Coke Ovens, Wolgan Valley

Corned Beef (23)

Start a couple of metres left of The Triple Echo. Fingery climbing past 2 carrots to a ledge. The third carrot is clipped off the ledge (a difficult clip, sorry, but tough). Cruxy climbing from here straight up to a horizontal break .5 and .75 camalots. Traverse left then up wall and crack (a range of gear) to top out on Sizzler ledge. Belay from tree.
Watch out for massive loose block on arete.

James Castrission, Hugh Ward. 16.10.2010

The Lachanophobic (19) 30m?

"Overbolted, overgraded, and over the first pitch of Sizzler."

Start at the belay ledge after the first pitch of Sizzler. Instead of belaying off the tree as normal, belay from the horizontal break at the top of the layback crack.

One carrot within easy reach of the belay then follow line of carrots (and one fixed hanger) on both sides of the arete to rest at ledge. Follow obvious weakness and carrots up to slab, then one more bolt to belay/abseil off tree. Unless you plan to head to the upper cliffs it's probably a good idea not to belay from the ledge as you will shower your belayer and the climb with dirt and rocks...apparently. Take the stance below the tree instead.

Total of 7 bolt plates plus some small to medium cams (optional).

There is some danger of copping the ubiquitous Sizzler branch in the bum if you fall off clipping the third bolt (hence the fixed hanger).

Hugh Ward, Duncan Mercer 5 September 2009

The Hyacinth House (18) 60m

Rap off the tree 5m left of the top of War of the Roses. There is some tat and an old biner left here for the purpose.

Rap 30 m and stop in the cave with two rings then make a second rap, also 30m, to the obvious semi-hanging belay about 10-15m off the ground.

(P1) (30m 18) 3 fixed hangers and a couple of breaks for natural gear. Follows the obvious line 1m left of the arête. 2BB out of big cave slightly to the right.

(P2) (30m 18) Also has 3 fixed hangers and two vertical breaks for gear. Committing moves out of the belay onto the first hanger, then up the face past two roofs to belay from rap tree.

The whole route is fairly committing and probably not the climb for somebody only just leading 18.

Hugh Ward, Luke Merrett May 2007

The following 4 climb descriptions and topo were submitted by Andrew Duckworth and Will Monks in May 2001.

Topo of Coke Ovens Upper Cliff Line (81Kb download)

Blackadder (24M1) 82m

Start: Coke Ovens Upper cliff line - start from narrow ledge immediately below main orange wall, at a short corner 3m L of Dr Freeze. P2&3 stay dry in rain, P3 is the main attraction.

(P1) (40m 17) Corner to BR then arete past 3BR. Step L (BR) to pull over bulge on jugs and to ledge at 10m. Wander L and up easy slab (grade 6) past a #1.5Fr, #2Fr and a medium wire to DRB on steep orange wall. (This pitch was split at the ledge on the FA to facilitate hauling a pack.)

(P2) (18m 24M1) Interesting pitch. Horizontal break (#2 Fr) then up and R past 2 RB's, back left and up to #2.5Fr and small ledge. R to RB then hard moves up R to next RB. Aid by standing in a sling on this RB to side pull in seam then free to RB and stance. Another hard move past a RB on interesting knob features to a FH then mantle to reach the belay (DRB and 1BR). NOTE: P2 can be done at 20M1 by aiding from 2 more bolts, which is worthwhile to do P3.

(P3) (24m 22) An *excellent* and exposed pitch with interesting and sustained climbing. Blast straight up the excellent line of scoopy rock, 10FH to 2RB belay.

FA P1 A Duckworth, W Monks (2nd) 28/12/99
FFA P3 A Duckworth, K Seymour (2nd) 11/6/00

Descent: Rap the route (24m, 18m, 35m), 2 ropes are required from top of P1 to the ground. When rapping off P1 tension slightly R to avoid the rope-eating crack.

Gear: 5 bolt plates, 10 QD's, #1.5, #2, #2.5 Fr and a few wires.

** Dr Freeze (21) 82m

Start: Coke Ovens Upper cliff above Mirror Man in a L facing corner with FHs. The route goes up the center of the impressive large orange wall. To get there wander up to the base of the R end of the orange wall and walk L through sandy cave and then 20m to the base, starts at line of 4FH. The whole 82m stays dry in rain!

(P1) (42m 21) 4FH up slight corner then trend up & R 2FH to #2 Fr then back L 6 or 7FH to 2RB belay. (12 or 13 QD's + #2Fr)

(P2) (18m 21) From belay up past 3FH then crux left up to FH to obvious L traverse across the pods. 1FH then #3.5, 4 Fr, 1FH to 2RB belay, leave 2nd rope here.

(P3) (22m 20) #0.5Fr trend up and R past 2FH then back left and follow 6FH to belay in cave 2RB + 1 Carrot (1 bolt bracket required).

FA P1 A Duckworth, A Seedsman (2nd) 23/4/00
FA P1, 2, 3 A Duckworth, P Darvodelsky (2nd) 28/5/00

Descent: rap from final belay back to top of P2, then rap 50m (full 50m !) to the deck.

Gear: 13QD's #0.5, 2, 3.5 or 4 Fr, two ropes.

* The Best Forgotten Art 82m 21/20

Start: Off narrow ledge 20m R of Dr. Freeze (10m right of big blocky corner), at an undercut 12m face leading to a shallow left sloping corner. The route aims for (and goes up) the impressive splitter crack up high on the main wall.

(P1) (37m 19) Stick clip FH. Undercut start past FH, to BR. Veer R then back up L to BR. Up, (crucial #1.5Fr in break on left), and step L into shallow corner (small wires). Follow corner for 24m to small ledge and DRB.

(P2) (45m 21/20) You've heard it before...will be totally fantastic - once it cleans up! Exposed all the way. Move up to top of corner, then step L to clip FH (back-clean corner to avoid drag). L around arete to base of crack, then up crack and corner to 2.5m roof. Out roof to great position at base of 35m crack up headwall. 10m up hand crack to shallow corner (small brown snake seen here during inspection, but not on the FA), then 8m up off width corner to 30cm roof. Continue 8m up wide crack above roof then into chimney. Step R to BB then R onto steep face, up past DRB to top out (DRB belay back from edge).

FA P1 W Monks, D Haines (2nd) 8/4/00
FCA A Duckworth, W Monks 4/5/01

Descent: Rap down route (abseils of 10m, 40m and 37m), tension a little L on the 40m rap to ensure you land on the 1st belay pedestal.

Gear: Pitch 1: 2 brackets, normal rack of cams, wires & hexes (#1.5Fr essential, small wires essential). Pitch 2: 1 bracket, and Cams - as many big cams as possible, including a minimum of two #4 or #4.5 Camalots You'll be comfy with the following Camalots (or equivalent): three #2s, two #3s, a #3.5, two #4s and a #4.5. Some big hexes won't hurt either.
Notes:
1) Pitch 1 is a nice * 19 if you rap off at the anchor.
2) Pitch 2 is about 18M1 or 19M1 if you aid (or French free) the roof.
3) The carrots aren't filed down and so won't accept some straight PFH hangers (some recent production runs had a slightly narrow slot). They do accept most hangers though.

(Unnamed) (18) 45m

PLEASE KEEP OFF THE ROUTE FOR NOW - THANKS

Start: 5m R of TBFA. The route follows the major arete system bounding the right hand side of the main wall. Please keep off pitch 2 (project).

(1) (45m 18) A pleasant pitch with good climbing at the grade for 30m. However, take care to select solid holds. BB, up scoop past FH to stance and BB. Step R and up to overlap, BB. Take particular care of a stubborn toaster-sized loose block here. Trend up and L up arete past many more BBs. Finish up slab and crack (wires, small-med cams) to DRB.
FA P1 A Duckworth, W Monks 5/5/01

Descent: Rap 45m.

Gear: many brackets and draws plus a few wires and cams. Pitch 2 is an active project, please keep off for now.

Note: For more detailed beta (such as the Western Gully Access) you can check Will's web site at www.geocities.com/willmonks/cokeoven.htm (slightly out of date description for TBFA).