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<guide><text class="heading1" new="false"
number="null.">Freuhauf</text><text class="Editor" new="false"
number="null.">by Matt Perchard & Evan Peacock, originally published in Craglets.</text><text
class="text">Freuhauf is the epitome of the urban crag ... barking dogs, big trucks, a nearby tip, loud music and the occasional domestic argument all contribute to the ambience of squalor. The battery hen farm, mosquito's and sandy finishes set the whole scene off.
Turned off? Don't be. Freuhauf has much to offer, and although it is predominantly a TR training crag, most of the routes have been led. So come down one warm summer evening, socialise with the hordes (its popular!), and crank on some excellent sandstone lines.
The crag was discovered in 1981 by the 'Dirty Hands Gang' - some Elizabeth College reprobates also responsible for Coningham and numerous other far less memorable choss piles. The first route was Bedside Manners are Extra followed by Plastic Erection - after many tries and much "rock sculpturing". Later came Anaphalaxis, led on all natural pro', a rather horrifying thought, the original line traversed left and up across an obvious set of features to finish at the top of what now is Gun Ho. The other classic of the crag, Suck Ethics was originally led on only 2 bolts, the second of which fell out as the leader climber past!! Thankfully the route is far better protected now.
The placement of TR anchors and retro-pro has made the place a lot more user friendly but be prepared to brush the dust off a route after rain and bring the mozzie repellent over summer.
To get there drive up Davey Street to the Southern Outlet. Turn right down Macquarie Street and follow this to bus stop 16. Take the righthand turn into McRobbies Gully Road (towards the tip), then right again into Degraves Street. Go across the bridge then turn left into Tara Street. Park outside the Freuhauf gates as they are closed after hours. The cliff is obvious, a couple of minutes away. Ascent to the top of the crag is easiest on the extreme left of the crag.</text><climb
extra="" grade="23" length="18m"
name="Mononeuron">TR: Start on the extreme left of the cliff below the overhanging wall. Climb the easy slab to the overhanging wall, then follow the jugs above to the top. Evan Peacock, Nov/89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="24" length="18m"
name="Lager Frenzy">TR: An exciting route up the steep wall immediately left of Bedside Manners are Extra. Follow a series of holds to a small ledge on the right-hand arete of the overhanging wall. Continue up to 'top out' in a fringe of sag grass growing over the top. The rock on the bottom half looks very chossy but is surprisingly solid. Evan Peacock, Nov/90.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="17" length="18m"
name="Bedside Manners are Extra">The easiest climb around. Start at the base of a 3m head-wall toward the left of the cliff. Climb the short crux wall, then continue steeply up the wall past a couple of rusty bolts to the open-book corner. Ascend this easily to finish.
TR C.Maddock. Peter Steane, Nov/82.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="22" length="15m"
name="Plastic Extras">Start 1m left of Plastic Erection and ascend the face with a leftwards trend (but not as far as the easy corner). Under-cling past the small roof, then continue directly up the crux arete above on sloping holds. Finish up the thin face above. Very contrived but still good.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="15m"
name="Plastic Erection">A great climb. Climb up for a few metres then move rightwards past a bolt to the obvious lay-away flake. Move left (crux) to better holds, then follow the weakness above to finish at the blocks. Craig Maddock, 1983. TR Gerry Narkowicz, 1982.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="25" length="25m"
name="The Chodd">The great traverse, starting up Plastic Erection across on bolts to finish at a chain midway up GT. A very sustained outing. Marcel Jackson, Jul/93.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="26" length="15m"
name="Cadwallada">A challenging climb, especially in an old pair of EB's or barefoot. Start 2m right of Plastic Erection. Climb the easy wall, then move right a few metres to a ledge where the difficulties and bolts commence. Climb directly to the start of a rising rightwards facing lay-away edge. Ascend this, then the face above. Evan Peacock, 1990 (TR), FA Grant Rowbottom, 1996.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="26" length="15m"
name="Gun Ho">A big dyno and thin face climbing characterise this line. Start just L of Sucks Ethics, 2 bolts and gear. Evan Peacock, May/92.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="25" length="15m"
name="Suck Ethics">This sustained climb, in addition to its neighbour to the right are 'the classics' of the cliff. They speak for the benefits of (dare I say it) chipping, for without this (filthy) practice the climbs would not exist! The climb quickly gets into the swing of it with a dynamic sequence of moves to get off (and often back onto) the ground. After reaching the ledge, continue up past four bolts. After the last bolt, move slightly left then up to finish. Both this climb and Anaphalaxis may easily be top-roped compliments of a bolt on top of the climb, though a lead is strongly recommended. Simon Parsons?</climb><climb
extra="" grade="27" length="15m"
name="Jack Jumper">TR: A training contrivance - nothing else. Start just right of Suck Ethics. Dyno-dyno-dyno to reach the right-hand side of the horizontal slot on Suck Ethics. Trend right and up to reach the pocket on Anaphalaxis and dyno left to the pocket on Suck Ethics. layback straight up to finish. Evan Peacock, Aug/93.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="24" length="15m"
name="Play Launch">Unfortunately/fortunately the 1st bolt on this route was missing at the time of printing. Start: either do the desperate dyno start or, much more pleasantly, come in from Anaphalaxis (from the left). 3/4 bolts, very good idea to sweep the route first. Evan Peacock, May/93.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="24" length="15m"
name="Anaphalaxis">A sustained line up the centre of the cliff with a very hard crux start. To leave the ground either step up then 'dyno' for a hold at 3m, or use the good initial hold to follow the weakness on the left to the ledge. Continue up to the small roof and a bolt - good luck to anyone who tries to get a hanger on it! Continue up to a huge jug (and the other bolt!) just below a rightwards trending overlap. Move right past this (if you're tall enough) then power on to the top. Another chipped classic, but somewhat runout on lead with only two bolts. Simon Parsons, Apr/82.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="24" length="15m"
name="Wasted Daze">The only things wasted after this climb are your fingertips - you won't spend days on it! Power up the tweaky holds, past a bolt, to a jug. Continue easily up then move leftwards until below the overlap. Use the two-finger pocket in the face to obtain the solitary jug in the smooth face.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="26" length="15m"
name="Mozzie Fodder">TR: Must be brushed first, the route is thin and smeary. 2 bolt TR anchors at the top. Start: virtually at General Benefit, but shares none of the holds, stay just left of General Benefit then head leftwards at two-thirds height. Evan Peacock, Oct/92.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="15m"
name="General Benefit">The wall 2m left of Bondage and Discipline. The current speed record (from ground level to a hand on the jug at the very top) is held by Evan Peacock at 27 seconds. After the initial (crux) start, continue up easily through layaways and good holds to more difficult moves just after the second bolt. After gaining the crack, finish up the dirty jugs above. If it wasn't for the sand on these last moves this could be the best (easy) climb on the cliff. (Editors note: the large flake recently fell off, and the grade has probably risen from 19!). Simon Parsons, Apr/82.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="15m"
name="General Discipline">TR: Located halfway between General Benefit and Bondage and Discipline the naming of this climb showed remarkable originality. Best take a brush to the cliff before trying this one! Start up Bondage and Discipline until alongside the roof. Climb straight up to a good pocket, then ascend the steep wall above (trending slightly right) on small and well spaced holds. Justin Kennedy, 1984.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="15m"
name="Bondage and Discipline">A fairly sustained route which gets more strenuous with height. Climb directly up until alongside the rood (where a piton used to exist before gravity got the better of it and a climber). Traverse right 2m, then ascend the overhanging face above. Trend leftwards above to finish on the traditionally sandy jugs. A bolt is available for top-roping the climb although cracks have appeared in the rock surrounding it. TR Gerry Narkowicz, Sep/81. Phil Steane Nov/82.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="23" length="15m"
name="Bad Habits">Start immediately right of Bondage and Discipline before the ground falls away. Move up and to the right, past a bolt, to good jugs at half height. Continue up the steep wall past the second bolt, then ascend the blankish face (crux) above the third bolt.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="23" length="15m"
name="Genital Thrust">TR: On the extreme right of the cliff, the ground falls away and a scaffold has wiped out the local and now burnt out growth. Start here. Ascend the initial overhanging face. Move left around the arete, then continue up past the bolts of Bad Habits. The climb makes a pleasant lead if you start by stick-clipping the first bolt of Bad Habits. Peter Steane, 1984.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="15m"
name="Gibbon Tactics">TR: Start as for Genital Thrust. Climb straight through the overhang, then ascend the right-hand side of the prow. Finish via the hole (visible from the ground). Good value. TR Richard Marshall, Feb/87.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="25" length="15m" name="This is Steep Mum">TR: Although the rock looks shitty (certainly for protection), this is an excellent route, a really good pump for the length and it awaits a direct variant. Start about 2m R of GT/GT, set up TR belay from a tree about 5m left and uphill from the top of the climb, a chain anchor is in the pipeline. Evan Peacock, Jan/93.</climb></guide>
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