Barney Eagles Ridge

[Scheely]

Gday,

I'm looking for some information regarding the Eagles Ridge ascent up Mt Barney, specifically around the Tums and Isolated Peak. There was a post on here earlier about some detours without ropes, I dont intend on carrying harnesses and ropes with my group and was wondering if anyone could divulge a bit more about detour routes off the top of North Tum (or if you dont have to climb that at all) and the detour to Isolated Peak (and how the way off goes). All the people I have found info off so far have followed the skyline, but havent talked about any detours so I've assumed done the two abseils. Seems to be quite the sketchiest area so would appreciate some guidance.

Cheers

[gbagua]

Here is the breakdown to Eagles except one small detour but you'll only touch the ground for less than a 30m walk. It's where the only rap-off Eagles is located from the base of a small tree with many old slings attached to the base (top of First Tom).

1. First Tom.

Tough short slab scramble. Easier towards the left and harder the further you go to the right. About 15-20m long. Rock is good but not solid and can easily break in some areas so don't pull too hard when scrambling up the slab.

As I said earlier once you reach the top you either rap off (abseil) or detour following the spur located on the western side of the ridge while facing Barney's East Peak. You don't follow the spur all the way to the bottom, only until you can see the ground from above (roughly after going for 20-25m) and then take a sharp turn westwards contouring the rock until you can easily reach the ground.

2. Middle Tom. The crux of Eagles is the ascent of the cleft located on the far eastern side of the ridge. About grade 10-12 in the Australian climbing system (Ewbank). It's roughly 15m long and a fall will involve very serious injury or death.

3. Third Tom. It's pretty much a smooth walk on the ridge so no real downclimbinh involved.

The descent of the Third Tom involves finding an almost hidden alley right at the end of the main ridge. It starts with a 2m downclimb similar to that one located at the end (or start if you go up Barney creek) of the Lower Portals.


4. Isolated Peak. Tricky descent near the Isolated-North Peak saddle before the start the ascent to the Eagles Slabs.

Once you see the saddle start downclimbing eastwards while facing the East Peak. At one point lower down the face and nearing the saddle start moving westwards. Here's is the crux of the descent. You either downclimb diagonally westward on the fist slab you see (10m long, slippery when wet so approach shoes are a must) or stick to the main face and contouring for as far as you can go until you can safely downclimb to the ground for roughly 2m. Easier than the slabby down climb, but finding the obvious route here isn't straigtforward so good navigation skills are a must.

Hope this helps.