Sphinx Rock
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Introduction | A small sandstone outcrop below the road on the east face of the mountain at an altitude of 700 metres. The sheltered overhanging nature of the rock provides an interesting experience compared with the vertical dolerite of the larger cliffs above.
There are some 25 climbs to date, generally short up to 15m. The majority are bolted as natural protection is poor. The most notable feature of the area is the wide roof that caps much of the crag, through which several technically difficult routes up to grade 31 have been pushed. Routes are described R to L, as you approach them. | ||||||
Access | Access is via the Lenah Valley Track, near the Springs. The quickest way is to park at the junction of the track and the road (limited parking), about 500m up the hill from the Springs on the R. After about 10mins walk, turn R to the Sphinx Rock Lookout, which is the top of the cliff. Access to the base of the crag is by turning R down the Sawmill Track a few metres further on. A few metres past the steps, the Morning Raid wall comes into view on the R. Alternatively, and longer, walk from the Springs (more parking space available) along the track which leaves from just behind the toilet block to join up with the Lenah Valley track. Descent is either by walking off to the R and back down the track or rapping off where rap stations have been provided. |
GPS |
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Morning Raid 10m 24 Þ ↓ On the overhanging north facing wall by the track down to the main cliff. Climb the centre of the wall with 3 U-bolts and a rap station. You may want to stick clip the first bolt. A bit awkward at the top. S. Parsons, E. Peacock, J. Kennedy, Oct. 1985.
Rent A Forearm 10m 22 ↓ The wall L of Morning Raid, 1 U-bolt after some natural gear. Rap station. S. Parsons. 1985
Duckpond 15m 14 Start as for Mogul. Pull up and mantel onto the ledge at 4m, Move a couple of metres R to a crack/groove, and continue up this to the top. L. Closs, I. Lewis, Jan. 1973.
Mogul 15m 17 The bottomless crack which forms the RH extremity of the main overhang. Pull up and mantel to the start of the crack. Climb the crack and face above to the top. I. Lewis, P. Reynolds, Feb. 1974.
Lean Mean Fighting Machine 15m 28 Þ ↓ A desperate endeavour 10m R of Fear Factory. Crank through the bulging wall to a rest in the corner. Traverse R along the break and then up via a desperate boulder problem finish. G. Phillips, Feb. 2004.
Rambo 15m 25 Þ ↓ Uses the same start as Lean Mean Fighting Machine. However from the corner cut back L and finish through the steep roof. G. Phillips, July 2004.
Spaced Out 15m 31 Þ ↓ Links Space Invader in to Storm Trooper, a very sustained piece of climbing. J. Bresnehan, Dec 2005
Calm Before the Storm 15m 28 Þ ↓ Located 2m R of Ignition Sequence Start. Scramble up the slab and crank through the bulge and then move R to lower from the chains of Rambo. G. Phillips, Sep. 2004.
Storm Trooper 27 Þ ↓ Start as for Calm Before the Storm but go direct through the roof and to the chains of Ignition Sequence Start. G. Phillips, Sep. 2004.
Ignition Sequence Start 8m 24 Þ ↓ Start 3m R of Fear Factory and follow the bolts past a hard pull at half height. C. Veal, Feb. 2004.
First Blood 20m 26 Þ ↓ Climb Fear Factory then drop down and continue traversing along lip past another five U-bolts to a rap station. S. Edwards, 1997.
Fear Factory 10m 23 Þ ↓ Start 2m R of Mindbeast. Up to roof then R along lip and up to rap station. Four bolts. S. Edwards, 1997.
The Pie Man 8m 22 Þ ↓ Climb Fear Factory to the third bolt, then head direct. G. Phillips, Feb. 2004.
Mindbeast 20m 18 The difficulties on this are psychological. The impressive hand crack, which splits the main overhang 20m from the RH end. Up the initial slab, then climb the crack through the overhangs. I. Lewis, P. Reynolds, Feb. 1974.
Walk Like An Egyptian 12m 22 Þ ↓ Starts as for Phoenix. After the first bolt in the roof, head R along the flake system past two bolts to the lip, continuing up the headwall above to a DBB. A. Williams, Oct 2004
Phoenix 23m 24 Þ ↓ More horizontal than vertical. 3m to the L of Mindbeast, below a shallow cave. Move easily up diagonally L via a virtual staircase to the ceiling. Follow the line of flakes and U-bolts across the roof to the lip (and the crux) and continue to the top. S. Parsons, P. Bigg, Aug. 1979.
Tutankhamen 20m 21 Around the corner from Phoenix, 3m L of the crumbly arête formed where the cliff changes direction to face southeast. Move up a shallow corner to an old bolt and traverse diagonally R towards a small ledge on the arête. Climb the arête to the roof, move diagonally R across the roof and round the lip to a small cave. Surmount the final overhang to the top. Could do with some re-bolting. P. Bigg, Aug. 1980.
Pharos 24m 24 A 7m excursion across the roof flake immediately L of Tutankhamen. Climb the slanting weakness, 5m L of Tut, up to the first bulge. Over this and R slightly to the roof flake (BR). Traverse the diagonal flake out to the lip. Surmount the lip and continue to the top. Again, needs re-bolting. P. Bigg, S. Parsons, K. Carrigan, Apr. 1982.
Araldite, Goddess Of Bondage 12m 17 Þ Start 10m L of Tutankhamen next to a large gum tree. Climb the short wall past 2BRs to a large platform (wire and camming placement here). Continue up from the R hand end of the platform past two more BRs to the top. FA; O. Prall, R. Vincent. Apr. 1992.
Firewire 8m 26 Þ ↓ Short and intense, starts 5m right of SSSH. Bolts through overhang. G. Phillips, 2004.
Mr. Wiggles 8m 25 ↓ The prow R of Short, Sharp and Shit Hot, using natural gear. Finish as for SSSH. K. Robinson, 1997.
Short, Sharp and Shit Hot 8m 24 Þ ↓ Some people leave off the "Hot" in their description. Located 40m L of Phoenix at the grotty cave. Climb the steep wall, moving R past two bolts to a rap station with a sling on it. G. Phillips, Apr. 1996.
White Nile 10m 16 L of the main overhang are 50m of short knobbly walls up which any number of easy routes can be found. Routes starting from White Nile take the obvious lines at this end of the cliff. A deep mossy boulder-filled cave is found 40m L of Phoenix. Bridge and jam the overhanging corner crack, then escape L. S. Parsons, P. Bigg, Aug. 1980.
Gandhi 12m 20 Þ ↓ The RH side of the face to the L of the grotty cave where SSSH starts. Two BR's with lower-off. N. Selby, 2000.
Get A Grip 12m 21 Þ ↓ 2m L of the previous route, the LH side of the face. Three BR's with lower-off. N. Selby, 2000.
Blue Nile 9m 9 The chimney crack 7m L of White Nile. Straight up the crack. S. Parsons, P. Bigg, J. Parsons, Aug. 1980.
Cheops 9m 12 The light-coloured arête on the last substantial buttress in this direction (visible from White Nile). Start below the arête, 4m L of a mossy corner. Up the arête (old carrot bolt runner near the top). S. Parsons, P. Bigg, J. Parsons, Aug. 1980.
As you come down the steps to the base of Sphinx Rock there is a short cliff around to the L, with four bolted lines. The first one (on the L) is Panadol (24), the next one is Panadol Forte (27) and the third is a project, around 30, all by Garry Phillips, while the furthest line R is a project bolted by Simon Young. As Garry says, maybe these ain't their finest hour!
Comments (2)
Sep 16, 2007
Jacqui Winsor says:
MindBeast has no stars ??? WTF ???!!! Me and my gf did this on a roadtrip a cou...MindBeast has no stars ??? WTF ???!!!
Me and my gf did this on a road-trip a couple of summers ago ... its a fkn classic !!! Wierd and wonderful !!! Thought provoking, exposed , and the gf loved the view up my hot-pants as I struggled, cross-eyed, on the spacey traverse out to the lip !!!
Sep 20, 2007
tony mckenny says:
Thanks, Jacqui. Will reclimb it one evening and remind my self it has kind of go...Thanks, Jacqui. Will re-climb it one evening and remind my self - it has kind of got lost among the more recent climbs, weird and exposed is as I remember it. Tony