What becomes of the broken hearted 240m grade 20 R

They turn into underpants soiling bluff knoll cubans.

An old school route for the alpinists. A full set of micro cams reduces it from an X to an R rating. Originally thought to be grade 19, but second ascentionists reckon it is probably 20. May overlap with Caveat Emptor at some point, but I’m too sure (Dave??). Sorry lads, no Ps, FHs, GIMBs, WMDs or RBTs to argue about I’m afraid (unless someone wants to give me crap for not placing any).

When approaching from the west, head around the first buttress beyond the start of coercion, then scramble up a gully that places you at the right hand end of a black wall with orange streaks, below a small roof about 5m above the ground. You will be L of the great roof and below (or very slightly R of) Sophocles pillar.

i) 40m grade 17: climb up to roof at 5m, then take a diagonal L line to a tree below the pillar above. Head up to the base of the pillar then climb R trending ramp/corner on the R side of pillar. Belay on ledge on L of corner (look out for undies on ledge. No joke).

ii) 25m grade 17 R: from belay, step L to L side of pillar, then up and back R around arête onto front side of pillar. Head up pillar as it widens, trending slightly R. Belay on large ledge below overhanging terrain.

iii) 25m grade 20 R: traverse R to easiest looking line through overhangs. Climb up steep black rock (runout) then pull through overhang (crux). Once through overhangs, head up to belay L of slab in corner with steep orange wall and roofs 10m above.

iv) 30m grade 20 R: head up slab close to corner for 10m, then traverse 10m L below orange wall. Take a R trending diagonal line through orange wall (micro cams are necessary to protect this bit) to a good stance at the top of orange wall (5-10m above slab). Climb up 5m or so to semi-hanging belay on cams in horizontal, a few metres L of a corner.

v) 25m grade 17: climb up a few metres then traverse R to corner and around arête below the roof, then head up to below orange wall, then traverse R to belay ledge.

vi) 25m grade 15: head up vague corner then straight up trending slightly L to belay on good ledge below a short overhanging corner crack.

vii) 40m grade 17: climb overhanging corner crack on good holds then traverse 5m R onto face with good exposure. Head straight up face to another roof capped corner. Head up corner and pull through R of roof to belay in corner above.

viii) 30m grade 16: take R trending line to finish in vegetated gully above.

ix) solo up vegetated gully on R to summit.

FA: Owen Davis and Iain Ellis, November 2006