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VIC Arapiles The Watchtower Faces (General) Left Watchtower Face [ Arapiles Guide | Arapiles Images ]

Author

new not hard route at araps

stuart h

9-Nov-2012
11:12:52 PM

if you are looking for something new to do at araps but are concerned about the crowds bound to be lining up on somalia now, you could try Sunset Strait on the left watchtower face.

start up Wall of the Afternoon Sun and continue straight up (instead of traversing R at the bolt) until you reach the ledge at 60m. The crux (20?) is going up above the bolt to access the crack. The beautiful steep wall above where Sundance traverses (belay possible if you are running out of gear) is considerably easier & better protected than it looks. Belay at the bollard on the ledge between Antigone & Sundance. From here you can continue up the clean wall directly above, follow one of the other routes, or rappel straight to your shoes.

1-2 sets of RPs, 1 set wires with extra small-mid sizes, double cams from smallest to thin-hands (triple off-fingers if possible), single hand & fist cams, lots of draws & double ropes. Beautiful, fairly sustained climbing on perfect rock. This is the easiest and best protected of the new lines I've done on the watchtower faces - we had a fantastic time on it.

if your fingers are too fat for the mono or, like me, your stomach is too flabby & your shoulders too scrawny for that sort of business, you might find this slabsy-wabsy outing just the thing.

Sunset Strait (20) 60m, Stuart Hollaway & Dale Thistlethwaite, 5/11/12.

patto

10-Nov-2012
7:15:06 AM

Thanks Stu! I'll give this a shot this summer along with The Last Kind of Hunger.

crazyjohn

10-Nov-2012
8:00:03 AM

On 9/11/2012 stuart h wrote:

>1-2 sets of RPs, 1 set wires with extra small-mid sizes, double cams from
>smallest to thin-hands (triple off-fingers if possible), single hand &
>fist cams, lots of draws & double ropes.

Wow, another route on watchtower. It doesnt even sound like a squeeze job. The suggested gear is pretty funny. A triple rack for what amounts to maybe 40 meters of climbing. Gear suggestions can be useful, but suggesting you take at least one of everything and three of most everything is a joke.

kieranl

10-Nov-2012
9:21:54 AM

Damn! You got in there before me!
Well-spotted and done.
Dunno what CrazyJohn's issue with the rack is though. Hardly a triple rack. Looks about right for those of us who like our ankles intact.

rodw

10-Nov-2012
9:27:51 AM

Maybe just whack some bolts in it so a racks not needed...obviously having a rack is causing issues :)

anthonycuskelly

10-Nov-2012
11:11:00 AM

Nice one Stu. Good to know there's plenty of gear in there too!

stuart h

10-Nov-2012
6:43:12 PM

On 10/11/2012 crazyjohn wrote: Wow...

I could just say "solo it - the climbing is secure and straightforward (Dale thought it was about 18)" but that wouldn't really convey what I think is the key information for most people: first, that there is abundant opportunity for protection; second, that most climbers at about the grade will probably be glad to have extra small-mid wires & cams to do it in one pitch.

Despite the bullshit exaggeration on which your above post is based, I assume you will be able to continue to contribute some tiresome crassness and useless criticism, although, like an elaboration on the description 'standard watchtower faces rack', many people could probably make do without it.

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