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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

Area	Location	Sub Location	Crag	Links
VIC Arapiles	The Watchtower Faces	(General)	Right Watchtower Face	[ Arapiles Guide \| Arapiles Images ]

Author

Auto de Fe


Pat B

15-Jul-2009
9:41:38 AM

After abseiling down chains recently and having a good look at the first pitch in the process, was interested in giving this route a go. Gear looks adequate in the first pitch. Does anyone know what the gear in the second pitch is like, particularly off the ledge to where it crosses Skink?

prb

15-Jul-2009
10:58:03 AM

I felt the second pitch protected better than the first. The gear was where you needed it, a little spaced
but pretty good. As always, it would be best to be comfortable at the grade to hang around and make the
best decisions. Take small/medium wires and cams. I can't remember using RPs. I thought the crux of
the climb was the top of pitch 1 where you're hoping you've read the moves correctly above a nest of not-
quite-bomber wires.


D.Lodge

15-Jul-2009
12:25:35 PM

Second pitch crux is interesting, good move to good hold just a bit long and the small gear is below your feet. Supposedly the crux pitch but found the crux at the end of the first pitch hard move to ledge diagonally up from your gear. But it is in my top 3 climbs and have done it twice now.The gear going over the skink traverse is fine bomber wire at the start gear in the middle but easier just too run until the jugs at the "lip" and more gear there. Have fun it is an Awesome route.

prb

15-Jul-2009
12:53:23 PM

The The Confession/Gollum link-up would be an excellent tune up for Auto. The top of The Confession,
for 16, is pretty tough and pretty run-out. You can scope the start of the second pitch of Auto from the
first pitch of Gollum. There's good gear on the first pitch of Gollum but one one point you have to run it
out a few metres across grade 17 territory. Despite it's reputation, the top pitch of Gollum is fine. A little
run out to begin, but very straightforward climbing - nothing slabby! All great climbs.


Pat B

15-Jul-2009
1:41:55 PM

Ta guys, looks like I'll have to give it a burl then! I really like the look of the second pitch in particular

gfdonc

15-Jul-2009
3:27:03 PM

Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful route!

I found the pro on p2 better than I expected, and certainly adequate over the hard sections. Then again, I grew up on runout slabs, so I turned up mentally prepared.

I didn't lead p1 but gear placements were tricky. My partner placed a high #3 hex out left to protect the early moves. At the crux, some small offset wires were useful.

For p2, here's the beta. Since you've already rapped down it I don't feel a "warning: beta" is warranted.

Up from the belay you make a tricky move up through the overlap. I recall pro options here were limited but adequate. Watch for rope drag as you step back right.

When you get onto the small stance below the crux there's a decent wire. Then you move up to the thin "texas" flake, where my choice was to equalise a #3 and #4 RP - the #4 just fits behind the tip of the flake on the right, and the #3 fits in a small slot to its left. By equalising them (with a sliding X) you not only spread the load, but you make both wires more secure by ensuring the loading comes from their optimal side. This gives you a secure base to launch through the hard bit.

After you pull through the crux there's a "thank god" high finger slot that takes a small cam (finger sized, maybe around 0.5 friend). You might also be able to get a wire in next to it. When you pull past that, there's easier slabbing for a few metres, I can't exactly remember the pro but I think you get one (good) placement option every 2-3 metres.

Jees this is a lot of detail, hope that's what you were after.

Then you get into Skink (the last few moves get easier), at the horizontal overlap you get a good medium-large wire to protect the start, and if you then swing part-way across you get a good medium wire (4 or 5 Rock I think) but it's really strenuous to place - have it ready, place, then move back for a rest.

After the traverse you pull onto the slab and I think you can place something straight away. On the top slab you again only get one horizontal crack every so often but the gear placements are very very good provided you have enough of the right sizes - I recall placing a #4 or #5 hex here in a horizontal slot, cammed, as I'd run out of cams of that size. Basically it's typical slab climbing, with tolerable runouts and good placements.

P2 is very long so take plenty of draws, and a 60m rope.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

15-Jul-2009
3:37:42 PM

On 15/07/2009 gfdonc wrote:
>Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful route!
snip
>(with a sliding X)

How did that post get past the censorship filter? ~> sounds like you were having way too much fun ... Heh, heh, heh.

It read almost like a trip report! (A good read!)
~> & not often one reads about specific 'sliding X' placements. ~> probably worth doing the route just for the novelty of using it to best effect!

gfdonc

15-Jul-2009
4:19:03 PM

It just worked so well on the day, worth repeating for future generations! Each wire by itself was only OK, both together looked bomber.

After placing any small RP I often look around and see if I can place another one. If so I equalise with the X. This seems to happen to me on 21s - I've done this to good effect on: Comic Relief (two #1's equalised at the start), and The Ascension (#2 RP equalised with an Alien at the tricky part on p3 - well one of the tricky bits anyway ;-) ).

- Steve


IdratherbeclimbingM9

15-Jul-2009
4:44:13 PM

>After placing any small RP I often look around and see if I can place another one. If so I equalise with the X.

A good tip.

I more often employ that tactic in aid, but that is probably a reflection of the easier free grades (< 21) that I climb. I get a special joy out of a nest of equalised small pieces to sustain bodyweight! In a similar flavour it is also a good feeling when a lower piece is tensioned in to a higher piece, to stop the high piece lifting out, thereby making a good placement of it for any downward loading.


Pat B

16-Jul-2009
11:50:29 AM

Thanks Steve, great beta!!

hero

16-Jul-2009
1:32:15 PM

you know you can't claim the onsight now pat

gfdonc

16-Jul-2009
7:52:59 PM

On 16/07/2009 hero wrote:
>you know you can't claim the onsight now pat

Depends who he is climbing with ..


langles

16-Jul-2009
8:31:28 PM

If you're feeling a little short on gear you can also be a complete wussbag (like me) and belay at the skink overlap. Even so i found the rope drag on the "last" pitch pretty bad, although i don't remember the climbing to be near as cruxy as the pitches below.


Pat B

17-Jul-2009
8:15:53 AM

Thanks for reminding me Greg!! I already top-roped the first pitch off the abseil rope the other day so I 'spose I definitely can't claim an onsight. I'm quite aware I haven't got big enough balls to do that anyway!!

Fish Boy

17-Jul-2009
9:48:58 AM

I found on the crux 2nd pitch two knifeblades hammered in were what I needed to blast. Try that.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

17-Jul-2009
9:55:01 AM

On 17/07/2009 Fish Boy wrote:
>I found on the crux 2nd pitch two knifeblades hammered in were what I needed to blast. Try that.

Didjadoo that tricky aid thing of nesting them in one placement too?

Heh^{XHmmm;-P^heh}

gfdonc

17-Jul-2009
6:05:33 PM

On 16/07/2009 langles wrote:
>If you're feeling a little short on gear you can also be a complete wussbag
>(like me) and belay at the skink overlap.

yeah this is a fair recommendation, I can see the point in that. Although - the satisfaction of topping out after leading the whole 50m in one go (&onsight) is hard to beat.


Pat B

4-Aug-2009
12:59:44 PM

On 16/07/2009 hero wrote:
>you know you can't claim the onsight now pat

Robyn Miller abseiled and extensively cleaned P2 before he soloed it. Does that mean he can't claim an onsight?!


Pat B

4-Aug-2009
1:01:06 PM

On 17/07/2009 gfdonc wrote:
>On 16/07/2009 langles wrote:
>>If you're feeling a little short on gear you can also be a complete wussbag
>>(like me) and belay at the skink overlap.
>
>yeah this is a fair recommendation, I can see the point in that. Although
>- the satisfaction of topping out after leading the whole 50m in one go
>(&onsight) is hard to beat.
>
That's how the climb used to be written up!?


meinmuk

4-Aug-2009
1:27:58 PM

On 4/08/2009 Pat B wrote:

>Robyn Miller abseiled and extensively cleaned P2 before he soloed it.
>Does that mean he can't claim an onsight?!

for sure.

However, if you're soloing non trivial routes like this without rehearsal, the distinction
between onsight and flash pales into insignificance.

There are 22 messages in this topic.