB, then traverse L to the ladder and up. Stick clip 1st, then to well chalked hold. Excellent huge dyno (use your legs or you'll never make it) to L hand jug, hold the swing, then 2nd RB and up to break on arete. L and up ladder. If ya belay off the tree, you can reduce the fall factor on the dyno. My 2nd 22 redpoint. To see what the dyno looks like, have a look at my photos.

There's a new line of ringbolts which traverse the lip of the overhang L of Soap. Looks pretty shite, and pretty pumpy.

* ? 8m 24? (L)
Silly. In the middle of the big cave, 2m R of Soap. Up L line of BR. Steep climbing on varied holds. Insecure dyno to finish. Thread 2 BR and lower off. Apparently becomes 26 if its in the sun - it greases up.

** 3-D Wimp Out 12m 21 (YP)
Overhanging arete on right side of big cave, leading up face. Heave up arete, thinnish face to exit. 4 BBs. 2 BBs well back for TB.

Yesterdays Heroes 12m 17 (RP)
A trade route. It seems to be every Sydney climber's first lead. 10m R of cave. Delicate rounded start, buckets to the top. 4 BBs. Sling, NP for TB. Going direct through small rooflet is a touch harder, but nice - most go L past 2nd BB.

* Palm Sunday 12m 21 (OS)
Good clean fun. Wall 1m R of YH. Three BR. My first 21 onsight (even though I hadn't onsighted a 20!!). The holds on this climb keep getting smaller, until a jug appears on the block for topping out.

* Bill Collins 10m 24 (TR)
Intense sharp crimping. Marked, 10m R of YH. Mantle on jug up to painful finger cranks, thin as. 3 BRs. Sling on tree for TB.

* Gidget/Verdon 15m 22 (TR)
The flake line 8m R of BC, move R past 3rd BR. Ridiculously thin start, then the badly placed 2nd bolt gives you a 3m runout - sideways, after which the 3rd bolt simply gives a 3m runout. Ok to toprope though. Hard all the way, but I'd barely give it a star.

* Fox/Sox/Pox 12m 18 (OS)
Another trade route. Marked, 7m L of Looks Poxable, under wierd rings/staples. Small roof, then a pumpy clip. Pull lip using better pockets on L, then up wall past 3 more RB. Has seen many a factor 1 on the first staple!

* Natasha 12m 22 (TR)
Marked. Surprisingly sustained up through pockets, with no real rest til the break. From 3rd BR, I think it goes up to the sidepull, but I couldn't do it and went up just L instead.

** Looks Poxable 12m 21 (RP)
Excellent. Start 1m R of Natasha. 4 RB. Easily to 3rd, then from L finger pocket, use intermediate pocket out 1m R, to gain R hand crimp, and then good pocket. Match, then back L to good crimp, and up to break, then rings. The best climb I've done here, do it!

* Mental Fatigue 11m 18 (RP)
Climb the flake on bullet-hole wall, L and up. 3BBs, #2 friend, and sling trees at top. A little digression here: when we did Looks Poxable, my leader threaded the rings and lowered off. Meanwhile, some loser came up Mental Fatigue (the rings are about half way betwen the two), and without even asking us, threaded his rope on top of ours! I then seconded Looks Poxable, during which they were weighting their rope (on top of ours) quite regularly. When we finished the climb, a rope inspection showed the sheath had been completely severed, along with 3 out of 12 strands of the core! The jerk may as well have got out a pair of scissors. A little bit of consideration here would have averted a potentially fatal situation, and saved our $300 rope.

Broken Candy 11m 20 (YP)
A warning - has seen a 5m ground fall. Take care of your leader while they clip 2nd BB! Double ropes and/or a friend slightly above the first bolt would be a good idea. Quite sustained, but not worth a star.

* '24' 12m 21 (OS)
Good to the cave. Unfotunately the first bolt should be lower, and the crux can be avoided 1m L (deduct grades and stars if you do). 3m L of PAF. Bouldery start, then up past 2 BB. Big move to break (#2 cam), then easily past cave and 3rd BB to top. Nice.

* Positive Ape Factor 12m 22 (TR)
A one move wonder if ever there was one. Trad gear up corner crack, with some bomber nuts to protect the crux. Set R foot on loose block, R hand finger lock, and crank like a bastard! A very committing move on lead.

Kenneths Climb 10m 14 (YP)
30m R of bullet hole wall. A slabby crack. NP.

* Wall Thing 12m 19 (RP)
Good. Last wall on crag. Up to crack in top of wall. Thumb crank out. 4 BBs NP for TB. To see what this climb looks like, have a look at my photos.

Boundary Rider 12m 18 (YP)
Up wall 1m R of WT.

For a complete description of all Sydney crags, go to the Sydney Rockclimbing Club's on-line Sydney Guide.