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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

Area	Location	Sub Location	Crag	Links
VIC Arapiles	The Northern Group	(General)	Kachoong Cliffs	[ Arapiles Guide \| Arapiles Images ]

Author

Kachoong

gfdonc

9-Jul-2004
11:27:12 AM

Never been up there and am seeking beta. Just out of interest perhaps? Who knows.
How tricky is the climb up the wall?
How good is the rest before the roof?
What chance do you have placing pro across the roof?
How easy is it to get foot placements?
What is the move at the lip like?
How good a rest do you get after the lip?
etc

dalai

9-Jul-2004
11:43:20 AM

On 9/07/2004 gfdonc wrote:
>Never been up there and am seeking beta. Just out of interest perhaps?
> Who knows.
>How tricky is the climb up the wall?
grade 17, cruisy.
>How good is the rest before the roof?
Very good, unfortunately you can camp out there for weeks and psych yourself out!
>What chance do you have placing pro across the roof?
pin back up by solid cam placement. Place next cam at lip if you want.
>How easy is it to get foot placements?
Once on the roof proper, flake easily accepts heel. Perhaps too well though as I believe leg/s has/have been broken when falling with the heel in place.
>What is the move at the lip like?
Depends how good you are at rocking over your heel, and whether you didn't place any gear at the lip and have overgripped every hold through fear...
>How good a rest do you get after the lip?
Standing up, nearly hands free. Very easy climbing.
>etc
>

James

9-Jul-2004
6:25:21 PM

the holds going round the lip are huge flat-top jugs. technically its an easy 21, but exposed & pumpy if you're not good at roofs.

I've heard of people breaking ankles because you can get a heel-toes jamb in the flake.... & then. Just don't put your heel in the flake & its all cool.


rodw

10-Jul-2004
10:04:46 AM

Id recommend preplacing the gear on the easy head wall (? grade 8 but will feel like 20 cause youll be so pumped after the roof and lots of drag) and the cam on the lip as ya rap in.

As for the roof, as a on old climbing partner of mine always used to say "biggest holds you will ever fall off"


nmonteith

10-Jul-2004
4:26:44 PM

Pre-place the gear? wah? Just don't rap off the end of the rope like Mr Cossey did and end up splattered and bouncing down the hillside.

deadpoint

11-Jul-2004
3:42:34 PM

Think that may have been Zac

deadpoint

11-Jul-2004
3:46:17 PM

On 10/07/2004 rodw wrote:
>Id recommend preplacing the gear on the easy head wall (? grade 8 but will
>feel like 20 cause youll be so pumped after the roof and lots of drag)
>and the cam on the lip as ya rap in.

May as well clean the holds, put on tick marks, work the moves, then rap to the bottom for the onsight.


Megan

11-Jul-2004
7:48:30 PM

This may be a height thing, but I found the hardest move to be one of the opening ones - and I have to agree that jamming your heel in that roof flake is a bad idea. Something went out of place in my heel and it was sore for a month or two afterwards.


tmarsh

11-Jul-2004
8:11:50 PM

Kachoong is a seriously do-able route, particularly for a gym-strong climber. Most budding Grade
21 leaders who have been weaned on a diet of plastic are strong enough to be pulling grade 25
roofs. Kachoong is a technically very easy route at the grade. It's also one of *the* most famous
and photogenic climbs in the world. Onsighting it, ground up, is one of the fondest and most vivid
memories of my climbing career. If you preplaced gear on the headwall, you'd only be robbing
yourself of an experience that may be well within your capabilities. If you're not sure you can do it
ground up, wait until you feel certain. I did, and damn it was worth it.

tim

gfdonc

12-Jul-2004
3:41:21 PM

Hey thanks all, good to see an active and interesting thread.

On 9/07/2004 dalai wrote:
>>What chance do you have placing pro across the roof?
>pin back up by solid cam placement. Place next cam at lip if you want.

"pin back up" is that at the start of the roof, placed from the rest? Or placed mid-way?
Is there a pin at the lip as well?

dalai

12-Jul-2004
3:50:20 PM

Gear (good cam) is placed easily from the rest at the roof, extended with a very long sling. Both pins seem to come and go. The one at the lip wasn't there when I did the climb.


rodw

12-Jul-2004
4:23:14 PM

Each to there own, didnt realise the grade 8 head wall was that important to you all :)

deadpoint

12-Jul-2004
5:57:52 PM

On 12/07/2004 gfdonc wrote:
>"pin back up" is that at the start of the roof, placed from the rest?
> Or placed mid-way?
>Is there a pin at the lip as well?
>
No pin at the lip for the last 5 years unless I missed it?


tmarsh

12-Jul-2004
8:50:54 PM

On 12/07/2004 dalai wrote:
>Gear (good cam) is placed easily from the rest at the roof, extended with
>a very long sling. Both pins seem to come and go. The one at the lip wasn't
>there when I did the climb.

When I did it there was a pin on the face and one that you could clip from the rest. If you were so
inclined, you could place a #2 Camalot in the middle of the roof. The only people I've ever spoken
to who placed gear in the roof ended up falling on it. Based on that data, I skipped the placement,
and made it to and over the lip. Your mileage may vary.

Cheers,
Tim

(removed)

15-Jul-2004
3:57:46 PM

A friend of mine did it as a sport climb. Clipped the pin just off the deck (surely this is the hardest move by the way), climbed up to the roof, clipped the pin there and then ran it out to the top.

Not hugely recommended, although it might just be enough to save your life assuming the pins hold.


adski

16-Jul-2004
1:13:18 PM

I featherbagged a friend of mine by telling him the headwall was the crux - he climbed so hesitantly up to and through the roof it was hilarious! :-)

"must shake out"

I'd recommend doing the first pitch of Taste of Honey as an approach - it's a very under-rated climb. twin finger cracks on a steep wall - mm

(removed)

16-Jul-2004
4:50:43 PM

On 16/07/2004 adski wrote:
>I'd recommend doing the first pitch of Taste of Honey as an approach -
>it's a very under-rated climb. twin finger cracks on a steep wall - mm

I wouldn't if Kachoong is your limit as TOH DS is almost certainly harder, and for the record, it doesn't really lead to the start.

gfdonc

6-Jun-2006
9:59:33 AM

(bump). Ready to roll. Bring out yer beta!

6-Jun-2006
10:08:52 AM

besides the pictures, I genuinely don't get why this route is so highly regarded. Nowra roofs are way better ...

Anyhow...beta is. Clip bolt. Small cam. Hit roof. Plug in finger size cam and clip piton. Both with long sling. Jugs to lip. Over. Contionue up the grade 12 headwall and wonder why you even bothered....

sydneymatt

6-Jun-2006
11:04:55 AM

If you get your hands arearound the lip, your last placement is backing up the pin, and your pumped like a muthaf-ck-er, take the heel out before letting go. Otherwise its the scariest upside down fall Ive ever had!!. But your guarenteed to send next shot because your to scared to fall off!!

There are 54 messages in this topic.