<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<guide><text class="heading1" new="false"
number="null.">Mt Geryon & The Acropolis</text><text
class="Editor" new="false"
number="null.">by Matt Perchard, originally published in Craglets.</text><text
class="text">The cliffs of Mt Geryon and The Acropolis provide absolutely exceptional climbing "on the wild side". Many of the routes have had few ascents, so obviously take appropriate precautions - the seriousness of accidents is high, with help a good days walk away.
The downside of the climbing is twosome. Firstly, expect the usual foul weather. Multiple trips before even laying chalk to rock are hardly uncommon. Secondly, packs full of camping and climbing gear are good "fun". The best camping is probably straight up from Geryon campsite (walk to that campsite, cross the stream, and then follow the scree for about 15 minutes onto the Labyrinth, heading slightly right to the first lake). The views are magic, and it is ideally placed for the North-to-South traverse. Alternately there is a good bivvy cave between Geryon South and the Acropolis.
The crags were written up in the 1984 issue of Australian Rock and a guidebook was later published by Chris Baxter in 1999. Refer to that guide for full details of all climbs.
Described below are the classic traverses - and not to be missed! The north to south direction is the norm, but is has been done the other way, both ways in a day, even in winter. This is a classic day in the mountains, with nothing too serious to stop competent climbers.</text><text
class="heading2" new="false"
number="null.">Mt Geryon West Face</text><image new="false"
noPrint="false" number="null." src="geryon2.png"
width="">null</image>
<climb extra="" grade="" length=""
name="North Peak Normal Route"
stars="">From the Cephissus scree chute traverse N below the cliffs of the South Peak. From near the foot of the Foresight descend a large gully and continue N under the cliffs of the North Peak to a scree gully. From the top of this go S along the level ridge and down to a saddle. Scramble up S to the N summit of the peak.
</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="12" length="307m" name="Damocles" number=""
stars="">Obvious line on the SW face of Mt Geryon's North Peak leading to the gap between the North Peak and the turret to the N. Start below a dark corner.
1) 35 m Go diagonally R up the R-slanting corner to just below a scree slope
2) 23 m Go diagonally L across the scree and L round a large block to below two corners.
3) 33 m From the ledge 3 m above, take the L line for 3 m. Go into the R line and follow it to a large ledge at 16 m. Traverse 7 m L and up to a stance.
4) 40 m (crux) Climb the line on the R to a ledge at 16 m. Go up L to a large ledge below a sleep wall. Jam the crack in this to a ledge then up and R to a long vegetated corner ledge, below the Sword!
5) 37 m Traverse 5 m R to the scrubby line. Climb it for 5 m and move L under a bulge. Go up for 7 m to a vegetated ledge which leads L to a tight chimney which is climbed for 13 m to a large flake on the L
6) 43 m The gully to the gap.
7) 36m Head towards the summit, deviating slightly L on a thin flake at about 13 m.
8) 36m Continue up, veering R to a large ledge.
9) 24 m To summit (slab).
Rob Taylor, Jerry Grandage, Daryl Carr, varied leads, 27-1-68
</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="16" length="106m" name="Damocles Direct"
new="false" number=""
stars="">1) 38m (crux) Bridge the dark corner to a ledge on the R at 23m. Go up to a large grassy ledge.
2) 40m Scramble up for 7 m. Climb the L crack. Go up ledges to above a corner
3) 28 m Climb L of the crack to a large ledge (the fourth belay of Damocles). Climb the corner (up the Sword) and through bushes. Belay in the corner at the R end of a bushy ledge.
4)-8) Climb the crack at the L end of the ledge which is the "tight chimney" on the fifth pitch of Damocles. The rest of this route is more or less as for Damocles.
Clive Parker, Roger Caffin, alternate leads, 23-2-68. Alan and Geoff Gledhill did the first free ascent of pitch one (originally 12, M3) on 22-1-69</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="9" length="91m" name="Foresight Normal Route"
new="false" number=""
stars="**">An excellent outing into exciting country. Scramble up the huge gully below the West face of the South Peak and head for a chimney leading to the Foresight/North Peak notch.
1) 25m. Crux. Climb the chimney then scramble to the notch.
2) 35m. Go up the West side of the Foresight to a step on the skyline overlooking the East face.
3) 30m. Exposed but easy climbing on the East side to the top.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="4"
name="South Spur Normal Route">From the Acropolis-Geryon saddle, follow the skyline ridge moving out over the exposed East face where necessary. Mostly scrambling.</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="14" length="182m" name="A Common Thirst"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Start on the NW face of the South Peak about 20 m R of the prominent chimney-gully a short way SW of the col between the South Peak and the Foresight; at an easy looking chimney-gully
1) 27 m Up R side of chimney. When it steepens go R round the arete and up to the end of an obvious R-leaning diagonal.
2) 25 m Scramble up slightly L. Climb the crack in the R wall of the corner. Go towards prominent slabs up R. Traverse R across a bushy ledge and climb a short corner to a large ledge below a slab.
3) 25 m Reverse the corner and traverse. Climb the R wall of the obvious corner until forced L to the arete. Go up aretes and corners lending towards L side of headwall. Good ledge with blocks.
4) 15 m Up to next ledge. Step L round the arete and climb the wall to a large ledge at the foot of a grassy ramp.
5) 50 m Go along the ramp to the first line. Up the gully into a corner and up it.
6) 30 m Climb the wall above for 2 m or so and go L to a groove. Go up past blocks and a small roof to a long narrow ledge below the headwall.
7) 10 m (crux) From the L end of the fault, climb the wall, stepping L at the top.
Kieran Loughran, John Stone, alternate leads, January 1979</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="12" length="114m" name="Vulcan" new="false"
number=""
stars="">It seems very likely that A Common Thirst is a repeat of this climb on the NW corner of the South Peak except that ACT includes a short direct finish (the crux) whereas Vulcan moves R to finish up an easy gully (probably as for Soltanic). Many variations are possible in this area. Start in the gully 45 m below the base of the Foresight.
1) 21 m Up and diagonally R.
2) 15 m Cracks to big blocks.
3) 18 m Diagonally L round scrubby corner then diagonally R.
4) 18 m Up slabs then diagonally R for 8 m on easier ground.
5) 20 m Up obvious line to R of overhangs.
6) 18 m Up to grassy gully leading to top.
Tom Terry, Alan Cross, leads unknown 1967</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="15" length="170m" name="Solantic" new="false"
number=""
stars="">Starts from the gully leading to the Foresight-South Peak col.
1) Climb the NW face
2) Traverse R to the W face proper
3) Slab and corner
4) (crux) Chimney and off-width
5) Easy gully to N end of the South Peak.
Kim Bischoff, Grant Dixon, Phil Robinson, varied leads Christmas 1979</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="13" length="175m" name="West Wall Eliminate"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Start below the big corner in the middle of the W face of the South Peak.
1) 37 m Climb the corner and continue up the narrow, slanting slab. Now up to a big ledge.
2) 43 m Traverse L and climb the corner. Step L and climb the diagonal crack to a small, slanting ledge.
3) 37 m Go up the main corner to a huge block 12 m below the roof
4) 33m (crux) Go up for 2 m. Traverse L across the steep wall. Follow the corner diagonally L to a good ledge.
5) 25 m The crack above.
Chris Dewhirst, Roland Pauligk, John Moore, varied leads, 24-2-67</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="16" length="235m" name="Bad Craziness"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Some loose rock. Start at the grass terrace 50m right of the West Wall Eliminate and above a small cairn.
1) 45m Climb a short corner with an awkward start, then easily up left and straight up (still easy) to a ledge 15m below a major corner.
2) 40m Move up to the corner, then follow it for a few moves (it becomes an overhanging chimney further up). Exit up left to a ramp. Continue up to a ledge.
3) 35m Continue up left in the line then climb the wall above at the first opportunity, passing just left of a pinnacle of loose rock. Continue up to a stance.
4) 40m The easy (but loose) line leads straight up, via a short excursion to the left, to the ledge above the V chimney.
6) 30m Continue up the chimney-gulley over loose blocks to exit up left in a black groove which leads (unpleasant and loose) to the southwest corner of the summit plateau. (This nasty section is best avoided by continuing through the easy chimney above the last belay until it joins the descent route from the peak.)
C.Baxter, D.Gairns, G.Talbett, Jan 89</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="13 A1" length="123m" name="Elf" new="false"
number=""
stars="">On the S face of the South Peak are two cracks. Elf starts from a sloping grass ledge below the L crack which it follows diagonally L to the top of the SW face. The start is marked with an E.
1) 33 m Climb the corner using aid (presumably one point) at the overhang. Continue up slab to gully.
2) 36 m Up the gully to a large ledge on L.
3) 33m (Crux) Strenuously up the R crack to a large sloping ledge
4) 21 m The L line; a tight chimney.
Tony Crapper, John Bennet, varied leads, Gordon Talbett, 1-3-1968</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="9" length="46m" name="Pixie" number=""
stars="">The crack R of Elf is reached after a 40m slab scramble and a traverse.
1) 30 m (crux) The line involves a thrutch in a V crack
2) 16 m The line.
Bruno Zeller, Tony Crapper, February 1968
</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="4"
name="South Peak Normal Route">From the head of the scree chute leading down to the Geryon campsite, scramble up right to pick up a route to the bivouac cave above and north of the Acropolis-Geryon saddle. Go directly above the cave and scramble north below the west cliffs of the South Spur. Drop down a steep gully below the northwest arete of the South Spur into another gully which leads to the col between the South Peak and the South Spur. Go up to just below the col, then either traverse easily on the west side below the ridge, until you can scramble up to a large slab, or alternately, follow the skyline ridge (exposed) from the col to a slab. Climb the slab and gullies to the top.</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="12" length="100m" name="Morning Tea" new="false"
number=""
stars="">Enjoyable and straightforward, this route climbs the middle of the N wall of the South Spur. Start in the gully about 50 m below the South Peak-South Spur notch.
1) and 2) Straight up the wall in a series of steps to the NW arete
3) 15 m Arete.
Chris Rathbone, Phil Robinson varied leads, 25-2-1983
</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="15" length="102m" name="Piece of Cake"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Follows the NW arete of the South Spur. Start from the col before the drop to the gully leading to the South Peak-South Spur notch.
1) 24 m (crux) Start on the L of the face and move R to a ledge at 15 m. Move to R side of face and climb thin diagonal cracks to a big ledge
2) 27 m Climb up from the R edge of the arete and aim for the L of the sharp arete above. Belay on ledge above arete
3) 36 m Up L of main arete 4) 15 m Up to summit.
Allan Keller Terry Costigan, leads unknown, 7-12-1967</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="4" length="" name="South Spur Normal Route"
number=""
stars="">From the Acropolis-Geryon saddle follow the skyline ridge moving out over E face (exposed) where necessary. Mostly scrambling (FA details unknown)
</climb>
<climb
extra="" grade="17" length="310m"
name="Geryon Traverse - South to North" new="false" number=""
stars="***">1). Climb the South Spur Normal Route. Go to the north end of the summit.
2) 75m. Abseil 35m then climb down 40m to the col between the peaks.
3). Along the skyline to the South Peak. From its north tip climb down 12m to a ledge.
4) 35m. Abseil to the South Peak/Foresight col.
5) 15m. Go to a vertical crack under the left end of a large sloping slab. Get onto the slab and move right to overlook the east face. Fixed peg belay.
6) 15m. Step to the right across an exposed corner. Continue up more easily to a bushy ledge.
7) 10m. To the summit.
8) 65m. Reverse the last two pitches of the Foresight Normal Route to the col.
9) 20m. Go right a couple of metres. Climb an easy crack. Traverse left over slabs and go up to a large ledge.
10) 40m. Go up steeply to a ledge at 5m. Left along that ledge and then up 3m right of a corner. Move up and across left to the corner. Continue left to a chimney and climb it.
11) 35m. Easily to the summit of the North Peak.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="17" length="140m"
name="Geryon Traverse - North to South" new="false" number="" stars="***">Start at the edge of the North Peak, overlooking the void. Abseil 45m to the big ledge, from the huge block, taking care to have the ropes over the edge (4m sling required) - amazing stuff! Abseil or downclimb the remaining 20m to the col.
1) 35m. Climb pitch two of the Foresight Normal Route.
2) 30m. Climb pitch three of the Foresight Normal route.
3). From the south end of the Foresight, abseil 40m to the col. At the col, still on abseil, walk down the rocks a further 5m right, to the chimney line of pitch four.
4) 25m. Climb the obvious direct line 8m right of the nose of the South Peak using four points of aid. Go up the easy chimney to below a large overhang.
5) 35m. Climb round right of the overhang. Move left and up to the ridge crest and summit. (Alternately, the previous pitch can be stretched out to 45m and an airy belay, leaving a simple 15m to finish).
6). Walk along the top of the South Peak, then reverse (descend) the South Peak Normal Route to the col. Scramble diagonally right then left over easy rock to the gully which leads to the summit of the South Spur.
7). Descend the South Spur Normal Route.
An amazing, but fairly easy, undertaking. Not to be missed!</climb></guide>
|