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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

 Page 2 of 3. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 58
Area Location Sub Location Crag Links
VIC Buffalo (General) (General) (General) [ Mt Buffalo Guide | Images ] 

Author
Where Angels Fear to Tread - bloody epic
Mike Bee
23-Nov-2012
10:06:06 AM
I can report another epic.

Did it with a mate last December. We figured 6 long pitches or so at 17 should be 6 hours max, so we took a muesli bar (to share) and 1.5L water total.

11 hours later we stumbled back to the tope of the crevasse, seriously dehydrated and completely wasted.

That said, simply one of the most fun days of climbing I've ever done. I can do hand jams a bit, but it's slightly flaring and wider than I expected, so I ended up aiding a lot of it (hence the slow speed). My partner wasn't much of a crack climber at all, so he ended up prussiking most of the route, while I freed/aided the thing on lead. Once we got out of the crack and past the little chimney, an afternoon thunderstom blew in and was bloody close to us, so that added a good bit of fear to the whole experience too. We got lost on the last pitch or two, and ended up too far to the climbers right pulling on tree roots, digging out cam placements with our nut tools etc. The #4 BD Camalot was my most favoured piece of gear for that climb. I'd take two of them if you could source them. #3 and #2 were also nice to have as doubles.

Highly recommended, but this isn't you average Araps grade 17 multipitch, so don't underestimate it like we did.
One Day Hero
23-Nov-2012
10:43:54 AM
I would be wary of doing the thing in summer unless you know you're confident that you can do it quick. Mike Bee's experience of the route is not out of the ordinary. The thing is only 250m or so, but 200 of those meters involve shuffling up a flaring, toothy trench, and the sun hits before noon in summer.......you won't be enjoying it any more once you're frying in the sun. Any reason why it has to be January instead of March or April?

I reckon Nick Clow's rack advice is bullshit, not sure if he's intentionally being a prick. I went up there with the rack he suggests and was pretty unimpressed with the "smaller stuff in the back of the crack". If you go that light on big cams, you're signing up for 5-10m run outs between all your pieces. Not too bad if you have a few grades in hand, I'd have been packing shit if 17 was my limit. 4 blue cams is not excessive!

Also, I didn't think of this at the time, but by all reports the route is much easier in sticky approach shoes than normal rock shoes (you'll work out why pretty quick). Use a whole roll of tape on your hands, wrists, and ankles. Good luck, it's a cool route.

MisterGribble
23-Nov-2012
11:39:16 AM
I did it with Mrs Gribble and some Natimuk Glitterati many years ago. All going well until we were consumed by a violent thunderstorm 1 pitch from the top and had to be rescued by other Natimuk Glitterati.

Agree, it's a great climb to look at but hard work. If only the crack were hand size......

And thank god for Natimuk Glitterati, they crop up just when you need them!
Will_P
23-Nov-2012
4:48:28 PM
So I realised with embarrassment that I've done something I hate - talking about something before doing it. Makes me feel like I'm spraying - thanks for the lack of 'stop talking about it and just get on you spray-princess!' responses which I would've half-expected with more forethought.

More seriously though, thanks for the advice (and the horror stories). Was definitely planning on a pre-dawn start for the walk-in, and scoping of the approach beforehand. The tip about caching some water is appreciated, as is the beta about gear (four #4's? Goddamn, I can climb 17 most everywhere, but maybe not with that kinda weight, along with H2O, shoes, a #5 for pitch 6, cigarettes...). ODL - I don't think Nick is being a prick, he's just more comfortable with that kinda spacing of gear than me! And why does it have to be Jan? Because that's when I'm next there. If it's 40C, I'll leave it for another time, but, while we'll climb as fast as we can, I'm not going up it expecting 'fun'. And Cam - long time! (I was reminded of our first day climbing together when, the other weekend at Araps, I got partway up XI before realising I didn't have any quickdraws - like on the late Stegalosaurus) Thanks for the tip, but I reckon I'll pass on finishing up Caligula.

But really, my secret weapon is a work colleague who has offered me pitch-by-pitch beta, and he sounded (and looked from the photos) like he cruised it. I'll build up my confidence, then just never look up while on the route, just focus on one jam at a time.

Thanks again, Chockstoners. Back to the horror stories...

phillipivan
23-Nov-2012
5:44:05 PM
Don't bother with the 5 Camalot. It will hardly get used, and there are always other options not to far away. We climbed with a 5, and it got placed exactly twice on the entire route. Taking a few hexes for use in the anchors can also help cutting down the potentially bulky rack (or beef up an anaemic one).
Cam McKenzie
26-Nov-2012
7:51:29 AM
On 23/11/2012 Will_P wrote:
And Cam - long time! (I was reminded of
>our first day climbing together when, the other weekend at Araps, I got
>partway up XI before realising I didn't have any quickdraws - like on the
>late Stegalosaurus) Thanks for the tip, but I reckon I'll pass on finishing
>up Caligula.
>

Long time indeed. Living down in Hobart now (just moved down last month).

R.I.P Stegalosaurus. Don't forget your quick draws on Angel's and you'll have a blast.

By the way if you decide not to finish up Caligula, you should go and do it another day while you're up there. It's very good, and well protected (take lots of 3 and 4 camelots).
cheers
anthonycuskelly
26-Nov-2012
8:33:48 AM
We took 3 #4 camalots and 3L of water, and used all of both. Well, I say 'we', I carried the water and held the bottom end of the rope. Bloody hard for a 17, but a grand adventure!
jrc
26-Nov-2012
1:27:14 PM
1 rack of hexs, extra 8,9,10, 4" tube chock, big stoppers. Robbins shoes and thick socks. 3h ascent (Joe Lorincz & me) Easter Sat 1976.

pmonks
26-Nov-2012
2:45:38 PM
On 21/11/2012 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>I've got 4 weeks to get my fitness level up to a point that will match
>yours, bring it on ... heliornocopter!
>☺

herniocopter?

IdratherbeclimbingM9
26-Nov-2012
3:36:47 PM
On 26/11/2012 pmonks wrote:
>On 21/11/2012 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>>I've got 4 weeks to get my fitness level up to a point that will match
>>yours, bring it on ... heliornocopter!
>>☺
>
>herniocopter?

Earlier on 21/11/2012 Superstu wrote:
>Ah, so you have arranged us to be heli coptered into the start then ?

I've heard of bubble c--kpit choppers but not a chopper with hernia... ☺
~> It's granite slab country mate. Even old unfit climbers are unlikely to get a hernia on those, unless we are talking the horrie bush-bash into the start!
Heh, heh, heh.
One Day Hero
27-Nov-2012
11:07:11 AM
On 23/11/2012 phillipivan wrote:
>Taking a few hexes for use in the anchors
>can also help cutting down the potentially bulky rack

So, how much weight do you suppose you'd save by taking a #10 and #11 hex, instead of an extra two blue camalots (which go in all over the place on that route, are way quicker in and out, and are more bomber in flarey buffalo cracks)?

hangdog
27-Nov-2012
11:46:24 AM
On 27/11/2012 One Day Hero wrote:

>
>So, how much weight do you suppose you'd save by taking a #10 and #11
>hex, instead of an extra two blue camalots (which go in all over the place
>on that route, are way quicker in and out, and are more bomber in flarey
>buffalo cracks)?

exactly!! if you dont want bulk go sport climbing.
SL212
27-Nov-2012
2:04:42 PM
Apparently 75grams per unit.
One Day Hero
27-Nov-2012
8:12:28 PM
On 27/11/2012 SL212 wrote:
>Apparently 75grams per unit.

Funny you should say that, cause I looked it up and a BD #11 hex is actually 2g heavier than a BD #3 camalot. The #10 hex is 32g lighter, so you'd save exactly 30g for the pair.

wallwombat
27-Nov-2012
8:36:24 PM
I think the Wild country Rockcentrics have always seemed lighter than the BD ones and I have never liked wired hexes either.

That said, I don't think I actually own any, anymore and probably wouldn't use them if I did.

I like cams.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
27-Nov-2012
8:47:59 PM
On 27/11/2012 wallwombat wrote:
>I don't think I actually own any, anymore and probably wouldn't use them if I did.
>
>I like cams.

Yuppie.
I bet you like bouldering too!
;-)
~> It's a good thing The Bleeding Nun likely doesn't require much gear, especially bigger hexes!!

wallwombat
27-Nov-2012
8:56:29 PM
It probably doesn't require ropes,
craigo
27-Nov-2012
9:45:54 PM
Those not familiar with the route and interested in seeing a few pictures of it can find a range of them here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/105615409096287244226/MtBuffaloDay2WAFTTOthers#
SL212
27-Nov-2012
10:40:53 PM
>Funny you should say that, cause I looked it up and a BD #11 hex is actually
>2g heavier than a BD #3 camalot. The #10 hex is 32g lighter, so you'd save
>exactly 30g for the pair.

I measured. Cam off rack, with racking biner, same size as #3 C4. Hex off rack that fits same sized crack. 75 Grams difference. Drop the racking biner and your still 45 odd grams ahead.

E. Wells
27-Nov-2012
10:45:06 PM
Great photos Craigo!

 Page 2 of 3. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 58
There are 58 messages in this topic.

 

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