Will's Rock Climbing Page > Crags > AU > Vic > The Grampians > Mt Stapylton Amphitheatre > Northern Walls Last updated: Mar '05

Mt Stapylton Amphitheatre - Northern Walls

The Word: A cool shady distraction.
The Crag Classic(s): Trident, I spose
The Hidden Gem: TBA
Best Season(s): Spring, Summer, Autumn. Winter is cold but probably doable - but with Hollow Mountain and Summer Day basking in the sun you wouldn't bother coming here to freeze your butt off in the shade.
Wet weather options: No. Plus seepage after rain is quite slow to dry.
Rock type: Run-of-the-mill vertical grey Grampians sandstone, it's fairly solid but nowhere near as good as Taipan! As always, treat the ubiquitous grey bollards with caution - they can and do snap off.
Style & Length of Climbs: Vertical trad, with a few bolts.
Available Grades: 14-26
Descent(s): Walk 30m R from the top of Trident to rap chains (around a tree!).

Guidebook(s): You need several - and even then you inevitably won't have all the info!! They are: Northern Grampians (Andrews, 1990?) pages 174-198; Northern Grampians Update (Andrews, 1994?) pages 25-34; Grampians Select (Mentz & Tempest 1998); pages 28-59; Grampians New Routes (VCC/Monteith 2003 - online) page 2-3; Stapylton Amphitheatre (Loughran 1997?).
The Details: The Amphitheatre has a lot of climbing in a small area, of which these north west walls are the smallest cliffs, but with a handful of worthwile routes. You'd be better off walking past until you've done the much more impressive routes further around the amphitheatre!
Access: Park at the Flat Rock carpark. 5-8min walk up to the rim of the amphitheatre via Flat Rock. After walking up Flat Rock, continue along the tourist trail beneath Epsilon Wall, and down into the amphitheatre until it flattens out in the middle of the amphitheatre. From here a climber's trail breaks off L uphill to the Northern Walls. 15mins total walk.

The view from the Southern Tip of Flat Rock. Epsilon Wall at bottom left, Northern Walls in the centre beneath the summit of Mount Wudjub-Guyan (Hollow Mountain), and Central Buttress at far right
Take me there...now!

Described L to R, facing the cliff.

A view of the Amphitheatre from the other direction, from below Lower Taipan Wall.
Mt Stapylton Amphitheatre

** Trident 40m 14 (OS)
Airy, with nice climbing, but by gawd the rock is ugly! My first time on this I didn't rate it at all, however a recent repeat has seen my assessment improve considerably. The jug hauling on the top half in particular is excellent. Unfortunately it's quality is often affected by seepage. Up the tricky little face just right of corner, it's not too bold if you take a #4Fr and a #1Fr, however it is very hard for the grade with lots of holds broken off. 16 wouldn't be unreasonable IMO! At the stance step L onto the overhung L wall, traverse up left along the break, to airy moves up the steep black groove. A belay is possible at a stance on the left, but not essential if you extend gear through this easier middle section. Move R to wide groove, and swing steeply up it on plenty of buckets but also nice moves. Large pro not required on this section if you keep your eyes open. Roped traverse 30m R to the rap tree.

Nicola starts up the second half of Trident.
Take me there...now!

Me leading off on pitch 2 of Trident - pleasant, but hardly a classic!
Trident

Da Boys havin' fun in the sun! Check the sizes of those grins! This is at the top of Taipan Wall, looking back over the Amphitheatre, with Northern Walls left of the major chasm, and Central Buttress to the R.
Stapylton Amphitheatre

More Internet Sites on Stapylton Climbing

Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) go here to check for new routes, and/or upcoming trips to this area.
Bureau of Meteorology Navigate to "Wimmera" - Horsham's weather is the closest.
Australian Maps Enter "Reservoir" as the road and "Laharum" as the suburb (and Victoria as the state).
Chockstone has several good pics of Taipan.
Onsight Photography The first 15 or so Grampians shots are from Stapylton.
Parks Victoria Grampians National Park information, downloadable maps, etc.
Parks Victoria Education Resource Kit A fascinating explanation of Grampians climate, geology, wildlife, vegetation, soils, history, park management, and visitor impacts.
TheCrag.com As always. Record your Stapylton ticks here, and see what everyone else is climbing.

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