Over the last two weeks I have not posted anything about my climbing antics, but that is not to say I haven’t been getting out. The early morning Friday climbs at Welly Dam have occurred, start at 5am which has allowed for a solid session before work calls us. Two weeks back Howsie and I packed in an impressive eight routes, albeit the lower grade lines on offer there. Then this week Rongy was back and we climbed six lines, this time however we bumped up the grades hitting a couple of 22s and only climbing one route that was less than grade 20. It was a solid session:
So solid that all three of us could feel that satisfying ache during the working day that proceeded. The three of us then hit Wilyabrup on Sunday, as the effects of the rapid fire harder climbs at Welly Dam were finally starting to subside. The western coastline has been ravaged by bushfires this past week, a huge one to the south and one to the north. Luckily for us a safe distance away from where we were today, the smoke did however hang heavily in the air as we drove in and walked the crag:
The smoke haze lifted as the day went on, and the clouds also drifting away. It had rained here last night. And as the firefighters battled to get the fires under control, I am sure they would have welcomed the cooler weather and light sprinkle that came with it. All of these factors gave me hope that the crag may be quiet. With luck the climbers from Perth were less likely to make the trip down during uncertain conditions. Of course, with us getting to the crag for 5:30, there was no one about at the start. The rock was damp from the rain and also had that salty feel:
Not the best conditions to get us going, but that’s fine. Rongy and then I led us up a couple of rambling lines that took in easier ground on an area of rock that we rarely climb. It was nice to go up some unfamiliar territory, not knowing what to expect. Yesterday I had yet another early start. Having headed to Perth by train, as Lisa and I were picking up a new car. This required getting up about 4:30, so this was my third day on the trot of being up and out before light had crept into the sky:
While I can manage early starts. Three days on the trot is probably not very sensible and I could feel the effects, as I led the route of my choice. I wondered how I’d go with what was to come next, as I knew what Howsie had in mind next. It is 2021 and that of course means he was keen to bag a few grade 21 climbs. For those that will remember, 2020 had got hectic. He set himself a target of cleanly leading every grade 20 in the South West. Towards the end of 2020, that all changed as the challenge had taken the fun out of climbing:
Being 2021, he was now looking at the grade 21s but he no longer felt that he had to get on every one of them. And there are still quite a few that he hasn’t. It is great to see that this isn’t stressing him out, and he is only hitting them when he feels up to it. Today I knew he had his eye on one at the northern end of the main cliffs of Wilyabrup. I’d only ever seconded Craig up this line, many years back, and neither Howsie nor Rongy had ever been on it. So again it was a route that all three of us were unfamiliar with, which added to the excitment:
Welcome to Arapiles has what some might call a sketchy start, so Rongy watched closely ready to assist if Howsie should slip before he got any gear in. After a certain height is reached by the climber, the aim would be to protect the head. Broken bones may occur if you are unlucky but the head is all important. Howsie was however being careful and methodical and soon popped in a cam, allowing Rongy to relax. Then as he got higher I dashed to my next vantage point. To show the extent I go, to get images, above you will see what I climbed in my sandals:
With a 10m scramble below me I found a great spot that out me as the same height as Howsie. He was perched below the roof, looming ominously above him, that he had to get over. After getting in some good gear from his relatively relaxed position, he then proceeded to go up checking the holds and gear options before climbing back down to his perch. This he did quite a lot of time, not once getting any more gear in but at least becoming more familiar with the sequence and holds. Below is a video of one of these times. These repeated ascents and descents also resulted in him becoming more tired:
When he eventually went for it, he found another piece of gear and then as he started for the final roof his arms began to really to complain. Fortunately for him the final roof was avoidable and he snuck off right before his hands could no longer hold on. It was an impressive lead and as Rongy and then I followed we found him grinning like a Cheshire cat unable to hide his excitement of what he had just done. In theory Rongy was up next, but as we came back down he indicated he wasn’t feeling it, and would happily allow me to jump on lead next:
I didn’t think about it, and immediately racked up heading back to the area that I had such fun with Jamie and Rongy a while back and then more recently Steve. It’s an area that I have rarely climbed and I’ve never led The Great Temptress, supposedly a grade 19 that works its way up through four roofs. It was brilliant, both exciting and scary and with each roof It felt more and more pumpy. Or was I just getting tired. At the fourth roof the sting came, and like Howsie it was my turn to go up and down like a yo-yo. The final hold was less than a foot away from my hands on each ascent, but the insecure position and lack of feet resulted in me just not being able to get to it:
I was shattered. After, was it five, six, seven or more attempts, where I climbed up and then back down never resting on the rope my forearms were screaming. Eventually I snuck left, and set myself up so I could get a great view of the other two coming up to see how they fared. Rongy managed the final hold but only just, which were his words. Snatching for a, not so great, pinch and then barely managing to use it. By the time Howsie got to the last roof he was toasted, but gave it his all and eventually managed to haul himself up:
It was a solid and fantastic line, as had Welcome to Arapiles been. Howsie and I were really tired now, so we looked to Rongy to take the next lead. He too wasn’t up for anything hard or even moderately challenging. Instead looking for a fun route that he hadn’t been on before. Like me, until earlier this year, he also hadn’t climbed many of the big corners here. Decision made, and he romped up Chockstone Chimney placing less gear than Howsie or I felt was required. But it did mean that as we followed up, with packs on our back, there was only one piece to take out:
Yes you read right, one piece only! Rongy did admit it was maybe not the smartest of moves, even though it was only a grade 9 climb and the rock was now in great condition. Sat in the sun at the top of the crag we sorted the gear ready to leave, and still we had the place to ourselves. Like the good ole days, when I first started climbing in this area sixteen years ago. With Howsie and my final rooves, and Rongy’s almost solo it is fair to say we all had a good dose of Xcitement:
Sandbagged 