Way back in March 2013 when we were still discovering the delights Lost Buttress had to offer, Kym did a couple of solo laps on what we called Scarred for Life (12). It looked so much fun that I followed up in the same style and promptly pulled off the hold that he has his right foot on. The 5kg block now sits in our garden, as a memento of when it unbalanced me and sent me falling onto the slippery wave washed boulders below. Someone was looking after me that day as I got away with compression damage and no broken bones. I’ve never been back on this route, so when Lou wanted to head down there for a bit of relaxed trad climbing I had already decided today was going to be the day to jump on this climb:
On the drive in there was a lovely carpet python on the track, so I couldn’t help but jump out and take a few photos. The track is quite incised so, as it was early morning and he hadn’t warmed up yet, he was having difficulty getting off the track and into the vegetation. So I was lucky enough to pick him up and help him on his way:
It was forecast to be in the high 20s today, but for now it was still cool. As the waves rolled in they left a mist in their wake, which was drifting towards the shore as the rock was wet. But not wet enough to dampen our spirits:
I sent Lou on first lead, seeing how eager she was to get out on trad again. The last time we climbed was at Welly Dam and much as she likes the place she simply doesn’t trust bolts and keep saying how she is more comfortable on trad. She plumped for St Patrick (12) and wove her way up the wall and into the corner before committing to the crack and face. It took her a few goes to get the confidence to commit to the last moves but she finally went for it:
I then jumped on Flashback 17, a fiery little face climb that is easier for the tall although that is probably true for all bar roof climbs. The fingery lower portion certainly requires a bit of oomph but the hold did get bigger and the holds more reasonably spaced:
Lou then had a bash at No Nuts Required (13) and her head was not quite in the game so worked her way up the wall from left to right to left avoiding all the tricky bits. Next we went up what I reckon is one of the best routes here, Jenga 14 and the top layback flake is simply brilliant:
Lou then regained her leading mojo and had fun on Baby Shower (13) before I ended our session on Scarred for Life (12). This time I opted for a rope and gear and thoroughly enjoyed the line:
As Lou followed me up she seemed more concerned about the crashing waves than the moves on wet rocks. It was a fine climb to end the days relaxed morning on trad:
Well after three months of my on-again off-again travel proposal for a conference in Brisbane it was definitely on, and only just in time with less than a week before my departure date. When the opportunity came up Lisa and I talked about me going over early to get a weekend of climbing in, so that is what I did. A Friday night red-eye flight and taxi ride later I was knocking on Mikie and Helens house in South Brisbane at 6am. They were in the throes of final packing and we were soon (after a very much needed two cups of tea) on the road to Moogerah Peaks National Park, in which Mount French is located and on which Frog Buttress, the holy mecca of Australian crack climbing can be found:
As the walk in above shows they have in recent times undertaken a controlled burn to manage the ever increasing fuel loads of the Australian bush. The path from the carpark was the dividing line between the starkly different burnt and unburnt sides. Due to the burns formerly relatively sound boulders and ground at the top of the buttress could have been made less stable. As such climbing was only permitted on the northern sector (well to be picky north east!):
As we descended the numerous steps I was getting a little light headed, but was not sure if it was a result of the 3hrs sleep or the thoughts of entering the holy grail of crack climbing. The steep decline made you concentrate on your feet rather than look round too much, but soon I noticed walls creeping higher and higher on either side:
Then finally after months of eyeing up the free cheap and nasty guide to Frog I was there. The walls towered above us with climbs up to 40m. Some faces were clean and straight with splitters ranging from fingertips to body widths, others were more broken but littered everywhere were cracks:
There was no mucking about and Mikie threw me onto a not so great named climb Shit Heap (14), my first real taste of a hand jamming crack – ever! I’ve been up some cracks but never one where you have no choice but to jam your way to glory. I brought with me my mid to large cams and hexes and with Mikie’s gear we had enough to stitch our way up:
Helen is not an avid climber, but does enjoy bagging a route or so a day, so she followed up second. While she was struggling and grunting her way up (sorry Helen) I enjoyed the view through the tree tops. This climb is not very long but it was a great introduction to what to expect:
Mikie came up third and with his taped up hands put my jamming techniques to shame. Maybe the tape helped him lessen some of those more painful jams but I still didn’t tape up, not that I’m calling you soft Mikie:
You’ll have to put up with a lot of climbing shots I couldn’t resist taking pictures just because the place was so different to what I have become used to. Mikie floated up this great corner with a fine narrow finger jamming crack called Winston Alley (16). I was certainly warming to the climbing style but was I ready for what was to come next:
Before that though the whole time we climbed there everywhere I looked I noticed these little ants. While Mikie was on Winston Alley I noticed one doing a yoga pose and it seemed to have a droplet on its head. It seemed to be stroking its antennae, head and bum but why I cannot even fathom:
So back to cracks, seeing I passed the test of the first two it was my turn to jump onto a 16 called Century. There was a tree at half height that was near on impossible to avoid but even with that it required full commitment to the crack and I start to relax and just trust myself. I surprised myself and was actually getting to like jamming:
It seemed like a good grade 16, giving me enough of a challenge but not sand bagging me. However, for Mikie he wanted to test himself a bit more so he jumped on Side Pocket Alley (17). He made short work of it and was certainly climbing very well:
After his lead Mikie was getting hungry but in my usual way I managed to convince him that 6 was a much better number of climbs to stop of lunch on. Seeing it was me up next I plumped for Electric Mud (13), just because it looked so fine. The rope belies the route and much as I did try to get up the blank low down corner on fierce and painful finger locks I ended up skirting round it:
It was a lovely climb and Helen was keen to give it a bash, she did it in great style but of course still left all the gear in to make Mikie work that bit harder:
So last one before lunch, this little number had shut down Mikie’s brother Chris when he came over. In fact he had taken a good fall on it, Erectile Kingpin going at 17 certainly was a test piece. Mikie got up to the crux flake in good style, and then it was time to committee to this crack that was too narrow for a fist and too wide for fingers:
He went in hard and almost bagged this feisty number but his foot slipped and the tape on his hands didn’t help his forearms and elbows from which he took some bark off. Undeterred he hit it again and made it up in good style, I wonder if I had allowed him to have a spot of lunch whether he would have got it clean. It was a great climb and I also slipped at the same spot but with the safety of the rope above me came away unscaved and ready for a nibble. Only to find Mikie had spied a high and exposed line for me that started off the top of his last triumph called Wizards Back (16). While it had some jamming it was more of a very delicate face climb which on an empty stomach made me feel nervous (was it Mikie’s revenge I wonder) :
The climbs were getting higher each time and the view from the top was great. The clouds which did give us a sprinkling of rain (but didn’t stop us) made for specky rays of sun that hit the leaves and made them sparkle, with a backdrop of a patch work quilt valley sewn together by rows of trees it was bloomin’ marvellous (damn I should have been a writer):
Refilled and energised I jumped onto an awesome climb called Materialistic Prostitution (16). It looked very daunting fist sized crack but I jammed my way to glory and thoroughly enjoyed it, even thinking it was too short. The line went up to the left of where Mikie is climbing and then where the crack ended joined the climb he is now on which is Electric Lead (14). Yes he was slowing down, or was I working him too hard:
I was keen for ‘just one more’ climb, so he humoured me and sent me up the very fun Horse Drawn Zepplin (16) in which I did the ultimate sin of over camming a cam! So I had to rap down and retrieve it and fortunately it was not too hard to get out. It was yet another great climb and the tenth of the day all of which had one of more stars and deservedly so, by which time Mikie looked exhausted so it was time to hit the long stairs out, which made our legs burn:
Time for sleep was coming fast so we pitch our tents and then headed down to the nearby town called Boonah, in which the infamous climbers meeting place of the Dugandan Hotel can be found. Locally called Doogs it offered fine ales and healthy portions of bar meals that went down a treat. Mikie confessed to be shattered, I had in fact worked him hard and we had bagged more lines that he would normally hit in a weekend at Frog:
Next morning Mikie was not sure how he would fair but we were there so why not give it a go. So we ambled down and agreed to start on something easy, so not even having got to the bottom of the stairs Mikie jumped on a very pleasant Parson’s Pleasure a fantastic 2 (out of four) star grade 11. Here is Helen following up on second it really was a great climb:
Seeing it was my lead Mikie was more than happy for me to jump on something a wee bit longer. So I picked out Theory (15) a corking and long corner with some interesting features. There was an epic looking 17 that was 40m which I liked the look of but we only had a single 70m rope so wouldn’t have got back down, noting that there are rap anchors all over the top of the crag. Mikie is coming back down after my climb, it was amazing and had some real funky moments that are still vivid in my mind including where I got my foot stuck – twice – and had to down climb and start again. I was on fire again:
Mikie too came off that last climb feeling fired up so he sought out Fat Mattress (17) which was recommended to us by another couple of climbers we saw down there. In fact it was a bit strange as the day before we only saw one other party and today also there was only one other party on the rock down our end. Mikie reckoned that it was normally much busier than this, maybe the closure of the southern end kept people away. That said we did see more pries at the carpark and walk in so they were probably risking the $300 on the spot fine for climbing down the southern end:
While Mikie made his way up I watched the little six legged critters again. What was so special was their glowing golden colour, the image doesn’t do it justice by it really looked like they were glowing when the sun hit them:
Back to Mikie who was slowing down, this next bit looked tricky and he was thinking and working hard. At one point he said he was going to rest and asked me to take. My response was non-committal and I told him he should at least give it a go before he rested. So he dug deep and went for it and managed to claw his way up in a very impressive situation. It was a very sustained climb and pretty tough at the grade, Mikie even felt it was the hardest trad route that he has led, so hats off:
While Mikie was catching his breath and setting up a belay I kept looking round, the lizards were too fast to capture on film so I focused on the rock itself. The colours were quite striking and so I couldn’t resist taking this image. After Mikie’s impressive and exhausting lead it was my turn and we were running out of decent length easy routes so I aimed for Sabrasucker (16), a finger crack that was said to have good feet to compensate for the barn door feeling the climb gave you. Well it certainly took everything I had to stay on maybe because I stitched it up so well but my forearms were burning when I got to the top. Mikie was in the same condition when he got up so we decided to call it a day:
Now you may have noticed that Helen only features in three climbs so you may wonder what she was up to all this time. Well she enjoyed the peace and quiet (except for Mikie and my occasional grunts and shouts) reading and knitting. Notice she also kept her helmet on, which was wise as at one time a few small stones did in fact rain down on us:
So with two days and great climbing under our belts we decided to take a short walk to look at some of the views from Mount French. It was getting overcast and a few drops of rain were falling so the light was not the best but the views were quite striking and had great contrast between the different belts of vegetation, distance hills and sky:
It was a lovely walk and good to stretch the legs before we got in the car but we were all completely bemused as to why they decided to build this pretty big platform out in the middle of nowhere just to put a bench on it that gave you no better view. No plaque or sign, so they must have realised it was overkill and didn’t want to be named and shamed. Still it deserved a photo with the happy couple:
So finally back in the turtle mobile and back to Brisbane, which was only a short one and quarter hours. How amazing to have such a great crag so close, and I only got to see a fraction of what it had to offer. Next time twin ropes are definitely needed to hit the longer climbs, but that said I have no complaints about any of the routes we jumped on every one was really good and my views of jamming have changed forever:
As light was fading I was at my hotel and having to sort my head out to focus on work. It started well when they gave me a room with someone already in it, oops. Luckily they were decent. Then they gave me the wrong room service order and promptly spilt apple juice all over the floor, but the people were great and friendly so none of that mattered and the view from my 16th floor room was awesome:
As morning came in the view changed significantly but was equally specky and so started the reason I was able to get to Frog, three days of workshops, meetings and a conference. Lots and lots of networking morning, noon and night, in fact so much that it was coming out of my ears and my brain was hurting from it all:
Then when the last meeting was over at 7pm on Wednesday (my earliest finish of the three days) Mikie came back and pick me up, and we travelled along to Kangaroo Point. The lights were blazing all over and it was certainly a sight to see. Mikie was sore after the weekend but had recovered sufficiently for another session, but it was not indoor climbing at this late hour that we were after:
This is Kangaroo Point, a 300m long floodlit wall of bolted and a few trad routes up to some 20m high. It is amazing, lit all night and free to climb even with free parking! It is right off the river and you can park just on the other side of the fence, what an amazing outdoor climbing gym:
We got there soon after 7 and stayed for two and half hours but we managed to squeeze in five climbs and I did the last one twice because it was sooooo good. Here Mikie is on the third lead of the night, I did the first two (18 and 20) and they were both great especially the second one. This one was a bit cheeky as the hold were well and truly hidden in part due to the night climbing with the mega bright spot lights blaring up at you from below. Mikie cruised up but I failed at the last moment not finding those elusive holds (one you may remember Chris), it was still a great climb and my ego was not dented in the least. It was after all a 21:
I then went up a fun 18 from which a block had recently fallen, but it kept the grade. It had me foxed for quite a while at one point but after that it was all good. We were keen for more and Mikie was generous enough to let me bag another lead. I spied this great upper wall and couldn’t stop looking at it, only problem being is that it went at 22. So seeing it was the last climb in Brisbane I jumped on lead and it was every bit as good as it looked and better, the only problem was I wasn’t good enough to get it clean. No harm done the super fingery upper wall kept going for some 6 to 8m and was superb, so good after Mikie had been up I went again on top rope. No good my body was wrecked and I again had to take a rest, with my fingers complaining:
It was time to head off and back to the hotel, as I had an early start to get to the airport. But not before I took in the grand sight of the awesome Kangaroo Point for one last time. The top looking like a hanging garden of Eden, how good is that place and right in the middle of town. So Mike dropped me off and after thanking him yet again it was time to pack and get ready for an early start:
So after leaving the hotel at 5:15 I got to the airport admittedly early, as I wanted a breakfast and had some work to sort out. Then 11 hours later I was rolling up the drive home to be greeted with this wonderful sign on the door. It was great to climb at Frog and Kangaroo Point and catch up with Mikie and Helen (and to travel with work) but the best part was coming home to Elseya and Lisa:
Today I headed out with Steve and Leanne to Moses Rocks for a relaxed climb. It’s the place that I first climbed in WA and has a gritstone feel to it, which I like. The routes are plentiful but many are short, so we headed to Hands Up wall which provide some of the longer lines. We weren’t chasing the numbers so aimed at the easy but fun cracks, and there is Steve getting the ball rolling Gothic Streak 15 (HS 4b). It was still a bit damp but there’s nothing like a slippery hold to focus the mind:
I had checked the tides and swell the day before to check our options of where to go. High tide was at 11’ish and the swell was a couple of meters so not too bad. The sea behind, as Steve mounts the hanging headwall, is deceiving and the conditions did limit our options as the other easier crags are that bit closer to the sea and there was more chance of getting a bit wet:
Without warning a wave or two would come in that would send a spray high in the sky. Fortunately with a light seaward breeze we were not coated in a salty sea spray, which happen quite often at Moses:
Most of my recent climbing trips have been to sport crags, so today we were all keen to get some trad gear in and to up-the-anti we decided we could only use tricams. On other days we say just wires, or wires and hexes but strangely we never have a day of just climbing on cams. It was Chris who put us onto these delightful bits of gear, they are very versatile and can be used as bot active and passive gear. They suits Moses really well, with the rounded and often flared cracks in which other gear can be hard to place:
Steve was so taken by these that he went out and bought himself the full range (and multiple thereof) including the big mama sizes. They can be a bit tricky to get out while on second at times, but today there was no problem probably because the cracks are all so open and don’t close in:
I took second lead on Hands Up, another 15 (HS 4b). This one has an even more rounded and flared crack and every time I lead this there are moments on it that make me stop and think. That might be because I tend to stick to the crack and avoid searching too far left or right for those occasional face holds that help the climb maintain the grade. It’s the first time I had used tricams on this climb and was pleasantly surprised at how much better the placement felt compared to using other passive and active gear:
Steve was like a kid in a candy shop loving not only placing the tricams but getting all excited about my placements too. They can look a little disconcerting in a crack that flares as much as this one did so he decided to test a few placements only to find they didn’t budge, and still popped out a treat with the simple tap of a nut key:
The rules of the day were not limited to using tricams to protecting the routes but also the belays. I was quite taken but this setup, so much so it deserved a photo:
While Steve and I had fun on the routes secretly Leanne was trying her had at placing these magical bits of gear. So when we got down it looked a bit like Christmas time with colours tinsel dotted there and there:
On the next climb Steve broke the rule of the day and not only did he use tricams but also two carrot bolts. There is a somehow cam placement near the first bolt but nothing above that until the headwall but the crack is too shallow to take a tricam (and why I know that is another story). So on the basis that without the bolts it would have been pretty well a solo all was forgiven on this sterling lead of Johnny Fartpants 18 (HVS 5a):
Here Leanne is following Steve and the prominent crack to the left is called Wheely Things 15 (HS 4b). This absolute pearler of a hand jam crack is a 3 star classic and was the climb I finished our morning out on. It does have crimps and edges but I tried my best to stick to jamming all the way up (failing at two locations), why you may ask – well I might be lucky enough to get to Frog Buttress in Queensland which is the home of jam cracks so I thought I would get a bit of practise in. Just to make myself work that little bit more I also well and truly stitched it up by placing 10 tricams:
Hope you are all placing some trad gear in and not just clipping bolts
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 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:
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:
While summer is on its way the thermometer still hasn’t gone much above 25 but the still calm days are here, so it we went for a play on the beach this afternoon:
We picked up Chloe from next door and their dog Cruiso, and off we went:
In case you were wondering what Elseya and Chloe were on/in, the tricycle is obvious but the trailer is in fact a dog bed we made into a buggy today that has been a source of much fun:
I took down my snorkel mask and decided that I would head out to see what there may be to see in the sea:
In addition to the waving weed there were many hidden gems in the rocks such as this sea urchin:
There were also many types of weed such as this cabbage leaf, made even more pretty by the light that gave everything an autumn feel:
There were some fish about, not many in numbers or variety except for one period when I found myself surrounded:
They didn’t seem to mind me duck diving and swimming alongside them, so I was pretty happy with my first snorkel of the summer:
While I spent a lot of time underwater Lisa, kids and dogs were having a lovely time of it splashing in the shallows and lounging on the beach.
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!
Sandbagged 