Curiosity Crag

The Details:With the best routes in the grade 22-26 bracket this crag will be of limited interest to lower grade climbers. However if you climb 23 it's possible to have a great time here. Was badly burned in Oct '03 by a Vicparks "controlled burn".

Curiosity Crag as viewed from Harrop Track. Tarzan Swing is marked, as are the Slander Gully cliffs and Mt Pox.

Access: 2 or 20min walk. 20mins if you park on Harrop Track and walk up, 2 mins if the Waterwork track gates are open and you can drive up. For Waterworks Track, drive 2.9km N from the junction with Glenelg River Rd, where you'll cross a low wooden bridge over a small creek (which comes out of Slander Gully), then ~150m further on turn sharply back R up a short road. (2WD should probably park at the bottom). 100m up here is a flat turning circle (and 100m further on is good swimming in the creek), from the flat turning circle a cairn marks the start of the track which leads 150m uphill into the 3 sided amphitheatre. If the Waterworks gate is locked, it's hard to describe where to park on Harrop track, but it's about 1.5km N of Gilham's, at a locked gate across a rough car track. Walk past gate and up rough car track for 6-8mins to Waterwork track. Turn L (N) and follow the road round the hillside for about 10mins until you reach the wooden bridge and as above. Axe Wall is the steep imposing 35m wall forming the left side of the amphitheatre.

Sticky Beak 12m 17 (OS)
The short buttress 10m downhill from BPD, split by a groove/crack for the top half. A resounding thumbs down from me. Dodgy gear for the committing crux move into the crack, which isn't that great anyway. Walk off the back.

* I'm Black and I'm Proud 12m 20 (OS)
An alternate second pitch to BPD. Clip the bolt on BPD P2 then up the L side of the pale central streak direct through top bulge, swing R to top out. Tonnes of pro.

Me halfway up on the first ascent.

Me finishing the nice top bulge on the first ascent.

Michael seconds the first ascent.

* Bug Powder Dust 25m 18 (OS) 1) (12m 17) Up a narrow black slab with surprisingly tricky moves past 2 bolts and some cams. 2) (* 13m 18) Pull through bulge past bolt off ledge then up a few metres to traverse R to the nice airy arete. Up sustained flake and arete. Here's Tim seconding Neil on BPD. Note IBaIP goes through the bulge just this side of them, and the black slabs of Slander Gully in the background.

* The Generator Route 12m 22 (OS) The short orange wall just R of BPD P1, leading to the same belay. Apart from the committing first clip, it's a delightful little thing past 3FH and lotsa lovely reachy thin moves. I thought it was soft 22 but perhaps it suited me cause others didn't. Adam cruises up the onsight of The Generator Route

Screaming Trees Variant 12m 21 (OS)
Starts a few metres R of TGR, just L of a big crack. Nice moves up to the break, then traverse off left to the ledge (the original blasts up the awesome wall above at 26).

James onsights Screaming Trees Variant

Steve on his penultimate lap before snagging the FA of Screaming Trees (** 26). The Generator Route goes up about 3m L of him. IBaIP and BPD are visible L again.

Steve looks good on the crux of Screaming Trees....before the foothold snapped. It went next go though.

*** Careful with that Axe, Liam 35m 23 (RP)
An outstanding route up the proudest section of the crag. The 8m start goes past 2 FH and through some sandy rock but it's not a problem. A sit down rest here is crucial, then motor up the incredible 15m sustained wall above past about 5 more FH. Some ok rests help for the 21/22 trad section above (small cams, med wires), to the final bulge (lie down rest available). Bring some long slings to extend gear out of the break here to protect the clip of the FH on the bulge, then some really fun dynamic steep moves lead up L past the FH to the top out.

Here's Michael just getting to the crux of Liam, which hits you after about 12m of 22-ish climbing!

Michael about to swing up through the last hard moves of Liam, with me watching on.

Adam roars up this awesome expanse of gorgeous coppery/gold rock, to snag the onsight of Liam

Adam cranks out the steep finish of Liam

* Tarzan's Swing 12m 22 (OS)
The steeply overhanging arete on the gully side of the crag. Thin wall past carrot then scooped arete past RBs with plenty of heel work and plenty of pump! Careful of the trees when lowering off.

Me onsighting Tarzan's Swing on a wet day.

Marie topropes up Tarzan Swing in 37C heat

* Densei 12m 24 (L)
The next line of bolts R of TS. Stick clip of 1st bolt recommended. Slap up L then an awkward mantle gans the ledge. The technical and powerful crux is just above the ledge, past the 3rd bolt, but steep climbing continues until a sit down rest in a scoop at 2 thirds height. The final few metres get quite difficult, with the clip of the DRB reportedly desperate and some have resorted to lowering off the last bolt! (Perhaps preclip the DRB from above).

Nathan wings off Densei

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© 2003 Will