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14-Feb-2013 9:03:36 PM
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Rain is forecast for Synney and the Bluechoss, but Canberra is set for 27 and clear, so I was thinking of making the journey for the weekend and climb something solid for a change. What are the pick of the crags for summer in the ACT? Can you find shade at Booroomba? (Only climbed there in April, which was quite pleasant) Bandito or Red Rocks worth it for a visitor? Honeysuckle? Gibraltar? Do I need to book a campsite?
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14-Feb-2013 9:45:27 PM
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We were at Booroomba last weekend, got up to the clifftop about 10am and found shade at Nth Buttress in the Hermes / Fearon area till early arvo (1 pm-ish).
Dodged amongst a few showers(!) and temp was low 30's, but it was a good day out.
Some of the group did Integral Crack and African Walking Tree(?) on the Sth Buttress in the afternoon sun and found it OK.
You will be right stu, if not, then I will blow some cement dust your way to harden your carcass to stop it ponging next time I am there...
;-)
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14-Feb-2013 11:20:58 PM
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Yeah south end of the North Buttress (at Booroomba) is good for shade in the morning, and if its 27 in town its probably only 23 or 24 up the hill. The South Buttress is also shady of a morning, and has a pretty good concentration of quality climbing (do Integral, African Walking Tree and No Beans for Bonzo). Also the bonus is that you'll get to join the very exclusive club of people who have been to Booroomba in the last 10 years who don't live in Canberra.
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15-Feb-2013 12:17:53 AM
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On 14/02/2013 uwhp510 wrote:
>Yeah south end of the North Buttress (at Booroomba) is good for shade in
>the morning, and if its 27 in town its probably only 23 or 24 up the hill.
> The South Buttress is also shady of a morning, and has a pretty good concentration
>of quality climbing (do Integral, African Walking Tree and No Beans for
>Bonzo). Also the bonus is that you'll get to join the very exclusive club
>of people who have been to Booroomba in the last 10 years who don't live
>in Canberra.
So if I've done all those routes already - what else is good in summer?
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15-Feb-2013 1:23:30 AM
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On 15/02/2013 nmonteith wrote:
>So if I've done all those routes already - what else is good in summer?
South Butress.
Functor.
Make sure you film the ascent.
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15-Feb-2013 9:24:57 AM
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Euryproctus :)
I don't think it will actually be all that hot this weekend, so you can probably get on anything, but if you're really trying to hide from the sun then maybe Cloisters or Legoland? The rest of Booroomba is pretty sunny really but if you get up there early, you could do Nothing Left, Extreme Youth or Closer In/Dry Route or Space Wasted (or any of the other easier routes up that area) in comfort.
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15-Feb-2013 10:32:22 AM
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I wouldn't drive down to climb at Booroomba in summer unless it really looks terrible everywhere else, conditions get much better in autumn. However, if your other options are rooted, really early starts and moving quick allows you to do a full day by time the sun comes over...............it's also very nice from about 7pm till dark, so if you can handle a longish siesta and walking back to the car by headlamp you get to watch the sunset over the hills as you're belaying your second up, it's pretty sweet.
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15-Feb-2013 12:11:36 PM
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On 15/02/2013 One Day Hero wrote:
>...............it's also very nice from about 7pm till dark, so if you can handle a longish
>siesta and walking back to the car by headlamp you get to watch the sunset
>over the hills as you're belaying your second up, it's pretty sweet.
I'll second that - it's a top spot to watch the sunset and the walk back down to the cars, by headlamp is pretty mellow.
A mate and me used to stash a bottle of red and a couple of wine glasses when we walked up and then we would try and time it so we topped out in time to watch the sun go down and the lights of Canberra blink on, while having a couple of glasses of plonk.
I imagine it would be rather more pleasant to do this with a member of the opposite sex rather than a chain smoking, smelly Englishman but I can't vouch for that.
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15-Feb-2013 12:25:59 PM
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Apart from Boroomba are there other granite crags of worth that are shady for much of the day? I really detest slabs in the blazing sun!
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15-Feb-2013 12:42:34 PM
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Yep, I'm with you Neil, had one slab roasting too many when I was young.
Gibralter Peak is way too exposed (it's really good on a sunny winter day). There are some shady routes up on Orroral Ridge (most notably Julius Caesar, which is a contender for "the hardest 22 in the universe" title).......but for sweat monsters like us, it really is pretty unpleasant till sometime in March or April.
Red Rocks, however, is frigging awesome. East facing, gets the shade about 2pm, have yourself a super lazy morning then climb till dark..............right next to the 'bidgee, so you can cool down between routes. There's about 20 funky climbs on smooth volcanic rock, a dozen of which are up there with all but the best n.s.w. sandstone sport routes. Quite heavily weighted in the 20-24 grade bracket, therefore good for a couple of big days of onsighting for many folks.
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15-Feb-2013 12:47:07 PM
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Anywhere nice to camp near Red Rocks? (I know it's in Canberra suburbs - but it's a small city isn't it?)
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15-Feb-2013 12:48:26 PM
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My couch
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15-Feb-2013 1:07:22 PM
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On 15/02/2013 One Day Hero wrote:
>My couch
Where would ya girlfriend stay then?
;)
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15-Feb-2013 1:18:13 PM
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I can't stay on your couch if you're out chopping bolts at Point Perp! (can I?)
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15-Feb-2013 1:31:19 PM
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I'll ask the housemates, they probably won't mind. You could just camp on the beach at the crag, it's pretty nice down there (not too bad a walk in, even with a pack full of food and water and tent), but I don't know what you'd do to amuse yourself all morning till the cliff gets shady. Do you enjoy catching carp, bludgeoning them to death, and leaving them next to the river so they stink like crazy?.............seems to be quite popular with local bogans.
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15-Feb-2013 6:47:49 PM
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Sat arvo- redrocks- what Damo said.
Sunday- Booroomba- Stuff around Hermes/Faeron/Liz/Thor- offer shady worthwhile climbing in the morning. When the sun hits go over and knock off Intergral. Spend the rest of the day throwing yourself at Euryproctus- shade all day. Narly.
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18-Feb-2013 5:27:37 PM
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Must of just missed you on Sunday Stu. We were on the South Buttress in the morning after a late start and then roasted ourselves out on the slabs all afternoon. I'm still dehydrated. New dads do stupid things on the rare occasions we are allowed out.
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18-Feb-2013 5:41:52 PM
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On 18/02/2013 Superstu wrote:
>...much better than drizzle and humidity in the bluechoss. ...
>there must be better locations for a good feed on Sunday in the G?
>
Sunday was hot and dry at Mt York.
I almost never eat out in town but if you like Thai this place is very good, and open late:
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g255321-d2703413-Reviews-Thai_bank-Goulburn_New_South_Wales.html (that photo is not it)
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