Natural pro requiredA pair of diamond-shaped faces to the climber's right of Central Direct - in between Westweg and Headstone Gully.
Would be surprised if they hadn't been climbed before - the faces are visible from the base of the Central Direct buttress. No claims of FA being made... but it deserved a mention even if just to point people toward the great climbing up that side.
Excellent rock, and not just by AP standards!
Splitter cracks!
Hand and foot jams!
Would give it two stars but might get snapped at.
Good fun on good crack.
Approach as for Central Direct, but head climbers' right past the base of the buttress and scramble to the base of the faces. Hoover up the crack in the centre of the diamond-shaped face at grade ~15-16. Soloed on ascent but looked like it would eat up gear - small nuts, cams 0.5-1, potentially 2-3 in a short section of crack but here the angle has eased off. Continue up and over the top of the diamond and traverse left into the second face. This unfortunately misses the bottom of the second face, however to be fair it looks thin and difficult to protect.
Continue up on more cracks (~14-15) until you meet and continue up the Philly-Rolly ridge to summit.
- P1
- 15
- 300m
- Trad
Solid pink rock on both diamond faces matching quality of Weta Prowl. 4 x 50-60m pitches, full rack useful. There are probably a few ways through the first diamond - we went centre-right, around an offwidth/corner which looks a bit roof-y from below, but goes at crux 16 with excellent holds.
Considering the rock quality, easy scramble access just past Central Direct, and a top out on the most solid and enjoyable section of the Philistine-Rolleston traverse, this route description (or route!) is well overdue.