Mad Monkey Crag
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Acknowledgement | from previous work by Stefan Eberhard, originally published in Craglets. | ||||||
Introduction | This hot little crag was developed by Vera Wong and Stefan Eberhard during spring 1991. There’s a half-hour slog to get there but hey, you’ll be warmed up for the steep and steamy cranking to follow. For dolerite the rock is uncharacteristically steep - often gently overhanging. Hours of patient hand drilling by the dynamic duo has given the crag a sport climbing feel. However the odd bit of natural gear is still required on some of the routes. The cliff has been known as “Possum Rock” or “Monkey’s Noggin” in the past. Stefan reckons “Mad Monkeys” has a better ring to it and since he and Vera did all the development work, that’s cool by me. Stefan also says “I’ve seen no other printed references to Monkey’s Noggin to precedent it”. Who gives a toss what it’s called, just get up there, clip and crank, flash or fly! The cliff has a pleasant sunny aspect so is well suited for winter climbing. Don’t choose a windy day though as it can be quite exposed. | ||||||
Access | To get to Mad Monkey’s, start by walking up towards Monkeys Bum (check out the map and description in the Monkey’s Bum section). From the flat area below Monkeys Bum the cliff is visible. At this point try not to let the apparent magnitude of the march dull your resolve. Twenty minutes of good wholesome quadriceps training will see you at the base of the cliff. Alternatively it is possible to mountain bike to within 200m of the cliff on dirt roads via Risdon Dam. See the Gunners Quoin guide for the map. |
