Today we had a great sunny day forecast after some wet cold days so a few of us headed out to Bob’s Hollow for a bit of a climb. It’s a steep limestone cliff with some hard lines, but today we were not feeling that way inclined so headed for the very southern end to bag a mob 17 – 20 grade routes:

We had three ropes on the go so it looked a bit like a spaghetti junction at time, but we managed to stay on the right lines and not get confused. Here Kym and Steve are still working out their routes on lead, while Lou is following up the route I started on:

I jumped on the easiest of the lines (which explains Kym and Steve’s tardiness in the image above). Both Kym & Steve picked lines with exciting finishes, Steve’s in particular certainly tested him as the last stretch got steeper and quite runout. He kept his cool and having had the sense to drag up some tricams he managed to get through the scary bit with a bit of extra pro:

Leanne hadn’t climbed too much of late so did amazingly well getting up a couple of the lines. Even these lower grade routes are steep and sustained, as this image shows so when you are not fit they can be quick to spit you off:

There was one line I was were keen to jump on as it had given me some jip in relation to figuring out exactly where it went, which I need to know for the guide I am preparing. I went up first and teetered my way up past a half cut rope and some long runouts while unsuccessfully trying to find the three bolts. Leigh in the image below did a much better job, taking a sling to back up the dodgy rope and finding all the bolts:

On this climb I came across a beautiful baby Carpet Python curled up in a pocket while enjoying the morning sun. So when Leigh and then Steve went up I told them to watch out for it. As Leigh went up he put his hand on a hold and it felt wet, and then it felt like it was moving. He slowly pulled up and saw not a baby but full grown Carpet Python slithering along the horizontal break and right over his hand. Steve went up next with camera in hand only to realise there was no room left for any more images, so you’ll have to put up with an arty shot from me instead:

We were getting tired and it was time to head off, but not before Lou had a bash at an old favourite, Puk Puk Sen. She left it a little late in the day but managed to struggle up it despite having some wet and slimy feeling holds. With that Steve, Leanne, Lou and I headed off and left Leigh, Tom (who had been saving himself for silly hard stuff) and Kym to keep going:

On the walk out Steve and Leanne found out just how unfit they really were, due to lack of climbing and exercise in general, as on the short ten minute walk they got jelly legs. It’s a good job it wasn’t a longer walk out or we may have had to carry them out:

One of the things about Bob’s is that it is a bit of a mission to get there, it’s not quite the furthest crag but it takes the most time, as there is a 3km bush track to drive along. Most of this is OK but there are rocky sections that require care and at times there isn’t much room. Steve was very happy to drive in and as such while the climbing had stopped it wasn’t quite the end of the adventure for him:

I volunteered to take images of some of the sections as we drove out, but it was hard to capture what it was really like. It was the first time Steve had tackled any 4WDing like this and he did a great job managing to avoid any crunching sounds as he negotiated the rocks:

In some sections the bush is really closed in and you need to pull your wing mirrors in and close your windows, or a not so friendly branch might side swipe you. As you drive through these you can’t avoid the stretching sound as the branches scrap along the side of the car:

As photographer, and to avoid delaying the trip too much, I rode on the front bull bar. I simply couldn’t resist taking this selfie with a very happy Steve in the driving seat:

Below is the evidence of the what harsh Australian outback it will do to your 4WD if you use it as it was built for, i.e. 4WDing. Too many people have their big shiny 4WDs and never take them off road, that said Steve will be giving his car a well-deserved T-cut to polish it up a bit:

Today we decided to try a spot we hadn’t been to before so we left the taller cliffs of the main crags of Willyabrup and headed north:

Not too far north and then a quick abseil into Beginners Wall, a short wall with lower grade climbs and a sea washed platform. This morning was high tide but a low high tide with only a 1m swell so it was perfect:

This place had some interesting anchors, here the old has rusted to pieces and been replaced by huge U bolt anchors:

It was the first time I used my new gear a spanking set of Metolius Curve Hexes, my birthday present from Lisa (you may remember an earlier email of the bloke who sold me his and then wanted them back, well now I have my own):

We didn’t use the guide book, instead spying lines we liked the look of and going for it. Some of them we later found out were not in the guide but they have no doubt been climbed by others including this great cheeky line up the side of a blank face with gear that makes you want to not fall off:

Steve jumped onto this fun looking line which proved to be quite spicy, again not listed in the guide. The rock was a bit damp which gave all the climbs that extra feel of excitement:

Then I jumped on the line immediately to the right which was slightly steeper, another one not in the guide, and by now we were starting to get tired. The rounded holds looked great but did require some faith and also made placing gear at times tricky:

We soldiered on making use of the shade and enjoying picking easy lines in-between the more challenging one, it was a great feeling to be placing trad again after all the recent trips to the quarry and sport climbing:

We saved the first line we liked the look of till last as it really did look that good, a wide open book corner with a beautiful small flake system. It was as good as it looked – completely brilliant:

So good in fact that I had to put an extra image of it in, with Steve coming up doing his best impression of Batman doing Spiderman moves:

Yes I have been out again – well I am on holiday! In fact I have made a few quick couple of hour visits up to this place during the week both solo top roping and meeting up with others. Being only a short 45min away and being able to practically park at the base of the climbs it is a good place to cram a few routes in.

So yesterday was my third trip here this week and I met up with Dennis, Pierric, Lou and Jen for a longer session. I was keen to get them all to lead (not Jen as she is still just getting into it) so didn’t think I would get too much done myself. How wrong could I be and in fact everyone did heaps, so today I have this very satisfying achy feel in my muscles.

I haven’t given grades for the climbs named below but if you are keen to find out more have a look-see at the on-line guide to for Welling Dam Quarry:

I pointed everyone towards the easier warm up climbs, as they hadn’t had a lot of leading experience yet. Dennis started up the standard warm up, but very good Welcome to Edges:

I went up A Walk in Central Park to set up a top rope. It is a great climb that may spit you off at any stage and that is how it got its name as you never know when you are going to be mugged in Central Park! Rather than seconding the lines Dennis and Pierric pulled the rope through so they could both lead each line (I like their style):

While waiting to jump on Welcome to Edges for a lead myself I explored the local flora and found a little patch of mushrooms. Not much else but grass and weeds but there were some beautiful vivid blue Variegated Fairy Wrens (who were too fast for me to get an image of):

Next the boys jumped on Pocket Knife, one of the newest climbs at the quarry and one that certainly messes with your head with a couple of tricky sections. This time we got to see a few lead falls:

Meanwhile it was Lou’s turn to jump on Welcome to Edges. I have to say she whinged all the way up it but did eventually get there. Interestingly Lou seems to be more comfortable with trad than bolts, which makes sense as you never know how well the bolts have been placed and what condition they are in inside the rock:

Jen did well having a bash at every route that was led, and making great progress on all of them. Most of the climbs were in good condition and dried out after our wet August and September, but some were still running with seepage:

I then jumped onto Shock Therapy, a harder line that I am a tad scared of and usually avoid doing. However, it was a breeze and I walked it much to my surprise. Naughty me forgot to put my helmet on for this lead and I am showing off my shiny bald patch (I knew there was a good reason to wear a helmet):

Pierric is at the crux moves of Pocket Knife here and holding onto a one finger edge with his left hand, which he promptly pulled off! He was still able to get up OK but the big question was did it make it any harder:

Here is the elusive hold that is no longer on your route Chris. I went up it after the boys and managed it fine. I don’t think it has changed it too much and it still feel all wrong at that spot:

Lou was not impressed with me making it look all too easy so wanted to watch me try Attack of the March Flies. A great steep, technical and pumpy line. I’m at the second crux in this image and fell so many times I lost count before I finally managed it. Then in the top section I did a fair bit of yo-yoing getting extremely pumped trying the direct finish, before I finally bottled out and took the slightly easier left variant to clip and pass the last bolt:

I was on this route so long and for occasions the rope didn’t move a lot, so a Ring Necked Parrot decided to use it as a perch. It also looks like Dennis was getting a sore neck, so I must have been there a long time:

By now everyone was getting a bit tired so we decided to go for the last couple of lines. Murky Corner was an obvious choice being not too hard so it was doable to finish on a win but challenging enough to make the boy think:

While Murky Corner got a work out I ran up Ebony Road, to give them something a little more challenging to top rope. It was fun listening to Lou once again complain her way up the route but eventually getting there:

Thanks guys for a great day out

Being on holiday has given me the time to explore a few more areas that I haven’t been to before so after living down in the sleepy SW for almost 10 years I finally headed up to Perth to see what the climbing was like up there.

One of the reasons I haven’t bothered heading up to Perth to climb is it take two and half hours to get there from where we live, in addition we have great traditional crags in beautiful settings only an a hour from us. However, it was time to make the trek and see just what they were like. In addition to a mob of smaller places there are two main quarries in Perth and we plumped for Statham. So after leaving home at 3:30, picking Chris up and having a food stop we finally rolled into the quarry just after sunrise at 6:00. Chris wandered straight over to look at a great ragged crack line that went up the highest part of any wall in the quarry:

We decided however to start on something less steep, to get used the rock and allow us the time to wake up. However, the guide we had was some 20 years old so didn’t have even half the routes we could see, but we plumped for a fun looking slabby pillar that had three lines going up it. I set off first as Chris hadn’t touched rock much over the last few months, so was the first to clip the bolts. As I worked my way up I got a view of the outer areas of Perth which included some residential but also a mob of industrial areas criss-crossed with power lines:

Chris was slow on second and not feeling it. But for anyone who climbs with me should know that it is not that easy to get out of leading one for one, so up he went on the left side of the pillar. The rock is hard but also brittle and there was evidence of many flakes and sizable chunks littered all around. You needed to check the holds as you used them and for the most they were good, but occasionally you felt something creak and it was enough to make us that bit more cautious on the first few ascents we did:

It was not until the third line on the Pillar that Chris got into it, making short work on seconding me up the central blank looking slab which we considered the best of the three lines. Maybe it was because there were less loose flakes, or the sun was peeping into the quarry and warming us up:

So all fired up, and after a sip of water Chris headed back to the line which caught his attention when we first rocked up. A ragged looking crack line that looked like it should go natural but was fully bolted. It didn’t look too bad but as he started up it was obvious that once again looks were deceiving:

He perceived taking his time and resting whenever possible, finally getting to the top sounding exhausted but happy and thoroughly enjoying the line. It wasn’t I lowered him that we noticed that the line was overhanging by some three meters, a bit of a sign of why it was so tricky. But it wasn’t till I got on it that I really understood, the holds felt slope and it kept you off balance for a lot of the time. A great line and lead:

The sun was beating down now so we wandered over to look at a few other lines in the shade A few other people had been playing on one climb earlier in the morning. They had to bail and rap down to get their gear so we guessed it was tricky, but looking at it is didn’t look appealing. So I went for the great looking open book corner that has a superb looking line of thin flakes up the guts of it. The line was pumpy and sustained, with a great thin finish which I felt I was about to slip off at any moment. We both loved the line and were starting to get to like the place more and more.

It was really starting to warm up as the clock was heading towards midday, so only a quick stop for a bite to eat before we went for the next line. This one looked the least intimidating of the lot so far but was in full sun, a mixture of short walls and slabs proving to be yet another fun line. Yes there is finally a photo of me, heading up after Chris led it:

I had spied a great looking line, a thin flake up a steep face but it was in full sun and after one climb in the sun we decided it wasn’t the best move. With not much left in the shade we went back to the line that hadn’t looked that appealing to us and which we had seen the other people bail on. It was my lead so I went for it, a steep and strange line which was technical with no rests. I managed to get most of the way up before my strength was gone. Even after a rest I slipped off the next move making it the first led fall of the day! One more bash and I get through with arms screaming out:

Chris got to the same spot and then fell, it took a bit of working but he got the last moves. This image gives an idea of the steepness of the wall and amount of energy left in both of us by now. So once Chris came down we decided that would be it for the day, but not until I went back up the line and got it clean on top-rope:

It was only coming up to 2pm so plenty of day light left and people were still climbing. It was surprising to see how many people were coming and going all day, but being so close to Perth why wouldn’t you grab a few hour sot get a climb in. Still we had been climbing for some 8hrs and really enjoyed it, knowing that there were other lines we liked to the look of making a return trip sometime worthwhile:

Couldn’t resist ending with this one, it was not an uncommon sight. The amount of holds that were being held on by glue was quite amazing, none from what we could see where actually placed and glued, but many were glued in to make sure they stayed put. I’ve seen this practise used at a few places in my climbing time but have to say it is probably the most amount of glue I have ever seen used at any crag. Still it is quarry climbing with bolts so why not glue as well eh, and in saying that there were some stonking lines and the place was well worth the trip:

There was a blue sky and we had a few days of dry weather so it seemed like a good idea to head out. With other things to get done Lou and I didn’t want to be out too long so we plumped for Smith’s Beach, due to its easy access and short walk-in. On arrival at the car park I noticed that the swell was up and thought it may be a bit wet in the zawn……………..

Sure enough when we got there the swell was creating waves that headed straight into the zawn swamping the bottom half like I have not seen it before. The right wall with the easier lines that I was hoping to jump was sodden:

Unperturbed we were still keen to jump on rock, then I realised that I had left my shoes at home so I squeezed into Lou’s shoes (only one size down) and jumped on lead. I got a bit unnerved on the first lead what with the wet rock and extremely atmospheric conditions, so ended up off line and onto a climb with a horrendously slopey and reachy top out. I bottled out and escaped right, but I didn’t let Lou off that lightly:

After one line of soppy rock, but with the great friction Smiths offers we were eager for more so we jumped onto one of the crag classics – the line I intended for the first lead. The waves came in sets and some were enormous and poor Lou got a bit wet while belaying me, but don’t stress we were sensible and made sure we were both anchored in at all times:

Strangely for short periods the ocean seemed to calm down and the zawn for a while was not covered with white water, but it never lasted lie that for long and the sound of the waves was relentless:

For the final climb we decided to head further up the zawn away from the treacherous waves up a direct, rounded crack that offers plenty of friction holds with technical balancy moves. This side was fortunately in the sun so  wasn’t quite as wet. A perfect climb for a day like today and a great pitch to finish our quick morning climb:

As is the norm when climbing at Smiths, with it abrasive rock and need for jamming we both left a bit of bark behind on the routes. But we walked out with big smiles on our faces thankful for yet another great experience:

There has been another blip in the wet weather for a few days, which let the sun come out to play. So Chris and I took advantage and drove up towards to Perth to visit a crag neither of us had been to before. Boomer Crag doesn’t have heaps of routes on it but it is nestled in the hills and has a completely atmosphere to the coastal crags that we normally visit.

I left home at 5:30 and we timed the journey perfectly arriving at the crag at half an hour after first light, and as we stepped out of the car we were greeted by a biting cold wind:

The setting didn’t disappoint us being surrounded by lush green vegetation and sporting great views over the valley. The crag was also sheltered from the wind which was a bonus:

I jumped on the first line a great cracked slab, which provided beautifully sustained climbing. Graded at 15 it felt a fair bit harder but that may have been due to the rock being so cold, making our fingers tingle and toes ache:

Chris then plumped for an inviting looking climb that was slightly stiffer at grade 17, it looked a fine line starting up a crack and finishing up a round arête:

The bottom crack proved to be stiffer than expected but with perseverance and time (I won’t give away how long the first 5m took!) he was soon firing up the fantastic blank arête in great style:

Next I jumped on a grade 17 slab, the description of which said it was a bit run out in the middle. I didn’t have too much trouble other than a screaming calve muscle, and relished the thin exposed moves. As Chris followed me up he was showing signs of tiring:

While there was still the crag classic to bag, an awesome vertical crack. It was Chris’s lead and he didn’t feel he could do it the justice it deserved. So we decided to leave that for next time, but as he was climbing with me he wasn’t getting out of his next lead. So for the next one he piled on all the gear we had:

He was soon heading up yet another great line, a grade 13 leftward rising traverse that girdled the whole crag. It had some airy moves in great positions and left some of the best moments till last when the rope drag was greatest (Chris probably not even half way in this image):

We then packed up and headed back to the car, but before heading off decided to check a short 10m crag that was right on the road side. It sported four bolted lines so we decided to bag a couple before finishing. The climbing was very contrasting to what we had just been doing but was equally fun, we were not sure of the grades but reckoned on 17ísh for both:

Chris was the last one up so I left him to get to the first clip (which was some way up) before I put him on belay, just to get some good shots. Rest assured I did put him on belay after he clipped the first bolt, so we both ended yet another brilliant day out safely:

Meanwhile back in Bunbury Lisa and Moo were out with the two poodles doing more dog training. Something they have both been really enjoying (as are Sooky and Nicka the poodles):

Today’s session was a bit of a get together of all the training classes and they held competitions in which Elseya and Sooky, as has been the case in all the dog training exercises, kicked Lisa and Nicka’s butt!

Alan and I headed out for an afternoon climb yesterday and plumped for Driftwood Bay at Willyabrup, as it had a number of lower grade 20m climbs so Alan could have a bash at leading:

In comparison to the main walls and northern buttresses of Willyabrup this crag certainly looks scrappy and was a bit of a bush bash to get to. As such it is not likely to see much action and there was little evidence of anyone else having been here for sometime:

Alan hasn’t led many climbs so I set off on the first lead so he could get his head into gear. We both liked the look of the right hand wall that offered two routes (in the guide). I headed up the 13 leaving the 11 for Alan and found it to be a good sustained line with great moves but at time tricky to find gear. The top of the crag is littered with strange limestone formations, very uninviting for belay anchors for I set up a rap station just below the top:

Alan followed up and it was obvious from his face that the climb was harder than he thought a 13 should be and I have to agree, but then a grade is only a guide. This image shows why the crag is so aptly named:

Undeterred Alan set of up the grade 11 working his way up carefully and finding far more gear placements than I found (all of which were text book placements and bomb proof). He however didn’t mange the top headwall and crept left to finish up the line I had just done:

I then spied a line in-between the two we had just done, but seemingly sharing the line up the final headwall on the grade 11 that Alan had just attempted. With a short but fiery overhung jam crack to start and balancy final headwall it proved to be a worthwhile line (based on the grading at the crag maybe a 15). The top headwall as the image below shows was quite thought provoking and was no way an 11 (we now reckon the 11 probably should up the right hand side of the headwall):

Alan’s leading head was gone by then so I jumped on a line a bit to the left that looked to go up some pretty inconsistent terrain. However, the first half went up a sentry box that provided brilliant moves, gear and positions – it was awesome. It got a bit broken after that but still provided enjoyable climbing. Alan followed up feeling relieved he hadn’t tried to lead this one – another Driftwood Bay 13! With time to try one more line I headed for another 13 with a fun looking hand crack to start with. I ambled up the 20m with 4 bits of gear much to Alan’s surprise, but when he followed we agreed that maybe a grade 10 was probably more like it. A nice way to finish the afternoon’s climbing:

So as we scrambled down for the last time we decided the moral of the story was not to just look at the grading, but also to look at the date of the first ascent. Assuming these have not been tampered with since they were first assigned you can add several grades to 1970 routes to make them comparable with more recent routes. Either we are softer or they had bigger balls – or maybe it was just our headspace on the day…….