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<text class="heading1">Amphitheatre Ledge
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class="text" new="false"
number="null.">Uphill L of Rockaway Gully is an impressive cirque or amphitheatre of Columns. Perched in the middle of the scree below them is a large isolated rock known as the Shipwreck, which is a great vantage point from which to get your bearings. R of the Columns is a natural continuation of shorter lines most of which begin from a ledge 25m below the top of the cliff. This is Amphitheatre Ledge and the easiest access is by Exit Entry or abseil in (see below). The first route starts directly downhill from Albert's Tomb while the next two start L of here near the head of the gully and end up on Amphitheatre Ledge.
Descent: Either reverse Exit Entry (vegetated and often slippery) and descend down the Gully (see below) or abseil down the Amphitheatre rap station (Marked by cairn and blue dot. Replaced 2007. 30m to the access for the Amphitheatre routes, 50m to the Gully floor).
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extra="Þ" grade="25" length="15m" name=" James' Arête"
stars="***">Named in honour of James Moar, a good friend of the first ascentionist, who died while climbing in NZ. The track from Jackson's Apprentices to Exit Entry, passes below an orange wall, downhill of Albert's Tomb. Climb the bolted arête on the R side of the orange wall. Anything in or beyond the crack R of the arête is off-route (not as contrived as it sounds). Sustained climbing to a crux high up. R. Parkyn, Mar. 1998.
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extra="" grade="7 " length="" name="Exit Entry" new="false"
number=""
stars="*">An easy yet exposed scrambling route to the top of the Pipes that follows the spur leading past Albert's Tomb. This route is used primarily to access Amphitheatre Ledge and Rockaway Gully. It is still used occasionally as a descent from Sentinel Ridge or climbs in the Columns. Walk up the grassy slope for 50m into the cirque to a damp chimney crack in the R wall. Traverse in from the L to gain the top of the chimney and follow a distinct track via a couple of short walls to the base of the final steep section. Amphitheatre Ledge traverses off to the L here, with access to Rockaway Gully and Albert's Tomb to the R. To continue up Exit Entry, follow a R trending ramp and move L to a ledge that allows one to gain the top of the Pipes via a 5m chimney. Descend by down-climbing the route. Alternatively use the Amphitheatre rap station 10m uphill from the top of the Exit Entry as an alternative means of descent as far as Ledge.
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extra="" grade="21" length="20m" name="Afterburner"
stars="">This route starts uphill of Exit Entry, at the apex of the cirque. Climb the thin crack immediately to the R of the body chimney with a bush at half height. Climb past the roof 12m up to finish on Amphitheatre Ledge below Resurrection Shuffle. A. Herington, E. Peacock, G. Narkowicz, 1983.
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extra="" grade="8 " length="30m" name="Reds Route"
stars="">A series of short routes are accessed directly from Amphitheatre Ledge. Red's Route is the first. The large chimney a few metres L of Exit Entry. Climb the chimney. J. Burgess, M. Emery, Oct. 1971.
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extra="" grade="20" length="20m" name="Galah Performance"
stars="*">This route has dealt out more spankings than Madame Lash. Scene of considerable dogging and repeated attempts on the first ascent and on many subsequent ones. Climb the sustained crack line just L of Reds Route. I. Lewis, K. Carrigan, S. Karpiniec, M. Dunstan, Jan. 1975.
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extra="" grade="An" length="25m" name="Beast"
stars="">The corner above a ledge R of Bella Donna. Jam the corner to the R of the ledge using an intermittent crack on the R. Pull around a block to finish. S. Parsons, P. Bigg, S. Brennan, 1980.
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extra="" grade="M5" length="25m"
name="Bob Gnarly And The Nailers"
stars="">Aid the thin line between Bella Donna and Beast with knife blades and RPs. D. Fife, solo Apr. 1982.
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extra="" grade="21" length="30m" name="Bella Donna"
stars="*">A 6" tube is useful (or a very large cam, or two, in today's language!) Another sandbag waiting to happen. On the nose several metres L of Galah Performance is a crack widening from fist size to a chimney at the top with a bush at one-third height. Climb around the bulge and continue up past the bush to a ledge, then up to the top. G. Tempest, D. Bowman, Dec. 1978.
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extra="" grade="19" length="30m" name="Ethnic Cornflake"
stars="">L of Bella Donna, scramble to large ledge with a big block on L. Climb crack past large bush and continue straight up . J. Friend, D. Bowman, Dec. 1977.
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extra="" grade="26" length="25m" name=" Second Coming"
new="false" number=""
stars="*">The very thin crack R of Resurrection Shuffle. Climb it. J. Kennedy, S. Parsons, 1985.
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extra="" grade="21" length="30m" name="Resurrection Shuffle"
stars="**">An exciting layback flake that leads to an aerobic workout finale. Near the LH end of Amphitheatre Ledge a layback crack curves to the R to meet the base of a hand crack in a shallow corner. Layback and jam the flake to a ledge at 12m. Deep and delicate hand jamming up the final 15m is required to prevent permanent scarring to the forearms. Take a couple of #4 friends and don't forget that arm-barring is truly good for you. I. Lewis, K. Carrigan, 1975.
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extra="" grade="14" length="30m" name="The Munt"
stars="">A very striking vee-chimney near the L end of Amphitheatre Ledge. Follow the chimney to a large ledge. Up a crack to another big ledge and finish by the L hand of two possible cracks. I. Lewis, L. Closs, Oct. 1971.
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extra="" grade="" length="" name="Doug's project" new="false"
number="" stars=""></climb><climb extra="" grade="11"
length="30m" name="Richard Scraper" new="false" number=""
stars="">Start 3m L of the Munt. Attain a definite ledge at 5m and then continue L up the chimney to another ledge at 25m. The top is reached by a short crack on the R which avoids a messy chimney. J. Davies, J. Burgess, Oct. 1971.
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extra="" grade="21" length="30m" name="Lunatic Eclipse" stars="">The result of a mammoth cleaning effort. Climb the strenuous crack L of Richard Scraper. G. Aimer, Mar. 1991.</climb>
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