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Chockstone Photography
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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

Area Location Sub Location Crag Links
VIC Grampians Halls Gap Halls Gap Area (General) [ Grampians Guide | Images ] 

Author
Advice sought - climbing around HG
Will_P
15-Nov-2013
2:58:17 PM
I usually hate these kinds of posts ("look in a guidebook") but time is limited, I'm unfamiliar with the HG area, and am a bit confused as to what is open and what is not. So apologies, but -

You're leaving Melbourne 7am on a Saturday, you're spending the night in HG, and you need to start heading back to Melbourne early-to-mid afternoon on the Sunday. You're not looking to push grades and want to climb up to 18/19 on trad, and / or up to 22/23 sport. Two climbers, one van. Where do you go on the Saturday and the Sunday to maximise the amount of climbing you get done in this limited period? Epics and sandbags (like Basilisk Direct Finish) ideally avoided.

Any guidance much appreciated.
jrc
15-Nov-2013
3:19:15 PM
How serious are you about climbing i wonder? The first thing is to give yourself a full weekend rather than 2 half day trips. You leave Melbourne at 7 on Saturday morning, its light at 5 or soon after. That's when you should be pulling into the car park (or rolling out of the pit having driven there the night before).

Hence:

Tip 1. Forget Booze nite Friday
Tip 2: Camp in the open that way you'll wake with the birdies
Tip 3: Get up & Climb
Tip 4: Go to a crag

Climb as much as you can Saturday and get back to camp at dusk. You can cook in the dark can't you ? It doesnt have to be gourmet. Keep off the coffee Sat night it'll stop you sleeping.

Sunday wake at 5 & climb as late as you can whilst still beign able to drive home safely. At least you have the sun setting behind you when you are going east.

Tip 4: wash face & hands & feet before driving
Tip 5: ensure you can both drive & swing the sharp end
Tip 6: dont stop for a 2 h dinner have a burger somewhere
Tip 7: get a car with lights
Tip 8: make sure the lights work & you;ve got a spare

This all worked in the 70s, dont knwo why its so hard to work out today.

Drive ho



kieranl
15-Nov-2013
3:46:30 PM
You go to Rosea. You should get to the carpark about 10:30. If you're packed ready to go it'll take you 30 minutes from there to the cliff on a good track. Probably start with Heretic or Diane. By the time you've sorted out where you are, racked up etc you'll be starting about 11:30. Probably on top around 3-3:30. It's supposed to be good weather low-20s but take a warm jacket because it'll get cool when you start coming into the shade.
Finish the day by doing 1st pitch of RIP corner 18/19 or Debutante direct start 21.
Day 2 do Last Rites 19
If you're romping up these multi-pitch things in only a couple of hours instead of 3+ add on some of the following : Sloth with Sloth DF, Bubbles/Dinosaur Gully DF, Gillian or Martin Eden.
If that isn't enough or you haven't enjoyed yourselves to the max then there's something wrong.

Sabu
15-Nov-2013
3:52:10 PM
Umm I think jrc missed the point of the post!

Anyway one option is the Watchtower which is super close to HG with a short walk in so you can maximise climbing time.

I'm sure others can recommend some alternatives.
Cam McKenzie
15-Nov-2013
4:30:20 PM
Definitely agree with Kieran, straight to Rosea.

Saturday
Debutante (via direct start if you're feeling strong) for a warm up.
Diane

Sunday
Heretic
Last Rites

All these routes are absolutely classic. Awesome weekend right there!

JamesMc
15-Nov-2013
6:27:10 PM
Day at Rosea, day at Bundaleer. Forget Watchtower, it's insignificant. If it was my only ever chance to climb in the Grampians, I wouldn't wait around to 7am to go.
bones
15-Nov-2013
6:34:23 PM
rosea is awesome but is prone to epics
kieranl
15-Nov-2013
8:20:41 PM
On 15/11/2013 bones wrote:
>rosea is awesome but is prone to epics
If they're comfortable on 22/23 sport they should be comfortable on the recommended routes.
If they want to epic they can have a go at Big Chimney 9 (and the rest).
kieranl
18-Nov-2013
8:45:05 AM
So, how did it go?
Will_P
18-Nov-2013
11:28:16 AM
Ah, sorry, when I said 'time is limited' I meant work is kicking my butt right now. It's next weekend I'm heading up. I'm just a pretty obsessive pre-planner.

Regardless - Kieran, Sabu, JamesMc, Cam - thanks. I'd been thinking Rosea, I haven't climbed there since the late 90's, back when I didn't know what I was doing and epics were assured (now they're just likely). Then a half-dozen routes at Watchtower on Sunday perhaps. Thanks for the guidance.

JRC, special post just for you coming up!
kieranl
18-Nov-2013
11:39:54 AM
OK. Keep an eye on the forecast then.
Saturday is looking to be a little cool at Rosea (Stawell 16 Max, occasional shower). but don't let that stop you :)
Sunday looks better.
Will_P
18-Nov-2013
11:47:43 AM
On 15/11/2013 jrc wrote:
>How serious are you about climbing i wonder? The first thing is to give
>yourself a full weekend rather than 2 half day trips. You leave Melbourne
>at 7 on Saturday morning, its light at 5 or soon after. That's when you
>should be pulling into the car park (or rolling out of the pit having driven
>there the night before).
>
>Hence:
>
>Tip 1. Forget Booze nite Friday
>Tip 2: Camp in the open that way you'll wake with the birdies
>Tip 3: Get up & Climb
>Tip 4: Go to a crag
>
>Climb as much as you can Saturday and get back to camp at dusk. You can
>cook in the dark can't you ? It doesnt have to be gourmet. Keep off the
>coffee Sat night it'll stop you sleeping.
>
>Sunday wake at 5 & climb as late as you can whilst still beign able to
>drive home safely. At least you have the sun setting behind you when you
>are going east.
>
>Tip 4: wash face & hands & feet before driving
>Tip 5: ensure you can both drive & swing the sharp end
>Tip 6: dont stop for a 2 h dinner have a burger somewhere
>Tip 7: get a car with lights
>Tip 8: make sure the lights work & you;ve got a spare
>
>This all worked in the 70s, dont knwo why its so hard to work out today.
>
>
>Drive ho
>


JRC – geez bro, I didn’t realise I had to justify everything I wrote, but now that I know:
1) I’m leaving Melbourne 7am Saturday because that’s when my climbing partner can get away. He’s working late Friday, doesn’t trust himself to drive after 12+ hours building houses, and lives in Geelong. I trust his judgement in this.
2) I’d find cooking in the dark pretty hard actually. I usually cheat and use a headtorch. Soft, I know.
3) Coffee at night might keep me awake? Far out. Thanks, that’s helpful.
4) Hygiene tips also appreciated.

I could cover every point, but I’d be wasting both your time and mine. Point is, I understand your post. I really do. I’ve been there. I’ve seen stuff posted that makes me want to write a response that makes ODH’s ‘Everest Pants’ comeback look like a helpful, friendly tip.

So I know just what you were going through when you responded. Maybe you haven’t climbed in a while, maybe you’re injured, maybe you’re just not making the progress you want, maybe you worry that your best days of climbing are behind you, maybe you’re just having a bad day.
Then you see a stupid question on a climbing forum (the OP even practically admitted it was a stupid question! What a tosser!) and you see your chance. By making this idiot look like a soft wannabe, a convenience-and-comfort seeking poser, you can make yourself look and feel like an old-school hardman again, a real disciple of the Stone Masters; Jim Donini, Mark Twight, and HB all rolled into one.
So BLAM! You give this newbie what they deserve.

But you know what dude? It’s a bit like when you were going through a religious phase as an adolescent, but, as an adolescent, jacked off every now and then. Momentary relief, but then, the guilt… have I erred? Was it worth it? Or am I just a wanker?

nmonteith
18-Nov-2013
11:58:46 AM
hahahaha.

If you're going to the Watchtower make sure you scribble in the updates to the guide as there has been a few new routes, projects and rebolting done in the last 12 months.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eaxJkrwJhzAwZP67ue2ZP9ps4ufeEPPI5c2vYc0IKvw/edit?usp=sharing
martym
18-Nov-2013
1:00:31 PM
On 18/11/2013 Will_P wrote:
>On 15/11/2013 jrc wrote:
>>How serious are you about climbing i wonder? The first thing is to give>

I asked some questions once and got a few nasty responses; to which AJF responded:

On 20/08/2013 ajfclark wrote:
>On 20/08/2013 martym wrote:
>>My wife just read this over my shoulder and said "why are people nasty
>to other climbers people on Chockstone The
>Internet?"
>
>It's a good question.

Duang Daunk
18-Nov-2013
1:42:26 PM
On 18/11/2013 martym wrote:
>I asked some questions once and got a few nasty responses;

It's easy to be misunderstood in conversation let alone internet.
Keyboards should come with T-spoon of cement size cup holders, to make it easier to picnic with trolls.

>Umm I think jrc missed the point of the post!
Hey, did I ever tell you about my fantastic screen saver photo that reminds me about south central?

martym
18-Nov-2013
2:20:17 PM
On 18/11/2013 Duang Daunk wrote:
>It's easy to be misunderstood in conversation let alone internet.

Two different things. In conversation I'd realise you were full of it & not talk to you again. On the internet you keep sticking your opinion in people's faces (under a multitude of irrelevant monikers) which are difficult to ignore.

>Keyboards should come with T-spoon of cement size cup holders, to make
>it easier to picnic with trolls.

Can you please put the webcam on & record the results of your next dose of cement?
Make sure you use a tbls(poon) though.

Duang Daunk
18-Nov-2013
2:28:54 PM
On 18/11/2013 martym wrote:
>Two different things. In conversation I'd realise you were full of it
>& not talk to you again. On the internet you keep sticking your opinion
>in people's faces (under a multitude of irrelevant monikers) which are
>difficult to ignore.
>
Please use the ignore function if you don't like my posts, and no, I dont have a multitude of irrelevant monikers. What you are seeing is other irrelevant posts from other irrelevant posters, so best ignore them too.

>Can you please put the webcam on & record the results of your next dose
>of cement?
>Make sure you use a tbls(poon) though.
>
It seems it only takes a thimblefull to catch you, but I prefer bucketfuls myself.

+1 to the jrc post.
Will_P
19-Nov-2013
11:40:19 AM
On 18/11/2013 Duang Daunk wrote:
>+1 to the jrc post.

Ah, yes, but you insult and belittle as habit, not as compensation for something else. Although it's probably that too.

Duang Daunk
19-Nov-2013
7:10:51 PM
On 19/11/2013 Will_P wrote:
>Ah, yes, but you insult and belittle as habit, not as compensation for
>something else. Although it's probably that too.

You looking for a belay from me are you?
kieranl
25-Nov-2013
8:48:26 AM
Not much joy to be had at Rosea this weekend. I can't believe how wet it was.
Coming over from Wartook about 9:30 yesterday it was a little misty and showery. Dropped down to Halls Gap for a hot chocolate to give it time to clear. By 10:30 we were back up at the car-park and things were looking good.
As we approached the cliff started to see massive water-streaks running down everything. Still hoped there would be a few dry things. As it turned out the only things feasible were Tourist Buttress/Ascension and they're above my pay grade at present. Tried the first pitch of RIP corner but was still a smidge damp inside the crack. I wouldn't have thought it had rained enough since my last visit 2 weeks ago to have this effect.

There are 20 messages in this topic.

 

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