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Blue Ruin 1: Two Amigos 1

Aaron_M

3-May-2011
11:32:28 AM

Blue Ruin 1: Two Amigos 1

OK, François, the good news: we didn't take your half ropes this time (other than last year's adventure with Shaz @ 'Mild Peril TR. The bad news: there isn’t any! Except that the pitches are probably a bit harder now that some rocks have come off.

So, while Mr French Canadian/Australian is having a fun time with Maya, friends and family in France, I thought, after Dave's inspirational SMS on the way to Arapiles, that it would be a good day to try the 'second half' of 'Blue Ruin' (btw Mike, why the name?). It was too easy to convince Alex, who is still in wedding/ honeymoon mode. He probably would agree to climb K2 in the state that he is. :-)

Gesagt, getan, we found ourselves in the car on the way to Pierces Pass. During the drive we saw at least 6 police cars/ -men, measuring the speed - it's Easter and double demerit and cash-in time for NSW! For those who didn't read the last TR (Blue Ruin TR) the back then three amigos got our butts kicked on the first three pitches of 'Blue Ruin', so much so that we had to bail out at the half way ledge, promising to come back and do the second half another time.

Perfect conditions - 17 degrees, a bit windy and mostly sunny - yeah! We had a visitor on the half way ledge: a dog, which belonged to a team of two climbers and a photographer, who were shooting at Critical Mass. Interestingly, he seemed to move so elegantly and fast along the ledge!

It was kind of a déjà-vu, but this time we used the “bail-out-bolts” that spared us a cold night on the rock face during our last attempt to reach belay number three. It was quite familiar but still very different to last time - instead of standing there huffing and puffing, totally exhausted and bleeding, we were now more than keen to start pulling on some good rock. We didn’t waste much time with Alex tackling the first pitch of the second half (i.e. the fourth pitch of Blue Ruin, very confusing….), a 30 metre grade 18. We were warned by the guidebook which says “two easy choss pitches”, so we knew that the really good rock would await us higher up the wall, but still, this pitch is scary. Francois would probably describe it as one that is “good for the soul” but for us “very scary” is a more appropriate description. Yes, it’s easy, and apart from maybe one 18 move it’s more like a 14 or 15, but whatever you want to pull on moves or crumbles and it’s hard to trust any of the holds. And it only has 5 bolts. Alex was very quiet and tense and very slowly went up. At one point he pulled off a large piece of rock, almost losing balance and almost taking a whipper, but he managed to hold on and eventually reach the belay, happy and relieved.

'Alex taking a picture looking down to the start of P1 (or 4) of Blue Ruin'

Then it was my turn. Two intimidating numbers - 45 and 24! While I was setting myself up, I tried to find a magical, mathematical connection, 45/24 = 2? No! Maybe two prime numbers? No! 24+16 bolts = 45? Again, no! So what, I had to do it, right Alex? Right! So off I went.

45 metres higher (the pitch is pretty much straight up), I happily found the double ring bolts and quite a comfy belay station. Looking down, I thought, wow, what a fantastic climb that was. Very technical and crimpy, super well protected (thanks, Mike. You must have spent some battery packs there, huh?) and ... long, very long. I would be lying if I said I ticked it, in fact, I was far from it! But I don't care, really! There are a couple of cruxes, but always do-able, other than the '24' at P2 of this climb! (At least for the three amigos, that is.) I found that the technical difficulties decrease as it gets higher, but the pump definitely increases! I was huffing and puffing, always worried that something would come off, but it didn't, phew!

'Scary iron bands (glad we used two ropes!) just below the belay station of P2 (or 5)'

Alex came up to the belay point, happily smiling with the typical Alex smile - left to right.

'Two happy amigos having done the 45 metres grade 24'

We agreed that the climb would probably be graded 23 if it weren’t that long. He then jumped on P3/6. Maybe not a grade 10 (I wouldn't want to free solo it), but a walk in the park or should I say scrub?

The walk-out is either via abseiling from the top-pitch of 'Mirrorball' or walking down the gully. We weren't too keen to abseil because of the pretty strong wind (besides we couldn't find the anchors anyways…), so we walked back to the half way ledge where we enjoyed our lunch - still full of adrenalin and a little bit of pride. The score after two rounds: 'Blue Ruin 1: let's say ‘Three amigos’ (as François was with us in spirit) 1

'Don't we love the mountains?'

So, François, while you're, (whereever you are) reading this with a Café au lait and a real brioche, 'Blue Ruin' will definitely get a round three. Next time we will do the entire six pitches with you – I can promise you that! You'll have the honour of leading the 45 metre grade 24 - maybe you'll find the magical, mathematical connection!

stsopon

3-May-2011
12:02:42 PM

nex time kick the dog and its repeat ofender owner of the fuking ledge its a park

cruze

3-May-2011
12:20:24 PM

Lovin' the psych.

tnd

3-May-2011
12:39:14 PM

Nice TR and yes, it's a National Park so the dog shouldn't be there. WTF is it with dog owners?

kuu

3-May-2011
2:11:22 PM

On 3/05/2011 tnd wrote:
>Nice TR and yes, it's a National Park so the dog shouldn't be there. (snip)
>
Exactly, and the climbs accessed from Bells Line of Road are within a wilderness area.

From Page 81 of the Blue Mountains National Park Plan of Management, May 2001 ...

*************************************
* A detailed strategy for the management of adventure activities in the Blue Mountains, based on the provisions of this and other plans of management, will be developed in consultation with user groups, implemented and kept under review. The management strategy will incorporate codes of conduct for abseiling, rock climbing and canyoning in the park, to include:
- minimal impact techniques;
- limits to group size and number;
- recommended safe practices;
- recognition of approved rock climbing sites and canyons;
- the exclusion of new bolts from wilderness areas, canyons and established rock climbs, except where the NPWS Regional Manager approves the replacement of existing bolts;
- control of bolting in other locations;
- acceptable bolting techniques, including the exclusion of power drills; and
- exclusion of damage to vegetation and rock features, route marking, track
development and other environmental modifications.

*************************************

The Plan of Management is currently due for review and it is possible the wilderness area will be given greater protection.

pmonks

3-May-2011
3:30:31 PM

kuu, any chance we could get a clause added making it legal to chuck a dog off the nearest cliff if they're found in a NP?

kuu

3-May-2011
3:40:13 PM

On 3/05/2011 pmonks wrote:
>kuu, any chance we could get a clause added making it legal to chuck a
>dog off the nearest cliff if they're found in a NP?

The poor dog doesn't understand it's committing an offence. It's the owner who's at fault.

A clause to deal with this person would be worth considering. ;-)

pmonks

3-May-2011
3:43:40 PM

On 3/05/2011 kuu wrote:
>The poor dog doesn't understand it's committing an offence. It's the owner
>who's at fault.

I'm assuming the dog is on-leash at the time. ;-)

f_ladou

3-May-2011
4:35:27 PM

What a crap trip report. I don't know where to start.

Alex: your helmet is too small - you look like a smurf.

Dominik: gesagt, getan? isn't this what you said before getting your ass badly kicked on the original pitch 2?.

Half-rope: about time you guys use your own.

Dog: should have kicked it off the ledge, but nooo... too gutless.

Pitch 2: That pitch was MINE, you should have skipped it.

Abseil: Couldn't find Mirrorball abseil? How many times have we been there together? Gee...

Grose valley picture: pathetic, mine are better.

Mathematical connection: anyone and his (roaming) dog knows that this is it:

which simply connects the Ricci curvature (route) to the stress-energy tensor (climber). Simple tensor algebra lead to the obvious result: you guys suck.

See you tonight at the gym?

Cheers,

François

Aaron_M

3-May-2011
6:01:12 PM

On 3/05/2011 f_ladou wrote:
>What a crap trip report. I don't know where to start.
>
>Alex: your helmet is too small - you look like a smurf.
>
>Dominik: gesagt, getan? isn't this what you said before getting
>your ass badly kicked on the original pitch 2?.
>
>Half-rope: about time you guys use your own.
>
>Dog: should have kicked it off the ledge, but nooo... too gutless.
>
>Pitch 2: That pitch was MINE, you should have skipped it.
>
>Abseil: Couldn't find Mirrorball abseil? How many times have we
>been there together? Gee...
>
>Grose valley picture: pathetic, mine are better.
>
>Mathematical connection: anyone and his (roaming) dog knows that
>this is it:
>
>which simply connects the Ricci curvature (route) to the stress-energy
>tensor (climber). Simple tensor algebra lead to the obvious result: you
>guys suck.
>
>See you tonight at the gym?
>
>Cheers,
>
>François

After an hour of crying I've found the strength to answer this insulting reply:

>Alex: your helmet is too small - you look like a smurf.
True (hehehe)

>Half-rope: about time you guys use your own.
True (again) ...we used two normal ropes and to clip these two ropes after 40 some meters is way harder than the climbing itself :-(

>Pitch 2: That pitch was MINE, you should have skipped it.
Bad luck, buddy. Then better skip La belle France next time and stay in Oz!

>Abseil: Couldn't find Mirrorball abseil? How many times have we
>been there together? Gee...
None, never done the last pitch of Mirrorball before...only on that very day (amazing pitch, I have to say!)

>Grose valley picture: pathetic, mine are better.
Ohh, I thought it's the Megalong valley?! But honestly, again your fault. Not only did you reject to give us your half ropes (ok, we didn't ask...), you also refused to let us know, where your camera is (but we found your Scotch this time!)

Well Alex, I think I had it with this guy. May he be well and happy without the guy's, who suck and may he find someone else to climb with. I'm pretty comfortable with the TWO amigos!

Anyway, François, see you in the gym tonight!

alex_f

4-May-2011
3:29:11 PM

On 3/05/2011 Aaron_M wrote:

>>Alex: your helmet is too small - you look like a smurf.
>True (hehehe)
>

Indeed, what a striking resemblance!

>Well Alex, I think I had it with this guy. May he be well and happy without
>the guy's, who suck and may he find someone else to climb with. I'm pretty
>comfortable with the TWO amigos!
>

Yeah, I wouldn't mind to get rid of him, either, but he always brings this yummy chocolate and buys the beers at the pub after climbing, so I would suggest to stick with the THREE amigos for now....

There are 11 messages in this topic.