Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Ideas and issues: Morialta, SA 18-Feb-2009 At 3:01:41 PM prb

Message

To start the ball rolling, the farmer's gates need attention!

As for the access tracks, the one down to Far Crag is excellent and you may want to look at that as a
template. All the other tracks will probably need some work. Don't try to blaze new tracks and
decommission old ones, we like the old tracks. The silly detour to Boulder Bridge put in several years
ago is now widely ignored. I don't think we need more signage: climbing evolved from a kind of secret
society and I think we should keep it that way.

The ring bollards at the top of the crags have been terrific and I think they're numbered now for
emergency services. The popularity of toproping means there's more and more erosion but short of
concreting the lips of the cliffs I don't know what can be done. You certainly have to be careful on the
dusty paths along the tops but that's always been the case. The path above the Billiard Table area is
infamous although it's been reasonable since a reno several years ago. The hillside could be gouged
away to make a wider path but, environmentally, it wouldn't be a good look.

Some of the descent paths are looking very eroded. I'm not sure I want to see more stairs put in a
conservation park but they might be considered for the eastern end of Far Crag and both ends of
Boulder Bridge. If made of wood, they may not last long anyway as Morialta is due for a major fire.
Please don't impose the "we have a duty-of-care so we'll shut down that path" mentality, work with and
improve what is there.

I think the big issue is the base of the crags. Erosion is out of control at Far Crag, Boulder Bridge, the
Billiard Table, The Buttress and The Outcrops. These areas need landscaping. Some serious track
work is required and the standing areas need to be demarcated with backing and filling-in. I've noticed
at Frog Buttress (Qld) that a little subtle landscaping at the base of a crag goes a long way but I doubt
if Frog gets as many punters as Morialta. If you fix up the bases at Morialta and have money left over,
feel free to attend to Top Cliff at Onkaparinga, it's even worse!

As for recommended routes....everyone climbs Muesli, some people will tell you Barad Dur is the best
route in the Hills, Geronimo's Cadillac and The Stench before the Storm might be the pick of the sport
routes and don't forget several interesting 19s, eg. Triad, Transmutation and Popular Misconception.