Anyone Have Recommendations For The Blue Mountains? (AUS)

Alan Rubin wrote:

Following up on Sam's comment on Nowra camping. We stayed at the campsite across from Thompson!s Point, did the canoe rental thing, and agree that it is a PITA, but works....This led to a tipped canoe and unplanned swim in the Shoalhaven --and the next few hours attempting to dry ourselves and our gear---not a recommended way to spend your day!!!!

There's a lot of climbing gear at the bottom of the Shoalhaven River from canoe capsizes!

Don't sleep on the Grotto side (north side of the river). The routes are a bit more scattered compared to Thompsons but there are some total classics.

Blade Flake, Belgian Tourists Wall, Alien Space Monsters, Spinning Blades, Iceman. Worm On A Razor is a chossfest but it's a hell of a line. Conehead and the Barbituates (the guidebook cover route) if you're an 8a climber.

So no need to canoe to Thompson's Point?

Sam M wrote:

There's a lot of climbing gear at the bottom of the Shoalhaven River...

Might be worth buying some snorkeling gear & a pair flippers. We can call it a rest day activity 

Interesting, though not all surprising, that we weren't the first to involuntarily 'swim' in the Shoalhaven!!!! Being aware of all the 'unfriendly' critters in Australian waters, as well as in land, we definitely didn't stay immersed for very long!!! Fortunately all our gear was either on our persons or contained in our packs which we recovered ( I was wearing mine and being in the bow, I wasn't fully 'dunked'), so didn't 'contribute' to the collection of gear on the bottom.

Though I understand that it is a bit of a roundabout drive, I definitely suggest the overland approach to Thompson's. We were only there parts of 2 days, and being only modest level climbers, Thompson's made the most sense for us. We particularly enjoyed the routes Vanderholics and Orca--both 10s.

Jeremy L wrote:

So no need to canoe to Thompson's Point?

Driving to the top used to be worse, but there's been a bunch of development in the last 15 years or so. It used to be all dirt roads, a rubbish dump, and unused land (and you could camp) now about 50% is asphalt, you go past a new community college campus, and some fancy houses. Definitely no camping now unfortunately, the residents of the fancy houses will call the cops on you.

Again, thanks for the beta. Looking forward to climbing in Australia. Cheers!

My wife and I will be coming to the Blue Mountains for the month of September. Super excited! We rented a reasonably priced airBNB in Blackheath. Looks like the climbing is pretty concentrated in that area? We're definitely looking for routes from easy (5.10 and under) to 13b/c. Is it easy to bounce around for those grades, or certain crags that cater to that range? Can we expect a lot of rain during September, and if so do the steeper routes stay dry?

Pandy Fackler wrote:

My wife and I will be coming to the Blue Mountains for the month of September. Super excited! We rented a reasonably priced airBNB in Blackheath. Looks like the climbing is pretty concentrated in that area? We're definitely looking for routes from easy (5.10 and under) to 13b/c. Is it easy to bounce around for those grades, or certain crags that cater to that range? Can we expect a lot of rain during September, and if so do the steeper routes stay dry?

Blackheath is definitely the center. If you're staying on the west side of the highway, you can walk to the most popular crags. (I mean you can walk from the east side of town too, my mother in law still walks to the train station all the time!). Within 20 minutes drive you'll have access to almost everything.

September is a good month. The weather might be a bit 2-faced. You'll have days of cracking conditions with blue skies ans cold dry wind (maybe too much wind) or then the mist and rain can come in for a few days and it can go a bit Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest.

There are definitely dry cave options. The most popular are Binary Cave at Sublime Point, Adults Only cave at Bardens Lookout, main wall at centennial glen, then up off north past Bell you have Bowen's Creek and Bell Supercrag (these are more of a drive and a longer approach, Bowens is maybe the most sheltered though especially from westerly winds)

I generally put it as: 17 = 5.9, 18-20 = 5.10, 21-23 = 5.11, 24 = 5.12a, then I think about 28 is 5.13a. 29 = French 8a seems consensus.

It's hard to find that grade range right next to each other, but easy enough with a short walk. E.g. right hand side of Shipley has good 18-19 climbs, left hand side has good 27-28 climbs. At Celebrity Crag, the Jimmy Cliff sector has good 18-19s, then walk around to Sharon Stone sector for harder climbs. At Sublime Point, there are good easy pitches along the right hand end and Binary cave (Choc Chip Chai, Theory of Negativity etc) - then some mega stuff on the Bentrovarto Wall. Bardens Lookout has great moderate sport (crowded on weekends...) then go around the corner and you have the Adults Only cave with Bloodlines etc. Bell Supercrag has great variety though the 18s are a bit chossy (helmets...). Absolutely beautiful routes though (Jean Jaurès Wall).

You could also try Medlow Bath, easier stuff at the main area (beware Old Salt though, bit of a sandbag) then you could walk around to Life Of Reily or The Underworld where the country's hardest 9a+ sport route currently exists.

A few of the sport crags have a 5.11 minimum gate. E.g. Boronia, Logan Brae.

Mate, you sound like a walking guidebook. Thanks for all the beta & recommendations. I bought a copy of best of the blue but it's waiting for me at blackheath. Any recommendations/must do routes in the 21-27 range? I was just gonna go by star rating in the book (do you have star ratings down under?) & I've glanced at thecrag.com to look at which crags are popular but you sound very knowledgeable, I figure I'd get a local's thoughts. 

Wow, amazing info, thanks!

Is it pretty easy to find partners any day of the week if there's a day I want to climb and the wife doesn't? Would be cool to hook up with you, Sam, if you wanted to get out someday!

And what's this about a kebab shop?? I might be blowing our whole food budget at that place...

Pandy Fackler wrote:

Wow, amazing info, thanks!

Is it pretty easy to find partners any day of the week if there's a day I want to climb and the wife doesn't? Would be cool to hook up with you, Sam, if you wanted to get out someday!

And what's this about a kebab shop?? I might be blowing our whole food budget at that place...

tbh, it might be a little tricky midweek. That Facebook group will help, or see who's camped at Mt York. You'll probably find another traveller, there's a decent group of travelling climbers passing through at any given time these days.

Personally, sure I'd come out some time with people from MP. Unfortunately work is all over the place this year so I can't plan much in advance.

The kebab shop is "Cedar Takeaway & Fresh Felafel" on the main street in Katoomba.

Jeremy L wrote:

Mate, you sound like a walking guidebook. Thanks for all the beta & recommendations. I bought a copy of best of the blue but it's waiting for me at blackheath. Any recommendations/must do routes in the 21-27 range? I was just gonna go by star rating in the book (do you have star ratings down under?) & I've glanced at thecrag.com to look at which crags are popular but you sound very knowledgeable, I figure I'd get a local's thoughts. 

Guilty haha. I love the place and am a little excited to see it's more of a destination these days and spray all about it.

Yeah the star ratings will be fine to go off. We don't really have bad polish or chalk buildup so that the popular routes have gotten loved quite to death. If you have a certain style you like I can think of some things. 

My son & I both enjoy vert or slightly overhanging routes. We're both trying to get better at steep climbing. Both hate slab. Thanks for the name of the kabab spot. Looking forward to it

Feels like the first real wintery day here in Sydney.

Temperature got down to 12C in Sydney and 5C at Mt Boyce (the main weather station for the Blue Mountains). That's 54 and 40 degrees in freedom units.

Forecast for Katoomba for the next week is pretty good on paper: partly cloudly, minimum of 6C maximum of 20C. Thats 43-70 degrees in freedom units.

Hey Sam, looking at the weather for the blueys next week. I guess I'm screwed? Any suggestions? Where do the locals go? (Other than the gym) We rented a caravan precisely for this situation. 

Jeremy L wrote:

Hey Sam, looking at the weather for the blueys next week. I guess I'm screwed? Any suggestions? Where do the locals go? (Other than the gym) We rented a caravan precisely for this situation. 

Yeah Jeremey isn't getting the best luck with the weather. It looks like a common autumn coastal rain event. Often called the "East Coast Low" or ECL.

(Good news if you surf, these often produce banging swells. Red Bull Cape Fear level. I saw Nathan Florence was just recently in Sydney haha.)

For climbers usually you have to retreat inland to the other side of the great dividing range. In order of distance...

• Mount York is the westernmost of the main Blue Mountains areas and can be fine while Katoomba and Leura are soaked in mist and drizzle.
• Newnes Plateau is further northwest and even drier. These are obscure crags though and require a lot of dirt road or 4x4 offroad driving.
• Tarana is the first unique crag truly west of the Blue Mountains, its the first outcrop of inland granite, and often drier. It's obscure.
• Canberra! Australia's political capital, the Washington D.C equivalent (complete with the tiny not-a-state state, and the unsettling mix of a wealthy political fed employee class and very different and poor townie class). Far from the #1 international tourist destination but you'll never miss the trivia question again. It also has good museums and especially space museums because the NASA southern hemisphere tracking station is there.
• Canberra is surprisingly outdoorsy, the "Bush Capital" more known for mountain biking (it's the traditional MTB capital before Tasmania started building trails) hiking and skiing, but it does have climbing. You will almost certainly see heaps of kangaroos it has a massive kangaroo population.
• Some say the best granite trad climbing in the country (well, some locals anyway). At Booromba Rocks.
• The granite bouldering is also extensive and pretty good. People travel from Sydney to go bouldering.
• There's also sport climbing at Red Rocks and Mt Coree. Quartzite of some kind. Whatever it is, it's hard rock, so you can climb on it if it's wet.
• Bungonia gorge exists, with the extremely rare Australian limestone climbing. But we didn't get the memo that you're supposed to sport bolt limestone. So it is exceedingly sketchy limestone trad climbing. Greg Child and Mike Law went once and never returned after a trad belay in flowstone almost failed. Let that sink in.
• Further afield there is "The Rock" at Wagga Wagga which is a very obscure destination but some people love it as a stop on the road trip between Sydney and Dyurrite/Mt Arapiles.
• At this point, just finish the drive to Dyurrite/Arapiles!

You're a lifesaver mate. I know you said you won't be in town while we're there but I wish I could buy you a pint for your troubles. We'll see what Mt Coree looks like & probably hit nowra on the way back like you recommended. Cheers!

Jeremy L wrote:

You're a lifesaver mate. I know you said you won't be in town while we're there but I wish I could buy you a pint for your troubles. We'll see what Mt Coree looks like & probably hit nowra on the way back like you recommended. Cheers!

I haven't climbed at Murrumbidgee Red Rocks but I have kayaked the river there (the gorge is a classic whitewater section) and it's really really nice country.

Haven't climbed at Mt Cooree either but two of my friends really liked it.

Jeremy L wrote:

You're a lifesaver mate. I know you said you won't be in town while we're there but I wish I could buy you a pint for your troubles. We'll see what Mt Coree looks like & probably hit nowra on the way back like you recommended. Cheers!

I had a proper check of the weather forecast today.

Yeah I reckon today through Thursday, the Canberra region should mostly avoid the rain. Canberra is at 25% chance of rain (and hard rock, no issues climbing rock after rain) where as Sydney and Katoomba at at 90%.

Friday the whole state is pretty washed out unfortunately.

Next weekend, Saturday and Sunday 24-25th I'd go to Nowra. Sunday for sure. The weather switches and a westerly winter cold front comes through (first snow forecast for the Kosciuszko high country looks like). Nowra should dry out with a westerly wind and although it's sandstone, it's harder stuff than the Blue Mountains and generally there's no issues climbing rock after rain, touch dry is fine.

Canberra forecast

Katoomba forecast (southern/eastern blue mountains)

Lithgow forecast (northern/western blue mountains)

Nowra forecast

Great links to local weather Sam. I really appreciate it. I've been using the Google machine but I wasn't sure how accurate it is.