A Climber's Guide to the Glasshouses - 6. Carborundum Wall, Mt Tibrogargan

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6. Carborundum Wall, Mt Tibrogargan

Opposite the carpark is a signposted walking track. Walk up the track towards the mountain for 200m until it forks. Take the R branch (signposted East Face rock climbers access 600m) and follow this for 400m where it's possible to break L on a smaller track past a Warning sign. Take this, which angles up toward the middle of the east face (200m uphill). The track meets the rock between Carborundum Chimney and Patience Crack.

Routes in this sector listed R to L.

Faith 105m 12
Start: Diagonally up and to the L of the start of the Caves Route at a small, flat ledge at the bottom of a series of sloping ribs. Marked 'F'.
This is a hard grade 12 - exposed and poorly protected.
1) 32m Diagonally upwards to the R across the sloping ribs and then up and onto a small ledge on the crest of an obvious nose. Slightly back to the L on downward sloping ledges to the base of a small, loose wall. Up this wall to small tree runner. Continue up the wall and then out to R onto lightly vegetated shelf running up to the L. Steelwood TB at L-hand edge of shelf.
2) 18m Directly up behind tree and into the obvious groove above. Up the groove/crack in the corner and out onto the L-hand wall. Straight up to a small stance.
3) 13m From stance, climb straight up small wall to L of crack and then ascend diagonally L over small rib. A traverse leads to the L over a series of sloping ledges for 10m to two wide, flat ledges in the middle of the face. Belay.
4) 18m Straight up the wall above for 5m, and then a delicate traverse to the L leads to the wide crevice in the corner. Step across the gap and then up to prominent shelf on the far wall.
5) 23m Climb the 3m wall behind the ledge to the start of a rubbishy gully. Up through the gully, or out onto the L-hand bounding rib (much cleaner) to large TB. From here, the exit of Carborundum Chimney is joined and scrambling to the R leads eventually to the Caves Route.
Bill Peascod, Neill Lamb, Julie Henry 21/05/1955

Every Day I Start To Ooze 18m 21
Start: 2m R of Liquid Skin and 3m L of obvious sickle crack.
Head up easy slab (small cams) to underneath overlap next to some vegetation. Reach up and clip first of three FH's. After the third, go up then veer L to join LS at its final FH. Continue up this to anchor.
Sections of this and the next route tend to seep well after it has rained.
Gareth Llewellin, Ross Ferguson (both led) 29/04/2006

Liquid Skin 18m 23
Start: 3m right of Patience Crack
Up slab (FH) to L side of a block under overlap (small wire or cams in horizontal). Continue past four more FH's trending R-wards to anchor.
Ross Ferguson, Gareth Llewellin (both led) 29/04/2006

Patience Crack 85m 15
Start: 8m R of Carborundum Chimney at a big tree.
This is a great, well-protected route.
1) 40m (crux). Up nice crack to top of white rock. From here, there are two options. 1. Trend L and up to ledge then continue up and R for 18m to base of crack. 2. Continue directly up through the half-chimney.
2) 24m Follow the obvious crack straight up, by layback, bridging and wall climbing. Gain stance where Faith crosses wall and belay off tree.
3) 22m Traverse R and up continuation of corner, to finish on ledge and TB. Up easy rock and some scree, then out R to join the Caves Route.
Les Wood, Donn Groom, Woody Milroy 21/06/1966

The east face track meets the rock at this point.

Carborundum Chimney 92m 11
Start: Beneath the L-leaning pocketed crack 5m or so L of where the E face walking track meets the rock (35m L of the Caves Route). Marked 'CC'.
A time-honoured bumbly classic. So named because of its abrasive properties, this route follows the large, prominent chimney on the E face. When you're wedged in the chimney, spare a thought for when this was climbed with nothing more than a rope and a couple of slings!
1) 35m Originally the crux pitch. Up face, then follow the crack with bridging moves to a rest position. Up face above passing a PR to large ledge. Bridge up the gully to the second ledge. Poor belay.
2) 25m Up easy wall (good pro) to tree. Up and L to enter the chimney. Climb up wide groove to big sling belay in the 'Bomb Shelter'.
3) 17m (crux). Harder since repeat ascentionists have trundled some chockstones used by original party. Bridge up into the chimney to stance and pro. Chimney up past chockstones and hidden PRs (on back wall) to ledge. Belay off large chockstone at back of ledge.
4) 15m Continue up chimney until it finishes at a ledge and TB. From the belay ledge, escape off to the R along scrubby ledge to connect with the Caves Route above Cave 2. Alternately, it is possible to go L-wards up the V-gully and follow terraces up to the summit.
Neill Lamb, Mark Andrews 1955

Remains Of The Day 136m 16
Start: 3m L of CC.
1) 20m (15) Small SLCD protects the start then balancy climbing up wall on good rock passing seven or eight FH’s to rap station.
2) 28m (15) Step off R and down to ledge as for CC first pitch. Cross ledge and climb easy wall to high FH. Follow the FH’s with good, fun climbing through some drummy rock to rap station below steep wall.
3) 28m (16) It’s all systems go straight off the belay up the steep wall passing several FH’s but it soon eases to a naturally protected crack and short chimney. On to spooky tree-covered ledge and rap station.
4) 30m (16) Easily up to the L of the belay to high FH but keeping R of arête to stance below steep wall. Crank your way up on good edges passing several FH’s to rap station.
5) 30m (13) Good vertical face climbing on natural pro up the intermittent crack to a slabby finish passing three or four FH’s to rap station.
Ross Ferguson, Gareth Llewellin, Bill Strachan 03/2007

First Contact 20m 20
Start: 15m L of Carborundum Chimney.
Burly and exciting. Up blocky slab to base of overhung wall. Clip FH and pull into the crux. Jug upwards passing another FH until it eases. Up more easily (wire, big hex) to chains.
Lee Cujes, Neil Monteith 17/07/1999

Insurrection 25m 18
Start: About 5m L of First Contact beneath crack.
Waltz up easy slab to base of L-leaning crack. Pull into this and enjoy white Arapilesean rock for 5m before breaking off R and up to first of three black FH’s. Continue up steep face passing two more FH’s to chains.
Lee Cujes, Menno Smits 21/04/1999

Insurrection VS 28m 21
Start: Downhill, 5m L of original.
An excellent variant, adding 8m of quality climbing. Stickclip first FH and pull onto bottomless wall. Push straight up, then traverse R below bulge to second FH. Directly through bulge to meet original at crack at top of white rock. Continue up original.
Lee Cujes 21/04/1999

Nine Month Sojourn 25m 20
Start: 8m L of Insurrection VS at blocky orange corner.
Quite demanding. Strenuously up passing SLCD slots, then slightly R to jugs. Up wall above (wires) tending L to meet LOAJP at the rooflet. Continue up LOAJP.
Neil Monteith, Lee Cujes 16/07/1999

Leaving On A Jet Plane 25m 20
Start: 2m L of Nine Month Sojourn
An outstanding R-tending line located on the far L of the wall. Stickclip first of five FH’s and pull onto bottomless wall. Crank natural campus rungs (FH, wire) up superb stone to rooflet (FH). Find a way R-wards up steepening wall past two FH’s to chains.
Neil Monteith, Lee Cujes 16/07/1999

Steaming 60m 16
Start: In vague gully 15m L of Leaving On A Jet Plane, below slab with low red roofs on the R. The belay ledge at the top of this pitch has a tree sticking out horizontally.
Climbed accidentally, thinking that it was the start of Clemency! On the first ascent, Neil used all the rope and soloed the final 8m, leaving Simon to solo the first 8m to tie in. Simon quit climbing soon after! Advice: use a 60m rope. Good advice: avoid this route entirely. Up the slab to the vertical wall, trend up and to the R below loose roofs then climb straight up aiming for the belay ledge with tree. It is safer if you keep slightly to the R of the ledge as the top half below the ledge is quite loose. Protection is very sparse - four pieces were placed on first ascent.
Neil Monteith, Simon Hennig 12/1994

Airtime Over Pumicestone 245m 21
Start: About 4m L of Steaming at big tree next to rock apron.
Take wires and SLCDs to #3, with a strong emphasis on small SLCDs such as aliens.
1) 35m (18) Easily up L trending ramp to white corner (FH). L up this and R onto ledge above bush. Traverse R up slab (FH) to vertical section. Carefully place gear then crank up this to easier ground. Two close FHs lead up slab and over small rooflet to rap station.
2) 30m (18) Take lots of small SLCDs. Up and slightly L 5m, then almost directly L 3m past gear slots. Move up past FH to gain corner on R side of the big orange roof. Through corner to rest ledge above roof. Straight up from ledge without falling for 5m to FH, then a big traverse back R above your belayer to solid black rock. Up past FH to rap station under blocky arête (60m rap to ground). Mind rope drag on this wandering pitch.
3) 40m (21) Cruxy right off the belay. 11 FHs up exposed blocky arête. The arête terminates into a wide gully with a rap station on L.
4) 40m (19) Climb the nice wall on L side of gully (four FHs) to an easy slab. Run up this (two FHs and gear) to where it steepens. Two FHs and a big hollow flake allow you to get across the chasm to ledge and rap station.
5) 60m (2) Climb up onto vegetated ridge. Walk L until it's possible to scramble up onto the next terrace. Walk all the way back R along this to find a FH on the wall.
6) 40m (19) An unlikely but excellent start past the FH leads into a groove. Carefully up this to ledge on L. Up the headwall slab above (four FHs) to rap station.
Either scramble up 50m to summit and walk off, or rap the route.
Lee Cujes (1, 2, 4), Phil Box (3, 6) 15/02/2003

Carborundum Chimney 92m 11 Start: Beneath the L-leaning pocketed crack 5m or so L of where the E face walking track meets the rock (35m L of the Caves Route). Marked 'CC'. A time-honoured bumbly classic. So named because of its abrasive properties, this route follows the large, prominent chimney on the E face. When you're wedged in the chimney, spare a thought for when this was climbed with nothing more than a rope and a couple of slings! 1) 35m Originally the crux pitch. Up face, then follow the crack with bridging moves to a rest position. Up face above passing a PR to large ledge. Bridge up the gully to the second ledge. Poor belay. 2) 25m Up easy wall (good pro) to tree. Up and L to enter the chimney. Climb up wide groove to big sling belay in the 'Bomb Shelter'. 3) 17m (crux). Harder since repeat ascentionists have trundled some chockstones used by original party. Bridge up into the chimney to stance and pro. Chimney up past chockstones and hidden PRs (on back wall) to ledge. Belay off large chockstone at back of ledge. 4) 15m Continue up chimney until it finishes at a ledge and TB. From the belay ledge, escape off to the R along scrubby ledge to connect with the Caves Route above Cave 2. Alternately, it is possible to go L-wards up the V-gully and follow terraces up to the summit. Neill Lamb, Mark Andrews 1955	Remains Of The Day 136m 16 Start: 3m L of CC. 1) 20m (15) Small SLCD protects the start then balancy climbing up wall on good rock passing seven or eight FH’s to rap station. 2) 28m (15) Step off R and down to ledge as for CC first pitch. Cross ledge and climb easy wall to high FH. Follow the FH’s with good, fun climbing through some drummy rock to rap station below steep wall. 3) 28m (16) It’s all systems go straight off the belay up the steep wall passing several FH’s but it soon eases to a naturally protected crack and short chimney. On to spooky tree-covered ledge and rap station. 4) 30m (16) Easily up to the L of the belay to high FH but keeping R of arête to stance below steep wall. Crank your way up on good edges passing several FH’s to rap station. 5) 30m (13) Good vertical face climbing on natural pro up the intermittent crack to a slabby finish passing three or four FH’s to rap station. Ross Ferguson, Gareth Llewellin, Bill Strachan 03/2007
First Contact 20m 20 Start: 15m L of Carborundum Chimney. Burly and exciting. Up blocky slab to base of overhung wall. Clip FH and pull into the crux. Jug upwards passing another FH until it eases. Up more easily (wire, big hex) to chains. Lee Cujes, Neil Monteith 17/07/1999	Insurrection 25m 18 Start: About 5m L of First Contact beneath crack. Waltz up easy slab to base of L-leaning crack. Pull into this and enjoy white Arapilesean rock for 5m before breaking off R and up to first of three black FH’s. Continue up steep face passing two more FH’s to chains. Lee Cujes, Menno Smits 21/04/1999
Insurrection VS 28m 21 Start: Downhill, 5m L of original. An excellent variant, adding 8m of quality climbing. Stickclip first FH and pull onto bottomless wall. Push straight up, then traverse R below bulge to second FH. Directly through bulge to meet original at crack at top of white rock. Continue up original. Lee Cujes 21/04/1999	Nine Month Sojourn 25m 20 Start: 8m L of Insurrection VS at blocky orange corner. Quite demanding. Strenuously up passing SLCD slots, then slightly R to jugs. Up wall above (wires) tending L to meet LOAJP at the rooflet. Continue up LOAJP. Neil Monteith, Lee Cujes 16/07/1999
Leaving On A Jet Plane 25m 20 Start: 2m L of Nine Month Sojourn An outstanding R-tending line located on the far L of the wall. Stickclip first of five FH’s and pull onto bottomless wall. Crank natural campus rungs (FH, wire) up superb stone to rooflet (FH). Find a way R-wards up steepening wall past two FH’s to chains. Neil Monteith, Lee Cujes 16/07/1999	Steaming 60m 16 Start: In vague gully 15m L of Leaving On A Jet Plane, below slab with low red roofs on the R. The belay ledge at the top of this pitch has a tree sticking out horizontally. Climbed accidentally, thinking that it was the start of Clemency! On the first ascent, Neil used all the rope and soloed the final 8m, leaving Simon to solo the first 8m to tie in. Simon quit climbing soon after! Advice: use a 60m rope. Good advice: avoid this route entirely. Up the slab to the vertical wall, trend up and to the R below loose roofs then climb straight up aiming for the belay ledge with tree. It is safer if you keep slightly to the R of the ledge as the top half below the ledge is quite loose. Protection is very sparse - four pieces were placed on first ascent. Neil Monteith, Simon Hennig 12/1994
Airtime Over Pumicestone 245m 21 Start: About 4m L of Steaming at big tree next to rock apron. Take wires and SLCDs to #3, with a strong emphasis on small SLCDs such as aliens. 1) 35m (18) Easily up L trending ramp to white corner (FH). L up this and R onto ledge above bush. Traverse R up slab (FH) to vertical section. Carefully place gear then crank up this to easier ground. Two close FHs lead up slab and over small rooflet to rap station. 2) 30m (18) Take lots of small SLCDs. Up and slightly L 5m, then almost directly L 3m past gear slots. Move up past FH to gain corner on R side of the big orange roof. Through corner to rest ledge above roof. Straight up from ledge without falling for 5m to FH, then a big traverse back R above your belayer to solid black rock. Up past FH to rap station under blocky arête (60m rap to ground). Mind rope drag on this wandering pitch. 3) 40m (21) Cruxy right off the belay. 11 FHs up exposed blocky arête. The arête terminates into a wide gully with a rap station on L. 4) 40m (19) Climb the nice wall on L side of gully (four FHs) to an easy slab. Run up this (two FHs and gear) to where it steepens. Two FHs and a big hollow flake allow you to get across the chasm to ledge and rap station. 5) 60m (2) Climb up onto vegetated ridge. Walk L until it's possible to scramble up onto the next terrace. Walk all the way back R along this to find a FH on the wall. 6) 40m (19) An unlikely but excellent start past the FH leads into a groove. Carefully up this to ledge on L. Up the headwall slab above (four FHs) to rap station. Either scramble up 50m to summit and walk off, or rap the route. Lee Cujes (1, 2, 4), Phil Box (3, 6) 15/02/2003