The Road To Perdition

Start at the left margin of the buttress, with good small incuts leading to the edge, where the climbing is rather dirty for a section, and easier climbing after three bolts. It steepens for a section with two bolts, and then it’s scrambly to the anchor just above a ledge. Note: This pitch is a touch over 30 metres, so you will finish short if you don’t have a rope that’s a full 60 metres.

Tricky moves off the ledge above the anchor; then up more easily to a small ledge below the slab on the left side of the arête. Balance up the slab (crux) and move on to the arête, then up and left across the V-gully to the short but awkward overhang. Small holds give way to jugs at the lip with a bolt just above. Pull through and walk left through the flax to the anchors. An alternative middle section departs the vegetated ledge, moving right around the arête to an undercut corner. Pull on to the sloping ledge and into the corner, then slightly left on to the arête. This variation creates significant rope drag because of the rope running across the arête. The original anchor on the left has regular hangers, but another anchor two metres to the right and hidden around the pillar is suitable for abseiling. This was added to enable cleaning the route on abseil.

The last two pitches have only three bolts each, but these are positioned at the hard bits and the terrain between is generally very easy. Walk across the big ledge to the short wall and pull up past the bolt into the niche. Reach up to clip the second bolt and balance up onto the rounded arete; then carefully up the small arete to the anchor.

Step up past the hollow caves and scramble on to the arete at the first bolt. Up to the ledge and tricky step up above. Walk along the ledge below the scrub to the base of the overhanging wall. Climb the steep right-leaning crack past a bolt to the ledge (crux - strenuous); then easily up to the anchor. Alternatively, climb the easier original finish in the chimney just right.