Tiger Wall

The Word: Some good sections amongst the oceans of mossy jugs.
Sun/shade: Sun until mid-late afternoon.
Wet weather options: No, although most of No Future would withstand light rain.
Style & Length of Climbs: 25-120m (1-4 pitch) face and crack routes.
Available Grades; Best Grades: 10-27

The Details: The biggest routes at Araps. On the left end of the wall, the rooves running diagonally up and across from Eagle Cleft generally make routes inconsistent - easy and slabby otherwise. There is the odd gem though. Further right the corners of Phoenix, Yo-Yo etc all look good.

Access: 3-5min walk from the Pines

Descent(s): Several routes have rap anchors (often requiring 2 ropes). Routes on the left half of the wall top out onto Flinders Lane (the big ledge below the Bluffs). Walk left (SE) along Flinders Lane towards Bard, where it ends in a slippery ramp leading down into a narrow cave (the massive deathfall down left into Eagle Cleft is easily avoided, but take care). Squeeze through the cave to pop out behind John's Pinnacle and below the impressive Denim Wall. Wander 270 degrees anti-clockwise around John's Pinnacle to the rap chains above Ali's (40m). Routes on the right half of the wall (ie the choss routes! Plus Syrinx) go all the way to the top - descent requires walking all the way back R (NW) along the top to the dirt road, 50m L along the road, then back L down the Central Gully track (marked to "Centenary Park").

Tiger Wall
Araps L

The Bard wanders up about 5-10m left of the major vertical chasm (Eagle Cleft). Some tiny people can be seen at bottom left, and the square-ish block at the top right is Bluff Major.
Tiger Wall, Mt Arapiles

Bard Buttress on L, Tiger Wall, with Castle Crag at bottom right. Bard Buttress, Mt Arapiles

Described L to R.

* Fall Out 30m 23 (TR)
Sustained, with lots of really quite strange moves around the grade, and amazingly non-obvious route finding - gets a star just for being so different to other Araps routes!!! Takes the rounded bulging R arete of Eagle Cleft, just R of Bard. A guano encrusted crack marks the way through the first roof, then trend up L for 8m to a layback flake. Follow this for a few metres but don't leave it too late to break across R for 4m (going straight up the layback flake looks impossible!), which is very insecure to start. A good flake leads through the bulge to an undercling line leading 10m up L, with really quite strange moves - excellent for a change of scene! The DRB are a 5m traverse back R once you're through the final bulge.

Fall Out - Rog gradually working out where it goes.
Bizarre climb

** The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly 20 100m (OS)
2 good pitches, both with very feisty cruxes. Has seen serious falls and at least one death so be sure to do everything right - be particularly aware of the outward pull on your pro when you top out on p1. Starts about 30m R of FO, at a crack leading to the first weakness in the major diagonal rooves. 1) (* 34m 20) up short slab into crack, then surprisingly tricky through mossy bulge. Nice easy crack above leads up to top overhang. Lace it up with pro, then a few big sidepull moves and the odd stem gains bigger holds for the topout. 2) (* 16m 20) Slot a high #4Fr off the belay, then step up into the steep crack from the R via a juggy pocket. Compulsory jambing crux moves up the crack to easier territory, with nice climbing up the cracks above to the belay. 50m rap.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Mark tops out above the feisty crux on pitch 1, happy to be belaying below the trench of pitch 2 above!
And you ain't seen nuthin yet!

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Mark above the even more feisty crux of pitch 2!! Note pitch 1 starts at top left
what a line!

** No Future 25m 21 (OS)
Surprisingly good, but demanding. Sees more than its share of groundfalls. And with several sustained sections at the grade, and the gear usually being in the middle of tricky moves, I can see why. However, the gear is really very good, so get your endurance up and take the time to place it properly and you'll be fine. Twin seams offer good sidepulling but few feet, up to a good bulge. An incredibly delicate step R above the bulge (apparently its possible to step R below the bulge) leads to sustained steep moves up the nose before stepping back L into the final seam, where the climbing finally eases for a few metres to the DRB.

** Resignation 95m 14 (OS)
Great climbing until the last 30m. 1) (* 35m 12) Nice climbing on great rock up the rib for 25m, then easier ground leads up and left to chains. 2) (* 15m 14) A great pitch. Gutsy off the ledge above the belay, then good gear up the beautiful orange wall through great steep moves to the belay niche. 3) (** 45m 14) Traverse out R to exposure, then excellent up overhung jugs in a great position. From the lip, if you trend R up the wall it’s not a great conclusion – perhaps trending back L into the gully is better.

** Kestrel 80m 12 (YP)
A nice climb, with the added bonus of offering either (a) a quick 50m rap descent, or (b) a quick access to Flinders Lane, especially if the hordes are queuing up on Ali's! 1) (** 56m 12) Takes a while to get good but the top half has very pleasant steep stemming which goes for a long way. If you have a 50m rope, get your belayer to stand up on the recessed ledge so you can reach the chains. Rap 50m, or: 2) (24m 6) A roped scramble diagonally up & L to belay in bushy gully. Walk up it 25m to Flinders Lane.

*** Syrinx 170m 10 (OS)
Really good the whole way. Do it in 4 pitches. 1) (** 40m 10) Climb the wall, staying 2-3m L of the major chimney which eventually leads up to the triple stepped rooves at the top of Tiger Wall. Nice moves and plenty of gear. 2) (*** 35m 10) Straight up the thin slab (not the corner on the L) for 15m before gaining a small ledge (PR). Step up L onto lovely steep exposed arete which leads to ledge below major corner. Step R across the wedged fridge-sized block (sounds suss, take care) onto the easy slab and up briefly to an obvious belay ledge. 3) (** 50m 9) Massive jugs for 35m diagonally up and R the whole way to the far end of the first roof. Punch up the lovely steep rib of rock through the bulge on big jugs to an obvious belay ledge above. 4) (* 45m 8) Walk easily L 20m to a few moves up onto the next ledge. Walk L another 15m to a beautiful exposed finish, traversing L on big jugs 130m off the deck. A safe & easy walk/scramble leads back up and R for 80m to the top. From here, Ali's is back and L, but it's quicker to walk down the Central Gully track (bring walking shoes), which you find by walking back and R to the dirt road, from where the track is signposted to "Centenary Park".

Kestrel - What is it they say about mad dogs and Englishmen? The mad dog must be out in the midday sun on belay, because this Englishman is in the shade! A pleasant stemming pitch, not exactly a classic, but worth doing (even if only as one of the quickest routes up Tiger Wall to Flinders Lane).
Kestrel, Mt Arapiles