It is starting to feel like winter has arrived, at least for our slice of Australia in the far south west. As per usual I checked the forecast regularly all week and it didn’t look to be changing from rain, rain, rain. Then as we got closer it looked like there may have been a glimmer of hope as the 48hr forecast indicated Sunday would have clearing showers. Then Sunday morning the radar while wet first thing looked like it might just be ok, so I put a call out for anyone keen to risk it:
Much to my surprise and happiness Steve, Kym, Howsie, Wiggins and Rhys (in order of those who said yes) all were keen to get out. Others were working, in Perth, doing house stuff or too soft to admit the forecast was putting them off. So we six hoicked to our usual easy access spot of Welly Dam. You can tell we were prepared for inclement weather, as base camp was set up under the shelter and everyone was rugged up with beanies and thick cosy layers:
It has been an age since Kym has joined us at Welly Dam, so it was only fitting to offer him first lead. He was keen-as picking the delightful Just Do It, which he promptly did in great style even starting and finishing direct to give it that extra punch. Most of the route was still dry despite a number of big downpours over the last 48hrs, but the black streaks definitely had dampness about them:
Steve plumped for a more sensible warmup on Raging Torrent while Howsie set off on Savage Sausage Sniffer. Rhys was being a far more attentive belayer than I, as Howsie inched his way up to the first bolt. Not surprisingly no one else was climbing and no families were picnicking, but there were a number of car tourists who did the customary carpark loop stopping long enough to stare at us through their windscreens while in the warmth of their no-doubt air-conditioned vehicles:
Despite his self-professed gluttony the night before, which involved more snacks that any person should be allowed to eat without regurgitation, Steve was looking good and despite this potentially top heavy disadvantage managed the sting in the tail of Raging Torrent. It seems that on the crag.com this climb doesn’t get rated by many, which surprises us as it provides yet another different climbing style at this place, but one that is more traditional in nature. I of course had to say that as Kym and I developed it, but in all seriousness we do believe it:
It was looking like we had snuck in a good day and the rain held off except for a few light sprinkles that never really worried us too much. This was however not the only pleasant surprise of the day. With ropes flying this way and that as we picked off line after line Rhys was belaying Howsie up Gumby Goes Bolting, while trialling Steve’s anti-belayers-neck-crick invention! Both he and Wiggins and found it worked pretty well, so maybe one day we’ll see this contraption on the open market:
Most of the rock was dry but the ledges and obvious water runnels were certainly not the best. However, at Well Dam you can usually find a dry line and as such with careful selection there was many an impressive lead being done today, such as Howsie bagging what we consider to be the crag classic Ear of Fear. Wiggins gave it a bash on lead but after an equally impressive fall he decided against trying again. This didn’t dampen his mood because like Kym he also managed to get a clean lead on Just Do It, so allowing him to strike yet another climb off his tick list:
Savage Sausage Sniffer was however was the line that saw the most ascents, with three leads being done and everyone jumping on it, with some of us doing it more than once. Having left it a little late to try and lead it, Steve was unable to get it clean. So it remains on his to-do tick list. It was also the last line of the day to be cleaned so Steve had another bash on top rope to practice the moves, as the clouds darkened more than before and the temperature started to drop:
Most of us were done but Wiggins also wanted one more burl on the great Savage Sausage Sniffer, so we clear-up and then watched on. As the sun disappeared it was definitely getting more chilly, so Rhys wrapped himself up in all the layers he could find, and conserved his heat by becoming a garden gnome:
Then as Steve belayed Wiggins the heavens opened big time, if you look carefully you can just make Wiggins out near the top of the quartz layback section. It was never going to last long and the sun poked through a break in the clouds to the west, but above there were still rain clouds dropping their load. This allowed us to capture some great images of the torrent that hit Steve and Wiggins:
Wiggins stuck in there and waited for the storm to pass, and luckily Steve was obliging. Then he doggedly made his way up the now wet rock, with the familiar black streak of The Long Goodbye to his far left running like a waterfall. Um it looks like I missed my chance to bag a clean lead on The Long Goodbye until things dry up in spring. Oh well we all have to have some projects to aspire too at Welly Dam:
Amazingly after Wiggins came down and pulled the rope we were once again bathed in sunlight. This seemed to give some people a second lease of life. So what better thing to do than pull-ups inclusive of knee raises. Rhys (who due to the warming sun had shed some of the layers and started to move again) and I also join in with this silliness J. It was a grand day out and enjoyed by all of us who can now well and truly claim that we are not fair-weather climbers:
That is a good job because looking ahead things don’t look too great for outdoor pursuits unless you are prepared to brave the odd shower. I’m sure some of us will still get out and about, and I’ll no doubt share our experiences with you:
Sandbagged 