Home > The Guide > Mt Tibrogargan > 3. Celestial Wall, Mt Tibrogargan

Blessed with afternoon shade, Celestial Wall offers multipitch sport climbing in an amazing, exposed position. Standing in the carpark, Celestial is obvious as the gobsmacking bright orange swathe of steep blocky rock on Tibro's SE corner. Even though it's sporty, don't forget where you are - take helmets, prussiks, and a healthy dose of caution! As for gear, all routes in this sector are bolted with fixed hangers, so 12 quickdraws will do it, along with the usual slings and screwgates. It’s possible to get away with only one 60m rope, although you’ll have to carefully plan your abseils to avoid getting stranded. Two ropes allow you to get down from any rap station (via multiple abseils). Always tie stopper knots and carry prussiks when abseiling here!

From the carpark, walk up the track towards the mountain for 200m until it forks. Take the L branch (signposted Tibrogargan Picnic Area 1km) and follow this for five minutes, walking over a gully paved with large rocks. 10m past the gully, turn R on a small foot track past a huge white gum. Follow this track for eight minutes up to the SE corner of the mountain. The track meets the rock at Heliosphere on Celestial Wall.

Check out the Celestial & Clemency Wall Topo.

Troposphere 115m 18 Start: About 60m L of Heliosphere at the first section of unvegetated rock. Climb trends to the R with a significant traverse to the R behind a spiky bushed ledge at pitch 4. All pro is FH's. Take some long draws and slings to help reduce rope drag over the overlaps. 1) 30m (15) Up easy-angled slab to overlapping set of steps which grow steadily steeper the higher you go. 2) 15m (17) Can be combined with p3 easily. 3) 15m (18) Wonderful corner system. 4) 25m (15) Directly up the broken blocks from the belay and then trend R up to the spiky bush belay ledge. Chain and ring for belay. 5) 30m (16) Continue across ledge and around the front of the large Gendarme and climb up the corner behind to clipping stance atop the Gendarme. Step across the void and up to join the top section of Voyager. Two FH's for belay. To descend, you may continue to the Halfway House Terrace and rap down Clemency, (possible with one 60m rope), or simply rap back down Troposphere. Phil Box (rope solo) 13/01/2007	C Section 25m 18 Start: At the top of pitch one of Troposphere. Move up one or two bolts and move to the L into a rising traverse L and then up to move R to the station at top of pitch 3 of Troposphere. Route describes a big arc, hence the name. Phil Box, J.J. O'Brien 19/03/2007
Rescision 15m 19 Start: At the belay at top of pitch 2 Troposphere. Step L using delicate moves up to giant jug, trend L for a couple of moves and then up to join C Section. A couple of spicy moves then backs off completely. Has been described as 'a waste of hangers'. Phil Box 03/02/2007	Heliosphere 35m 14 Start: About 25m L of Aphelion’s first pitch, just L of the juncture of the east and south faces. Marked with a white square. Up the slab passing about ten FH’s to rap station. For the descent, a doubled 60m rope will get you to a ramp where you can scramble off (care!). Phil Box 28/11/2004
Zenith 25m 23 Start: At the top of Heliosphere, but scramble carefully (roped) up L to ledge to bolted belay station. Steeply up orange rock past four FH’s to bivi ledge. Up ramp, leaning out to clip two FH’s before committing to the wall proper. Increasingly pumpy moves past the final two bolts sets up an interesting exit. Rap. Lee Cujes, Phil Box 28/11/2004	Vernal Equinox 30m 22 Start: At the top of Heliosphere. The line of 11 FH’s directly above the belay. Probably the lowest quality route here due to the amount of ledges, but worth doing if you've done the other routes here. One tricky boulder problem constitutes the crux. A doubled 60m rope gets you back on the ledge from the lower off. Phil Box, Lee Cujes 18/12/2004
Latitudes 35m 22 Start: At the top of Heliosphere. From the station, climb up and R following the bolted line (11 FH’s). Airy, exposed and bit pumpy. At final bolt (rooflet), step L one move, then finish back R at Voyager’s p3 rap station. A mega pitch which deserves more attention. Lee Cujes, Phil Box 27/11/2004	Voyager 100m 23 1) 35m (16) First pitch as for Aphelion. 2) 12m (21) From the belay, take the overhung line leading up L. Powerful. 3) 18m (crux) Enjoy the moves leading up the superb slab to roof. Having a long reach will knock the roof down to about 21 for you, otherwise it's a tricky little bouldering sequence. 4) 30m (17) Last pitch ends at top of fixed rope traverse. Walk up and then R to Halfway House terrace, or descend rope traverse to top of Aphelion and rap with two 60 metre ropes. All pro is fixed hangers. Max number of draws needed is ten. Cameron Fairbairn, Phil Box 14/11/2004
Aphelion 87m 22 Start: 6m L below apex of overhanging orange wall, at the small rock cairn. Marked 'A'. Great climbing in a superb position. 1) 35m (16) At rock cairn climb straight up until first FH becomes visible. Nine FH's up to rap station below steep wall on L. 2) 12m (21) Climb R past two close FH's. Then straight up past a third FH to rap station on big choss ledge. 3) 30m (22) Straight up orange corner and face above. At ninth FH step R and up to rap station on sloping ramp. This is the standout pitch of Celestial Wall. 4) 10m (22) Short and a bit awkward. Mount bulge from L. At ledge on top, rap anchor is on L. A fixed rope leads up and R onto Halfway House terrace. Cameron Fairbairn, Phil Box 16/07/2004	Rubicon 85m 22 Start: 10m L, below first FH. Marked 'R'. 1) 45m (18) 12 FH’s. This long and varied pitch features interesting black slab climbing before steepening into a lovely sculpted orange corner. Belay at rap station on R. 2) 30m (22) Nine FH’s lead up some bulgy, wacky territory to exposed, blocky arête which bounds the R side of Celestial Wall. Finish at rap station as for p3 of Aphelion. Rap off here, or.. 3) 10m (22) As for fourth pitch of Aphelion onto Halfway House ledge. Lee Cujes, Phil Box 18/12/2004