27 June 2011

Bonnet Bay Bouldering

Crag faces West.

Sandstone Bouldering
Acknowledgement
Updated by Neil Monteith

Introduction
A small bouldering area offering steep problems from V0 to V9. One of the best hard bouldering spots in the Shire. Dry in any weather but is spoodgy in summer. Local boulderers seem to have left old manky matts in the cave, which means you might not need to bring your own. Bed bugs included free of charge. Covered in detail in the "Sydney Bouldering" guide.

Access
Park at end of Harrison Road in Bonnett Bay. Walk between houses to baseball oval and find small track going up hill into bush on the left. When you hit the first insignificant rock outcrop (about 50m up the hill) scramble left along cliff base to find well chalked cave after 50m.

Bonnet Bay

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Jump to Left Wall
Jump to Middle Wall
Jump to Right Wall
Jump to Far Right Wall

Introduction

It has possibly the best grade 24 and 27 sport routes in Sydney, but all grades are catered for. Great spot for the kids, with nice level grassy area, and only minutes from the car. Can be muggy and mosquito ridden in summer. It faces south and is an ice box in winter. Please keep your noise down as houses are right below the crag.
Climbs are described from left to right as you face the cliff.

Left Wall

20m up and L from the main track is this short grey wall with a few brushed gritty face routes. The bolts are gigantic.
1 Overkilled 10m 18
The far L route with giant U-bolts. Easy start then tricky finish.
Ed Rutherford?

★ 2 Stopping Short 10m 18
Slopey grit like wall climbing on giant ugly U-bolts. Rap anchor is positioned 1m lower than it should be. Top out for the full tick.
Ed Rutherford?

3 Mildly Bent 11m 17
Another slabby wall with three FHs. This one is a bit mossy. If you avoid the crack on the R near the end its a few grades harder.
Ed Rutherford?

4 The Easy Root 10m 15
Starts on far R of this wall at juggy corner. At top of corner swing up the arête above. There is currently a large ferny thing hanging down the middle.

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Middle Wall

The first bit of rock the main trail walks under. It is actually two blocks split by a narrow chimney with a gnarled tree growing across the entrance.
5 Suburban Crack Fiend 6m 16
Wide R facing corner crack. A highball boulder problem or bring some big cams.

6 Premature Evacuation 8m 16
Slightly contrived arête with big u-bolts and lower-off well below the top of the cliff. Mantle out and walk off for the proper tick.
Ed Rutherford?

7 Tiptoe Ridge 12m 12
Was once a good easy route, but now a lovely vine grows down the top crack and a ringtail possom lives in a pocket. Stay off. Starts just L of the tree and R of the giant u-bolts.

O The Chimney 12m 15
Stem up the gap between the two blocks avoiding the big tree on the L. Lower-off anchor high up on the L.
Gay Welders Union 2011

First ascent details for the following three excellent climbs are unknown so I have made up names for them.
★★★ 8 Kim 10m 21
The L arete on great rock, with some great technical moves. Three rings (and some leftover carrots - clip everything) to a lower-off.
FA Unknown

★★★ 9 Mowgli 10m 18
The featured wall R of Kim with three ringbolts. Lower-off at top.
FA Unknown

★ 10 The Jungle Book 9m 15
Up to first bolt of Mowgli then step R to ledge then straight up past two ringbolts. Shares loweroff with Mowgli.
FA Unknown

O The Right Edge 10m 12
The R arete of this wall, R of a tree. Fun juggy climbing up a thin rock ridge. Not much protection. Soloed on first ascent.
Gay Welders Union (solo) 2011

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Right Wall

Walk 10m R to this well chalked wall with amazing orange rock.
The first few routes are up and L behind the trees.

★★ 11 Slapperette 10m 24 Þ
Rounded arête just L of Glorius Manglervision. Contrived but funky. can be done without, but the hold on the R between the 2nd and 3rd bolts makes it much funner.
Mikl 2011

★★★ 12 Glorious Manglervision 13m 19 Þ
L leaning crack in behind the trees. Funky climbing that leaves you in tangles. Recently retro-bolted. A brush-tailed possum sometimes lives beneath the anchors, don't scare him too much!
Mike Law 1980s

★★ 13 Between the Lines 16m 23
Sustained but contrived. Shallow R facing corner to rooflet. R to flake on L side of corner - up this to arete then L and over roof. To stay on route no stepping on R side of wide crack. If you step over the line then it's probably 22.
Neil Monteith 2010

★★ 14 Bruised and Scratched 15m 20
A fun bolted wide crack that involves no thrutching. Bomber hand jam to start which almost immediately widens to an off-width corner. Tricky finish through the roof to anchors. Retro-bolted
Mike Law 1980s

★★★ 15 Lean Beef 15m 24
Some of the best rock in Sydney. 6 rings crossing wall from R to L - then big move up final wall to double RB lower off. Big reaches or dynos. There is a large loose block at the last bolt - take care.
Mike Law 1990s

★★★ 16 Heavy Haulage 15m 27
Start as for Lean Beef, continue on a direct line to the top (if you can). Either finish direct to DBB (carrots) over the top, or traverse at top to Lean Beef lower off. Recently rebolted. GOLD!!
Giles Bradbury and Mike Law 1990s

★ 17 Offalwidth 16m 18
Big wide rounded crack splitting R side of main wall. Clip the 3 bolts on A1 but stay L up the wide crack to top-out. Walk off.

★★ 18 A1 15m 23 Þ
Contrived. Just to the R of big offwidth. Powerfull line of crimpy goodness. Stay out of the crack for the real tick. DBB lower off up high near the trees.
?

★ 19 Aardvark 10m 19
The rooflet and steep wall to the R of A1 and L of the scoopy cave. U-bolts and carrots. Heave-ho over the easy overhang then up the wall, jugs on R help or eliminate them for a harder variant.

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Far Right Wall
The next couple of routes are 5m to the R starting at small cave that has a disturbing resemblance to Jabba the Hut.

20 Climb at Own Risk 12m 16 ÞX
Climb overhanging juggy scoops beside tree. FHs to DBB. Abseil from a big tree, or Top-belay and walk off.
Ian and Matt 2001

21 Lumberjack 12m 17
Good warm-up. R most bolted route starting in a small cave off a rock ledge. Steeply over bulge to flake then traverse L onto face to top. 4 U-bolts and a giant U-bolt lower-off (not suit to top-rope), or one step higher to DBB shared with CaOR (not suit to top-rope).
Neil Monteith 2010

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