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Snow Flurries @ Asses Ear


neats

5-Oct-2004
4:42:22 PM

if you want to read about it, join the VCC.

Dave C

5-Oct-2004
5:25:09 PM

On 5/10/2004 dalai wrote:
>Sorry David, but I have to agree with Claws comments about Victorian climbing...
>and granite boulders don't count!
I don't entirely disagree myself but I've noticed some rather childish bitching going on over the last few years in the climbing press and I still think Mikl is indulging in a bit of trolling.
>
>Talking about ethics and the You Yangs, was it your 'creation' at the
>Overlap?
If you're talking about that line of bolts R of Drugs Over London then no. Why, has someone been chipping it as well? I do know who put the bolts in it, I believe he's gone on to win the Piolet D'or since.

>Martin

dalai

5-Oct-2004
5:50:43 PM

There has and unfortunately always will be some cross border rivalry, and this was possibly some attempted trolling by Claw. Won't be the first nor his last I expect.

People probably give him some latitude as he is the Grandpa of Australian shadiness! Eg bolts hammered in with bits of webbing to hold them there, fixed ice screws and other bizarre contraptions...

Not Andrews bolts just right of DOL, that still awaits a FA and is possible without enhancement. And not the fixed hangers further right up the blankness. I know who did that also! It was going to be drilled with sleeved bolts and plastic holds bolted on to be used as a local training wall...

Climb I am referring to is the bolts, glue etc up the left end.

And to bring it back onto topic. Kent just relax!! By reacting you are only giving the person some smug satisfaction as it's probably got the desired response. Though I also think Argus was wrong in publishing a letter from someone whose identity can't be verified.


phil_nev

5-Oct-2004
5:54:30 PM

Whats all this talk about the author not identifying himself?? The latter has his name attached, Justin Thyme...
Im confused.

dalai

5-Oct-2004
6:00:17 PM

Since the surname Thyme returned no results in the white pages in any State or Territory Phil, I think you will find that's not their real name.

Dave C

5-Oct-2004
8:39:14 PM

On 5/10/2004 dalai wrote:
>There has and unfortunately always will be some cross border rivalry, and
>this was possibly some attempted trolling by Claw. Won't be the first nor
>his last I expect.
Well I always like a good troll anyway, we have some crackers on UKClimbing.com.

>People probably give him some latitude as he is the Grandpa of Australian
>shadiness! Eg bolts hammered in with bits of webbing to hold them there,
>fixed ice screws and other bizarre contraptions...
I always remember the fixed seat belt at Hanging Rock! I've always assumed that was one of Claws. Is it still there?

>Not Andrews bolts just right of DOL, that still awaits a FA and is possible
>without enhancement. And not the fixed hangers further right up the blankness.
>I know who did that also! It was going to be drilled with sleeved bolts
>and plastic holds bolted on to be used as a local training wall...
I hope that idea has been firmly squashed!

>Climb I am referring to is the bolts, glue etc up the left end.
Ah yes, I do know who was responsible for that. Wasn't me but I was there the week after it appeared and have a fair idea who it was (one or more of the Geelong Grammar lads of that time probably.)

Anyway, if you're interested in a little unfinished project send me an e-mail & I'll point you at it, I'm never likely to get that good. You need a taste for razor-sharp steep slab/face stuff. PS I don't know if the other guy I tried it with has ever bolted it or not.

mikl law

6-Oct-2004
1:07:06 AM

There should be room in climbing for some bold routes and some not so bold. (remember, trad does not necessarily= bold ). A problem is that most of the easier routes are bold, and most of the harder routes aren't. There are lots of reasons for this (people don't want to put the effort into easy climbs, they are subjective and percieve that "this 18 doesn't need a bolt and this 24 does" while often the easier routes are precisely the ones you can't afford to fall off, and pride/fear/ignorance).

There are very few hard, bold routes in Oz (most that are "bold" were heavily inspected), but there are lots of easy bold routes covered with ledges etc. A few safer easy routes would be good.

When someone puts up a climb that is an attempt make a safe classic (at a grade well below what they climb) saying "this is so easy I could solo it and it don't need bolts" isn't a useful response.

Putting up a better route in the style you would like to see adopted is.

Go for it.

Dave C

6-Oct-2004
1:46:17 AM

Beautifully put Michael, apologies for the crack about trolling!

What you're describing is similar too, but not as extreme as the situation here. When I came to this country it was a case of either get a lot better or spend your time climbing hideously chossy or polished routes. What few good safe easy routes there are here are now polished to the point where they are becoming desperate, particularly in the Peak District and Yorkshire.

mikl law

6-Oct-2004
2:40:50 AM

Trolling? I'm not so much the Devil's advocate as the bolting kit of Dorian Grey.
Interesting how fascinated us banished climbers are

Dave C

6-Oct-2004
4:05:33 AM

On 6/10/2004 mikl law wrote:
>Trolling? I'm not so much the Devil's advocate as the bolting kit of Dorian
>Grey.
lol!

>Interesting how fascinated us banished climbers are
I've had a long lay-off over here and started up again this year. Hoping to move back to Vic next year so I started taking an interest again. Think I'll take a nice shiny new Bosch drill with me if I go! (Still two old projects that nobody's found as far as I know as well so I'm in training.)

joemor

6-Oct-2004
8:11:53 AM

On 5/10/2004 phil_nev wrote:
>Whats all this talk about the author not identifying himself?? The latter
>has his name attached, Justin Thyme...
>Im confused.

say his name fast a few times......

dalai

6-Oct-2004
9:16:14 AM

On 5/10/2004 Stuck in UK wrote:
>On 5/10/2004 dalai wrote:
>I always remember the fixed seat belt at Hanging Rock! I've always assumed
>that was one of Claws. Is it still there?

Most probably. I climbed that route just prior to the ban in 94?. The belt was fully extended and wouldn't retract anymore. Would have to think the webbing would now be very dangerous!!

>>...and plastic holds bolted on to be used as a local training wall...

>I hope that idea has been firmly squashed!

He moved out of the area before setting any sleeve bolts

>Anyway, if you're interested in a little unfinished project send me an
>e-mail & I'll point you at it

Email sent


shiltz

6-Oct-2004
11:02:31 AM

"Just in time" or "Just untie me"?

6-Oct-2004
12:42:10 PM

DC / Martin,

Unfortunaletly there were a few misdemeanors perpetrated by "us lads" back then. Youthful stupidity really... not subsequently repeated thankfully. I think the glue on creation may have been Mr. Chinna (not his real name). And the other effort came out of a trip to Spain and some Desnivel influences!

Dave - love all the old (80's) photos. They look even better now than they did back then. Wonderful stuff!

Dave C

6-Oct-2004
5:49:20 PM

Hey Chris! I thought I'd seen your name around. You OK then? I'll e-mail you from home when I get the chance.
DC

gfdonc

6-Oct-2004
11:06:46 PM

Getting back onto the topic, I find solace in the Good Book:

From "Climbing Tales of Terror" by T. Knight. Menasha Ridge Press. http://www.menasharidge.com/climb_tales_terror.htm


phil_nev

7-Oct-2004
3:50:38 PM

Silly me... Im a tad slow.


A.K. Dancer

8-Oct-2004
4:00:03 PM

This is the kind of thing that cracks me up – people head out to grand old cliffs with bugger all history of being bolted (prior to the activities of Kent and Neil), put up what sounds like a poorly thought out line of bolts and rap stations and then can’t handle the flak they cop for doing it.

The Asses Ears was for a very long time been a cliff that had no bolts, and which still offered lovely climbing in the grade range of your 14/16 “Arapiles climber” which go all the way to the top of the cliff (not to mention other harder climbs, also done without bolts). I would think that this “Arapiles climber” (who would be the person to give a fark about the grade if it was +/- 2 grades) who has gone out to the remote area that is the Asses ears is not after a sanitized climbing experience that only gets them one pitch off the ground.

Kent, it seems obvious to me that you are pandering to the needs of a select group of climbers – those who own sixty metre ropes and who prefer doing climbs with bolts on them. Perhaps you should consider what it is that some of the other climbers out there are hoping to get out of climbing in the area before you go and do this again. I for one question the need to introduce this type of climbing to the Asses Ears, as I’m sure Mr Thyme does also.

Don't take it too hard though Kent - if you want to be a prolific new router, then you will cop it for making mistakes. But just being a prolific new router doesn't absolve you, rather it imposes greater responsibilites.


alrob

8-Oct-2004
5:22:10 PM

On 8/10/2004 kent wrote:
>Im thinking that mt rosea would have some stellar lines still untaped on
>it. Theres got to be some sweet semi sport routes on the left hand side.
> The possabilities are endless with so much rock.
>

you were always one for thinking small time kent. shame on you.

what you need to find is a cliff with a bolting ban to drill up another classic, or even better, a cliff with a climbing ban! that way, no one is allowed to pay out on your new routes!

James

8-Oct-2004
8:44:31 PM

super idea Kent. more bolts might help camoflague the rusty pins that are such poignant reminders of the minimalist ethic protmoted by climbers of yester-year at the traditional crags

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