The long Anzac Weekend provided yet another excuse for exploration in the Blue Mountains. With perfect winter aprecity and a partner at hand Ryan and I decided it was time to explore some of the long list of crags that we had never visited. With Hat Hill canyon only a stones through away from the chalet, it was high on the list and the old school Atlantis crag nearby we chose Hat Hill for our adventure. Being one of my favorite canyons it was still surprising how close the fissure is to suburbia. Yet once you drop into the canyon proper the size of the chasm quickly becomes apparent and the location appears incredibly remote with not a soul in sight. We had the place to ourselves for the entire day. With a good range of mid to hard routes the crag provides something for everyone. Protected from the Westerlies by a high canyon rim, and perfect sunshine all day this is a premier winter crag with magnificient views from the wall up high to the depths below.
Dinosaur Train (20**) probably the only warm-up here but a little to hard for most. It has one distinct pocket crux sequence that might not warm-you-up but most definitely will wake-you-up.
Cat in the Hat (21***) Impressive soring face climb with some old school moves and bolting. a little scary with a few run-outs but excellent moves and reasonable rest after hard moves.
Yucadoo/Crackadoo (21***) Chose your variation: trad corner crack or bolted arete for the first half. This will deposit you on a little ledge capped by a large roof. Here the route changes to sport climbing. Tricky escape around the arete left is the first crux to stance under second roof. Hard move into corner over roof is the second crux followed immediately by a tricky escape sequence from the corner. The nice and easy to the top. The length is listed as 18m but our 60meter rope only had a few meters left. Fantastic three-dimensional route requiring a large climbing repertoire, one of the best in the Blueys if you like a little complexity.
Swallow the Fly (23***) another soring line with multiple crux sequences and good rests in between. Bouldery mantle sequence to start with hard moves to no hands rest slab. Walk up to the next mantle over slab - LOL. Second crux to reach up into the flake and get to the rest jug. Move into the high flake and jug up to the top of it. You are arrive at the top 3 bolts where to route changes to steep sustained crimping to the top. Pumpy as hell and great variety of moves all in one nice package of salubrious Blueys sandstone - yummy.
We had about one hour of sunlight left before the sun would disappear behind the canyon rim around 4:30pm. I was feeling rather pummelled despite the few climbs so Mad Hatter (25) was unfortunately out of the question. But we had a little juice left for one more go.
Fedora 22*** Who can resist a three star 22, they are as rare as hens teeth and the orange light was beckoning us like flies to the flames. It turned out to be an absolute thugfest. I was hell bent on the onsight but could not work-out the first crux at all - rest - surely I would make it to the top from here. Crux two came not long after and puzzled me into submission - another rest. Gravity was feeling rather cruel now as I dogged my way to the top. Ryan did not fare much better but I had revenge on my mind and went off for another glorious lap in the cool afternoon shade. First crux memory: long reach/dyno to far left jug (rather than up), reset on jug and match on next bad sloper across left, feet up and throw straight up to good rail, done. The high crux has a distinct iron-stone horne: crimp it with your left hand and place right hand below it in hidden undercling. High left hell and reach to left hand crimp follow to right hand crimp and jug - done.
The walk out was glorious in the canyon shade along the faint single trail greeted by myriads of sclerophyll Mountain Devils wishing us well. Can't wait for the next visit. |
