Whilst I have been quiet on the email front for few weeks that is not to say that I have not been getting out. It’s been a strange summer climbing season so far, you’d expect everyone would be busting to get out but it has not been the case. For our local crew there have been a variety of reasons including people studying, objectionable job rosters, general life, and of course injuries of which I report yet another in my last email. As it turned out Glen had every right to say that his foot “hurt like hell”, as he managed to sustain a clean break to his talus. If you are keen to watch a bit of GroPro footage of the gripping bone breaking moment check out his story and video (Weekend Whipper: How to Break an Ankle):
Two weeks back it was again all quiet on the climbing talk front so I shouldered my pack ready for my second top-rope solo trip of the year. Another beautiful cool blue sky morning on Wilyabrup rock in perfect conditions, only marred by the smell of the rotting roo carcass on the way in! After a couple of runs of each of the six great lines I still had the crag all to myself. Last week Rongy and I headed out, he’d not been climbing much and so wanted a cruisey morning of fun. We did exactly that but this time a southerly made the already cool morning chilly and wintery, and in addition the rock didn’t feel that great and friction is everyone on Wilyabrup rock. So we will blame that for our seemingly lack of ability on that day:
Yesterday I headed back to Wilyabrup for a third successive weekend with Howsie. Another early 4:30 wakeup time to get there for just after first light and just in time to make use of the facilities, which I’m only telling you in case you were wondering why there is an image of a doorway above. Starting a day-off in darkness seems a little crazy, but all is forgiven when you arrive at your destination in time to watch the world wake up. We of course had the place to ourselves, but we didn’t have to ponder too long where to head too. Despite Howsie having climbed here many, many times he confessed that there were heaps of routes he had never been on. That didn’t mean to say he had climbed all the routes within his capability, so today he was going to be breaking new ground and take all the leads:
We started with Sirius, one of the very few two pitch climbs at Wilyabrup. It’s quite staggering that he had not been on this before, it’s the iconic easy grade line on the majestic Steel Wall. A face that can be seen in many a coffee table climbing book. Like Rongy he too has been relatively absent from the outdoors, so the first few pieces of gear took a bit longer to place. However, once underway he made short work of the great traverse across the face of Steel Wall. I might add that Steve’s insitu pink tricam that I have often photographed and included in my reports has gone, if you want to see why check out Wiggin’s really cool video (Washed up punks training laps):
An interchangeable belay was set up so we could swap over, remember Howsie was to be the leader for the day. So I settled down and watched the waves as he set off on pitch two. Up the arête and round the corner to follow the fun rounded cracks with an impressive amount of exposure falling below him. One of my favourite images that I have taken was of Wiggins leading this pitch, and it is deservedly included as an introductory image to Wilyabrup in the South West WA Rock Guide. Atop the crag we shifted the rap across and went back to the belay at the end of the first pitch, where I settled in once more:
The first bolt on this line is relative high, depending on your stature. For me care is required in making the first clip. However, with an extra four inches of height on me Howsie has a reach that allows him to at times make some sequences a little easier, or where sport climbing comes safer. This line was never claimed, despite someone going to the effort of bolting it. So when writing the guide it seemed appropriate to simply call it Unclaimed. A dull name for a route that deserves more attention. It’s a ripper with thin delicate climbing for the first half, and just when you think you’ll never sustain the climbing, and that the route is a complete and utter sandbag, the holds become increasingly more generous. As such it’s a real test of your mind, and Howsie’s was in perfect tune:
The next chosen route took us back down to the same belay and another climb that starts from the traverse of Sirius. In truth it is the upper part of a climb that starts from the deck, but the first half is substantially more difficult being almost 50% harder. Hence for us mere mortals the upper half is both long enough and worthy enough to be climbed in isolation. So it was back down the same rap for one last time, um maybe one day I’ll buy a rope protector. We again made use of the same belay set up. This time it did however require a bit of clever rope work, just to make sure that me belaying 4m off line didn’t result in any gear being pulled:
This line was of the same grade as the last, so well within Howsie’s capability. I jumped on this line at the recommendation of the local outdoor adventure tour operator Mick; he stated is was right up my street. He was not wrong it’s very good, but interestingly I’ve never seen anyone else ever attempt it. In truth it is not as technical as the last climb but being full trad and with gear that is hard to find and place earns the grade. Any energy saved by having less technical climbing is quickly lost by the time taken hold on trying to protect the line. Added to that the gear, certainly to start with, is verging on marginal. It is not until this fine wire placement comes that a degree of confidence seeps back into your body to steady the nerves:
By the time you get the above wire in you are already a fair way up (as shown below), so this line really can mess with your head. Mick was right it really is my kind of climb, and as it turned out Howsie’s too. A couple of moves after the good wire some reasonable gear can be found as shown above, and then the gear runs dry almost to the top of the crag but on thankfully better holds. While it may seem crazy to have belayed from the side for this line the images of Howsie on lead were worth it, unfortunately however for you I couldn’t overload the email with them. Jumping on this line again certainly makes me want to lead it again:
We kept the rap line in place but moved away from Steel Wall, Howsie had already set his mind on which routes he wanted to bag next. The Unbolted and the Beautiful, put up and named by yours truly after there had been some dodging route development in the early 2010s. So off he set with clear instructions on ensuring a good multi-directional carcass catcher first piece of gear. I was hoping to get a few different angles of someone climbing this line, and the only way to do that is to have the (relative) freedom to move about:
I was very pleased that he led the line as intended. I’ve witnessed a number of people sneaking into the vertical crack of Thunder Thighs, which takes away the excitement and uncertainty of the crux sequence. That said the upper section is equally good, the wall steepens up and there is a bit of a runout to reach the first good horizontal and bomber pro. As I was happily wandering about checking out angles I got a fright when another climber asked if he could pass by. He was heading to Steel Wall to top rope solo some of the classics, so as he wandered along to set up I followed Howsie up yet another fine lead:
Now you may think that I’m not getting much of a work out doing all this top-rope soloing and then letting someone else take all the leads. I do however take my time going up, checking holds and gear placements, both used and missed. I also fully sort the gear taken out as I climb, as only someone as OCD as I would, forcing me to stay in positions for longer even if they are at times less secure positions. For his next chosen route he confessed that he had followed Mikie up it once, but had not led it himself. As he set off on Rhys’s Rapid Retreat I was pleased to see the multi-directional carcass catcher being placed first:
He worked his way up to the small capping rooflet, above which balancy crux moves require some serious focus. He seemed to freeze for some time eyeing up the options. It was almost as if he was looking for an invisible positive crimp or maybe jug to pull past the next move, and each time he moved up it showed. This crux however requires high footwork and trust in a low, small and slopey side pull. His arms were starting to go, and from my experience of watching Rhys climb this line the move to back under the rooflet is difficult and even more so when tired. So when he tried it I wasn’t overly surprised, and was ready to catch him, as he slipped with well-placed gear close enough to make it a safe fall:
It was a great effort, being his sixth successive lead on unfamiliar routes each being physically or/and mentally sustained at their grade. After a brief rest he fired past the crux with confidence and made short work of the remainder of the route. I cleaned the line and when we got back to the bags it seemed there was plenty of time for one more route. Understandably Howsie was more than happy to offer the lead over, so I decided on a line that I backed off just the previous week with Rongy. Left Hand Crack is a good test piece in its own right. However many years back Kym and I climbed a variant finish, which is what I backed off last week:
You almost climb the entire vertical Left Hand Crack route before stepping left to establish yourself on an large under-cling on very marginal feet. I was happy in that the initial crack posed no difficulties, and in fact felt really good. You then have to stay in a tenuous position sort some gear and then tentatively move left. Despite it being late summer the under-cling was wet, making me more nervous move much more slowly and hold on that much harder. It’s a great traditional thrutch trying to under-cling and then move into unseen (but incredibly good) jams, all the while wondering how you are going to get any gear in and added to that having to trust slopey smeary footholds:
The footholds do improve and finally the hanging block turning into a much easier side pull, but all that came well after my mental energy had been well and truly sapped. After resting on the gear part way along I managed to finish the line off in an extremely vocal fashion, only realising after the event that I had a large family observing my antics from the ledge that can be seen in the background. I’m very pleased to say that Howsie followed in great style and managed a clean second to wrap up a very fine morning’s climbing. All that remained was to pulled the rap line and pack up, and having all the gear on top of the crag meant our legs were thankfully saved from the walk back up the crag:
Sandbagged 