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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

 Page 1 of 2. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 27
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Author
Warrumbungles guide. Kid friendly crags?
Reluctant
3-Jun-2012
7:42:56 PM
Planning a trip with the kids at the end of the week and will be going through the warrumbungles. Looking for simple top rope crags as I want kids to have a climb as well. Any suggestions for locations, guides, links, etc., would be appreciated.

Superstu
3-Jun-2012
7:51:46 PM
The various crags close to the main campground would probably be your pick, such as Canyon crag. Nothing particularly family-friendly, as the place doesn't get much traffic, most people go there to do the classic long routes on the main spires and bluff mountain. You will want all your kids to have helmets, loose rock is a problem.

As for guides, there is the ancient Mark Colyvan guide published by Rock, but its out of print and hard to find. One is in the making on the Sydney Rockies website, but beware its a work in progress (and probably will be for quite a while). However, its fairly up-to-date with the small campground crags.
Reluctant
3-Jun-2012
8:03:04 PM
Thanks Stu.
Got helmets, gear, etc. Near camp ground works well. Had a look at the guide "in motion" but is still a bit drafty.
One Day Hero
3-Jun-2012
10:07:54 PM
What's the 2 pitch gr10 up, ummmm, the pointy thing which has neither Flight of the Phoenix nor Cornerstone Rib on it? I'm really not very good with names, but I thought that route was pretty low commitment, had good rock, and would be ok for dragging beginners up (proper mountain summit too!)

Everything else I climbed at the Bungles (admittedly not many routes) seemed a bit too loose to be "kid friendly"

Clearly it isn't a simple toprope crag, but I think the climb was only 60m so you could top belay people then lower them off.
ARidgley
4-Jun-2012
7:58:12 AM
On 3/06/2012 One Day Hero wrote:
>What's the 2 pitch gr10 up, ummmm, the pointy thing which has neither Flight
>of the Phoenix nor Cornerstone Rib on it? I'm really not very good with
>names, but I thought that route was pretty low commitment, had good rock,
>and would be ok for dragging beginners up (proper mountain summit too!)
>
>Everything else I climbed at the Bungles (admittedly not many routes)
>seemed a bit too loose to be "kid friendly"
>
>Clearly it isn't a simple toprope crag, but I think the climb was only
>60m so you could top belay people then lower them off.

Vertigo on Belougery Spire? It is relatively simple and not as loose as some, but access requires a bit of a hairy traverse, the second pitch is loose and the abseil is not easy to find. Not to mention the approach from the camp site.

Take a look at some of the crags beside the road on the way in too, like Timor Rock.
gfdonc
4-Jun-2012
8:43:39 AM
Toproping Vertigo is not a sensible option.

Other than that, can't help you as all my Bungles experience has been long routes.
climberman
4-Jun-2012
9:15:10 AM
Dunno how old or experienced your kids are, but we did some 'bungles walking and climbing with the kids last year. Our party had grommets beween about ages ten and five. If the grown ups are going to do Vertigo, there is some stuff for kids just beforehand.

Walk in off the main walking track as for Vertigo. After the first scamble / steep section of track up, there's a big block my kids called the minifig backpack man, as that's how he looks from the main walking track near Balor. It's before any of the actual climb/scramble stuff to get to the true start of Vertigo so heaps safer. There is a simple face with craks and slots and stuff that's great for kids. Easily protectable with gear for the leader. There's a few slings around on top for the last person up to rap off. We top belayed but you could set up a toprope. In the pic below it's the block below the brighest spolt of sunshine, directly centre at base of crag - but not the very lowest cliffline / rock outcrop in the pic. Not in any guide but obviously climbed on a bit, and with fixed tata at the top. Have fun, great area.

Make any sense ?


http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/b0c15278613a8fd13d5b22cc66270cf3f75e293.jpg
citationx
4-Jun-2012
9:44:59 AM
On 4/06/2012 ARidgley wrote:
>On 3/06/2012 One Day Hero wrote:
>Vertigo on Belougery Spire? It is relatively simple and not as loose
>as some, but access requires a bit of a hairy traverse, the second pitch
>is loose and the abseil is not easy to find. Not to mention the approach
>from the camp site.
>
>Take a look at some of the crags beside the road on the way in too, like
>Timor Rock.

Yeah looking in the colyvan guide the campground crags seemed to have some nice climbs that i was interested in doing.
never did them of course because of crap weather but... still, intersted if you're around there perhaps?
Reluctant
4-Jun-2012
9:56:28 AM
I dont see minifig but i do see german tourist. Square head, backpack, arms dont move. I get to say that - my wifes german. Thanks for the intel.
Reluctant
4-Jun-2012
10:06:34 AM
Will be coming in from the west end. Coming from Mungo NP via Cobar.
I do remember from 15 years ago on the east side on the way in several blocks / spires sticking out of paddocks before getting to the park proper. There was a school / scout type camp next to some. From memory it was on the north side of the road halfway between Coonabarabran and the observatory. Any details would be appreciated.
bradc
4-Jun-2012
10:25:00 AM
That's Timor Rock, routes are mostly 80-100m long but I guess you could set up top ropes at the top of the first pitch. Most routes are 14-17 grade range, with a few lines of lower grades. The tourist route is 80m grade 8 and is marked. Would help if you had the guide. Could scan a page or two to your email if that helps.
Reluctant
4-Jun-2012
10:32:00 AM
bradc, that would be great.
I suppose my focus is on Timor rock and anything near the main camp ground in the park.
email is talk2mark@optusnet.com.au

Superstu
4-Jun-2012
10:44:49 AM
I had a poke around Timor Rock a year or so ago, couldn't find much at all using the Colyvan guide. Mostly stumbling around in steep broken terrain admiring all the choss above. My conclusion was the 'tourist route' has long since been discretely removed by NPWS, or simply disappeared under moss. Would love to hear from anybody else who's poked around and actually found things.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
4-Jun-2012
11:18:01 AM
The Camp Blackman Cliff known as Blackmans Bluff, a 10 to 15 minute walk north of the campground, is short (generally less than 25m), and sweet for kids (though spread out a bit), with lots of stuff suitable for the original poster's need.
I did a number of routes there with Greg Croft and his son who was about 10 years old at the time, that were written up in the Colyvan Guide...


On 4/06/2012 Superstu wrote:
>I had a poke around Timor Rock a year or so ago, couldn't find much at
>all using the Colyvan guide. Mostly stumbling around in steep broken terrain
>admiring all the choss above. My conclusion was the 'tourist route' has
>long since been discretely removed by NPWS, or simply disappeared under
>moss. Would love to hear from anybody else who's poked around and actually
>found things.

The north side of Timor has sections like that (and convoluted access), but the south side (visible from the Coona - Park Rd), is actually a lot better than it looks, and not really chossy at all in my opinion as the rock is surprisingly solid! .., however the blackberries barring access to some parts, were off-putting last time I was there.

The tourist route is the usual descent route, and is quite exposed (read dangerous) in a couple of parts, especially for novices and kids. I'd take sensible young teenagers there to climb, but don't think it is particularly suitable to young kids.
Reluctant
4-Jun-2012
1:31:20 PM
Thanks M9.
Will look up Camp Blackman now.
As for the kids ability, the girls ok but i hear you on the boy.
ARidgley
4-Jun-2012
6:56:15 PM
I soloed The Tourist Route with a couple of mates in a previous life (some time in the 80s). From memory it was pretty good, quite easy for most of it, then a sphincter tightening finish which one of my mates decided not to do (pretty good call). I have a photocopy of the old Joe Friend guide. All it says is "Follow your nose, or the arrows - as the case may be." We did, and it worked.

It suggests that the South (road) side routes on Timore Rock are 'positively rude' except Tourist Route and Dark Side Of The Moon (also 80m). But it suggests there is good rock on the other side with no specific routes described.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
4-Jun-2012
8:21:26 PM
There are about 25 routes described for Timor Rock in the Colyvan Guide, but I suggest that there is probably an equal amount that have been done and not yet published...
It is a good adventure style of climbing location.

~> Reminds me that I must 'submit' AJBH, ... a (free)climb that probably takes the proudest part of the south face, ... but so far has only made it to the 'Coonabarabran Times'. It took a lead fall by three different leaders to accomplish it!
Heh, heh, heh.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
17-Jul-2013
10:51:51 AM
On 3/06/2012 Reluctant wrote:
>Planning a trip with the kids at the end of the week and will be going
>through the warrumbungles. Looking for simple top rope crags as I want
>kids to have a climb as well. Any suggestions for locations, guides, links,
>etc., would be appreciated.

Where did you end up climbing? How did it go?
~> A bit of feedback to update the thread regarding what worked for you may help others down the track if this thread comes up in a search...
jrc
17-Jul-2013
12:24:25 PM
N Side of Timor rock is conglomeraty and crackless. Looks revolting.

Minifig/German Tourist / Neil on the Moon/ Belougeries Pinnacle in the guidebook has the route Sculptor on it also if you like a 17 jam-up. Must have been missing Frog B. Topropoing there would work well but its a bit of a walk.

I wouldn't recommend taking anyone too inexperienced on any of the big routes regardless of the grade, unless accompanied by a capable climber at the other end. If you get into trouble, even something like a rope tangle and you are a long way away up a big face you will have a lot of (non) fun before you get back home.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
17-Jul-2013
12:32:32 PM
On 17/07/2013 jrc wrote:
>N Side of Timor rock is conglomeraty and crackless. Looks revolting.
>
I have a perfect 2nd-finger-joint jug that is non-conglomerate and appears made from the main trachyte type material from that face, that came off in my hand while climbing when I pulled on it (after testing it as OK!!!), as a paperweight on my desk now...
;-)

It is quite remarkable how solid the Sth side of Timor Rock is (ie actually good), given the condition of the Nth side.

All these comments should be taken in context, as the Sth side of Timor Rock, in my opinion, is way more solid than Blueys sandstone, whereas the Nth side is typical of the chossy parts of Blueys sandstone re unreliability factor.

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