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What are your favourite climbs in Vic?


shmalec

9-Dec-2003
4:58:10 PM

For those mere mortals amongst us...
Oceanoid - 17 hard to beat two pitches up the pharos with awsome massive chimney thing (although you climb the corner) on the first pitch and very airy traverse on the second.
Walking on the Moon-18 at summerday. Bit greasy but great line.
Speigles Overhang - 10 classic slab climb up nth jawbones with great views. Every beginners intro to multipitch.

Runners up - 3rd pitch of skink (infact all of watchtower), Beau Jest 9? (great day out-first at araps).

9-Dec-2003
5:25:59 PM

Walking on the moon, eh? It was a nice climb, I found the last few moves difficult to read and consequently it was the site of my first trad lead fall. I had a good nut under the roof so it was a clean fall, I'm just glad I didn't come off on the undercling traverse, I had nothing large enough to protect it!

kieranl

9-Dec-2003
10:54:55 PM

Rich,
the second pitch of "Fly Lichen Eagle" is much more serious than anything on "Take Five". As I said before, I dips my lid to you.
Kieran

gfdonc

10-Dec-2003
12:31:23 PM

"Xanthene" *** (17) at North Jawbones. Especially if you take Greg's Direct as the last pitch.
Skink *** (18) at Arapiles
Possible 3rd is Debutante (14?) at Mt Rosea. Or that grade 12 with the pitch 2 traverse at Bundaleer (help me out here, it's been a long time).
Or (in terms of single pitch routes) Skating Away (21) at Ben Cairn. A Question of Ethics at You Yangs?
Perhaps 'favourites' should be restricted to climbs you've repeated more than once (i.e. minimum 3 ascents)?
- Steve (gfdonc)


Richard

10-Dec-2003
1:07:37 PM

>Or that grade 12 with the
>pitch 2 traverse at Bundaleer (help me out here, it's been a long time).

That'd be Scarab - a pretty awesome piece of climbing, pity it is so short.

My favorite: Muldoon, Agamenon, and The Pintle (Buffalo). Lamplighter is pretty nice also..

(removed)

10-Dec-2003
1:53:56 PM

On 10/12/2003 gfdonc wrote:
>Or (in terms of single pitch routes) Skating Away (21) at Ben Cairn.

A gem. I hope that bolt HASN'T been replaced with something you can actually clip. The bolt maketh the route.


nmonteith

10-Dec-2003
2:35:44 PM

Yes - i have no plans to replace it! It is a piece of Victorian climbing history.

joemor

10-Dec-2003
3:04:06 PM

what is it exactly?


nmonteith

10-Dec-2003
3:27:24 PM

Some huge 20mm bash in carrot bolt. Only a few cm's into the rock i imagine!


Sticky

10-Dec-2003
4:04:43 PM

Hilarious! Does anyone have a photo? Presumably you fix it with the end of a wire to clip your draw in to it?


Mike

10-Dec-2003
4:07:18 PM

On 10/12/2003 Sticky wrote:
>Hilarious! Does anyone have a photo? Presumably you fix it with the end
>of a wire to clip your draw in to it?

You can almost spot it in these pics:
http://www.chockstone.org/Gallery/BenCairnPics.htm
Look real close at the top right of this one:
http://www.chockstone.org/BenCairn/SkatingAway1l.JPG
The last pro is about a metre or more below Owen's feet. Owen, being the master of all things slab, was able to stand no hands at this position, but still it's a hell of a fall should you pop off making that clip. You'd deck if the last piece ripped.

(removed)

11-Dec-2003
1:28:47 PM

On 10/12/2003 Sticky wrote:
>Hilarious! Does anyone have a photo? Presumably you fix it with the end
>of a wire to clip your draw in to it?

Yes, just slide the nut (normally a "small" rock so it can fit under the head of the bolt) down and use the loop it makes. Standard practice. Safe as houses ...

gfdonc

11-Dec-2003
5:05:34 PM

>The last pro is about a metre or more below Owen's feet. Owen, being the
>master of all things slab, was able to stand no hands at this position,
>but still it's a hell of a fall should you pop off making that clip. You'd
>deck if the last piece ripped.

Just for the record, you don't deck if you miss the clip. I had the fortune (or misfortune) to be hanging on abseil watching a friend lead it one afternoon, camera in hand, when he got gripped trying to slip a wire over the head of the Big Carrot .. lost his foothold then slid backward down the ramp and then backwards over the lip. His fall - facing upwards, good points for style - was interrupted by a small sapling that *used* to grow out of the crack. Nice 22' backwards plummet in my estimation. I would not advise repeating this stunt.


nmonteith

11-Dec-2003
5:20:52 PM

I have seen someone take the same fall. I wonder if it was you guys?

(removed)

11-Dec-2003
9:55:35 PM

Either way, the route is a MUST for any budding climber leading around that 20 mark on trad. Much more enjoyable when it's at your limit.

Dalai

12-Dec-2003
1:14:50 PM

Should be on everyones list for first climb at the grade.

It was about my fifth lead - using my very limited rack of 5 quick draws and only a set of rocks rattling in the parallel sided crack!!!


oweng

12-Dec-2003
3:05:57 PM

I recall reading somewhere that Dave Jones on his first day climbing tried to lead Skating Away in barefeet! Now thats a ballsy effort. Anyone know if thats true, or is it just a tall tale?

(removed)

12-Dec-2003
3:10:27 PM

On 12/12/2003 oweng wrote:
>I recall reading somewhere that Dave Jones on his first day climbing tried
>to lead Skating Away in barefeet! Now thats a ballsy effort. Anyone know
>if thats true, or is it just a tall tale?

Hang on ... I think there's some truth to it ... will check.

(removed)

15-Dec-2003
8:09:51 AM

From Dave Jones ... (re doing Skating Away bare foot)

"Yes I did.
More exciting though was that the time before I did it I fell off from right at the top and slid all down the slab on my poor little toes. I cant begin to imagine doing that now. "

squire

24-Mar-2004
9:00:41 PM

It's true. I was there.

There are 44 messages in this topic.