Aptly named, the Colosseum is the gargantuan rock face that looms over the flax field as you drive up the road. Aside from immaculate rock, the crag also provides an awesome bivy site complete with its own reliable spring if you're looking to spend a few days up the creek. Full of potential, but with relatively few routes, The Colosseum is the mid-20's developers dream.
Follow the track from the Arboretum parking (gravel pullout 4.7km from SH6 with a rock cairn). Follow the vague track through long grass and "the mangroves" to the sandy (and hopefully dry) riverbed. Walk downriver for several hundred metres past the ever-changing mess of logs where a sign stating "Fun Climbing" hung between two trees indicates the start of a marked track. When you reach a junction, turn right for the trail marked "2 Towers & Colosseum". The trail splits again 100m further on, take the right fork (signposted "Colosseum") and follow this marked trail for 10 minutes along the base of the cliff until you reach a small bivy site. The climbs start 50m right of here.
Routes
| Reference | Title | Grade | Length | Pro | Quality | Operations |
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| 1 | 1Partial Project | 23 |
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Equipped by Lindsay Main |
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| 2 | 2Nelly's Nut, 21 | 21 | 35m | 7 |
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Up through a steep featured roof to a a arete above. Finish at the HBAT DBA. Terrific route on good rock.
Easy climbing up and left of the belay leads to a tricky finish in a thin crack. |
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| 3 | 3Hanging by a Thread, 18 | 18 | 20m | 7 |
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After a bouldery start head slightly right. Delicate moves through the crux on small holds gives way to easier climbing above. Quality rock. |
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| 4 | 4How's Your French, 23 | 23 | 75m | 12 |
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Starts to the right of the large vine. Climb the steep but short wall and traverse left, scamble up an easy unprotected corner. Step right to clip the 2nd bolt. Climb up past 2 more bolts and traverse right to a DBA.
A long and varied pitch. Finish at a vegetated ledge and traverse right to a DBA. Classic Bullock Creek Climbing!
Easy ground to a steep, overhanging Arete and lower angled but difficult climbing above. |
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| 5 | 5Pretty Little Hate Machine, 20 | 20 | 28m | 4 |
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This route is etched with history, a true love/hate relationship whose essence oozes from the pores in the rock as you climb. Far right side of Colosseum, has 3 bolts to get you started and save your mid/large cams for the funky upper section. |
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