After way too many sport climbs and late night indoor plastic bouldering sessions, we were after something a little special this time. It was time to usher in 2021 in style and it was Will's turn to choose. He picked an absolute gem that has flown under our radar for years and there was a reason for it: a long approach through a rugged very remote environment (read charcoaled aussie bush) with a hard to find crag that is mostly all trad. He also picked the perfect time - one of the hottest days of of the Year Saturday 23 January the beginning of a three day long weekend heatwave just before Australia Day. So the stage was set for a good old fashioned epic day adventuring.

Odin's Head is located along an ancient firetrail - barely discernable from the rest of the bush around it - trying hard to survive its perspicuity but gradually loosing the fight and being swallowed up back into the encroaching foliage. The access description was worse and did not make any sense what-so-ever, the track eventually suddenly stops and you had to navigate along a series of cairns in shoulder high burnt out bush via some ants nests ? Here is a short excerpt: " Continue through open bush, stay on the crest of the ridge, occasional cairns. After 300 metres you will see large ant nest, continue a further 50 metres then turn right, eastish, and descend ridge past another ants nest and cairns to a col." 

We never found the second ants nest and got lost in high density bush with the temperature climbing rapidly. GBS maps, compas directs and good eyesight eventually got us to the impeccable isolation of Odin's head a rock outcrop literally in the middle of nowhere. A deep gully descent curved around to the base of the cliff where suddenly some of the most stricking crack lines I have ever seen appeared on immaculate sandstone faces. The description is adequate:

"Odin Head is a great trad climbing area. Most routes are a healthy 35-45m with some jaw dropping lines. The climbing is high quality and provides the Blue Mountains with another quality trad climbing venue but it is protected from the crazy westerlies. Half of the headland faces East North East so some routes can provide pleasant shade on those hot afternoons.

Most routes require abseiling on double ropes to get off, though you can often get by with a single 70 or 80m rope unless you want to walk down the access gully. There are plenty of trees to use to abseil get back to the ground.We found that despite the significant fire damage most rap trees are in good conditions and we rapt after each ascent. "

Because of the incredible length of some of these splitters we brought Will's twin 60 meter with us, which worked out perfectly and we were able to finish most two pitch climbs in a single 45 meter push. We brought two full sets of trad racks with double of everything. We trippled up on the large number 4s and threw in a few extra ALiens to allow for the long trad lines. We got there after about 1.5 hours of searching, but it was still early and the sun was on the cliff.

Master and Apprentice (45m 17**) a curving splitter crack to a horizontal break that leads you to a slab above. Here you switch to carrot bolts and finish up ambling up a dramatic low angle arete. The crux is the start and caught us a little of guard. It had been a while and this was trial by fire. We were both completely parched after climbing in the sun and the rap brought us back to the shade below. It took us a while to rehydrate and fuel up for our next mission.

There was no walking past El Dorado (19***) 35 meter all natural. I striking thin finger crack that turns into a hand crack and then goes through several rooflets culminating in a big Roof corner crux. The trick is to keep your big No#4 for the final crux. Relentless climbing and we linked the two pitches into one with hardly a drop of water left in our bodies. It was pretty much game over after this one.

The heat was relentless throughout, but the afternoon shade hit the crag and we could climb in the shade. But the worst part was the Blow Fly attacks relentless throughout the entire day. There was no breeze and no defence while you were climbing. I had seen one of these breeding events before with flies, but these blow flies gave you a nasty bite if you weren't paying attention.

We were both getting fairly dehydrated and the flies were winning the fight today. An apple took of the edge, some more food and water and we somehow found energy for one more climb before the long and tricky walk out. We were not even sure whether we could backtrack the way we came in?

But the beauty of the unique lines was mesmerising, so we decided on one more for the road:

True dreams (20*** 40m all trad) this is one of the most amazing crack lines I have seen in Australia, soaring vertical with a roof crux fist crack to get you started. Perfect hand jams to a sentry box rest and into a tight squeeze chimney. Then a mantle to a rest ledge with a final roof crux and ten more meters of fist jamming. This line has it all and you feel like a bout with a sumo wrestler when you are done. We were completely drained after that and there was so much more to do. But we were pretty much out of water and had to somehow find our way back.

Climbing the gully was hard work and luckily, we found a new trail that we somehow had missed on the way in. There are several open bush sections in the approach where luck will be your guide. This happened again on the way out when we found ourselves out of cairns, out of ant’s nests and no more trail in the middle of nowhere. The Google map download with the trail marked on it showed that we were on course to the fire trail soonish. We just kept walking through dense burnt-out bush and luckily hit the fire trail a short while later. Not for the faint-hearted this approach is, but we will be back again in cooler condition for some unfinished business.

Roman 24 January 2021

Go here for more photos: Odins Head