Main Wall
These sport climbs range in grade from 5.6 to 5.11b, offering routes for nearly every climber. Climbing left to right gives a steady grade increase, 5.6 at the left, moving to a crimpy 5.11b face, then easing off to 5.10- at the far-right side. It is a fortunate convenience that the rock should provide such a steady progression, ideal for those interested in projecting 10c or 11b sport routes.
Setting top ropes for the Main Wall is facilitated by a series of safety bolts against the back wall of the top ledge, although some require lowering over the edge to access the anchors. No anchor access requires more than 6 meters of safety rope to safely reach it.
Quick Facts
Unnamed
Easy and cruzy. Start in v-groove and crack on LEFT side of the protruding block and follow the basalt splitter crack through face to the anchors. People have climbed this line in running shoes, so the grade could possibly even be as low as 5.5. FA Marko, D Woods '21.
Unnamed
Short and fun! Follow the crack behind the RIGHT side of protruding block, through broken edges to standing rest. Then right at big under-cling flake, to a couple of slightly harder face moves, then left to a wide ledge and the anchors. FA Marko, Derek Woods '21.
Goin Solo
Classic face climbing movement on thin, positive edges. Stay left of the mid-route flake, and take a straight up line. This line has a high crux, at the transition from the face to the lower angle run out to the anchor. Original FA was a free solo by S Morphy, with Marko cheering on from below, hence the name (followed up with a roped lead). FA Marko, S Morphy, '16.
Easy Does It
This line is route-finding practice on a face! Ambiguous face moves up to the obvious mid-climb flake/ledge. Keep right to hold the line and avoid 'borrowing' holds from ‘Goin Solo’. FA Marko, S Morphy, ’16.
Phil's Stone (FUPS)
Cruxy start. Avoid temptation to divert left, introducing significant pendulum potential. Follow the black streak and use high feet to gain the second bolt. Right side past the mid-climb flake/ledge, and up to the left facing corner. Perhaps over-bolted through the middle. FA Marko, S Morphy, '15.
The Bat
Shimmy up right side of the blank face, move across left to gain the crack, or for a challenge press straight up the face through the sloper dish. Either way, climb the crack, and top out left on a crimpy bulge. Retro sport bolted Marko Steffen, S Morphy '17. FA Julian McLean (+ unknown), '85 Shares safety bolt with "dirt stamp" 6 meters up from anchor against back wall.
Sharing is Caring
Starts just right of 'The Bat' and almost shares holds. Sustained, high-angle crimpy face moves lead to lower angle ramp at the top, to the same anchors as The Bat, hence the sharing. FA S. Wyvill, B Wyvill '18.
Dirt Stamp
A cruise. Follow the obvious, wide, left-arcing crack / channel. Often damp after rain, and grows in every couple years because of the deep drainage the crack provides to the upper ledge. Sparsely bolted, much more run out than FUPS by comparison. FA Marko, S Morphy, '15.
Better Than Expected
This climb offers a rather satisfying series of smooth bulge-and-ledge problems separated by discontinuous cracks. Lots of no hands rests – a move, a rest, a move, a rest. Crux is technical and right off the deck. This sport route has safety bolt on back wall above the climb, between this anchor and anchor for ‘Soft on Soft’. FA S Morphy, Marko, '18.
Soft on Soft
Start with side-pulls on flakes over the first bulge, followed by more of the same, upper climb moves across a low angle slab, often wet (another drainage from the ledge above). Find the anchors on the right side of the small but obvious roof. Anchors require use of a safety line from a bolt against the back wall of the top ledge to safely set up a top rope. FA Marko, S Morphy, '19.
Additional Notes
This is believed to be the first wall on the Glen Lake Crag to see modern sport and trad climbing, back in the 70’s and early 80’s, when rock climbing saw a general swell in interest within Victoria. Records are spotty, but likely the first sport bolt drilled on the Glen Lake Crag was on the on "The Bat", a sport climb put up by Julian McLean, subsequently re-bolted with permission from his friends (sadly, Julian has passed on). More recently, the Main Wall saw most of its sport climbing development after initial aid climbing done by local climbers in the early 2000's.
Gear suggestions: A particularly useful piece of tech for rock climbing on outdoor sport routes is the 'grillion'. Highly recommended for setting TRs on the Glen Lake Crag, and for all sport climbing areas in general, the grillion centers on a camming device like a Grigri. Pre-assembled units can be purchased with factory eyelets installed at either end of the cord. A grillion can also easily be fashioned at home with a length of 11mm static rope (typically 2 to 5 meters in length), a Petzl Grigri, and two locking carabineers. Search the internet for assembly and usage instructions for this very useful piece of safety equipment.
