‘Two days’ is a phrase I learnt and used in Ghana way back. Meaning it has been a while since we have been in touch. Peter is someone that I do not get to climb with all that often, so I could have used the phrase when I received his message. Although he isn’t Ghanaian, so it probably would have been confusing for him. Instead the way things went, as we messaged each other on Friday I used a different phrase of ‘tomorrow next’. Just to make sure we had a common understanding of which Sunday we were talking about getting out:
Another Ghanaian term, so it took a bit more messaging to allow Peter to understand what I meant. It was worth the extra explanation required, being nice to pull the phrases out of my memory bank and use them. Peter said he was happy for a morning of moderate routes, then suggesting the Northern Blocks at Wilyabrup. The routes there are pretty sustained. This brought back memories of the last time we went out. He said he wasn’t climbing strong, and we then proceeded to hit multiple routes at Bob’s Hollow that were far from moderate:
As such I threw in a curveball and suggested if he really wanted an easier day we could head to Lost Buttress. This tickled his fancy because he had not been there before. We made the right choice. There was a forecast of a late shower today, making for a cool change that brought moisture in the air. Walking in, the boulders we were rock hopping along looked a little damp, clouds hung in the sky, and the air had a slightly heavy feel to it. The routes at the Northern Blocks would have felt even harder in these conditions:
Added to the humidity, we had a westerly wind that was blowing the salt spray our way. The gear soon became salty, and the rope felt damp after just one route. Both Peter and I have had our fair time of climbing in less than ideal conditions, so none of this stopped us. Mind you like Friday’s trip out I offered up the leads, and today I didn’t even lead a single route. So Peter was the one that had to tackle the greasy gneiss rock on the sharp end, for which at times chalk didn’t assist in making the friction feel any better:
I wasn’t sure how he would find this place. It is not what some people would regard as a nice clean crag with sustain lines. I had purposely sold it as more of an old school trad crag, and a little bit adventurous despite its short height. It does however have plenty of good gear, and this is something Peter is particularly keen on. There were also lots of White Italian Snails (Theba pisana). I have seen them plenty of times before but have never checked them out. Unlike a bomber bit of protection, these snails are an unwanted invasive pest:
They arrived on Australian shores from the Mediterranean region in the 1926. Bringing with them a trait similar to one that comes from one of the Mediterranean countries. Hatching in autumn and spring they aestivate through the following summer, meaning they go into a state of dormancy similar to hibernation. A bit like a siesta people take during the hottest part of the day. They just take it to the next level by doing it for the hot part of the year, not just the day. While the snails snoozed Peter kept moving:
I suggested the routes in a particular order. Advising the grades, as we moved from one to the next, were increasing mostly in increments of one. At least that was what I recalled. Peter didn’t seem to disagree with what I told him, after he completed each line. Better still he was pleasantly surprised, finding all of the climbs interesting and fun. Not everyone I bring here would agree, but that may be a result of what they want to get from climbing. If you treat it as a sport, this place isn’t for you:
If you treat it as a way of experiencing the great outdoors, this place really should not disappoint. As the morning wore on the routes got harder and the greasiness got worse. Not the best combination. Peter however pulled on his climbing skills to work round the additional difficulties presented by the conditions. Climbing that bit more cautiously, and possibly placing a tad more gear than he would have on a drier day, when the friction would have been better. Maybe that is why he didn’t question the grades I said each route was:
We hit the best six lines at a grade he was comfortable to lead. After that neither of us were game to try the hardest, but very cool, route here on the floppy end. But it did draw his interest, so we threw a top rope on it. Howsie was not able to get up the climb in 2022, when it popped up on his list as part of his challenge, and when it was in perfect dry condition https://sandbagged.blog/2022/06/25/as-the-crow-flies/. Today was no different for us, with no amount of chalk helping to make the very smeary holds useable. We kept slipping off:
Packing up the gear we were not quite finished. Peter had his eye on one more route at The Playground. Being the last route Mikie climbed to complete his 10,000m challenge. This time I belayed from below, you’ll have to look at the previous post to see what I did back then https://sandbagged.blog/2018/01/12/new-shoes/. Today I wanted to shelter from the sun. Peter was however still not done. Wanting to taste a bit more, he tackled a couple of boulder problems before finally accepting it was getting uncomfortable hot and was time to walk out:
Sandbagged 