What’s in a name

Today was take 2.  My lack of experience, and to a degree observations, led Rongy and my last attempt to bolt the three new routes at Welly Dam come to a grinding halt.  What was lacking was grunt in the equipment we had, but also the fact that there is a difference between a hammer and rotary hammer drill.  It made perfect sense to me when this was pointed out, as I sheepishly admitted to overlooking the difference.  Today however, Howsie and I came appropriately armed, again starting early so the noisy drilling could be undertaken without anyone about:

We had twenty bolts to place, and only one drill. Howsie has never been bolting and my experience of mechanical bolting extends to only one route, again at Welly Dam, in 2012. Yes I have hand drilled bolts in true alpine style, but only two. While I have watched Kym bolt quite a few lines over the years, I wasn’t sure if the granite here would be a tougher opposition and may take longer. As such we had no idea how long it would take and were pleasantly surprised to see the drill bit bite and sink into the grey granite with relative ease on the first hole:

The first line had a few steep, slightly overhung, and off line sections which made getting behind the drill at times interesting. Requiring a little bit of acrobatics, holding on, toe hooking, and body tensioning. This line took seven bolts and I was pretty puffed by the end of it, so I offered the drill to Howsie. He was more than happy to bolt the second line, a slabby route that thankfully allowed more straightforward access to the bolt placements. But there is still a fair bit of paraphernalia to carry about, and all that weight takes its toll:

Howsie came down, like me before, claiming that a desk jockey job is not good for fitness. Handing the equipment back to me, there were eight more bolts to place on the last line. I wasn’t sure if it was me or the battery wearing down, as progress seemed to be slowing down. Then I popped a new bit into the drill, and the holes once more became easier to sink. All up it only took us two hours to place the bolts and clear up, so not too bad really. The downside being that we were both fairly weary, and I could have killed a cup of tea:

Luckily my sippy mug still had some tea left, still hot, from when I had walked out the door at 3:45am.  I eagerly supped that, savouring every drop and taking my time.  Feeling sore and achy, which is sad to admit but truthful, I wondered how we would go on the routes.  I started on a climb I called Building Bridges.  The name comes from the fact that the bridge at the base of the dam is being rebuilt, the route uses a technique up part of the corner called bridging, and the fact that this route has seven bolts:

The last point being relevant as Kym and I developed to the climb to the right, which is bagged for its first high bolt. So this one is to appease those not so keen for a possible high ground fall before the first bolt. It’s a physical route, steep, and a tad strenuous in places, and I was feeling it. Almost coming off at what for me felt like the crux, but somehow just managing to cling on. One route down and I was happy as, but worried about the next two. We moved across to the route Howsie bolted, and I offered him the first ascent:

He gratefully accepted, but as per the name it was given he made a bit of a Strom in a Teacup of it. Pontificating on the crux move, yo-yoing and pumping out on arms already hurting from the bolting and last climb. Eventually falling and grateful his bolting seemed to be of a good enough standard to hold him. Exhausted he handed me the rope and I bagged route number two, calling it the name given. But for another reason to that above, being a statement that it isn’t worth blowing things out of proportion to the determent of friendship, life is too short:

One more route, and this was the toughy. Rongy, Howsie and I all felt so based on when we were trying the lines and setting bolt placements. It weaves a path up good rock to the sides of one of the blast holes, used to literally blow the rock out of the quarry. As such some of the rock is a tad fragile in places and prone to coming off. So quite simply I named this one Peanut Brittle, which describes the rock and is also in keeping with the food, BBQ, and picnic theme of names of the adjacent climbs. While I was worried about this one, I do not feel that I am boasting when I say I floated up it, and it was divine:

The new route names and descriptions are given below, as described online (https://www.climberswa.asn.au/topic/welly-dam/), but I think you may agree the above background detail provides far more context.  And I have purposely not given any hints away about how the routes climb or what the cruxes may be, so those that may want to try to get the on-sight lead can go for it:

Building Bridges (20, 20m)
The left wall of the black gully between Go Go Gadget Arms and Raging Torrent. A steep line with some unusual features and moves for the dam, finishing with a rising rightward traverse to the anchors of Raging Torrent. 7BRs & DBB
Krish Seewraj, Chris Howe 03/02/23

Peanut Brittle (21, 18m)
The black streak between Hole in the Wall and Savage Sausage Sniffer, a straight line that takes in the best rock with an exciting finale. 6BRs & DBB
Krish Seewraj, Chris Howe 03/02/23

Storm in a Teacup (18, 14m)
The unclaimed wall between Taj vs the World and Full Tiller has been claimed. Try not to make a meal of the thought provoking move midway up. 3BRs & DBB
Krish Seewraj, Chris Howe 03/02/23