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<guide><header
access="It is possible to drive to within fifty meters of the cliff if you first borrow a key from the landowners. They have been quite friendly and cooperative with climbers, so it's a good idea to call in and save yourself a half hour walk. Alternatively give them a call on 62-612359. To get there head up to New Norfolk and cross to the northern side of the Derwent River. Head up river and take the first right, followed by a left. Follow this through the outer suburbs of New Norfolk to the T-junction: to get to the cliff turn right along Back River Road; if you want the key turn left, then right along Daniel's Road. The landowner's pink brick veneer house is found 2km along Daniel's Road at a point where the road tends left and the entrance to the house looms directly ahead. The turn-off to the crag is about 2km along Back River Road from the T-junction. Turn right at the driveway to house numbers 658, 660 & 662 and drive for another 1km before reaching the gate requiring the key. After a few kilometers of zigging and zagging on a steep, rough road, take a track which turns off sharply to the left, and the crag will soon be visible on the right. If you can't get the key for any reason the walk up isn't too grim (takes about 30 minutes)."
acknowledgement="by Roger Parkyn, originally published in Craglets."
history=""
intro="This is a crag you either love or hate. I love it but others have described it as "loose", "dirty", "sandy" and even "chossy". Don't listen to any of that rubbish though - just go there and see what you think. Handsome Crag is unique amongst the Hobart craglets for several reasons. Firstly, there is dominance of overhangs which is something conspicuously absent on dolerite. Secondly, the harder climbs are mostly quite user-friendly. Finally, the north facing aspect makes it a warm spot, even in mid-winter."
name="Handsome Crag" new="false"
rock="Vertical to overhanging sandstone, some bolted climbs but a number need gear as well."
sun="All day sun" walk="2 min"></header><image new="false"
noPrint="false" number="null." src="handsome crag map.png"
width=""/><text
class="text">Further left from the "main" part of the cliff are two climbs. From Hard and Fast go left up the descent track then left again along to a small cliff.</text><climb
extra="" grade="15" length="10m"
name="Orchid Corner">The sloping corner crack. John Domeney, May/93.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="16" length="10m"
name="Eat, Shit, Bolt">The short hand crack. John Domeney, Apr/93.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="12" length="10m"
name="Desert Haircut">Start 20m left of Hard and Fast. Just after walking through a notch, is a short corner containing twin hand cracks and a lip at the top. Climb the cracks to a right leading ramp. Allan Adams, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="14" length="7m"
name="Licken Lichen">Start 8m right of Desert Haircut. Looks pretty worthless. N.Tidswell, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="25" length="18m"
name="Hammerhead">Takes the staircase shaped crack left of Hard and Fast. Traverse left to the base of the finger crack, up this, then rightwards to the fixed wire on Hard and Fast. All natural gear (cams). Mick Berry, 1991.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="23" length="18m" name="Hard and Fast"
stars=" ** ">Power up the crack in the overhanging wall which has a horizontal at half height. Good protection all the way and a fixed wire, makes this an excellent lead. Don't succumb to the temptation of a top-rope, as many do. TR Pete Steane. FA Gavin Jensen, Aug/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="18m"
name="Suck the Kumara">Ascend the gaping cleft on the overhanging wall right of Hard and Fast. Surmount the large clitoris-like feature at 2/3 height. Finish directly. This route is good fun and not as hideous as it may look. Honestly! Well; some have described it as "a cunt of a root" (sic). Take some big friends as well as some wires. Roger Parkyn, Jul/89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="23" length="12m" name="Palpate the Banana"
stars=" * ">Start off the block and climb the steep wall right of Suck the Kumara. The bolt clip is best facilitated by the use of a stick (plenty around). An excellent 2 and/or 2½ Friend in a pocket protects the climbing above. A second size 2 friend can be used to protect the final move if necessary. Roger Parkyn, Jan/91.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="11" length="12m"
name="Tora! Tora! Flora!">Starts up the corner right of Palpate the Banana. Climb the awkward block and follow the corner to the top. Quite a pleasant route. Stephen Bunton, Sep/89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="17" length="12m"
name="Blitz Siege">Starts as for Tora Tora Flora. From the top of the starting block, step right and climb the thin crack to the summit. Stephen Bunton, Sep/89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="10" length="20m"
name="Garden Party">Starts behind the first big black tree 15m to the right of Hard and Fast. Climb the chimney crack to a ledge at 5m, then traverse 4m right through some vegetation, and climb up and left slightly into a shallow corner which has a tricky exit. This climb looks poxy and, to my knowledge, no-one has been stupid enough to do a second ascent. W.Jensen, Nov/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="35m"
name="Social Security">Climb the finger crack 5m left of Stiff Upper Lip which leads to a small ledge with a tree at about 7m. Continue past this and exit left to a big ledge. Move up to clip a bolt then traverse right to a large flake. Climb the hand-crack above this. Follow the crack system to the top using some pretty skinny wires. Gavin Jensen, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="30m"
name="Stiff Upper Lip">Just left of Blinded by the Beacon is a shallow right-facing corner. Climb this to a small ledge and continue above to a block-filled easy corner. Move slightly right to clip a bolt and surmount the bulge above it. Climb the corner and flake above to finish. Stuart Scott, Aug/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="15m" name="Blinded by the Beacon"
stars=" * ">Start by bridging past a sandy cave. A bolt protects face climbing to a cave at half-height. Clip a second bolt and continue above, trending slightly leftwards before stepping right to finish. Belay or rap off the large tree. Roger Parkyn, Jul/89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="22" length="20m" name="Dredge on an Edge"
stars=" * ">The start, 5m right of Blinded by the Beacon is almost always wet. Don't be put off as the climbing above is excellent and physical. The most popular method is to stick-clip the first bolt (with fixed hanger) and crank past the wet patch. There are two more hangered bolts above, but wires and friends are also needed. At the top move carefully leftwards to belay at the same tree as for Blinded by the Beacon. Richard Marshall, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="19" length="35m"
name="Fear of Flying">This route ascends the orange dihedral on the steep wall above and right of Dredge on an Edge. Named in honour of its spaced protection, this route lacks popularity. Although undeniably scary the gear is probably adequate, so give it a go if you're feeling bold. The climbing itself is excellent and the position stunning. Start 15m right of Dredge on an Edge, climb past a dirty sentry box to a ledge at 6m. Continue up the hand crack above till it runs out then traverse left 3m to where the dihedral starts. The crux of the climb is exiting onto the slab above the dihedral. Doug Fife, Jun/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="18" length="20m"
name="Broke Bored and Ignored">Grovel up the gully left of Space Master to belay at a horizontally growing gum tree on the left about 10m off the deck. Climb the crack and face to a small ledge. The brushed path continues to the top. Allan Adams, Jul/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="23" length="25m"
name="Space Master">After grovelling up the gully the climbing begins by traversing the prominent horizontal rightwards into the middle of the steep orange wall. Small friends and medium sized wires protect the climbing up the thin crack. Move right onto easier ground then up, to reach the base of the arete directly above the thin crack climbed below. Two bolts protect the climbing to the summit. The first of them is clipped blind. W.Jensen, Dec/88.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="23" length="40m" name="Space Cadet" new="false"
number=""
stars="*">A captivating overhanging arete on the Space Master buttress, the visual appeal of this line is enhanced by being bristling with bolts. Start well to the right by an unpleasant scramble at the base of a large gully. Traverse leftwards to the climb passing one bolt before the arete itself is reached. Follow three bolts up the arete. After the fourth bolt it is possible to escape by traversing left across the horizontal to where Space Master starts. The continuation of the climb is not as hard as the arete below and I would highly recommend it. Continue a small distance further up then traverse right to clip a bolt below a bulge. Climb the bulge to a sloping ledge then finish up an easy jam crack. Gavin Jensen, Dec/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="22" length="10m"
name="Logarithm">I don't know anyone who's bothered to repeat this route as it involves abseiling from above to set up a top-rope. Probably not that much of a chore but not very inspiring, eh. Anyway the route follows a brushed dihedral between the finishes of Space Master and Space Cadet, starting from the slopey ledge. Doug Fife, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="25" length="20m" name="Just Too Hip"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Crank up the steep arete (2 bolts with fixed hangers) to join Enola Gay at the end of the traverse. Continue up for a few meters then blast out rightwards through the roof (more bolts). Spectacular. The lower part (arete) makes a good alternative start to Enola Gay (grade 22). Evan Peacock, 1992-3.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="40m" name="Enola Gay"
stars=" ** ">1) 20m 19. Start underneath the mega-overhang by ascending a tight groove with a single bolt. The traverse leftwards underneath the overhang is scantily protected but quite easy; take care on the suss rock though. The climbing hots up after you move around the arete and power up the overhanging wall, very spectacular and not as hard as it looks. Belay on the ledge beyond the bird shit.
2) 15m 20. The straight crack (fingers to hands) leads to the summit. It gets pretty steamy towards the top.
D.Fife, A.Adams, Jun/88.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="22" length="35m" name="Raptor" new="false"
number=""
stars="*">This is the right-hand way past the mega-overhang of Enola Gay.
1) 20m 22. Three bolts. The start is marked by a bolt at 5m. Climb the corner under the roof (crux). Continue leftwards then go up the chimney to belay on a ledge. Take some gear for the chimney and the belay (medium sized friends).
2) 15m 21. Climb up the arete, clip the second bolt then traverse left. Pass two more bolts then traverse right to finish.
Stefan Eberhard, Mar/91.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="22" length="30m" name="Gorilla Monsoon"
new="false" number=""
stars="**">Climb the best of Raptor and then instead of moving left to finish the first pitch, go right and crank through the roof (the square looking one from below). Spectacular.
Stefan Eberhard, 1991.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="25" length="35m" name="Assagai" new="false"
number=""
stars="*">Classy hard face climbing which is well protected by bolts. Unfortunately, however, getting to the first bolt is not brilliantly protected and it is not an easy clip. Start the climb from the tree of Leaky Leg bag. After clipping the fifth bolt, climb the overhang by moving left and using a large hole.
Gavin Jensen, Aug/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="18" length="35m" name="Leaky Leg Bag"
stars=" * ">Poorly protected but easy climbing leads to a tree at about 10m. Climb the elegant dihedral above the tree. The finish is harder than it looks. Peter Steane, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="23" length="30m" name="Via Ferrata" new="false"
number=""
stars="**">This route starts by wandering up the face right of Leaky Leg bag. Follow the bolts up the arete right of Leaky Leg bag. Sustained and pleasant. There are six bolts in total. Roger Parkyn, Nov/89.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="24" length="30m" name="Oodles of Noodles"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Go up Via Ferrata to the fourth bolt. Instead of going left continue up to the pocky wall right of Via Ferrata. Follow the line of 3 bolts with fixed hangers (the last is hard to clip). The crux is dynoing to a pocket before traversing into Via Ferrata to finish. Evan Peacock, 1992.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="20" length="30m" name="Actus Reus" new="false"
number=""
stars="">The climb begins 30m right of Leaky Leg bag. Scramble to the ledge at 5m then climb the diagonal finger crack which leads to a ledge. Climb past a bolt to another ledge. From here move up to clip the second (and final) bolt. From this bolt traverse right to the base of a groove which leads to the top. Gavin Jensen, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="17" length="30m"
name="Biggus Dickus">Start near where Actus Reus starts but climb the large overhanging crack. Gavin Jensen, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="24" length="15m" name="The Rock Police"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Start just left of Electric Mischief. Stick clip the first bolt then ape through the roof, to the same belay as Electric Mischief. Evan Peacock, Oct/92.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="21" length="15m" name="Electric Mischief"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Stick clip the bolt (fixed hanger). Crank the roof then follow three more bolts to the rap chain. Stefan Eberhard, Jun/92.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="21" length="30m"
name="Plumb It">Take the steep grunty start up dark rock about 20m right of Actus Reus. Continue through the grey wall via a finger crack, which leads to a ledge. Go left then up the face, left of a corner, to the top. Doug Fife, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="25" length="30m" name="Sticky Business"
new="false" number=""
stars="">Follow those big juicy eye-bolts up the red overhanging wall. Stefan Eberhard, Sep/93.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="23" length="30m"
name="Pump Dummy">The start which is quite tricky goes up the dihedral 6m right of Plumb It. The best way to protect the start is to lean a log against the cliff and climb up it to place some friends. The corner leads to a ledge at about 5m. Move slightly right and climb the steep wall above, passing a single, hangered, bolt (crux). This is an excellent climb, but is marred by an unclean finish on the final bulge above the crux. Doug Fife, Aug/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="19/22" length="15m"
name="No U-Turns">Start up an easy corner 10m right of Pump Dummy near a fallen eucalyptus. From the ledge reach right to clip a bolt then follow the overhanging blocky wall past a second bolt. Take some gear for the crack that follows this. The original climb finished via a lichenous left leading ramp. Punters now have the choice of rapping off the U-anchor or continuing through with the direct finish. Al Adams Oct/92. Direct finish Roger Parkyn, Sep/93.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="22" length="15m"
name="Rhino Eyes">Steamy and sustained climbing up the yellow wall left of Gratuitous. Three bolts. From the first bolt climb up and into the corner, where the second bolt can be clipped. Some wires and cammers are required at the top. Rolan Eberhard, Aug/93.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="18" length="12m"
name="Gratuitous Steel Insertion" new="false" number=""
stars="**">Well protected, steep and classy climbing. This climb is deservedly popular (and I'm not biased either). Five bolts protect the route. Start beside a thin straight gum tree. Roger Parkyn, Jul/90.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="17" length="12m"
name="Crag Rats">Take the overhang just right of Gratuitous Steel Insertion then climb the crack to a large ledge. Vera Wong, Feb/91.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="19" length="10m"
name="Little Creatures">Starts a further 10m right of Crag Rats. A hard overhanging start at the bottom is protected by a bolt. A crack then leads to a ledge. Vera Wong, Feb/91.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="17" length="15m"
name="Timbertop">Start up the loose sandy cave. The crux is pulling through the overhang at the top of the cave. Finish easily up the cracks above. Stephen Bunton, Oct/89.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="24" length="15m" name="Underhanded" new="false"
number=""
stars="">Two bolts several meters left of Touchstone lead through the overhang and onto the slab above. The crux is getting established on the slab and appears contrived as it is quite a bit easier than 24 if you use holds near Touchstone. Whichever method you use, it is still a good climb. Gavin Jensen, May/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="19" length="15m" name="Touchstone"
stars=" * ">A very popular route, this climb follows the prominent hand crack a meter or two left of the arete of the buttress. An overhang at about 6m slows most people down a bit. Doug Fife, Apr/88.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="22" length="15m"
name="This is My Kitchen">Start in the corner crack then follow the arete. Three bolts and some natural gear. Vera Wong, Aug/92.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="21" length="12m"
name="The Dog Killed the Video Star" new="false" number=""
stars="">This is the smooth looking slab right of the arete right of Touchstone. There is a hard move passing the first bolt, and the second bolt is hard for short people to clip. This climb is pleasant enough but it displays some characteristics to avoid when placing bolts: protuberant bolts, awkward clips and bolts placed not really where they are needed. Evan Peacock, Oct/89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="8" length="13m"
name="Mojo's Mistake">Go straight up on large holds, starting just left of the big gully/dihedral. No pro. Evan Peacock, Oct/89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="25" length="15m"
name="Another Bloody Bodum Beaker Broken">This is the original on the overhanging wall. Use the crack to the left of Mentzal (requires natural gear). Evan Peacock.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="24" length="15m" name="Mentzal as Anything"
stars=" ** ">Only a one metre variant on Evan's route but it has created a quite different route. Simon Mentz, 1992.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="28" length="15m" name="Melon Dreaming"
new="false" number=""
stars="">The right-hand line of bolts on the overhang wall, finishing onto the arete. (Grade 26 with alternative start). Evan Peacock.</climb><climb
extra="Þ" grade="23" length="15m" name="Bang Goes the Budgie"
new="false" number=""
stars="">A hard cranky start goes up the overhang at the bottom of the arete on the right of the major overhanging wall. Clip the bolt right of the arete before you get going. Climb to the right side of the arete then continue straight up. Evan Peacock, Oct 89.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="13" length="15m"
name="Farmer Henry">The next lump of rock right of Budgie. Start up a fist crack and then follow a flake system curving leftwards. Step around the arete to a ledge then continue up to a tree. A bit loose. Hanut Dodd, May/88.
About 30m or so right of Farmer Henry is a small isolated buttress.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="20" length="10m"
name="Cold Cold Change">Start in the small cave then follow the U's up the face to anchors under a dinner plate roof. Evan Peacock, Sep/94.</climb><climb
extra="" grade="14" length="10m" name="Sympull">Around the corner to the right of Cold. One U and gear up the groove and over the roof. Evan Peacock, Sep/94.</climb></guide>
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