Mt Hay, Blue Mountains

Topographical map available here.

Thanks to the original author, Peter Monks, and Mike Law for updates.

Access: It's pretty obvious, having been worn by bezzillions of happy canyoners. From Leura (200m east of the turn off the highway to the village itself), on the GWH turn north on Mt Hay Rd and drive out (15km). Basically from the carpark you head north on the firetrail for about 100m then follow the tracks west (i.e. turn left) above a line of small south facing clifflets until it emerges out at the base of a small rocky outcrop (the Butterbox?) and cave about 500m from the carpark (which is still visible). Go left around this hump till you reach the cliff edge, this is about where MR tops out. Continue left paralleling the edge of the cliff (from memory about 30m or so from the edge itself) for another hundred metres or so until you start to drop down towards the mouth of the canyon (which is a looooooooooong way down!). The track here is again obvious, and is quite steep and a bit eroded. About 100m down you'll reach a small saddle (of sorts) with some smallish trees, boulders and stuff. From here the track turns to the right down a really steep, narrow little slot. Follow this down for about 60m (with great views out into the Grose!) until a shale band ledge heads off to the right. Follow this for 40m until you reach a corner just before the ledge blanks out. Just above eye level is a big ring bolt which you rap off (down the corner). Rap down about 15m (marvelling at the number of FHs) to the second ledge (the first is only small, so it's pretty obvious that you don't stop there).

At this point you start to get a good look at the line the route takes - it's the obvious skyscraping buttress that's closest to you (the further one which looks even more impressive is a pants filling 15 or 16, also put up by Hayden Brotchie). At this point is another shale band ledge, which you follow off to the east (right, facing the Grose). There's a short crawl almost straight after the abseil. After walking along this for a bit (~100m) the scree comes right up the hill and meets the ledge. At this point the canyon exit track zags back to the west (left), and you leave the track and blast on straight ahead and down the hill diagonally towards the base of the buttress. After another 100m or so you'll reach a dry little watercourse. Head across this then bash further down and right (facing out) to a ridge. Don't leave the ridge too early (despite that looking like the best option) - you'll get hooked up above some small cliff lines that are a bit of a bitch to get down. After crossing a small ridge you should be above a short, steep slope of dirt with boulders packed into it. Carefully surf/stumble/fall down this and you'll be face to face with the start of the route: a rounded, undercut arete with a big cave just to the right. There's a small chipped square to the right of the cave (just below the start of an obvious traverse line that leads out to the cave) and also a scratched "MR" in the rock. Approximate access time: 45min (if you know where you're going), or 1hr if you don't.

Margarine Ridge (13) 333m

An excellent route up a prominent line. Unlike virtually all other routes of a similar length in the mountains, this climb is on good rock virtually the entire way up, being only slightly spoilt by two unpleasant but thankfully short pitches near the top. The climb starts about 250m right (facing out) from the base of the Mt Hay canyon exit climb (continue right after doing a short abseil off a ring bolt). The route starts on the right hand side of a prominent rounded hanging arete, and is marked by a small chipped square and a scratched M. Be warned that this is a long climb, and you will need to conserve energy and weight if you want to get up it all in one go. For gear I would recommend taking a full set of cams (including a #4.5 or #5 Camalot), a set of wires and slings. There are also plenty of hex placements, but you'll get by without them. Duplicates of cams to #2 Camalot will come in handy if you're linking pitches (which is recommended to save time). 60m double ropes are highly recommended for some of the longer pitches, and helmets are a must. There are no bolts on the route, so don't bother bringing along bolt plates.

Pitch 1 13m (13) A tricky and rather poorly protected traverse left leads to a large cave (good gear to protect second), walk left past a loose block to a belay out on the arete.

Pitch 2 35m (9) A long and pleasant pitch up the nice tortoise shell wall above, getting easier with height. Wire and cam belay.

Pitch 3 (combined original 3rd and 4th pitches) 42m (11) Step up on top of the large flat block, place some gear at the back of the scoops, then step right to steep and juggy moves. These lead up for about 8m to a bushy ledge. Walk left along this (marvelling at the excellent looking faces and cracks above!), slightly down around the arete and left for approximately 30 metres across an easy wall to a tree below a crack through the bulge. Tree belay.

Pitch 4 (combined original 5th and 6th pitches) 55m (9) A really enjoyable and surprisingly long pitch. Head up the crack for a couple of metres then step out onto the right face. A long and juggy wall awaits, with a variety of gear. Tree belay on the halfway ledge. Follow the track up or 40m to the start of the upper cliffline.

Pitch 5 58m (9) Start on the juggy face just to the right of the short right facing offwidth corner crack in the block. Another long, juggy and really enjoyable slab, with some good exposure up higher and well spaced but adequate protection. Go up for about 15m, left and up onto next slab, right at the top to avoid steep bit. Walk up to next cliff

Pitch 6 (combined original 8th, 9th and 10th pitches) 55m (13) An excellent pitch up the lovely corner above (better than it looks), then up two lovely little 5m finger size layback cracks above that. Tree belay.

Pitch 7 35m (13) Another excellent pitch (they just keep on coming!). Climb the initially vegetated, but nice corner up to the big roof, then traverse left to the arete. Straight up this (big exposure!), using the face on either side when it blanks out (take care of the hollow flakes on the right of the arete). A #5 Camalot is highly recommended for this section. Continue up to small tree and mid size cam belay. Walk 25m right to the obvious chossy chimney and a poor belay off a small tree.

Pitch 8 30m (8) Up the chossy and unpleasant chimney for 8m or so (some pro in crack in left wall), then traverse out right on the easy ledge to big exposure. Up the short wall to the next ledge, then crawl back left to the belay cave (yuck!). Ridiculous rope drag is inevitable on this pitch. Apparently some people head straight up the chimney, but it looks bloody desperate! Very poor belay off a single small thread in choss at the back of the cave. The second should exercise extreme care on this pitch, since a fall could blow the belay. (There is good gear 1m higher on the left wall of the crack to beef up the belay, double ropes will reduce rope drag and make it easy to incorporate this into the belay).

Pitch 9 30m (6) Step left onto the easy wall, place a #4.5 or #5 Camalot just above the roof then easily up a dirty groove to the final ledge. Walk 20m right to the end of the ledge and the base of the final pitch. Belay off a good wire at eye level and a good small cam down near the ground.

Pitch 10 30m (9) Step up and right onto a small ledge below a left leading groove. Delicate stemming up the groove leads to a banksia tree and a final small ledge. Good gear in lovely crack on right then step up and over final 8 foot wall to the top. Two small shrubs for the belay.

Hayden Brotchie, John Gray, Paul Davies ‘97

To walk off, walk right for 15m until you stumble across the Mt Hay canyon exit track. 10 minute easy walk back to the carpark.