The public has been warned that “winter is coming”, and is being urged to prepare for the first major storm of the season. A cold front and low-pressure system is forecast to hit the west coast today, bringing with it showers, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. Rainfall of several inches was predicted, which doesn’t sound like much but it is for here. Never one to miss out on an opportunity to have an atmospheric time out on rock, Howsie and I decided we would head down to Wilyabrup. We were greeted to a ‘red sky in the morning’ morning:
This heeding a warning that aligned with the forecasts, but for now there was no sign of wild windy or wet weather hitting the coast. At least not where we were. We traditionally place our gear under the overhang below Hope Buttress, but today we moved a bit further along and settled under the Stormcock Boulder. Not that this provided improved shelter from the elements, should it come in. The reason was that it was closer to where we would start climbing. A sneaky little wall, hidden away. One that is as far as I know is untouched:
I spotted it last Friday when I came down on a solo mission. Rapping into a scrappy area that rarely gets any attention, I looked across and saw it. Taking an image and sending it to Howsie, suggesting it may have a couple of worthy first ascent opportunities. Always up for an adventure he was keen to check it out. Based on a visual inspection of the image I took the possible routes didn’t look like they would present too many issues. As such we picked today to check them out, fully prepared to be greeted with rain and water running down the rock:
It was not to be, and for the most part the rock was in good condition. Pleasing Howsie who, after being offered the choice, plumped for the primo looking line on the main wall. As can so often be the case, what looks straightforward is not. Steeper than we first thought, the holds were less obvious than we expected, and the gear required a fair bit hanging about to get in. All making for a very entertaining line, and one with a bit of a runout feeling and nervous finish on the upper wall. Rewarded with a new climb that we though only lived in dreams:
This is on the basis that Wilyabrup has been climbed out over the last fifty odd years. So spotting something worthy that hasn’t been played on is a real treat. Still in sensible mode, I picked the easier of the routes on offer. The left arête led to a delightful slab, coated in a veneer of quartz and providing a perfect brown tricam sized pocket for added fun. I had visions of ascending this as water cascaded over it like a waterfall, but still it remained dry. And more surprisingly we managed a third independent line on this little buttress:
A bit of squeeze up a chimney led Howsie to a clean square cut corner. Seemingly made for gear and sporting holds to make it an enjoyable climb. And while we kept looking out for rain, it was still not looking likely to worry us. This led me to suggest he jump on the climb that had led me to find this spot. Going up the buttress behind him in the above picture. At the triangle shaped roof there is an exposed move out right. He admitted to having been on it with Nadia, but the top sketchy limestone section had worried them and they escaped left:
Today he was fine to run it out past the above the unusual sling placement, which to be honest I would also have been happy with. Even the unprotected limestone coated slab up to the capping roof didn’t concern him. But at the committing traverse I felt I needed to encourage the increasingly worried sounding leader to keep going. Once atop the crag, we checked the weather radar. The storm belt was tracking south but gradually heading inland towards us. Looking to be moving slowly enough for us to squeeze another route in:
This time we picked a climb we knew well, unlike the others today. Still keeping Howsie focused and engaged, and as he inched up the final section I was tied in and ready to climb. The air temperature dropped and I felt a few drops. Somehow it eased off allowing us to finish up, pack the gear, and walk out in the dry. Not till we sat in the car did it rain. As alluded to in my words about each new climb we established, it seemed fitting to make use of our expectations of inclement weather and damp conditions to name the new routes:
Route titles, courtesy of Howard Jones, Billy Joel, and TLC, and descriptions:
Don’t Always Look at the Rain 10m 12
Squeeze up the chimney, followed by a delightful corner. Howe, Seewraj 2025
River of Dreams 10m 17
Work your way up the middle of the wall trying to place gear before pumping out, and then keep your nerves up the slightly runout headwall. Howe, Seewraj 2025
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls 10m 13
Steeply up the left side of the wall, before delicately tip toeing up the slab. Seewraj, Howe 2025
Sandbagged 