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There are a number of old quarries within the city that provide mediocre climbing but very easy access.
To get to the quarry Drive up Proctors Road from Sandy Bay. Half way up the hill is an obvious dolerite quarry surrounded by a wire fence.
Access to the quarry is a bit tricky these days. The quarry is owned by the University of Tasmania and you have to get permission to climb there. Call (03) 6226 2791 for details. Gaining access involves filling out and signing an indemnity form and returning it (you can fax it) to the University Asset Management Services. A security guard will then come and unlock the gate for you at a pre-arranged time. It is best to arrange access at least a day before you want to climb. If a University security guard sees you bouldering without permission they will come and kick you out.
Access to the quarry is a bit tricky these days. The quarry is owned by the University of Tasmania and you have to get permission to climb there. Call (03) 6226 2791 for details. Gaining access involves filling out and signing an indemnity form and returning it (you can fax it) to the University Asset Management Services. A security guard will then come and unlock the gate for you at a pre-arranged time. It is best to arrange access at least a day before you want to climb. If a University security guard sees you bouldering without permission they will come and kick you out.
Cocaine Traverse V? (Stand) The leftmost traverse starts on the slab under Cocaine Corner (the left most route on the lower level of the quarry) and traverses right past the start of Hit Me Quick to a large jug next to the large tree. There are several variations worth attempting: Left to right, right to left, the low traverse (only using under clings) and the high traverse.
2. The Grand Annihilator V8 (Stand) This is the very difficult problem following the very slopey holds up the overhanging wall, about 2m right of the previous problem. For several years the hardest problem in Tasmania and a classic of the grade. FA Marcel Jackson 94
Can also be done with a sit start which is slightly harder.
Can also be done with a sit start which is slightly harder.
3. Right Annihilator V8+ (Stand) Do the start of the GA but crank out right to the two small holds high up to the right. Get established on these and then finish as for Event Horizon. This is a little bit harder than GA since it involves most of GA and then some more ugly moves after that. FA Marcel Jackson 97
3a. Right Annihilator Eliminate V9 (Stand) As for Right Annihilator, using the slopes instead of the two crimps, finish as for Event Horizon.
The GA traverse (low) V4? (Stand) Traverse along the base of this face (left and or right) from the tree to the easy ground past EH. This is a moderate grade and not as hard as the Justin Traverse, but reasonably tricky - a knee bar comes in handy. Reasonably fun. FA Marcel Jackson 97
The GA Traverse (high) V9? (Stand) Right to left only. Start up EH then traverse the lip without using the finishing jug on EH (which is a fair way past the lip anyway) and finish as for the easier problem near the tree. This problem is harder than GA as it involves doing the final hard move of GA as well as quite a few very slopey foot swaps and hand slaps. FA Marcel Jackson 95
4. Event Horizon V4 (Stand) This problem involves cranking up left to some small holds at the top of the overhanging wall, and then pulling over the top, about 2m right of GA. Reasonably easy. FA Hamish Jackson 95
Event Horizon Eliminate V9? (Stand) There are heaps of natural eliminates to Event Horizon (eg don't use the rounded top of the face, use the smaller of the two holds), but this is the best. The basic idea is to eliminate the two small holds. Start as for EH and crank a long way up left to the top of the face (the part of the lip used on GA) with the left hand. Put your left foot on the small foothold and slap to the top of the face on the right (just above and right of the two thin holds). Then do a big dyno to the obvious finishing jug (the same one as for EH). According to Marcel this problem is massively hard and is about the same difficulty as RGA. FA Marcel Jackson 97
This is the main traverse in the quarry, originally developed by Justin Kennedy with a million variations done by Marcel Jackson. It starts at the base of Natural High and now ends at the start of Suicide Bridge (the best part ends at Bent Needles). There are a couple of upwards problems that can be done here as well i.e. the starts of Faceless and Bent Needles.
1. The Justin Traverse (high) V6+ (Stand) This is the main traverse in the quarry, originally developed by Justin Kennedy with a million variations done by Marcel Jackson. It starts at the base of Natural High and traverses right on crimps. Crank upwards in the middle section to the higher holds.`
2. The Justin Traverse (low) V5+ (Stand) Traverse left to right using low side pulls and underclings
3. Other variants. V5+ (Stand) There are many other variants of the Justin Traverse, with varying degrees of contrivance. Some ideas are: The middle traverse - keep to handholds at about head height; The Eliminate traverse - use as few holds as possible; the super-high traverse (uses high handholds and no low footholds).
The hardest of the variants is the so-called Footholdless Traverse. On this traverse you must eliminate all positive footholds, including bridging or layaway smears. Contrived, but difficult!
The hardest of the variants is the so-called Footholdless Traverse. On this traverse you must eliminate all positive footholds, including bridging or layaway smears. Contrived, but difficult!
To get to Fruehauf drive down Cascade Road, turn right to go to the tip, then right into Degraves St, across the bridge to Apsley, immediately left into Tara, drive into the car park and park at the gate. Squeeze through the gate and walk about 50m to where a track heads left up the bank to the cliff.
1. Fruehauf Traverse V5+ A good fingery traverse starts at the two finger pocket about 5m right of the start of PE and continues via pockety moves to SE. When the start of SE is reached, do the first tricky move of SE to reach the horizontal. Do about one move along the horizontal to the right from where your feet can reach the nice footholds on JJ and then get down onto the holds of JJ. There is a nice layaway pointing left and then a shallow pocket. From here continue right past A to finish at the start of PL. The traverse can also be done in reverse. Try and link up both directions if you don't feel the effects of lactic acid. Also there are extensions on either end.
Doing the first few moves of the various climbs here is another way to do some fun bouldering, as a lot of the climbs have cruxy moves in the first 4 metres or so
There are a handfull of slabs and aretes in this very small quarry nearby to Fruehauf. To get there drive on McRobies Road and park near Syme Street and wander up the hill to the left where you can see the rocks.
This is the ruins of an old (convict era?) cannon battery in lower Sandy Bay. It was climbed on quite a bit in the early nineties until before the climbing gym. It provides a few vertical problems and traverses on mostly bluestone walls. It's a bit sharp in places. The grades are probably a bit random as they have been converted from non V grades.
Drive towards Taroona along Sandy Bay Road until the lower Sandy Bay shops. Turn right between the two petrol stations into Wayne Avenue, then take the next left into Nile Avenue. Park at the end and walk to the ruins (20 seconds). Using the map, along with the route descriptions, it should be fairly easy to locate the climbs.
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