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13-Mar-2007 2:21:15 PM
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g'day folks
a friend and i have made the goal of aiding Ozymandias at the end of next year (lots of training and fitness work to do between now and then), hey we all have to dream!
So i was wondering if anyone has any contacts for learning aid skills and sourcing equipment, as well as acceptable venues (very aware of the issues surrounding aiding in here in aus) for practising?
Any other information, contacts or advice will be really appreciated!
Cheers,
Owen
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13-Mar-2007 2:55:42 PM
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For Ozy, you'll be clean aiding (ie no pitons/hammers) so almost any trad route is a suitable training
venue. Close to Melbourne there are quite a few good routes at un-popular crags that are good training
for Ozy. The You Yangs are quite a few suitable routes...
Adam (26) is a great thin crack that I have used for aid training.
Ozy isn't really that hard, and doesn't require massive amounts of training. I suggest you try aiding
Defender Of The Faith on the North Wall beforehand, so you can get used to the rock and location. Its
only 5 pitches and a similar grade to Ozy (but less sutained).
Don't 'dream' about Ozy, get on it! With perseverance you'll get up it!
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13-Mar-2007 3:03:40 PM
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How about doing some of the shorter North wall routes. Straight edge (M3) and Defender of the Faith (M4)
are logical introductory routes to M5 (both 160m). Defender has a ledge on it that 'sitting sleeps' 2 so you
get an 'over night' with two easier pitches to finish off, rather than Ozy being 2 full days. That'd be my
tip... get used to the rock type and the exposure, then Ozy packs only one surprise - Its twice the size!
Note: You can aid out of Straight Edge into Defender to get to the ledge if it starts getting late...
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13-Mar-2007 3:05:16 PM
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Two posts in one minute, that say the same thing... havent you got some proofs to check neilo?
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13-Mar-2007 6:13:05 PM
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Hey Roamer did ozy a couple of years ago and had done one aid route before it was orpheus in the underworld at the you yangs. just know your gear and practise placing good fast gear and not getting the dreaded clusterf--- at belays with the haul bags and stuff. And as neil said just get out there and do it.
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16-Mar-2007 2:22:57 PM
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So apart from my trad rack, what else would be worth while getting a hold of? I've found a few books at uni, but their all from the 80s and there's no doubt more modern gear/techniques given the speed of progress in climbing...
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16-Mar-2007 2:58:21 PM
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On 16/03/2007 Roamer wrote:
>So apart from my trad rack, what else would be worth while getting a hold of?
Get a hold of ~
*Plenty of time in ettriers on the rock.
*Everything reading material you can lay your hands on about aiding, the route itself, self rescue, and adventure generally!
*People who aid climb. Learn from them.
*Do a 'search' function on 'Ozymandias', 'aid', etc on Chockstone (etc), and read all the threads. This will bone you up on some history as well as specific gear requirements etc. The history will help you appreciate the activity and location.
*Plenty of time in ettriers on the rock; ... (again), ie practise the techniques you learn from books and other sources, preferably in a 'controlled environment'.
>I've found a few books at uni, but their all from the 80s and there's
>no doubt more modern gear/techniques given the speed of progress in climbing...
You are talking aid climbing right?
Use of equipment (except hammers) has not changed much since the early days of aid. True that modern gear is used, but the act of clipping etts to it and moving up is the same.
Advanced techniques in aid relate more to efficiency (speed) than the basics of getting up a route. Techniques such as 'short fixing' etc require proficiency in the basics before you launch out on semi-solo trickery.
The information from the '80s still stands the test of time as proven reliable.
Modern gear (Leeper cam hooks, etc) will only help you to a point. You still need to become proficient at what you are capable of in using it.
As others said above ~ "Get out there and do it"; ~ as there is no substitute for time spent actually coming to grips with the nuances of the game.
Remember that the journey is the adventure and this includes the preparation for it. By taking this attitude you will not regret the undertaking even if you end up bailing off it till another time.
Ozy is a worthy location to sojourn. You will be joining the ranks of a (relatively) select few to have done so in an intimate way. Be mindful of its heritage and help preserve it in your passing.
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16-Mar-2007 3:24:42 PM
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On 16/03/2007 Roamer wrote:
>So apart from my trad rack, what else would be worth while getting a hold
>of? I've found a few books at uni, but their all from the 80s and there's
>no doubt more modern gear/techniques given the speed of progress in climbing...
Depends what your rack is really. Depends how much you backclean etc. You might want double RPs at
times unless you have cam hooks, Hand placed Beaks were good, All sorts of options.
Don't take the books with you - and there is an old rock edition with an extensive description and
exhaustive gear list.
The principle is still the same - either just go do it and bail if necessary or do some training on the wall as
suggested. Have fun and stay safe,
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