Organ Pipes  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  954. Good page?    Administrator:  Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Byron Murray on Mar 23, 2008 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Great views of Hobart, I wish I had this place in ...

Description 

Climbing on The Pipes is serious. Occasional loose rock, complex route finding and a sense of exposure heightened by the kilometre drop down to sea level all contribute to a wilderness adventure. As Phil Robinson said in the 1981 edition:
"In terms of mileage of routes, skinned knuckles, expenditure of effort and annual traffic, the Organ Pipes is the major focus of climbing activity in Tasmania."
This is still true today. Yet all this fun is just 20 minutes from the centre of the city.

A number of separate buttresses up to 120m high of vertical dolerite, typically in columns. The rock is very compact, though there is surface exfoliation in places due to bushfires. Large blocks that look precariously stacked are mostly just that. Be especially wary in spring, as frost action is instrumental in loosening previously solid blocks. Vegetation has crept back onto the less frequented routes and may need gentle gardening as you go. For more information check out www.thesarvo.com or Climb Tasmania A Selected Best Guide by Gerry Narkowicz.

Getting There 

An access track to the bottom of the Pipes starts at the end of the small parking bay on the LH side of the road 2.7 km past the Springs.
Parking can be a bit of a pain. The parking bay can accommodate five cars at a squeeze IF cars are parked perpendicular to the road but at weekends it fills up rapidly and you are left with the alternatives of creative parking on the verge - not recommended - or parking at the Springs or the Chalet (ample parking but a longer walk), or parking at the summit and walking down. There have also been some cases of theft from cars so be warned: don't leave anything valuable in your car that might attract thieves.
From the LH end of the parking bay, a definite track leads straight up the hill through a boulder field to meet the Organ Pipes Track

The Classics

Featured Route For Organ Pipes

Centaur 5.9  International : Australia : ... : Northern Buttress

A Pipes classic. This fine direct line starts midway between Pegasus and The Chasm. Climb up on face holds to foot of a black groove, and continue straight up the ever steepening crack past chockstone (crux) just below the belay at top....[more]   Browse More Classics in International