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Crag & Route Beta

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VIC Eastern	Cathedral Range	(General)	(General)	[ Cathedral Guide \| Images ]

Author

Cathedrals in winter?

bl@ke

12-May-2009
7:03:55 PM

I hope to do a weeks worth of climbing in during the winter holidays and have my eye on the cathedrals as it is close and has lots of good climbing. i just checked out parks and it is still closed due to the fires :( parks also said that the cathedrals also gets winter snowfall, so has anyone been climbing there during winter? if so was there snow? what were the conditions like for climbing?
i have my fingers crossed that they will be open by then if not i will have to find somewhere elso to go.
thanks


IdratherbeclimbingM9

12-May-2009
8:02:02 PM

>i have my fingers crossed that they will be open by then if not i will have to (snip)
?
... cross your toes instead!

Snow is a possibility, but some others on this forum would just say to harden up!

PS; I am told cold is good for two reasons. Better rubber friction (on granite especially), and numb fingers mean you can't feel the flappers.
☺


Superstu

12-May-2009
8:45:01 PM

For your area, Teneriffe, Mt Pilot and Mt Stanley would be the go. Too cold for the south facing Rocky Ned and Buffalo will be under snow soon, if not already.

Did you say you had a week of climbing? Then head west young man, to the Northern Grampians and Arapiles. The little local granite crags you can visit on day trips.

bl@ke

12-May-2009
8:52:45 PM

i was thinkin araps but if i am going there it would be on the train and i dont like the idea of lugging a whole bunch of campin crap around. ill see what happens first i gotta get more cheep gear ;)

widewetandslippery

13-May-2009
12:32:06 PM

bl@ke, I agree with superstu. Go to araps. It isn't that much hassle. Catch night bus or train to Melbourne. Change for Horsham. You shouldn't have to wait long. Leave your stuff at Horsham bus station. Go shopping. Catch shuttle bus directly to Araps. You'll never have to walk more than 50 metres. I've gone from sydney to araps by this means leaving at 8pm and arriving the next day at 2:30pm.

qman

13-May-2009
1:01:18 PM

you do realise there a ski feild at Mt buff (albeit a small one).
on a decent snow yeah there is good snow coverage on the plateau.

but like anywhere in OZ you can have very warm days in winter that would be ok but i wouldnt be planning to climb there in winter unless you are training for a patagonian epic or some scotish mixed climbing.


rodw

13-May-2009
1:39:50 PM

On 13/05/2009 qman wrote:
>you do realise there a ski feild at Mt buff (albeit a small one).
>on a decent snow yeah there is good snow coverage on the plateau.

Not anymore its closed.


Superstu

13-May-2009
3:44:38 PM

On 12/05/2009 bl@ke wrote:
>i was thinkin araps but if i am going there it would be on the train and
>i dont like the idea of lugging a whole bunch of campin crap around. ill

post the dates you wanna go on chockstone, you never know who might be driving that way

bl@ke

13-May-2009
4:31:49 PM

Hmm i will see what happens araps seems good if the cathedral ranges are still closed which seems likely. Thread drift. what gear would i need for araps or cathedrals? i have a set of cams a set of nuts, 2 hexs, 4 slings and ten quickdraws coming soon what else would i need to climb 1 to 2 pitch easy climbs.
thanks


Sabu

13-May-2009
4:38:55 PM

On 12/05/2009 bl@ke wrote:
>i was thinkin araps but if i am going there it would be on the train and
>i dont like the idea of lugging a whole bunch of campin crap around. ill
>see what happens first i gotta get more cheep gear ;)

Its easy, just get yourself a big pack and biggish daypack and put both of them on
(smaller on your chest) i did it last time i went up and it works fine.
As for gear, Araps takes nuts, nuts and more nuts. so work towards having almost a
double set. However you seem to have a pretty good collection of gear which will get
you up most things.

bl@ke

13-May-2009
5:07:49 PM

ok cool i have a 70 litre big pack and some smaller ones too which would fit all my gear in them. ok ill grab a set of nuts then plus a few singles aswell.
thanks


Sabu

13-May-2009
5:10:33 PM

RPs are magic at Araps, so if you don't have any, get some!

bl@ke

13-May-2009
5:15:38 PM

Ok what sizes are best? or should i just get a set?


IdratherbeclimbingM9

13-May-2009
5:20:41 PM

On 13/05/2009 bl@ke wrote:
>Ok what sizes are best? or should i just get a set?

At this stage you are on a limited budget, so I would suggest getting the RP's later when you can afford them, because you can get a lot of magic climbing done at Araps without them, and any climbing partner you link up with may already have them anyway.

If you covet RP's for use on granite then you are most likely to use the size 3 and size 4 more than any of the others. These sizes tend to complement most sets of wired nuts as well, ie the size 5 RP often duplicates the smallest sized wired nut.

If you are interested in second hand, I noticed a set is here at the moment.

bl@ke

13-May-2009
5:29:15 PM

i will be able to get a set of nuts and rp's by winter holidays if the larger size rp's cover smaller nuts i reckon i would be better off just getting doubles of the first three sizes and a few single regular nuts plus the full set of nuts. all this should come in at around 250 but then mum ows me half a set of rp's hehe so knock off 50 for that so i think i can afford that :) it should be fun;)


IdratherbeclimbingM9

13-May-2009
5:35:11 PM

Nuts and RP's are different shapes. They also have different wire configurations and are made from different materials. All of these factors combined make individual placements more specifically suited to either one or the other.
This is another reason why there are so many brands and styles of nuts out there.

I personally like offset RP's and use them more than the regular ones. I did not buy the largest of them though as I already have that size in abundance as wired nuts.

bl@ke

13-May-2009
5:44:24 PM

ofset rp's? are they like DMM offset nuts? where abouts do you get them?


wallwombat

13-May-2009
6:36:49 PM

On 13/05/2009 bl@ke wrote:
>ofset rp's? are they like DMM offset nuts? where abouts do you get them?

They aren't easy to find.

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/rclimb/nuts/dmmbronzeoffsetnuts.htm

I agree with M9. They are very good.

I had a set but they were stolen with the rest of my first rack.

Back to topic - Go to Araps if you have a week up your sleeve and can con your parents into letting you go. You will learn heaps and have lots of chilly fun. A set and a half of nuts should do, along with your cams.

adrian

13-May-2009
6:45:05 PM

You won't need RP's to protect most of the easier stuff at Araps - a few cams, up to a double set of nuts (but less will be fine on shorter pitches) and you'll be set.

bl@ke

13-May-2009
6:47:14 PM

wicked website! the nuts look pretty wicked too although expensive. i will see what happens and then see if anyone wants too come. i looked at the vline time table and there is heaps of swap overs :( so hopefully i can get a lift.
thanks everyone.
i might eventually get to the cathedral ranges one day too cheers

There are 21 messages in this topic.