A Climber's Guide to the Glasshouses - 5. Halfway House, Mt Tibrogargan

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5. Halfway House, Mt Tibrogargan

Hosting some superb routes in a fabulous position, this wall is located 90m off the deck on Tibro's East face (on Clemency Terrace). It can be reached various ways, such as via the first three pitches of Clemency or Lancelot (trad), The Twisticle Connection (three pitch mixed) or Aphelion (four pitch sport). As you walk up to the base of the wall from Clemency’s third pitch belay and rap anchor you'll see a 1m roof at head height. This is a landmark for locating routes.

Check out the Halfway House Topo.

Cunningly Deceptive 13m 21
Start: At the black corner about 3m R of where the track angles steeply uphill.
Now with bolts! Climb the corner past two FH's and a couple of bits of good natural gear to rap station on steep wall.
Phil Box, Lee Cujes 30/03/2003

Rocketsauce 12m 19
Start: A couple of metres R beneath bolted corner.
Up past a couple of FH's to rooflet. Interesting moves pulling R around this. Join TD to finish.
Lee Cujes, Duncan Steel 20/01/2007

Tenacious D 12m 19
Start: 1m R on the fallen block beneath the bolted corner.
Up the steep little corner passing FH's to a ledge. Step R to clip bolt on bulge, then up to clip rap station on R. A nice moderate sport route for Halfway House.
Lee Cujes, Duncan Steel 13/01/2007

The Court Jester 35m 17
Start: 4m L of the landmark roof is a R-trending blocky weakness.
1) 15m (14) Bouldery moves off the deck to good holds. Trend R up obvious ramp/weakness. Negotiate shrubbery to arrive at large triangle ledge. Shared rap station on R end of ledge. The two FH's leading up from here are for Maponus’ second pitch (23).
2) 20m (17) Continue up corner 3m, step L into next corner and up for 4m. Step L out of corner and climb over short steep bit (crux). Walk easily up slab to find rap station underneath large roof. 30m rap to the terrace.
Phil Box, Cameron Fairbairn 02/03/2003

Emu-less 12m 22
Start: About 6m R, just R of the landmark roof.
Boulder up over the roof, then step L up past two FH’s on the front of the pillar. Up and over on to the slab (green alien on L) then up (thin gear) to Jester’s rap station on ledge.
FA: James Pfrunder, Phil Box, Pat Daly 22/06/2003
FFA Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003

Gut Punch The Budda 12m 23
Start: At the landmark roof, as for Emu-less.
The R side of the roof sports some protruding blocks. Crank through on these and blast the corner above past four FH's to Jester’s rap station on ledge. Not the best route, but gets heaps of traffic for some reason!
Lee Cujes, Phil Box 30/03/2003

Maponus 37m 23
Start: 3m R of Gut Punch The Budda. The first pitch draws the stars.
1) 12m (22) The arching crackline on natural gear. Finishes on the large triangle ledge (with Jester’s rap station).
2) 25m (23) Directly above belay. Two FH's protect a few gut-busting moves on small crimps. After that, head up and through placing gear to pull on to easy terrain. R and up on slab for about 15m to spiky bush ledge which hides rap station. 35m rap to the terrace, or short rap to Dagda anchors, then 25m to ground.
Cameron Fairbairn, Phil Box 02/03/2003

The Sword In The Stone 25m 18
Start: At Jester’s rap station atop pitch one of Maponus.
Head L into corner and up for 3m. Step R for 3m underneath suspended flake (above the 23 section of Maponus). Up for 4m and finish up slab as for pitch two of Maponus.
Phil Box, Cameron Fairbairn 02/03/2003

Dagda 25m 25
Excellent climbing. Climb Maponus’ first pitch (trad) then step R and directly up past three FH’s to station. 25m rap to ledge. Short, but quite technical. Featured on the cover of ROCK magazine.
Cameron Fairbairn 22/06/2003

Voluptuous 11m 24
Start: 1.5m R of Maponus at smooth orange streak.
A high pull-on jug (FH), then perfect finger slots lead to the second of five FH’s. A devious crux and continuous sidepulling will have you feeling really happy to pull on to the finishing ledge (rap station). A deliciously curvy conquest on sublime, marble-like rock. Originally done with three FH's - should prove more popular now with five.
Lee Cujes, Phil Box 29/03/2003

The Elite Republican Guard 15m 24
Start: 7m R at the end of the vegetated section of ledge.
Superb sequences. The L-trending line of five FH’s featuring sustained sideways slopers. Feels much longer than it is. Now has its own dedicated rap station.
Phil Box, Lee Cujes, James Pfrunder 04/05/2003

I Am No Ordinary Top Bunk Cock Pounder Because Jesus Loves Me 30m 22
Start: Use the fixed rope to make your way along the choss ledge to the second belay bolt (beneath orange corner).
Up the leaning corner with a few streno moves, then easier face climbing above. If you're not feeling confident, stickclip the second bolt.
Pat Daly 2004

Switch Blade Honey 30m 25
Start: Just to the R of Pat's route.
Joins Pat's route after four bolts after the steep part of the wall.
Cameron Fairbairn 16/07/2005

The next routes are NOT accessed by the fixed rope. From the end of the vegetated ledge, you must downclimb onto the slab below and carefully move along this to its end. A few bolts exist for protection. Belay off the first bolt of Black Op's and optional red alien.

Pigs In Space 30m 26
Start: About 5m R, on dangerous ledge.
Thin moves off starting ledge (be careful) and then thug your way up square cut edges to a pumpy crux traversing R and up to ledge. Continue more easily up prow to anchors on a small ledge in a corner. 8 or 9 bolts.
Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003

DV8 30m 27
DVous! Start up Black Op's clipping its first bolt, then head up L on impossible holds, before a traverse back R makes things even more interesting. 8 bolts. Also finishes same as for SW.
Cameron Fairbairn 26/11/2003

Black Op's 30m 24
Start: Up past a few FH’s into corner until you can pull L onto wall. Up this great wall past more FH’s to a rest stance. Easier ground past a few more FH’s, then the anchor is up R (same as SW).
Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003

Storm Watch 30m 24
Start: Beneath the corner - it's the final bolted line.
The bouldery crux move from big sloping edges will try hard to spit you off - be warned! 30m to ledge on rap.
Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003

Spooky House 30m 17
Start: As for pitch seven of Drednaught, at the far R of the Halfway House ledge at the huge L-facing corner.
Climb D’s corner until it runs out. Instead of stepping R, step L into another gently overhanging corner, climb through bulge and head straight up 15m looking for SW’s anchors. Bad gear in second half with some friable rock.
Cameron Fairbairn 09/07/2003

Cunningly Deceptive 13m 21 Start: At the black corner about 3m R of where the track angles steeply uphill. Now with bolts! Climb the corner past two FH's and a couple of bits of good natural gear to rap station on steep wall. Phil Box, Lee Cujes 30/03/2003	Rocketsauce 12m 19 Start: A couple of metres R beneath bolted corner. Up past a couple of FH's to rooflet. Interesting moves pulling R around this. Join TD to finish. Lee Cujes, Duncan Steel 20/01/2007
Tenacious D 12m 19 Start: 1m R on the fallen block beneath the bolted corner. Up the steep little corner passing FH's to a ledge. Step R to clip bolt on bulge, then up to clip rap station on R. A nice moderate sport route for Halfway House. Lee Cujes, Duncan Steel 13/01/2007	The Court Jester 35m 17 Start: 4m L of the landmark roof is a R-trending blocky weakness. 1) 15m (14) Bouldery moves off the deck to good holds. Trend R up obvious ramp/weakness. Negotiate shrubbery to arrive at large triangle ledge. Shared rap station on R end of ledge. The two FH's leading up from here are for Maponus’ second pitch (23). 2) 20m (17) Continue up corner 3m, step L into next corner and up for 4m. Step L out of corner and climb over short steep bit (crux). Walk easily up slab to find rap station underneath large roof. 30m rap to the terrace. Phil Box, Cameron Fairbairn 02/03/2003
Emu-less 12m 22 Start: About 6m R, just R of the landmark roof. Boulder up over the roof, then step L up past two FH’s on the front of the pillar. Up and over on to the slab (green alien on L) then up (thin gear) to Jester’s rap station on ledge. FA: James Pfrunder, Phil Box, Pat Daly 22/06/2003 FFA Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003	Gut Punch The Budda 12m 23 Start: At the landmark roof, as for Emu-less. The R side of the roof sports some protruding blocks. Crank through on these and blast the corner above past four FH's to Jester’s rap station on ledge. Not the best route, but gets heaps of traffic for some reason! Lee Cujes, Phil Box 30/03/2003
Maponus 37m 23 Start: 3m R of Gut Punch The Budda. The first pitch draws the stars. 1) 12m (22) The arching crackline on natural gear. Finishes on the large triangle ledge (with Jester’s rap station). 2) 25m (23) Directly above belay. Two FH's protect a few gut-busting moves on small crimps. After that, head up and through placing gear to pull on to easy terrain. R and up on slab for about 15m to spiky bush ledge which hides rap station. 35m rap to the terrace, or short rap to Dagda anchors, then 25m to ground. Cameron Fairbairn, Phil Box 02/03/2003	The Sword In The Stone 25m 18 Start: At Jester’s rap station atop pitch one of Maponus. Head L into corner and up for 3m. Step R for 3m underneath suspended flake (above the 23 section of Maponus). Up for 4m and finish up slab as for pitch two of Maponus. Phil Box, Cameron Fairbairn 02/03/2003
Dagda 25m 25 Excellent climbing. Climb Maponus’ first pitch (trad) then step R and directly up past three FH’s to station. 25m rap to ledge. Short, but quite technical. Featured on the cover of ROCK magazine. Cameron Fairbairn 22/06/2003	Voluptuous 11m 24 Start: 1.5m R of Maponus at smooth orange streak. A high pull-on jug (FH), then perfect finger slots lead to the second of five FH’s. A devious crux and continuous sidepulling will have you feeling really happy to pull on to the finishing ledge (rap station). A deliciously curvy conquest on sublime, marble-like rock. Originally done with three FH's - should prove more popular now with five. Lee Cujes, Phil Box 29/03/2003
The Elite Republican Guard 15m 24 Start: 7m R at the end of the vegetated section of ledge. Superb sequences. The L-trending line of five FH’s featuring sustained sideways slopers. Feels much longer than it is. Now has its own dedicated rap station. Phil Box, Lee Cujes, James Pfrunder 04/05/2003	I Am No Ordinary Top Bunk Cock Pounder Because Jesus Loves Me 30m 22 Start: Use the fixed rope to make your way along the choss ledge to the second belay bolt (beneath orange corner). Up the leaning corner with a few streno moves, then easier face climbing above. If you're not feeling confident, stickclip the second bolt. Pat Daly 2004
Switch Blade Honey 30m 25 Start: Just to the R of Pat's route. Joins Pat's route after four bolts after the steep part of the wall. Cameron Fairbairn 16/07/2005

Pigs In Space 30m 26 Start: About 5m R, on dangerous ledge. Thin moves off starting ledge (be careful) and then thug your way up square cut edges to a pumpy crux traversing R and up to ledge. Continue more easily up prow to anchors on a small ledge in a corner. 8 or 9 bolts. Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003	DV8 30m 27 DVous! Start up Black Op's clipping its first bolt, then head up L on impossible holds, before a traverse back R makes things even more interesting. 8 bolts. Also finishes same as for SW. Cameron Fairbairn 26/11/2003
Black Op's 30m 24 Start: Up past a few FH’s into corner until you can pull L onto wall. Up this great wall past more FH’s to a rest stance. Easier ground past a few more FH’s, then the anchor is up R (same as SW). Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003	Storm Watch 30m 24 Start: Beneath the corner - it's the final bolted line. The bouldery crux move from big sloping edges will try hard to spit you off - be warned! 30m to ledge on rap. Cameron Fairbairn 07/2003
Spooky House 30m 17 Start: As for pitch seven of Drednaught, at the far R of the Halfway House ledge at the huge L-facing corner. Climb D’s corner until it runs out. Instead of stepping R, step L into another gently overhanging corner, climb through bulge and head straight up 15m looking for SW’s anchors. Bad gear in second half with some friable rock. Cameron Fairbairn 09/07/2003