THE BIG EASY –
Classic Easy Climbs at Arapiles:
© Hero Fukutu, October 2000
One of the great things about growing old, (and that is not something you often hear said) is that you are forced to do easier climbs, unless you are like the late Dennis Kemp. At some cliffs this can mean an Orpheus like descent into hell, forced to do grungy cracks and manky walls, or worse, slabs. At Arapiles however, it is a descent from out of the clouds of grades and egos into the bright light of perfection. It is like dying and seeing the white lit sign at the end of the tunnel, it is like falling in love with climbing all over again.
But these climbs are not the preserve of those with chalk in their bones, but are available to beginners starting out, to weekend dabblers and to those climbers who just want to experience three star fun.
There is no doubt that the cutting edge of grades in Australian climbing has moved away from Arapiles and there is equally no doubt that one of the mountain's great features is the fantastic nature of its classic climbs. The holds are solid, the rock well fondled and clean, and the gear usually nothing short of brilliant. You can't say you've climbed at Arapiles until you have scurried across the traverse of Bard, stepped over the void on Siren, got lost on Arachnus, or contemplated falling off Agamemnon. And there are many others that should be done.
This is my selection of the must do routes at the mountain. To start the classic tour, I suggest you stop off at Dec Crag, bag Sunny Gully the best and only 1 at the mountain (careful though, it has a hard start), and then duck around the corner and do Hammer 3, a lovely little juggy haul. Now you're ready for easy street.
Note: There has been a tendency for the grade of easy climbs to creep up over the years, perhaps reflecting the fact that people who do guidebooks don't climb as well as they think or that the pioneers of the 60s did.
Tiptoe Ridge 3, 130m, Pinnacle Face, Greg Lovejoy, Steve Craddock, Nov 1963
This leaning pinnacle that gives the face its name is the classic drunken full-moon late night solo (a practice I do not advocate of course) but is equally fantastic in the day. Take a picnic lunch for the top of the pinnacle after which the crux (which can be avoided to the right – facing the cliff) is getting off the back into the notch. After this the third pitch has the best climbing on the route with a nice fourth pitch to finish. The path off the top is now as obvious as a highway but at one time getting lost offered the perfect excuses for clifftop seductions and amorous joy!
Nearby, the first route done at the mountain, Introductory Route 4 170m (finishes up Tiptoe) and Ordinary Trees 6 150m (the right side of the pinnacle finishing also up Tiptoe) offer similar easy long excursions.
Siren 7, 145m, Pinnacle Face, Greg Lovejoy, Steve Craddock, Nov 1963
One of the mountain's great climbs but strangely not as famous as others. Arapiles' 2nd route, done in 1963, Siren is a long rambling route that starts up the right end of the pinnacle face before stepping onto the left of the Watchtower face and finishing up a mini-Watchtower Crack like corner.
After two pitches up a line and crack on the Pinnacle face you reach the top of a pedestal that forms the left edge of the Left Watchtower. A committing step across the chimney/gully has you thinking you've strayed onto a much harder climb ("Oh my god! I'm on Cecelia!") but gets you onto the face, and then a long rising traverse takes you to the base of the classic corner on the fourth pitch.
Arachnus 9 105m, The Watchtower, Ian Speedie, Rob McQuilkin, Nov 1964
A few years ago I sent a friend up here with a little dance and the words, 'it’s a good solo'. Despite being pretty solid on 22+ climbs the exceptional exposure of Arachnus played it magic on him and he had to get a rope thrown to him.
If you've ever wondered where the jugs from your new climb went then this is the answer, they've all migrated here. This is a fantastic route, following solid holds up a major feature, the eponymous buttress that separates the Watchtower faces. From the belays you can stare across at these sweeping slabs rushing beneath your feet like tsunamis onto a Japanese fishing village.
And just before you get complacent there is a little move through a slight bulge up high where you might be wishing you too could call for a rope.
Agamemnon 10 40m, The Atridae, Ian Speedie, Mike Stone, 1964
A great climb on a warm day. Up to a point you feel quite sheltered in the deep dark gully. This point however is the last move. The first pitch is a nice scramble up into the back of the gully. And the second pitch starts nicely enough, chimney up, place a friend, swing onto wall. Place another runner, look up at where you're headed. Look down at your belayer with a quizzical expression?
Agamemnon's grade is almost useless, the surprisingly flexible Ewbank grading system just can't contort into quite the position needed without ripping tendons. True, technically the climbing is easy, however when you've done the unique walk towards the light at the top of the chimney and you're facing the final chimney/bridge move you tend to feel like you've just stood up in school without your pants on.
While you sit there, feet on one wall and back on the other, sweaty palms pressed firmly against rock, it is a good time to survey the plains below you, and if you look down, far below the clouds you can see your last runner. Sure, it's a good one, and you wont die, but ….
Brolga 16 100m, Right Watchtower Face, Keith Lockwood, Andrew Bowman, June 1975
I'm not sure there is a better climb at Arapiles than Brolga. It is one of the most aptly named climbs I have ever done. Like the bird it's long, thin, elegant and graceful. Climbing Brolga is a moonlight trumpeting dance of joy.
In the middle of the Right Watchtower Face the climb is three pitches of superbly thin yet do-able slab climbing, on good but small and sparse gear and equally good but small holds. If there is a nicer place to be on a calm autumn day, that does not involve a member of a gender required for your sexual preference, then my life has all been wrong.
Spiral Staircase 8 95m, The Pharos, Greg Lovejoy, Steve Craddock, Nov 1963
One of the qualities of easy climbs at Arapiles is their varied nature, both from each other and in themselves. Spiral is a classic example. There are few climbs this easy that take in such wonderful territory, in such varied ways. There is the oh so long first pitch up the nose, which though easy is no jug haul. Then there is a little chimney gully and short wall to the large ledge perched high in space over the front of the Pharos and the void (as in bowels). It is over this void that an intricate little move (5?) steps as you frantically pull up onto easy ground. Just to keep the action up the last part has another step across space before a little wall to the belay. Take in the view, savour the experience. The abseil off the back of the Pharos is the most scary thing at Arapiles, and probably the most dangerous. And the other way down is not much better.
There are also two good variants to the first two pitches of Spiral, both taking corners up the right hand side of the front face; The Shroud 10 105m and its sibling line (to the R) Samos 10 100m.
Eskimo Nell 10 109m, Dunes Buttress, John Moore, Chris Dewhirst, Chris Baxter, Laurie Beesley, August 1968
She's not that cold when you get to know her. On a hot day this, and the climb next door, Dunes 9 100m, offer some of the best long shaded routes around. On a winter's day though, only an idiot would venture up here.
Another of the Mount's beautifully varied routes, with 5 different pitches to keep you interested. From its spacious ledges you can look out at the crowds baking their brains on the Organ Pipes and thank your lucky stars you got up early. Some days you do have to queue. But Nell is worth the wait.
Syrinx 10 170m, Tiger Wall, Bruce Hocking, Mike Stone, Oct 1964
There is one school of thought that says a classic should also be a classic line. With the nature of Arapiles there are few contenders, Watchtower Crack being one example. Syrinx definitely fits into this category. Its stands tall on Tiger Wall, a long corner line curving at the top like the scythe of the Grim Reaper.
And yet Syrinx offers surprisingly easy climbing up this grand corner, avoiding the chimney in its heart. From up high you can look down on the ants at play in the boulder fields, unencumbered by ropes, gear and such things. They don't know what they're missing.
The Bard 12 120m, Bard Buttress, Jim Newlands, Bruce Hocking, March 1965
Of all the three star routes at the mountain, easily the most coveted, ascended and lauded would have to be the Bard, always with the superlative 'the immortal'. Like the dude from Shrewsbury this climb has stood the test of time. Tackling the most impressive buttress at the mountain, it was an amazing climb for when it was done, with three pitons and a hemp rope. And it is still incredible with a rack of cams and sticky boots.
Like the first ascentionists you too will be scuttling over the traverses that weave the way up the buttress, racking your brains for that quote from Othello (which inspired the name) about 'too too portly flesh' melting, wishing you were a bit lighter, a bit stronger, a bit less exposed.
Do the climb, read the man, drink some wine, enjoy life to its fullest.
Lamplighter 14 78m, The Pharos, Reg Williams, Chris Baxter, Chris Dewhirst, John Moore, Sept 1965.
I must confess that I've never understood why this climb was given such a prosaic name. It is an incredible conception, skillfully avoiding the hardest steepest parts of the dark back of the Pharos, before an implausible scuttle around the final roof that hangs deep over the notch behind the buttress. (I'm sure you could tunnel out the back!)
The climb is never dull, and you need to stay awake, if only to find the right way. I've watched instructional groups struggle across Judgement Day 19 after getting lost, and watched one climber prussic up to his companions after coming off following and spinning out into space, free from the rock. It doesn't just look steep. Or spare a thought for a young Graham Jones, thirding his father Eric across the last pitch with no runners in, and falling off.
There are few better places for an adventure on a warm day. On the back of the Pharos, no one can here you scream…
Muldoon 13 42m, The Atridae, Peter Jackson, Reg Williams, Sept 1965
Despite being only two short pitches Muldoon's jug fest does not feel lacking. This is a delightful romp up a steep arete in the Atridae, close to camp, and generally user friendly. Though you can never quite convince yourself it is happening, every time you reach up, there is a jug! And another! …. Does climbing get any better than this?
Blockbuster 11 30m, The Bluffs, Reg Williams, Rob Taylor, Oct 1964
There are few easy climbs up on the imposing Bluffs that dominate Arapiles yet this one is exceptional, an exquisite groove in a truly remarkable position. To cap off the experience you have the added fillip of standing on a summit, a worthwhile (but not fashionable recently) part of climbing.
Enjoy the view. Take time to imagine what these Wimmera plains would have been like before the coming of Major Mitchell and the white invaders. There would have been a sea of trees to the horizon.
Then you can abseil down the Missing Link wall at the back and plan for your next ascent of the mighty Bluffs.
Resignation 15 96m, Tiger Wall, Daryl Carr, Jerry Grandage, Ann Pauligk, April 1966
There are probably not enough superlatives to describe this outstanding climb that dares to crack the hard shell of Tiger Wall. Despite its relatively low grade it has more excitement than climbs twice the number, with a third pitch that climbs a very exposed, overhanging and run-out wall.
An exceptional climb that should be on everyone's hit list this year, regardless of age, ability or ego. Have fun, but don't say you weren't warned..
The Organ Pipes.
It seems silly to single out routes in this very popular (and rightfully) so area. There are so many fine easy climbs here: the delicate slab move Piccolo 11; the beginner's classic with a sting in the tail, regardless of which way you go, Diapason 7; the two interesting pitches of Libretto 17; the unsung classic of Keyboard 8; the thrilling D-Major 9 and the intricate Hornpiece 13. As well there is the highly-rated D-Minor 14 and slightly further up the hill to the right are the two superb jamming pitches of Toccata 14 and the refined Beautiful Possibilities 15. The area is to beginner's climbs what Taipan Wall isn't. But it can be very noisy and crowded as a result.
The Best of the Rest:
I have barely scratched the surface of classic easy routes at Arapiles. Here are some runners up.
Mitre Rock
There are a surprising amount of good easy climbs at Mitre Rock, and I'm not talking about the two walls that get top roped to death by instructional groups. On every raw beginner's ticklist is the twin crack wonder of Exodus 6 36m. Nearby, though less well known and not as solid, is Cloaca 6 30m, and next to this, as you would expect, The Parson's Nose 8. Around the corner Penny Dreadful 10 40m, Witch Hunt 14 40m and The Archbishop 11 40m all offer nice climbing. On the opposite side of Mitre, in deep shade on hot days, are two unsung classics that are both quite exciting, The Bishop 11 48m and The Serpent 11 43m.
Northern Group
Far from the madding crowd, there are a number of excellent routes in the Northern Group, and they are not even that far away. On one wall there is the excellent corner and crack system of Beau Geste 10 136m, and right next door is the only slightly worse BA Mosquito/Tale of Woe Connection 9 130m. On the same wall is the superb Harlequin Cracks 12 80m, a great V-corner that unfortunately is now often home to killer pigeons (Peregrine Falcons). If you are one of those sick funsters who enjoy squeezing your body into places the Good Lord never meant them to go then on the same wall the chimney of Salami 11 83m is for you.Up on Echo crag there is not too much for the easy grader, with the exception of the tremendous corner and arete of Touchstone 14 60m and the more difficult terrain of the prow of Nativity 16 36m.
Tiger Wall
There are a number of good easier climbs that ascend Tiger Wall, other than Resignation. Phoenix 11 98m and Kestrel 12 50m both offer long beautiful bridging corners down low. The former climb joins another classic Arapiles ramble, one that in 1963 was the first climb to tackle Tiger Wall (a 'tiger' was an old expression for a hard climber); The Eighth 9 100m. A more serious proposition is Kaiser 15 108m.
On the little Castle Crag in front of Tiger Wall are two of Arapiles most ascended classic easy climbs, the delightful step to the left of Trapeze 11 20m and the route it shares a bolt with, Swinging 17 20m.
The Watchtower Faces
There are so many great easy routes up the slabby Watchtower faces. All offer similar climbing, following weakness and runners and all are lots of fun. On the Left Face there are Hot Flap 14 170m, Sundance 14 142m, and the Watchtower Chimney 12 111m. Right of the Watchtower Crack 16 95m are Salamander 14 115m, Mantle 14 87m and Panzer 12 95m. And for something completely different, back towards camp on the Pinnacle Face is the grand chimney of The Protégé 12 50m and in Pharos Gully is the novelty Long Hair and Great Coats 12 35m.