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Crag & Route Beta

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VIC Buffalo Gorge North Side North Wall [ Gorge Guide ]

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Abseiling to Big Grassy

WM

11-Nov-2006
1:02:23 PM

On 7/11/2006 nmonteith wrote:
>I noticed on the weekend some busy bee was rap replacing all the anchors
>on Ozymandias (including Original and Direct variants).

I'm interested in the 24 free version of Ozy Original starting from Big Grassy (some day). Does anyone know the logistics of rapping in to Big Grassy? And will these new anchors improve things? Will it be best to hitch a ride on Dave Chitty's 200m static?

IdratherbeclimbingM9

13-Nov-2006
5:12:35 PM

Don't know if the new anchors improve things other than simply being better (assumed) anchors.

>Will it be best to hitch a ride on Dave Chitty's 200m static?
Probably.
A 200m will get you to Big Grassy with not quite enough left over to reach the next belay beneath it.

IMO if you try abseiling belay to belay on normal length ropes you will find;

* You are committed if you pull any of them.

*Once at the Fang you will need a long rope anyway otherwise you will be trying to reach the belay bolts lower down that are out of reach due to being overhanging ground and you being suspended away from the wall.

When I abseiled it I found I re-connected with the wall somewhere below the first belay above Big Grassy (but it was close in that vicinity). I certainly went past the belay above that one (ie it is likely you will go past two belays), which was well out of my reach.

gfdonc

13-Nov-2006
5:24:05 PM

We rapped in to the Gledhill bivvy once, but it was so long ago I don't recall the method. Two 50m ropes tied together I think (one knot change) and I believe the first one down had to aid in under the Fang in order to reach the bolts.

One of the scariest things I've ever done was following the pitch above the Gledhill bivvy as a third member of a team - ie following the pitch after it had been cleaned. You had to weight the rope, then unclip from the bolts and lower outwards from the wall. Picture: you're 3m out from the wall, 200m off the deck, with just one strand of nylon leading upwards.

IdratherbeclimbingM9

13-Nov-2006
5:33:02 PM

>with just one strand of nylon leading upwards
... gently sawing on the lip as the rope kinks unwind and then exacerbated as you jumar due 'ropebounce'.

... Been there and done that too; Heh, heh, bleat !! :(

nmonteith

13-Nov-2006
5:33:08 PM

.. and the edge of the roof is knife sharp. I did the stupid thing and jumped out on 3rd - takign a huge
pednulem which scrappped my rope (40m above) along the edge of the roof. I thought i was going to die.
I then had to jumar 40m up the rope to see if it was only holding by a single strand. Luckily it was
damaged.

Sabu

13-Nov-2006
10:19:26 PM

....and here i am thinking how cool i am climbing 70m routes at araps.... jeeeeeze!!! fingers go all tingly when reading this thread!

ahh the years of climbing ahead of me....

sorry for interupting! >>> continue!!

IdratherbeclimbingM9

14-Nov-2006
9:29:46 AM

>ahh the years of climbing ahead of me....
Which should include Ozy, as it is the icon of its type whether aid or free.
It is one of those experiences that will keep you coming back for more.
I read (I think in an old Rock mag many years ago), that such masters as John Fantini had climbed it eight times, and my guess is he has probably done it again since that article was written!

HB is probably another who might have to ponder a while before knowing how many laps he has run of it.

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