South Coast Trip

Four of us were lucky enough to have a week long climbing trip down to the south coast of the South West of Western Australia. Below I have selected some of the better images and snippets of our trip……

It all started in the woods of Mount Franklin, we arrived there soon after midday and hit the rock even though the afternoon sun was hot and sweaty on our backs. The choice of dates was based on hitting good weather but nothing too serious, as it was this first afternoon hit 30 degrees which on a still afternoon certainly worked us hard:

Mount Franklin is a 100m plus high granite dome that provides some great slab experiences, thin hand and feet holds means that you can’t use strength to get up. The trees surrounding the place gave it an air of calm but also was a haven for the dreaded March flies that take out chunks if allowed:

The views were great, and the next morning we hit the crag this time in the shade, making it so much more comfortable – this day the temp rose again to the mid thirties and we may not have known it but it was starting to drain us.  There are some great steeper lines including one awesome crack/layback flake line, I did have a bash but it humbled me and I backed off instead opting for one of the steep lines that was on a 50m high crystalline wall that promised to take no prisoners if you, feel off I clung on for dear life and saved my skin this time:

That afternoon we had a bite to eat nearer the coast in a place called Walpole, then hit the road and bush tracks to the next destination where we were to spend most of our time:

We narrowly missed the row of itchy caterpillars as they crossed the car park when we drove in, and that night they nestled in the cover from wind that the tyre of one of the cars gave:

The next morning we arose bright an early, 5:30’ish was the usually time I woke up and we were usually on the way to the crag within the hour. As this image shows the crag was all of a minutes walk away:

The mighty West Cape Howe is brilliant, as close as I will ever get to my favourite UK crag – Swanage, with its towering granite cliffs surging out of the ocean.  It is just off vertical but has some very steep sections.  For Andrew, Chris and Ryan this place opened their eyes and had a humbling effect:

The first full day was great, but we made a mistake of getting into the sun in the afternoon and with the mid thirties hitting us we were all exhausted that night:

Regardless of the sun we powered on, I was a happy as a pig in pooh. Whilst it took a bit of getting used to I was soon very happy to be back on real sea cliffs:

That evening we finished up as the sun went down and had a well deserved beer:

The next day we aimed to hit a few real classics, this line never gave up from start to finish and was one of the favourites of everyone.  Two glorious pitches up a steepening wall with great positions, holds and gear to boot. My aim was to climb the wall immediately right of this one, but the energy and need to climb harder was ebbing away.  This day we hit the big 40 degrees and I reckon everyone was getting a little tired now:

Still we climbed on into the afternoon and evening, again watching the sun dip down as we eased into anther night:

Evenings pretty well consisted of a few snacks, beers, some food (usually pasta and tuna with odd assortments thrown in)  – and always tasting wonderful and then bed:

The next morning and our last at West Cape Howe, greeted us with a red sky. Rain was forecast, including thunder storms so we got going early. A classic at West Cape is ‘The Climb’ on the old man and everyone was keen to jump onto it:

We wandered off in the fist overcast day feeling distinctly cold, and hoping to get the climb under our belt before the rain came in:

It was a fun line, but at less than 30m we all felt that we had probably left it too late in the trip and after all those 50- 70m epics it felt a little too short and easy. Still the threatening rain and howling wind added a different atmosphere which made us keen fore one more climb:

So we jumped on Carousel Wall for had a bash at the last lines of the trip, back on a clear 50m wall felt a better way to end out time here:

Chris was the last to savour the big walls here, and his white trousers just give him away and show how immense this place is (compared to our local crags that is):

We headed out and on towards Albany for a very different campsite. This one had lawns and trees and waterfront view, as well as showers and toilets:

The rain never did come and the cool day revitalised us into checking out some local short climbs, driving in it seems these 7-10m crags would not be worth leading after the big walls but the grades stiffened and we were soon humbled again. Granite again but a different type and required different techniques that we do not get a chance to practices at our local crags:

Some of the lines worked us pretty hard and we all had a few slips and took some skin off, giving some of us a taste of things to come:

That night after a cool day we packed up our bags for the last full day of climbing for Chris as he had to leave a day before the rest of us, the lights of Albany light up the bay as we sat with a beer before the usual meal and early night:

The next day an early start as we had to walk into the next place, Peak Head, a huge granite dome that sticks out of the headland and is accessed by an hours walk up and down the sand dunes:

After the walk in (with some good old bush bashing due to me following roo trails) there was and abseil and then a delicate 40m traverse to access the base of the 120m climbs up the front face above the sea. An access like that certainly starts to set the scene, retreat would be difficult:

We choose two similar lines next to each other, many of the lower grade climbs here consisting of steep crack and chimney climbs. Again a technique none of us had practised much, not being present at our local crags.  The climbing was slow and heady, and it took a long time to work our way up the lines, often disappearing deep into the cracks body jamming our way up:

Usually 120m climb would take a few hours, three at the most but these seemed to go on and on and took us five hours to ascend. What with the hour walk in, abseil and traverse this was turning into the biggest adventure of the trip:

Eventually, and to much relief, we all made it to the top and started the walk down the dome back to where we had dumped our gear. After fighting our way up this impressive piece of rock we felt a little lighted hearted as we wandered down, glad to have made it:

The hour walk out up and down the dunes was hard work and some nine hours after leaving the cars we arrived back, but as there was till daylight left I encouraged everyone we should head to one more crag. Again a short crag right by the ocean, we didn’t climb in pairs this time opting to have one lead each as we were feeling a bit beat after the big epic on Peak Head. This allowed time to kick back and really enjoy the scenery:

One climb each was just about enough and the week of non-stop action was taking it’s toll, so much so we decided that we would all head back at the same time. Four short but fun lines later and it was time to head off back to the camp ground for the last night:

Before we left the crag we sat and watched the sunset which with the clouds and headlands was very spectacular:

The next day and early start and back on the road heading to a lovely spot called William Bay which has a great sheltered swimming spot called Green Pools and a fun area called Elephant Rocks:

We wandered straight for Elephant Rocks to try a bit of bouldering, Chris decided to try what felt a far to hard line. What hurt more was the sharp crystals that felt like they would puncture our finger tips which were all feeling very thin after all the climbing we had done:

We soon tried some easier lines, with all the boulders littered about there was no end of options of things to try, many proving too hard but fun to have a go at:

Eventually we ended up back on the first line Chris had jumped on and a couple of us managed to get up it, having to endure some painful moves but also avoiding drawing blood from our fingers:

A dance of joy at the top, then a swim in the clear blue waters before we hit the road to head home: