The Blueys
The Blue Mountains is one of Australia's most scenic and diverse adventure sport and holiday destinations. It combines stunning world heritage listed wilderness with just about every adventure sport you can imagine including mountain-biking, canyoning, bush-walking and of course climbing. Below is just a taste of what the Blueys have to offer for climbers...
CLIMBING IN THE BLUEYS
You can purchase a copy of the 'Blue Mountains Climbing' guidebook from
Onsight.
Climbing in the Blue Mountains is beautifully described in the introduction to this guidebook, written by
Greg Child...
'The Blue Mountains really are a special place, a place to treat with respect. Mike Law said it all when
he wrote the following words in a foreword to a now out-of-print guidebook, in the early 1990's. 'For me,
climbing is at its best in the Blue Mountains - beautiful features are overcome by moves that are pleasing to
the body and the brain: steep orange rock against a sky so blue that you could almost tear the scene out along
the sharp edge between the colours and put it in your pocket. All this activity above trees and farms caught in
a clear and timeless pool of calm in the valley below. You slowly pull the focus in as you climb until all you are
aware of is the mad minute and the rock caught in the span and heave of your body.'
There
is no denying that the Blue Mountains are a world-class climbing destination. High cliffs carve their way throughout
the park, offering endless opportunities for climbing. The rock is a very rough sandstone with great friction, and is
generally very solid with climbs on the whole being well protected (if not with natural placements, then with bolts)
There are
many cliffs situated close to the towns and very close to each other. These offer a huge range of climbing styles and
levels of difficulty - from single pitch sport and trad climbs to multi-pitch adventure climbs.
And for those wishing to go off the beaten track, the park offers a massive supply of unclimbed rock.
All of this is only an hour drive from Sydney and a short drive from Katoomba and the festival venue.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
There are two important things to be aware of when climbing in The Blue Mountains.
1. The Blue Mountains
are home to several species of rare and/or endangered plants and animals. Some of these live in the cliff environment.
Climbing sights around the mountains are losing their vegetation cover, some from purposeful clearing around climbs,
but most due to vertical and horizontal trampling. Many of the plant species being worn away from climbing areas are
only found in the upper Blue Mountains.
So, when climbing in the Blue Mountains:
- make sure you don't go to areas that are closed because they are closed for a reason.
- before you decide to create a new route, make sure you are in an area where this is acceptable practice and avoid
any clearing of vegetation. Some classic lines have not been done because the impact of the climb might destroy a rare
or endangered species or detract from neighboring climbs.
2. Please do not climb on the The Three Sisters because
(a) It is illegal
(b) Certain cliff areas have spiritual significance for the local indigenous community, the most well known of
these being The Three Sisters. The local Aboriginal people do not want people climbing on The Three Sisters as this
is a very sacred place. The Aboriginal community actually identify 7 sisters, of which The Three Sisters are the only
remaining - this being a part of why they are so important.
