Mt Rosea

The Hidden Gem: The whole place - no matter how much they rave about a route, it always ends up better than you expect! Sun/shade: Morning sun Wet weather options: No. Style & Length of Climbs: Multi-pitch trad up to about 120m. Rock type: Bullet-hard sandstone. Being fairly fractured it makes for stacks of crack moves and middling-grade routes up amazingly steep territory - but also makes for the odd loose block so take care. Available Grades; Best Grades: 8-26; 15-23 The Details: Definitely the best crag I’ve visited in the Gramps. Great rock, beautiful situation, and big classics everywhere! The Ascension, Fringe Dweller, Heretic, Debutante, etc etc - classics all. Access: Descent(s): Some routes rap off (either single pitch or multi-pitch abseils), but most routes top out. For these, walk L (S) along the clifftop and down the Giant Stairway - a remarkably rapid descent for such a large crag. Described L to R. Tourist Buttress viewed from the 3rd belay of Debutante. The Ascension (21) follows the main arete before trending L around that big roof which is about 70m off the deck . . .

Tourist Buttress - a fairly crappy view from the south showing most of the 120m buttress. The incredible third pitch of Ascension finishes at that tree poking out of the cave.

* Martin Eden 115m 19 (OS)
Very over rated. It's a shame I have to start with the worst route I've done at Rosea! 1) (35m 16) A rubbishy start. 2) (* 45m 19) 3) (** 40m 17) A great pitch...shame about the climbing to get here.

Martin Eden starts at bottom left. Pitch 1 finishes at far right under the orange roof. Pitch 3 finishes up the notch just left of the largest roof up high.

*** The Ascension 95m 21 (OS)
MEGA Classic! THE best route I've done in Victoria. 1) (*** 45m 21) A dicky move off the boulder is protected only by a shitty RP. Step up to a good cam then to base of gorgeous orange corner. Sustained climbing up the corner with the crux being 3-5m below the roof. Step R around roof and up V-corner, a baffling stemming move awaits but it's easy enough and leads to big jugs on the sharp arete. 6m up jugs to wonderful belay ledge. 2) (* 10m 15) Step down and traverse L to arete, then up just L of arete over small bulge to small ledge/stance. 3) (*** 40m 20) Simply incredible climbing for 25m up the twin cracks and the arete in an amazing position 50-75m off the deck. I was happy with the pro although an alien in a horizontal at about 5m and a #1Fr for the pitch-crux at 15m were pretty important. An unbelievably good pitch. Rap 40m off chains down L of the arete, then another 40m off a tree.

Me low on the crux corner. I'd seen lots of photos of people stemming up this corner, but I actually didn't find a single decent stemming stance, so I was pumped before I even got to the crux!

The first move of the crux - I was too pumped to place gear or even clip the fixed wire so I just went for it, there's a good #1Fr just near my left hand so just charging through this section to the roof was a good option. Notice the lovely thin corner of The Prescription (22) on the R of this photo.

Just for good measure....a view of Ben seconding me and proving there is the odd stem.

A shot showing me in the v-chimney high on the first pitch. Note the beautiful walls above, and the stunning arete at top left.

Two views from Heretic's 3rd belay of me nearing the end of the main difficulties on the superb 3rd pitch.

Same angle, this time showing more of the arete. Bear in mind that there's 40m worth of climbing out of shot both above and below!

** RIP Corner 25m 18 (OS)
A very good first pitch. Bring small cams, unless you enjoy fiddling with hexes in parallel cracks, and then pulling a desperate tips layback! Slightly delicate to place gear off the obvious hold, then committing through thin section on fantastic rock (crux), to another slightly delicate stance, and then onwards more easily and up to the tree. Rap 25m off tree. (Pitch 2 is reportedly wandery, ordinary and 17ish. A tree at the R end of the 2nd belay ledge allows a 25m rap to the pitch 1 belay tree).

RIP Corner (18) - me pulling the crux tips layback

*** The Last Rites 117m 19 (OS)
Just another super dooper Rosea mega classic.

The central section of Rosea, with the start and finish of The Last Rites indicated, while Tourist Buttress is at far left and Debutante is at far right.

Ben starts up the mega combo 2nd/3rd pitch of The Last Rites.

*** Debutante 117m 15 (OS)
A really great route, with an awesomely exposed final belay on a tiny pedestal hanging 90m off the deck. 1) (* 24m 14) Tricky off the deck, traverse R to great bridging up corner, and then follow the right hand line (directly behind ROb's helmet in the photo below) to traverse line. Step UP and foot traverse (to hand traverse is about 18) to great ledge and chains. 2) (** 36m 15) Up long steep corner 4m L of arete (visible in photo below) with a sustained section through about half height. Belay either at first trees, behind the detached pinnacle (shade) or (recommended) mantle/chimney/humph up to airy belay on top of pinnacle. 3) (* 15m 14) From pinnacle, step up and slightly R to wonderful airy bridging up open corner on arete, past some hollow rock. Step left to belay on shady ledge at base of corner. 4) (*** 27m 14) Kickarse! Toddle up slabby corner, and step R as it steepens. Laybacking and bridging leads to thread, then do a grrrreat traverse under roof to arete. Belay here on little stool with adequate pro and phenomenal exposure, or (for pikers) continue up to secluded ledge. 5) (* 15m 11) Easy airy finish up groove slightly L of recess.

Debutante (15) - Rob and I chillin' on the great 1st belay ledge

Debutante (15) - Rob on pitch 1. Debutante (15) - all smiles at the top out!

West Australians enjoying the first pitch of Debutante.

*** Heretic 117m 17 (OS)
A great route, steep all the way. Start at faintly initialled "S", 24m R of Debutante, at wide crack immediately L of small tree. 1) (** 24m 17) A good pitch after the start. Surprisingly tricky up wide crack past vegetation to great thread at 10m. Step up into orange V-corner, with some lovely stemming positions leading to an awkward step L to a stance below steep bulge. Funky steep moves lead over the bulge (apparently can be done at 15, but it was at least 17 the way I did it!), then easily to ledge. Move 4m L to belay, or continue up p2. 2) (*** 23m 17) A great pitch up a surprising corner, with jugs, crimps, slopers, pinches, fingerlocks, jams and every other imaginable type of hold. The moves are consistent at the grade, continuous, and awesome. Save some #1-1.5 Frs for the belay 4m L of the corner. Otherwise you’ll be stuck with an ok belay off microwires, but located directly below the massive loose blocks above. 3) (* 24m 17) Step L and pull strenuously up flake. At 5m, move R into main corner, taking extreme care not to dislodge the massive loose blocks directly above your belayer (you can entirely avoid touching them with a bit of effort). A few steep layback moves lead into easier stemming up the nice steep corner, then step L to great belay ledge (#3.5-4Frs handy). 4) (*** 23m 17) Another wonderful pitch. Scramble onto top of block, then pull over bulge onto steep juggy wall in a magnificent position. Trend up L on massive jugs to stance below thin v-crack. Up groove for a move (microwire), then step R to faceholds on hanging slab, a magnificent and exposed position 80m off the deck. Beautiful moves up slab past another microwire, then trend R at bulge to corner. Up corner on jugs then great move left to surmount bulge, finish on slopers to belay. 5) (* 23m 16) Another good pitch. Step R from belay then trend L above belay to nice corner above. Delicate stemming and smearing leads to a lovely final move.

Here's a worm's eye view of me onsighting the magnificent second pitch corner.

Another arse shot, this time of a climber (wearing yellow) starting the 4th pitch.

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