Here be Dragons

Approach

The route follows the north east ridge, i.e. the left-hand skyline when viewed from the car park. It takes the centre of the buttress to the prominent terraces at approximately half-height and then continues up a vague weakness past a white patch of bird guano to easier ground. The final pitch breaks through the top overhangs via a prominent left-leaning break.

Route Description

Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m
Opening Party: Mike Cartwright and Paul Fatti.
Date: 25 July 1992.
Time: 8 hours.

30m G3 (22). The key to this pitch is a conspicuous flake (3½ cam) on the middle of the buttress about 12m up. Start just left of the very prominent flake at the base of the buttress. Climb the slab past a mantleshelf to the small overhang. Pass this on the right and traverse left to the base of the flake. From the top of the flake, a tricky sequence right and up leads to easier ground and a good ledge.
25m G3 (22). Gain the prominent recess up and to the right via a large suspect flake. Climb the recess past a steep section to a stance below some overhanging blocks.
45m G3 (22). Straddle up through the blocks to a thin rail up and out left. From here, steep grass leads up to easier ground, which is followed to the highest terrace.
35m H1 (23). The pitch follows the vague break up the slab just left of a loose-looking flake at 5m and continues up to the recess above. This recess leads to the white patch of bird guano. Steep slab climbing leads to the flake. Step left to rest on a bulge and continue up and slightly right into a resting place in a short recess. Move up steep rock on the left past a good hold to a tricky sequence on rounded handholds and then right into the main recess. Stem up and out right and then up and left to stance on a narrow ledge.
30m F3 (18). Climb diagonally up left to a large horizontal break and continue up and left to a stance in a blow-hole below the final roofs.
45m G2 (20). Climb the obvious diagonal left-leaning break through the final overhangs (suspect rock) and scramble to top.
This is a bold line in a prominent position. Poor protection on the crux pitch makes this a serious proposition. Descend by the standard route.

Ref: MCSA Journal 1992, pg 108.

Essential Gear

Trad rack and cams

Miscellaneous Info

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