Mystery Crag - Your Help Needed

© Unknown

While foraging through some old climbing books the following photo and notes came to light with no real clue of their origin, or even a date. The descriptions of the climbs seem to be rather outdated, possibly 1950's or 1960's, and only the name of the author survives. He appears to have been A. (Adam?, Andy?) Phoenix. There is also some indication that he was a surveyor of some kind, maybe for oil or even water.

The crag featured in the photograph appears to be in an arid but slightly grassy landscape and the redness of the rocks suggests it may be sandstone. There is no indication as to which country the crag is in but the routes were given UK grades.

The notes with the topo give the following information about the routes:
1. The Milky Way - Moderately Difficult (a way down)
2. Viking Wall - Extremely Severe (Mild)
3. The Pathfinder - Very Severe (Hard)
4. Victoria Groove - Severe (not high in this category)
5. Beagle Front - Hard Very Severe
6. Odyssey - Girdle Traverse - Exceptionally severe

Can anyone shed any light on where this crag may be and if the routes still exist under these names?


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1 Apr, 2009
It doesn't really look like any sandstone in the UK, even Northumberland, does it? I feel if it were in Northumberland it would be identified very quickly. It also looks very wild, with no trace of paths or fences at the top or bottom. I suspect it's somewhere like Australia.
1 Apr, 2009
Orkney?
Route 1 is April Route 2 is twit Nice one M
1 Apr, 2009
It looks very grassy to me, as if it gets plenty of rain. And possibly granite?
1 Apr, 2009
Looks out of this world.....
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