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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

Area Location Sub Location Crag Links
VIC Eastern Cathedral Range North Jawbone (General) [ Cathedral Guide | Images ] 

Author
Access to South Jawbone/BHP
pmanuel
5-Jan-2015
9:15:41 PM
Hi, we wanted to climb BHP last weekend, but totally couldn't find the saddle on the track to the South Jawbone summit from where to reach the "broad gully" as it is described in our climbing guide "Rockclimbs Around Melbourne" by Glenn Tempest. All prickly brush, so I left the two Ladies at the "Farmyard" and fought my way to the cliff. At the top I saw the two abseil chains but also thought "No way to convince the Ladies to crawl through this brush" to get to the base... so this day ended as a hikig day (it was too late then to start something else)
May be this is just the way it is, take it or leave it? We are new to climbing here in Australia, our only experience here in Australia so far is one day in the You Yangs, and one climb at Sugarloaf Peak (with very smooth access :) May be someone can give a hint?

Thanks, and see you at the rocks... Dirk

ajfclark
5-Jan-2015
9:44:47 PM
On 5/01/2015 pmanuel wrote:
>We are new to climbing here in Australia, our only experience here in Australia so far is one day in the You Yangs, and one climb at Sugarloaf Peak (with very smooth access :) May be someone can give a hint?

Drive to Arapiles.
kieranl
5-Jan-2015
10:32:49 PM
On 5/01/2015 ajfclark wrote:
>On 5/01/2015 pmanuel wrote:
>>We are new to climbing here in Australia, our only experience here in
>Australia so far is one day in the You Yangs, and one climb at Sugarloaf
>Peak (with very smooth access :) May be someone can give a hint?
>
>Drive to Arapiles.

Good advice for the coming weekend where max temperatures will be low-to-mid 20s. Check the weather forecasts for Horsham as the weather here can be much different to Melbourne's.

On a hot weekend Camel's Hump or Ben Cairn are good options for a day-trip from Melbourne

The Jawbones are notorious for prickly scrub and I gather it has grown back heavily after the fires 6 years ago. I haven't been there for a long time though.
pmanuel
6-Jan-2015
7:42:18 PM
Thank you! I thought that the Jawbones might be not so popular and therefore the tracks overgrow after some while... we like the Cathedral Area because its proximity to Melbourne and also it seems not so crowded, probably because of the huge share of trad climbing... anyway, thanks also for the other hints, Camel's Hump and Ben Cairn, we will check this out...

Dirk

ajfclark
6-Jan-2015
8:04:08 PM
Lot sure I follow your logic. Arapiles is mostly trad... The crag lists 2760 and 91% are trad and it's probably the most popular crag in the state. Still not crowded at the moment though.
pmanuel
6-Jan-2015
10:48:15 PM
> Arapiles is mostly trad...

Uhm, I didn't know that, thought its more of a sport climbing spot...

Thanks,
Dirk

ajfclark
7-Jan-2015
7:56:55 AM
Arapiles is a world class traditional climbing destination. There is the occasional bolt, particularly on harder routes, but the ethic is if it can be protected with gear, it is. Here's a selection of snippets:

http://www.chockstone.org/Arapiles/Arapiles.htm
What can I say about Arapiles that hasn't already been said a thousand times before? Very little I fear! Many a would-be writer has waxed lyrical about the magic of Victoria's climbing Mecca, the premier destination, possibly the very the heart and soul of traditional climbing in Australia. Too much? Okay, so we all know it's the bee's knee's, that it fills the dreams of climbers world wide, inspires many a new comer to take up the sharp end, and causes Melbournians to get up at ungodly hours of the morning to make the mad 4 hour rush to The Pines campground, just so they can be at the front of the queue on the Bard.


http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP17/profile-arapiles
Because Arapiles is a quintessential trad crag. Wind has weathered its quartzite into labyrinths within labyrinths of seams, cracks, holes, little chickenheads and large bollards. Much of the mountain's rock is gray with algae, and rough, but in sheltered pockets around the crag, bulgy orange sections can be found, impossibly steep and unforgiving; while in other places sheer, straw-colored stone prevails, with a minimum of holds. Unlike other crags, where one type of climbing is the norm, Arapiles' uniquely varied geology allows long, easy rambles; jug showrooms; short, problematic seams that destroy you with one move; thin walls and smooth, overhanging horrors; some wide cracks and some slabs. Routes separated by mere meters may be grades apart: the last route to be done in the Organ Pipes, Quiet Time, a slabby 23, runs tantalizingly close to one of the first climbs done there, Diapason, a 7.


http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/outdoor/adventure/2014/06/climbing-in-the-arapiles
“It’s a funny old crag. From a distance it looks like a pile of rubble, but as you come a little closer – close enough to feel the rock – you realise the sandstone is something special, probably the best on the planet.”


The only thing wrong with the place is the forecast today; it's currently 25 degrees heading for 40.

shortman
7-Jan-2015
8:48:59 AM
On 7/01/2015 ajfclark wrote:

>The only thing wrong with the place is the forecast today; it's currently
>25 degrees heading for 40.

Carn ajfclark....these are the best days to climb.

ajfclark
7-Jan-2015
9:05:35 AM
Maybe when the alternative is sitting in your tent in 40 degree heat... I have air con. ;-)

JamesMc
7-Jan-2015
9:15:26 PM
we were at South Jawbone about 2 months ago and were surprised to see a party on Blue Haze Peak. There was never a real track to the bottoms of these cliffs, but the scrub used to be not too bad. Since a bush fire a few years ago, it has totally re-grown with prickle bushes.

However, there is a good track to the top of South Jawbone. Figure out roughly where your route is from above, and abseil in. It is not a sport cliff!

James Mc
JohnK
30-Nov-2015
11:41:23 AM
Well spent the day at South Jawbones yesterday. Never been there before. As per Glenn's guidebook which says that the cliff is just as long as North Jawbones and it's a bit steeper, and in fact in my mind it also felt like it had even better friction that N.Jawbones BUT also softer looking/feeling sandstone which in places means some of the holds do break off.

The walk in to the Farmyard is good as Parks has put a huge number of stone steps all the way up the steep parts and you don't have to scramble/slide like you do once you leave the track like at N.Jawbones. From the farmyard the track to the summit is also very good and generally flat. From the saddle above the Farmyard however, as others have said, there is no decent track any more and once you get 3/4 of the way down the decent gully area you are in lush prickle bush forest territory which is way worse than at North Jawbones. The soil is also very loose and fragile. If you are still keen to continue, veering right towards the cliff (facing down) where Larger than Last Time (12) and How Much Can a Koala Bare (17) and then scrambling (carefully) down can avoid the worst of the prickle bush nightmare that is located if you keep going the way the current guide book describes it.

Access to Blue Haze is actually not too bad, although there is no real track anymore, to get to the the base of the cliff you don't have too many prickle bushes and it's a short decent. False Teeth (16) now has an extra BR on it as well which is in the updates on OSP to the guidebook.

This cliff seriously needs a couple of rap stations on it like North Jawbones. I'd be happy to help put them up with anyone that has a drill and the bits to do it - just PM me. I would also say there is lots of potential for some new bolted climbs on the cliff on walls which are completely unprotected. Otherwise, as other have say, take your chances and rap in and clean on the way out. Otherwise make sure you take a machete, thick clothing, gloves and a face mask with you and start chopping as you walk in!!! (yes I'm not kidding)

John K.


JamesMc
30-Nov-2015
4:13:15 PM
There is a rap station about 5 metres down from the lookout where the track reaches the cliff top. Two 60m raps get you down.

semi.ivan
30-Nov-2015
4:43:42 PM
While the first rap is okay, the second is not quite. The rings are very awkwardly positioned at the ledge! To rap one actually has to go around the corner from the ledge and/or scramble through the bush to get back onto the slab. We had two new ropes on that October day which now both look like long ago retired.
JohnK
30-Nov-2015
5:32:56 PM
On 30/11/2015 JamesMc wrote:
>There is a rap station about 5 metres down from the lookout where the track
>reaches the cliff top. Two 60m raps get you down.

Awesome - it would be nice to have a topo and some photos of these and also let OSP know so that they do an update as they would be very handy!!

JamesMc
30-Nov-2015
9:09:54 PM
To be a bit more specific.

Referring to Glenn & Simon's guide...

First abseil starts at the word "walking" on p 120
Second abseil starts from near the words "scramble down" on p 123. Its in the side of the huge scrubby corner.

Actually if everyone who goes there takes some shears and clears the track a bit it should be OK.

spiinal
30-Nov-2015
9:42:29 PM
Hi John.
I agree with Ivan, The idea of a rap to the base of Sth Jawbone is a good one but in reality you'd be better walking in a and braving a few prickles. Just take gloves and secateurs. Both rap pitches in my opinion are; tedious, highly prone rope tangle and involve having your ropes go over and through prickles. The second rap bolts are particularly poorly positioned and a long way back from the cliff. We found that on our visits the quicker option was the walk in.

Matt
JohnK
30-Nov-2015
10:36:28 PM
Thanks Gents,

Good info - I am sure there is a reason why the abseil stations are the way they are - James might be able to provide the reason.

From my experience on the weekend, you almost need a chainsaw as the prickle bushes are more like trees! and sure, if it's clear like it probably was after the fires the walk in would be fine.


JamesMc
3-Dec-2015
6:42:58 PM
Agree the second abseil is not ideal. But it gets you down from the terrace that routes like Mystic Rhumba start from. Might put in an anchor further left if I can find a suitable stance next time I'm there.
johnk
10-Dec-2015
5:10:19 PM
On 3/12/2015 JamesMc wrote:
>Agree the second abseil is not ideal. But it gets you down from the terrace
>that routes like Mystic Rhumba start from. Might put in an anchor further
>left if I can find a suitable stance next time I'm there.

James - I'd be happy to help you do this - cannot offer any hardware as such, but certainly can provide a belay for you and a helping hand including carrying stuff in and out.

Just send me a PM as you see fit to organise.

Cheers,

John K.



There are 19 messages in this topic.

 

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