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Below the Echo Point viewing platform lies a crack climb of huge proportion. Echo crack sits silently curving over the Jamison valley, the crack sucks you in as you ascend towards the tourists above. You don’t tend to hear the crowds , they go about snapping their photographs of the Three Sisters completely oblivious to the fact that you are below them. The hordes have been known to throw the odd thing off the lookout in fact the amount of rubbish that lies at the base of the cliff is disgusting, everything from garbage bins to boomerangs and even money. A friend told me of a time that he was on the climb when a large green plastic ’wheelie’ bin came hurtling past him leaving a trail of rubbish in its wake, the hoodlums above must have been doing a bit of a clean up!
Every time that I visit Echo Crack I’m overcome with a sense of awe for the pioneers who first scaled this magic line. If only the crack could talk it would tell me tales of those who have climbed before me. One such tale might be the ’bolt ladder epic’, when your in the main crack you can see the scars of an old bolt ladder that ran all the way from the ’Heartbreak Hotel’ to the top. I’m told that it was put there by a group of about 15 climbers from a well known club. One of the club members returned to the climb and chopped the bolts behind him. The top part of the ladder still exists, I have been tempted to get onto it for history sake. Bolting ethics have been a topic of discussion for a long time and will no doubt continue. John Davis and John Ewbank first aided Echo Crack in August 1968, the grade remained set at 18M5 190m until it was freed by Steve Monks and Adam Darragh in April 1995 at grade 25. Although it’s been freed, I still prefer to aid climb it (that’s because I’m too scared to do it any other way) The early pioneers climbed this route using hawser laid ropes and early protection like machine nuts, pins, bongs and wooden wedges. We think we’re great when we climb it using modern protection and a high tech equipment, when I consider the differences I pale into insignificance.
I love this climb and would highly recommend it to any adventurous climber who has the gear and ability to get himself or herself out of bother as often is the case. The ’Rockclimbs in the Upper Blue Mountains’ guide book has a deparchmention on page 16 although the approach can be a bit confusing and the start a bit hard to find. When you are aiming for the start, aim east of the crack above then search for it as you move west whilst looking for a broken corner with a steep stepped ramp. I usually get racked up on a small ledge about 3m off the ground.
Echo Crack Re-Visited
Russ Davis, son of John Davis (first ascent) has wanted to repeat the climb that his father first climbed in the late 60’s for some time. We were practising our aid technique in readiness for a trip to Mt Buffalo so decided to get onto Echo Crack. We got an early start on Friday morning (11-02-00) walked down the Giant Staircase, around Dardanell’s Pass then straight up the scrub slope until we hit the cliff face arriving at the start of the climb at approximately 7:45am.
The weather forecast was for a hot day, but we knew that the climb would remain shaded throughout the day as it’s overhanging and south facing. We scrambled up to the first small ledge that is approximately 3 to 4m from the deck and racked up.
Pitch 1.
This pitch is easy, my guess is about grade 12 or less so we didn’t bother with friction boots. I led up the steep stepped ramp / corner, behind a small tree then out onto the face with easy moves to the ledge. On the ledge we belayed from an elongated block bollard. Looking up into the main crack from here is deceiving it looked easier that it actually was and the distances are difficult to decipher.
Pitch 2.
Russ led this pitch, he started by freeing up until he was into the small corner then mixed free and aided his way up onto the red shale band ledge. The moves up onto the ledge are a bit dodgy, you can move left and keep to better rock if you wish. There is plenty of natural protection on this pitch including wire and cam placements.
The red shale ledge or ’Heartbreak Hotel’ is a magic spot with great views of the Three Sisters and the Jamison Valley. I once spent an uncomfortable night on this ledge when a solo-aid trip took longer than expected. I had climbed to the top of pitch 3 when it became too dark to continue so I rapped back to ’Heartbreak Hotel’ and checked in for the night. Unfortunately I didn’t have my sleeping gear so I was a bit cold, sleeping on my haul bag and wrapped in a rescue blanket. I have heard a rumour that John Davis bivvied on the top of the 3rd pitch on an airbed suspended in slings.
Pitch 3.
I’ve got two different guide books that offer different distances and pitch deparchmentions, we had no problems with 50m ropes reaching the belays.
The 3rd pitch is where the fun starts, a committing move out above the void. This crack is awesome it literally sucks you in as it closes around you to the point that you shoulders are touching the rock on both sides, the protection needed is large with great placements for big hexes and big cams. The rock looks solid, I felt safe so I back cleaned as I aided leaving large runouts. A fall would leave you hanging in space, no need to worry about hitting anything. Aiding this crack is easy with great views and huge exposure. Our bags swung out into the void when we began the haul clearly indicating the overhanging nature of the climb, I’m sure that this would be more apparent if we were free climbing it.
Pitch 4.
The crack continues up until you hit some vegetation, I looked around thinking about the next moves and realised that I was at the top. I spotted the short bolt ladder to my left that leads to a triangular shaped ledge. This ledge is a classic, it would be a nice spot to camp, it perfectly flat with awesome views. I called to Russ to check how much rope was remaining then decided to top out. The last moves are a bit scary, there is one bolt, a bit of drag and a fall would put you back onto the ledge. I decided to leave most of my aid rack hanging at the ledge and I also tied off the haul line. Without the extra weight I then made 2 hook moves then freed onto a small stance and up to safety.
I rigged the top and rapped back to the ledge calling out to Russ that the lead line was fixed. I hauled from the ledge then we both jugged back to the top. The guide books mention 5 and 6 pitches but the very nature of this climb allows for many alternatives. Before you leave this ledge, look up and right to see the old bolt ladder
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