Summary:
Emily Gap is the first gap East of Alice Springs and is a popular picnic spot for tourists and locals alike. The climbing is pleasant, generally slabby, and offers easy single and multipitch climbs with good protection on most climbs. A sense of adventure is required due to loose rock, and wandering nature of the climbs. A helmet is highly recommended. The waterhole (if full) also offers a great place to cool off on hot summer days.

Access and Ethics:
Emily Gap is situated on Aboriginal land, and is reportedly the most sacred areas in the Alice Springs region. According to legend this is the site where the giant Yeperenye Caterpillar emerged and created much of the local landscape. Please respect the area, and do not climb on or near any Aboriginal rock paintings that exist within the gap. Obviously, no bolting is allowed on any climbs.

Getting There:
Situated only 15km East of Alice. From Alice Springs, follow the Sth Stuart Hwy through Heavitree Gap. Take the first turn L, then drive past several caravan parks to a roundabout. Follow the Ross Hwy for a further 10km, Emily Gap is signposted.

Main Wall

Main Wall is the major S facing cliff on the W side of the waterhole. Decent from most climbs is an easy scramble down the W end of the cliff, or downclimb the gully that Threllin ascends.

The exact location of the following climb is unknown, but may be a FA of Handle With Care (described in the main section below).

Sundance 69m 13
Situated on The Sundeck? In the middle of the cliff are two obvious lines. This climb takes the RH one. 1) 35m Up wall to tree, then continue up crack to a ledge. Keep following the cracks to where it goes diagonally L, and widens - up this and around to stance. 2) 17m Straight up above the belay to another large ledge. Traverse R to climb smooth slab L of wide crack, to a diagonal line which is followed to the crack, then back up R easily to a large ledge. 3) 17m Climb wall to reach a diagonal ramp, ledge, then up wall to top. Descend down either side of the cliff. John Griffiths, Helen Griffiths, Fergus Hughes, Alt. 22/10/72

The following four climbs are on a large and obvious semi detached arch at the far L end of the cliff, about 200m L of the waterhole. This arch and surrounding pitons sported ancient pitons that lifted out by hand, and even a fixed stem cam of unknown origin. Hence some of the following climbs may have had previous (unrecorded) ascents.

*Cosmic Crack 25m 14
Climb the huge crack up the L side of the arch to its apex, then over roof to nice face above. FRA Goshen Watts, Steve Thornton 10/2/96

*Flake and Chips 23m 14
Thin crack 4m R of CC, in the middle of the arch. Through overhang to join CC. Allan Bartlett, Troy Mustey, S.Conway /94

*Evening Star 25m 14
The R side of the arch, then undercling out and over roof to join CC. FRA Goshen Watts, Steve Thornton 9/2/96

*Morning Moon 23m 16
As for ES for 3m, then step R and up overhang to lovely cracks above. FRA Goshen Watts, Steve Thornton 10/2/96

The following climbs (described from L) are on the main wall R of the arch.

The Last Post 36m 10
Wide chimney 4m R of ES separating the huge detached flake and the main cliff. 1) 23m Chimney to a large ledge. 2) 13m Up wall to a ledge, then climb diagonally up and L to finish. Not very well protected. John Griffiths, Helen Griffiths 25/4/73

*Cerebral Vortex 45m 17
Nice climbing with bomber protection up major corner 7m R of the major chimney of TLP. Start 5m L of large pine conifer at nice curving flakes. 1) 30m Up flakes, over small roof on R, and up into easy corner which is followed to roof and belay. 2) 15m Traverse R below roof (poor pro) till you can breach roof and climb the layback slab above. For an easier climb, keep traversing R below roof, then finish up corner (12). FRA Neil Mahunt, Allan Bartlett 1995
Two variants exist, and both pull out on to the face L of the major corner. Climb CV's crack to the start of the red slab and corner, pull out onto face and up to ledge.

Random Acts of Kindness 45m 10
Start 10m R of CV on a ledge with a small conifer. Climb face and vertical crack to L leading ramps. Up to belay at piton. FRA: Steve Thornton, Goshen Watts 10/2/96

*Senseless Acts of Beauty 48m 14
3m R of RAK is a thin crack. Up this to faces and mini-roofs to ledge, step R, up corner and straight up middle of the lovely face to top (poor pro). Goshen Watts, Steve Thornton 10/2/96

*Handle With Care 65m 15
Good value. Major corner-crack and slanting roof 100m L of waterhole. Start at flat dirt spot (just R of a white ghost gum), below crack and large prominent corner. 1) 45m Up crack to bush, then corner to slanting roof. Around this and up to semi-hanging belay. 2) 20m Traverse 8m R till a weakness (directly below large tree) leads to large ledge. Walk off L, or climb short wall above. FRA Steve Thornton, Goshen Watts 20/1/96

Falling Apart 60m 11
Aptly named. Start 2m L of large pine tree 20m R of HWC. 1) 26m Climb small slab to ledge, then up vegetated ledge to large boulder. Step L, up over bulge to belay at R end of ledge. 2) 34m Corner to slab angling towards large crack on R till large bush. Up L of this and face to large tree. Alison Garrett, Colin Crowe, Dominic Leadbetter 11/94
Variant 2nd Pitch: From belay, straight up and over bulge. FA details unknown.

The following nine routes are re-printed from the 1973 guide. Descriptions are very loose, but the routes generally ascend the easier corners and gullies L of the waterhole.

Tipster 53m 9
Start at the small brown gumtree and a white gumtree in the middle of the cliff. 1) 30m Up corner, past ledge to another corner. At next ledge traverse L and up corner to another large ledge. 2) 23m Up corner at the L end of ledge, then traverse L until it is possible to go through break in the roof. Up wall to the top. John Griffiths, Helen Griffiths 25/4/73

Crown of Thorns 118m 12
A full excursion to the very top of the cliff. 1) 44m Crack 70m L of Wisecrack to a narrow, pale green leafed tree (who knows what it looks like now!). Up to small roofs, through bush and straight up to tree and a good ledge. 2) 40m Obvious LH groove to a small ledge with prickle bush. 3) 34m Up corner to roof, step L around the corner and up into vague crack. Up to vague crack and so to ledge - scramble the last 10m to top. John Griffiths, Helen Griffiths 3/12/72

Threllin 38m 4
Wide crack/corner in gully just R of CT. When it degenerates to a scramble traverse R to just above a tree to gain chimney which is followed to top. John Griffiths (solo) 21/1/73

Diakon 32m 11
Wide crack on the RHS of gully, just R of Threllin. Climb crack until it is possible to gain ledge on R (just before bushy tree). Up slab just R of bush to broken ground. Finish up slab above. John Griffiths (solo) 21/1/73

Vegetation 57m 8
A vegetated scramble through history - bring your whipper-snipper? Vegetated crack just R of gully R of Diakon. 1) 40m Up through tree to below second tree which avoided on its L. Return to crack and up to bush which is also avoided on its L. When the line breaks into two, follow the obvious corner to the top. John Griffiths (solo) 21/1/73

Epiphany 57m 6
Obvious companion crack-line just L of Wisecrack. Scramble to the start. 1) 10m Up corner to tree, then R and up to ledge. 2) 30m Up easy crack from the L end of ledge to another large ledge on R. 3) 17m Continue up crack to top. John Griffiths, Helen Griffiths 6/1/73

Wisecrack 50m 9
Locate large block at base off cliff (about 10m L of two gum trees). Scramble to the top of this. 1) 36m Short jam crack up from the L side of block to ledge. Up into chimney until a large ledge is reached on R. 2) 14m Continue up obvious line to belay on large tree. John Griffiths, Fergus Hughes, Helen Griffiths 6/1/73

Condign 33m 6
Locate short slab behind the two gums R of Wisecrack. Climb instead the short vegetated corner on the L side of the slab (just R of the block). At ledge, climb crack above to gain a ramp leading R. From ramp, straight up chimney to enter a corner above from the R. Up to large chockstone, step R and continue to top. John Griffiths (solo) 21/1/73

Sidestep 29m 11
Starts at the E end of the cliff, by the gap and two gums. 1) 14m Up crack just R of the two gums to where it bends R and step across onto narrow ledge. 2) 15m Continue up (now heavily overgrown) corner crack to the top. John Griffiths, Fergus Hughes, Helen Griffiths 15/10/72

Emily Gap (In the Gap):

The following two climbs are on the slabs on the Western side of the gap, just R of Sidestep. The obvious overhanging LH crack may have been climbed, but details are unknown, and it may only have been toproped.

The Empty Glass 12m 15
Just L of the waterhole are two slabs, with an overhanging wall separating the two. This climb ascends the L one. At small ledge follow the obvious rising zigzag with some tricky moves to a good finger edge and what probably passes for the crux. Then follow centre of slab to top. David Kirkby (solo). 13/10/95

Tin Pan Alley 20m 17
This is the popular black slab to the R of the TEG. When the waterhole is high, this climb may be inaccessible. Otherwise a small sandbar leads to the base. Straight up middle of slab (tricky start). Poor pro, but can be toproped by climbing up the easy arete around the corner. FTRA Allan Bartlett, Troy Mustey 12/94. FFA Goshen Watts 20/1/96.

The following climb is on the far side of the waterhole. Go to the bushy figtree on the RH side, just short of the overhang and cave painting.

Who the Fuck was Emily 20m 13
Obvious corner just L of the fig tree, past two overhanging bulges to a ledge with prickly bush. Be careful what you pull on - it might be portable. At ledge take lovely polished slab to the top. No pro on the slab, but you might be able to find some in the corner on the L. David Kirkby (solo) 10/95

East Wall

The following two climbs really aren't worth writing up, but here they are anyway. They are located on Vegetable Wall, which is the short wall immediately in front of the car park and just R of the waterhole. Popular for school and youth groups abseiling off it.

Hardly Worth Writing Up 10m 10
Slab and crack in middle of wall, passing rooflet. Kieran Culhane (solo) '93

Hardly Worth Riding Up 10m 10
2m R of HWWU. Grassy groove, passing rooflet at three quarter height. Kieran Culhane (solo) '93

The following five climbs are on Carrot Wall, the prominent wall R of the waterhole (R of Vegetable Wall?), that also see a great deal of abseiling from school groups and Emergency Services (hence the name). Access to the top is via a track past Vegetable Wall - you have to climb up an obvious corner, or via a gully E of the wall. Carrot wall saw some controversy in 1994 when a local placed two fixed hangers as rap anchors. Not a good idea - CCNT was looking for somebody's blood. Be warned.

Boys in Blue 15m 12
Diagonally L up ramp to small ledge. Straight up corner past small dead bush at half height. Continue up crack to top. FA unknown.

Blue Light Disco 15m 10
Up crack in middle of buttress 8m R of BB, passing dead bush at half height. FA unknown.

Blue Healers 15m 14
Up corner 4m R of BLD to join L trending crack after 4m. Past small tree to top. FA unknown.

*Officer FIGJAM 15m 15
Thin crack 4m R of BH at R end of cliff. Up 4m then step L into prominent corner crack and layback to top. FA Unknown.

Fairly Obvious 15m 18
A nice varied crack in a fairly obvious position (I hope you find that position). Rick White, Doug Scott, Sharu Prabhu '89