Don't Touch This

Great Barrier Reef

Box Jellyfish

Gone Walkabout

Finding Dory

Sea Anemone

Finding Nemo

Permit This

Steve Irwin Memorial Arete

This is yet another not-my-route with interesting climbing from the bottom to the anchors that made it worthwhile for me.

(BTW, if you've never posted a route, they ask you in this section to say where the crux is; what's interesting; what are our deepest thoughts...). I would never give it away like that or tell you what to do. It's safe enough, go see what you think!

This is the easiest route on Upper Oz. It is safe and fun.

Watch for the interesting rock-bolted-to-the-wall up by the anchor (yeah, right where you fight through the vegetation). It shares an anchor with the route to the left.

Rappel.

This is the longest route at Upper Oz. It climbs up the left side of the fin and then moves around to the right at the top. The anchors are set back a bit, so you can't really see your partner if you belay up top (am I the only one who does that? Actually, I lowered, and it worked out ok). Big holds, lots of bolts, and good exposure equals fun. There's a few friable edges at this time, but they will clean up with a little more traffic.

This seemed harder than 10c to me. After you get passed the 2nd bolt, the grade eases a lot. There are clever changes of direction, and maybe you need a stick clip?

There is a boulder near the top that was apparently nerve-wracking enough to require being bolted with chain to the wall!  You don't see that every day.

This is another interesting bolt protected 5.5 that can be climbed in 1 or 2 pitches. It is the right-hand route on Lower Oz and may be used to access Upper Oz or enjoyed for itself.

It shares the the anchors with

Finding Nemo

and is maybe a bit more physical than

'Nemo

. P1 is ~75', and P2 is ~65'.

Rappel in 2 drops with one rope.

This pleasant climb passes the Sisyphus Boulder on the right near the top. It has several impressive letterbox holds.

Finding Nemo is an OK route with 2 short pitches, though it may be climbed as one. It is also a way to the Upper Oz area. The anchors at the mid-station are hanging chains, just out of reach off the ledge and are shared with

Finding Dory

. If going to Upper Oz, just get off here, and go right around the corner. The second pitch continues up left to the anchor chains.

Rap' the route in 2 drops with a single rope.

This is on Upper Oz.

It looks like a very wide stem from below, but you never even try once you start. Everything shows up when you need it. This has a semi-powerful start, walk the ramp and climb the clever headwall inside the acute corner up to the chains.

Rap the route.

(I like the name, since we all felt like that when they announced the new route guidelines for the canyon.)

When the climbing gets easier near the top, be aware of large block on the arete. Removing it would probably take out the telephone pole below.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Oz