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Climbing the Westgate Bridge

kadlugan

22-Feb-2013
11:13:22 AM

Ok, so after that suitably provocative title - here's the main crux of this post.

Would people want to climb a bolted artificial route up a pillar on the westgate bridge?

In mammuts urban climbing videos. See below. There is a bridge in switzerland where they have set up such a route in Fribourg at the Pont de Perolles. See Below.

Yes, there may be many obstacles in the way of actually doing this. But firstly would people want to climb it.

A suggested location would be the pillars in newport, near stony creek.
http://goo.gl/maps/g5GY4

So, if it was built, would you climb it, and what would be necessary to make it a great climbing location? Lets hear some ideas.

Details of the climbs:
http://www.cas-moleson.ch/infrastructures/pont-de-perolles.html - use google chrome to translate
Routes - http://www.cas-moleson.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/files/infrastructures/pont/topo_Fribourg_Marly_1_.pdf

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyriIYhifec - part 2 showing the bridge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F44w2EEMs8I - part 1 if you want to watch it.

Cheers
Nick

dan_b

22-Feb-2013
12:25:30 PM

I would once or twice, for the novelty value


Big G

22-Feb-2013
12:33:30 PM

video makes it look cool but it also looked like gtreat conditions ot be on real rock.

i reckon the chances of getting this on westgate would be as near to zero as makes no difference


Miguel75

22-Feb-2013
12:34:41 PM

I'd climb it, depending on cost...

technogeekery

22-Feb-2013
3:14:13 PM

No. I like the idea of interesting or spectacular artificial climbing routes, and woul dpay money to go on these:

Diga di Luzzonone dam wall, Switzerland

Enschede uni campus climbgin wall, Netherlands

Excalibur climbing wall, Netherlands

But those freeway pylons would have a horrible atmosphere, I think. Are you set on that location? I think it would be fun to do if there was a great view, or a spectacular setting, or on a great physical structure. Any other candidates in Australia?

Hugh

22-Feb-2013
3:24:47 PM

Totally down with that!

You won't know if you don't ask..


Sabu

22-Feb-2013
3:28:26 PM

That dam wall would be pretty cool...

What about up the outside one of the pillars on bolte bridge? That would have some serious atmosphere with the city as a backdrop and the river directly below you.

technogeekery

22-Feb-2013
3:30:17 PM

How about the Gordon Dam in Tassie? They already allow abseiling, so quite likely that a climbing wall would get the go ahead...

It is 2.5hrs from Hobart though - not sure I'd make the trip especially

All the taller dams in Aus would be slab climbs...


rodw

22-Feb-2013
3:59:07 PM

I think Abbott is one step ahead of you...he has a vision for the future of Australian artificial climbing.. don't worry about the flooding excuse..thats just to get the non climbers on board....

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbotts-dam-solution-for-flooded-rivers/story-fn59niix-1225983272814

Wollemi

24-Feb-2013
12:04:03 PM

On 22/02/2013 kadlugan wrote:
>Would people want to climb a bolted artificial route up a pillar on the
>westgate bridge?
>
>Yes, there may be many obstacles in the way of actually doing this. But
>firstly would people want to climb it.
>
>A suggested location would be the pillars in newport, near stony creek.
>
>http://goo.gl/maps/g5GY4
>

Have sometimes wondered about the feasibility of this under Newbridge Rd near Liverpool Station. The rain in SW Sydney appears not to have soaked or flooded the area of Light Horse Park - did the the base of the Brisbane's Newport pillars go under?

Newbridge Rd :( Standing under the bridge, I was surprised at the amount of traffic noise, but it was afternoon peak traffic. I reflect on finding quietude while belaying or soloing on Bellbird Wall or elsewhere.

Yesterday, Penrith 's indoor Climbing Centre was so much quieter than the base of a bridge pylon, and the driven rain didn't hit the grips. Your business idea may need an indoor climbing gym adjacent to your freeway/tollway/bridge pylons to gain some income in wet weeks. And the bloke who started BridgeClimb in Sydney spent something like $8 million in studies, tests, submission of many engineering plans, QC meetings before the State allowed him to profit (or at least commence generating income) from an asset the state owns.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

24-Feb-2013
3:41:29 PM

On 24/02/2013 Wollemi wrote:
>And the bloke who started BridgeClimb in Sydney spent something like $8 million in studies, tests, submission of many engineering plans, QC meetings before the State allowed him to profit

Seems like an aweful lot of dosh, and not something the average business-person would have lying around idle?

kadlugan

24-Feb-2013
5:25:46 PM

Very cool suggestions everyone. Yeah i can see the appeal of those dam walls. Man they are impressive, or that excalibur climbing wall.

I am not fixed to any one location, and wanted to get a pulse check to see what people generally thought of these sorts of urban routes that were lead climbs and not just bouldering.

What I was looking for is the ability to have some cool atmospheric lead climbs near the city.

The PROs of the westgate is its close, and has lots of pilons, and that location is reasonably quite under the bridge.

The CONs are its not that atmospheric

The Bolte bridge pilons would be pretty amazing!!!

Any other locations up buildings that might work near the city?

PS
Hopefully theres a new bouldering wall going up in Brunswick. If you haven't signed the petition please do.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/bouldering-wall-for-brunswick.html

kadlugan

24-Feb-2013
5:34:13 PM

Looks like bauderstone were the builders and Grogan Richards the engineers on the bolte. They would be the people to talk to about how technically feasible it might be.

http://www.baulderstone.com.au/project-portfolio/project-details/bolte-bridge?&fp=,796,45,46,770,

technogeekery

25-Feb-2013
8:48:36 AM

Bolte Bridge is more like it... that would make for a great experience.

gfdonc

25-Feb-2013
8:56:35 AM

Maroondah dam might be worth a look - quiet and easy access to the base.


ajfclark

25-Feb-2013
9:02:23 AM

Isn't there a picture at lactic factory of someone aiding up the bolte? Was it a different bridge?

I seem to remember someone telling me those pillars don't actually connect to the bridge itself too. Is that actually the case?


nmonteith

25-Feb-2013
9:24:54 AM

On 25/02/2013 ajfclark wrote:
>Isn't there a picture at lactic factory of someone aiding up the bolte?
>Was it a different bridge?

That was the Anzac bridge in Sydney

>
>I seem to remember someone telling me those pillars don't actually connect
>to the bridge itself too. Is that actually the case?

I remember reading that somewhere as well. They are purely decoration?!


ajfclark

25-Feb-2013
9:39:29 AM

If they aren't structural I think your chances of being allowed to climb them would go up.

I found this picture of a giant squid while trying to track down that aiding photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kranked/113029381/

kieranl

25-Feb-2013
9:44:30 AM

On 25/02/2013 nmonteith wrote:
>On 25/02/2013 ajfclark wrote:
...
>>I seem to remember someone telling me those pillars don't actually connect
>>to the bridge itself too. Is that actually the case?
>
>I remember reading that somewhere as well. They are purely decoration?!
Possibly secure storage for Henry Bolte's blood sample which went missing after he was pulled over on suspicion of drink-driving.

kadlugan

25-Feb-2013
9:48:28 AM

I believe the pillars of the bolte are actually hollow, with stairwell access to the top of them. 90ms high. They dont connect to the bridge itself.
Looks like the only way onto them is boat.

This is the closest image so far of the bases i could find

bigger picture here
http://davidchia.zenfolio.com/img/s3/v44/p555503482-5.jpg

There are 35 messages in this topic.