Pillar Rock is an impressive and complex mountain crag set high on the northern flanks of Pillar itself. Due to its remote location, it’s always a big day climbing here, but those who are willing to put in the effort will not be disappointed. The West face of High Man is one of the most impressive on Pillar, and there are loads of brilliant routes here to choose from. A bike is really handy for the forest tracks and reduces the approach and walk out times quite considerably.
There are loads of options on Pillar, but two routes that come highly recommended are New West Climb (VD) and Rib & Slab Climb (HS) which are featured in Ken Wilson’s hallowed book ‘Classic Rock’. They were first climbed in 1901 and 1919 respectively and both routes take you onto the summit of High Man, which is the highest point on Pillar Rock and is classed as a ‘Nuttall’ in its own right.
It is the only Nuttall that requires some rock climbing to reach the summit, and walkers often use ‘Slab and Notch’ on the East face as a means to get to the top. Although this is one of the easiest routes, it still does require some rock climbing skills to tackle it safely. As such, people often choose to hire a guide or instructor to make the climb.
Pillar Rock is a multi-pitch climbing environment so some previous experience and skills of a competent second are required. However, if you are planning to make an ascent of High Man as part of a Nuttall round, we will be happy to assist you regardless of your climbing experience provided you are hill fit and generally competent on steep and exposed ground. Please contact us for more information.
Guided Rock Climbing works well on a 1:1 or 1:2 basis (instructor to participant) and can be booked from one day to a week in duration.
Our pricing structure is based on a sliding scale with a reduced daily fee for every additional day booked. If you would like to reserve a contingency day around your preferred date/s in order to pick the best weather and conditions for your course or activity we may be able to arrange this for an additional fee. For more details, please see our pricing structure.
Please get in touch using the enquiry form on this page and we’ll get back to you with all of the details and a booking form for you to complete. We require a 30% deposit to secure bookings and full payment prior to your course or activity commencing. If you would like any more information or have a specific question, please use the contact form in the menu at the top of the page.
If you have your own harness, helmet and rock shoes we will be happy for you to use them as long as they are suitable. You will also need a belay device and a couple of screw gate carabiners. If you don’t have anything, we can provide it. However, you will need to bring a rucksack, waterproofs, suitable footwear and a packed lunch.
