Ruby of India

Description

16 ★★★Ruby Of India, 208m Trad climb in Mt Maroon | theCrag

Protection: Full rack, cams up to 3 - 3.5 Description: 210 metres, grade 16, fun climbing - all trad. To find the start: walk up to "Echo Point" - the rocky outcrop above Viewpoint Buttress, from here, walk up a few metres to the first orange triangle on a rock: https://www.thecrag.com/photo/2564023896 https://www.thecrag.com/photo/2594647650 turn Right here & follow the track a couple of hundred metres past the "Jezebel" cracked pillar into the gully to where the track turns right & starts to slope downhill. When you arrive in the steep gully behind Egg Rock, cross the gully & climb the rock face opposite Egg Rock & bush-bash up left towards an arched cave in the main wall. Belay from this bent tree directly below the centre point on the arch. https://www.thecrag.com/photo/2554056126 1) (45m 14) Take the easy ramp up right into the alcove & follow the chimney thru to 2nd chimney & corner, up obvious crack (8-10m), or alternately, step out right onto face around pillar & up to large belay ledge. 2) (45m 13) tough starting moves off belay ledge, mounting the overhang, then an easy walk up track right past the bush boy for 10m & take the left leaning ramp up very easy territory (grade 2-3) passing 1 gnarly tree to another gnarly tree just below the top of a pillar & prominent L-facing corner 3) (45m 16) Up face for 4-5m to the gnarly bush (first gear), passing a small cave & follow the line of weakness up past a small gnarly pine tree on the face. Up to ledge and into the prominent left facing corner, up corner 2-3m & step out right onto face & arete. From here up another 10m to belay ledge. 4) (28m 13) Choose your own adventure up any line you choose to the trees above & belay on ledge above 5) (45m 14) Up the scooped alcove either way, ending up in the prominent crack on the RHS & topping out via this. (NOTE: a nice finish to this route is to link the last 2 pitches using a 70m rope.) When exiting the mountain, track Right across the caldera as shown here to avoid the nasty 20m cliff at the gully: https://www.thecrag.com/photo/2578677192 Look for a big forked gum tree, this will bring you to an easy (4-5m) down-climb.