Back to the Bridge
Dave Lofthouse uncovers seven little-known gems when he brushes off the cobwebs at at Jolls Bridge.
Words Dave Lofthouse, photos Julian Hurrell and Tim Haasnoot
My first experience at Jolls Bridge was an unpleasant summer afternoon in the full sun and 40ºC temps: I forgot my water bottle and was bitten by an unfriendly spider. So for many years I avoided it as a climbing destination, even though it’s only 20 minutes from home. Located less than an hour north of Sydney on the NSW Central Coast, it’s a well-known but seldom used area due to its overgrown access and unpopular ‘old skool’ reputation. This means the 120+ sport, mixed and trad climbs have languished in obscurity since they were established in the early 1990s.
I was recently convinced to give Jolls another shot after getting a little bored repeating the usual local classics. Determined to do it differently this time, we dragged along one of the original developers to show us around and to point out the three-star classics. With this inside information the place has turned into a goldmine of thought provoking face-climbing, thuggy steep stuff and scary run-out slabs. Throw in awesome views of the Hawkesbury River and a surprisingly atmospheric setting (the top of the cliffline is literally next to the F3 freeway), and you’ve got enough to keep you busy for many trips.
Once the cobwebs were brushed off, these turned out to be a few of the best…
High Goose Stepping Action (21)
This route epitomises everything about the Jolls Bridge climbing experience. You plug in a good cam a couple of metres off the deck to protect some difficult moves to the first carrot, then continue further on bullet-hard orange rock passing some more bolts and cam placements. These moves are interesting and technical, but then after another solid cam placement you have steep juggy moves on typical grey Sydney sandstone to the top, where you can sit and enjoy the panoramic views while you bring up your second. Perfect.
Son of a Gun (25)
Part of my reasoning for venturing back to Jolls was to experience something outside of the usual ‘siege till you tick’ projects, but from the moment I jumped on this ringbolted sport route it had me hooked. With a soft grade and exceptionally cool moves, including a three-points off dyno at the very top, this probably ranks as my favourite route.
Lethal Weapon (24)
This climb has got the lot. Getting off the ground requires a strenuous chin-up using a slopey crimp and a terrible side-pull…and then it gets interesting! The mental crux is the choss for the first few metres and a dodgy mantle, but hard moves on beautiful pockets in the polished, white bulge at the top make it worth the effort.
Crack’n’Up (22)
Development of the area began in 1992 when Sydney and Coast climbers caught each other sniffing for new lines. This encounter then gave rise to the naming of one of the crag’s many routes, Sniffing Dogs (20). The subsequent frenzy to get first ascents led to some small and insignificant climbs, but Crack’n'Up ain’t one of them
If you don’t mind teetering on insecure holds miles above your last bit of pro, then this is the climb for you. With only three bolts in 30 metres, what starts out as an awesome crack with fantastic gear placements ends up as a scary run-out slab.
666 The Beast (19)
You needn’t be religious to be frightened of 666 The Beast. Situated on the Gold Possum Wall, this superb flake will mess with your head but it’s still worth the adventure. While some big cams are handy but not essential for this trad route, you’ll definitely need to bring your adventurous spirit.
Corrosion Castle (19)
If you look past the uninspiring name and the on-line guide description (steep, airy and scary ‘violet crumble’), this Mike Law arête is surprisingly good. The rock is nowhere near as manky as it appears nor as steep as it looks, and the climbing is simply fantastic with more of the Hawkesbury views that makes Jolls special. Some gear is a good idea to back up the old rusty carrots (and make sure you keep away from the obvious rest – you don’t need it).
The Hawkesbury Desideratum (25)
This one is our own little piece of the Blue Mountains, with painfully sharp crimps creating a masochistic experience for the first third of the route. And for those of us without strength or technique there’s a dyno above this with nasty fall potential to round out the ‘fun’.
