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Fear of Choss - Loddon River 20.11.2003!

nmonteith

20-Nov-2003
10:34:20 PM

Kent finally dragged me out to the 'Frog Buttress' of Victoria. This area is basalt colom climbing with a creekside setting only an hour from the CBD. The VCC guide only lists two routes - and Mike has done one new route since. We went with the intention of Kent ticking his semi-bolted project.

First impressions were far from impressive. In fact i mistook the main cliff for a pile of choss from the carpark. Hmm - it didn't remind me much of Frog! We picked our way down the slippery path, cutting off the brambles as we went. Once at the base of the river I got a better look at the climbing and the general area. A beautiful small waterfall cascades into a nice pool and the main cliff rears almost directly from the water. I decided to repeat Mike's route - named Fear of Choss (16). It was really great crack climbing - stonker jams and cams up a fantatsic line. With the stinking humidity I was really feeling like climbing back in QLD. It was when i got to the last couple of metres that my cool calm composure fell apart. Mikes description for the end was the classic "will clean up with traffic" which usually means horrid death. This was no exception. Choss slopey dirty topout pulling on detached blocks the size of a person was not my idea of fun. I despertaly dug out the dirt filled crack to cram in some marginal gear. I was not a happy chappy. Panting and heaving onto the bramble filled ledge I finished the route. The first 18m is two star crack climbing - the last 2m of topout = negative three stars. The fact you have to then hike back 20m to set up a belay off a tree is another bummer. What this route despertaly needs is a big phat lower off bolt about a metre below the top.

Kent then amazed with a clean first shot ascent of his killer thin crackline. He clipped and goed the route with style and grace. On second I found it to be really great - sustained techincal finger crack climbing on fantastic rock. It felt like a Frog/Cataract Gorge route - and it is certianly one of the best crack lines within an hour of Melbourne. The topout was again pure death. I was throwing for the lip and grabbing things - but Kent kept yelling they were detached. Another route that needs a lower off! We both agreed that the route was grade 23 - one bolt and the rest trad. An awesome find and send by Kentastic himself. You should see this guy place trad! - he can be in the middle of the crux and he just casually selects a cam and fiddles it in. The gym bunnies could well learn from his technique.

I spotted two pitons in a blank face just left of the main waterfall - on the opposite side of the gorge from the main face. Anyone have any idea what these routes are? The pitons are on two seperate routes - and appear to be the only bit of pro in a 15m high face which looks at least grade 20. I would be keen to bolt these routes properly - but woudl like to know if they have been led before...

Robin

21-Nov-2003
8:10:55 AM

I don't know where the pitons came from. I'm sure they weren't there last summer. I too had been considering placing a couple of glue in carrots but never got around to it. Stange really that I'll travel hundreds of kms to put up a new route but can't be bothered at my local crag? Perhaps it's the blackberries at the bottom and the top outs and belays that have put me off.

Anyway if we could find out more about the pitons and perhaps their 'owner' may agree to glue in machine bolts or perhaps discrete glue in rings being placed.

neats

21-Nov-2003
8:17:30 AM

where exactly is this small crag? Frog is a fantastic place to climb!! (ex-Qld'er too).

sjm

21-Nov-2003
8:37:14 AM

http://www.chockstone.org/LoddonRiver/LoddonRiver.htm

neats

21-Nov-2003
9:21:12 AM

Thanks for that!

nmonteith

21-Nov-2003
9:35:31 AM

Until we get some decent lower off anchors in place i don't reccomend ANY of these routes.

joemor

5-Dec-2003
11:41:35 AM

Did u guys check out the other 16 an 17 that were there?

nmonteith

5-Dec-2003
4:26:33 PM

The 17 looked ok - the 16 is a joke. Complete choss.

There are 8 messages in this topic.