The Details: Excellent! Perhaps the best steep bouldering in Sydney. Mr Smilie, now V5, is easily recognisable by the huge jug at about head height in the otherwise smooth overhanging bulging wall. A copy of Peter Balint's excellent Sydney Bouldering Guide will really enhance your visit here, pointing out how many classic problems you've missed!
Access: Head E over the Roseville Bridge, and take the 2nd left (Ryrie Ave), then the first left (Bridgeview Ave). Park at the end, and walk down the path. The crag is on the L as you walk down.
Described L to R.
Graham FairlyBurly / Break to Break V1 (sent)
At far left end, under amazingly steep climb (28?) with chain at lip. Start about 2m left, traverse across to beginning (GF), and then boulder up to horizontal break (BtB), even continue up to next finger pocket if you're keen.
Unnamed climb 12m 28?
I just jumped on this for fun one day, and got spat off almost as quickly. Start as for above V1. Up to break, RB, then 2 finger pocket and big move up L to good jug. Clip RB, with bad feet. Up through small holds in break, to better holds on nose below RB, clip, etc . . .
*** Bill Smith V1
A crag classic, and a good warm-up (once you've warmed up!). About 5m L of Mr Smilie. Sit start well under at the L end of all the jugs. Steeply out to inverted plate-like hold, then swing up to fat flake. To top of flake. Good value.
** Blinky Bill V1
Start at the R end of all the jugs, then traverse L into Bill Smith and up it.
** Short Circuit V3 (sent)
Another alternate start to Bill Smith. Awesome moves but don't pop a tendon! Start at R end of all the jugs way in under there. With L heel hook up next to hands (!!) do a big move out to inverted flake, then another big swing back to BS, joining it at the inverted flake.
*** Mr Smilie V5
Another great problem. Start on the roof down below the big obvious jug in the bulging smooth wall. Out the roof, not using the obvious scoop to the R, but with one facehold very close to it, from which a big move gains the big letterbox jug. Another big move up L to rounded holds. Match, sidle left, and sent.
* The Pillar V1
About 8m R of Mr Smilie. Up the pillar using both sides. (Visible 5m behind us in the photo below).
** Copo Cabana V2 (sent)
Up the R side of The Pillar.
Go Granny Slow V4
5m R of TP. We did this with an extra move at the start by using the slopers at the end of Bongo Slap (a traverse), with a toe out L. R hand up to crimp, then transfer feet around R. Either big move up to top, or use intermediate L hand slopey crimp beside R hand, then more easily. Here's Peter on it. You can tell how "well" he's climbing by how concerned I am about having to spot him!! If you keep your feet low instead of out R as shown, this move is called Go Granny Go, it's a V5.
* The Edge Ladder V2 (sent)
Felt harder to me. Sit start, then L hand up to crimper (painful if you're not warmed up), R foot dropknee to move R hand up to chalk-marked slopey crimper, which is better than it looks. Either bounce R hand to top (unstylish), or more difficult, bring L foot up to insecure heel hook, and L hand over to top.
For a complete description of all Sydney crags and bouldering sites, go to the Sydney Rockclimbing Club's on-line Sydney Guide.
© 2001 Will