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VIC Grampians Northern Asses Ears (General) [ Asses Ears Images ]

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New big route on The Asses Ear Main face

nmonteith

2-Aug-2004
12:26:34 PM

I just thought I would plug a new route that Kent and I did on the main face of the Asses Ear. When the weather isn't misty the Asses Ear is a great winter crag - as it faces directly north and soaks up sun all day long. In fact we even manged to climb this route in the middle of a sporadic snow storm (three weeks ago) and not get that cold in t-shirts! The climb is a safe wall route, up the steepest and blankest section of the main face. It still contains plenty of jugs, solid gear and the odd bolt to keep it sane. The wall is one of the more impressive in the Grampians - about 90m high and very exposed feeling.

Snow Flurries 64m 20 **
Steep wall climbing perfection. A harder and more sustained version of La Petit Mort with bolts protecting the crux moves.
Pitch 1 33m 16 – Starts 8m right of LPM at small tree and first line of weakness leading leftwards. Juggy wall climbing with a mossy start and finish. Three BR’s and assorted natural gear. Belay on small ledge below headwall with slings around giant chicken heads about 8m left of Die Youngs corner. A 60m rope will only just make it to the ground from the slings if you swing to the right.
Pitch 2 31m 20 - Head up and left on jugs for 6m then up balancy wall aiming for BR under small bulge. Over small rooflet (fiddly small cams) and rightwards up wall above past BR and FH to rest under daunting overhang. Swing upwards on amazing pumpy buckets past three FH’s to trad finish up juggy wall and over finish bulge. DRB rap anchor will JUST reach the belay on a 60m rope. Bring a full sized rack including 12 long quickdraws.
FFA Neil Monteith & Kent Paterson 18.7.2004 (pitch 2) 31.7.2004 (pitch 1)

A Northern Soul 31m 23 **
The line of most resistance up the main face and a harder second pitch to Snow Flurries. Reachy and atmospheric climbing with great protection. Belay as for 2nd pitch of Snow Flurries. Climb straight up from the belay aiming for the two FH’s on the blank wall above. Five metres above the second FH step left and join up with Snow Flurries for its final 15m of pumpy conclusion. DRB rap anchor will JUST reach the belay on a 60m rope. Bring a full sized rack including 12 long quickdraws. FFA Kent Paterson & Neil Monteith 18.7.2004

Correction to current guide…
La Petit Mort pitch lengths are in-correct. First pitch would be 40m at longest and the second pitch would also be less than 40m. The main headwall above the half-way ledge is only 35m high. Maybe with rope in the belay you could use up 50m worth of rope if you really tried.

nmonteith

2-Aug-2004
12:31:24 PM

Click on small pic for photo topo!

joemor

2-Aug-2004
12:38:36 PM

look fun....

IdratherbeclimbingM9

2-Aug-2004
1:26:20 PM

Looks like a stellar line Neil; and well named too!

BA

2-Aug-2004
3:38:03 PM

G'day Neil, I've grabbed the route descriptions from here to put into Argus, is that OK?

nmonteith

2-Aug-2004
3:45:23 PM

I emailed them to you this morning Bill. Must have got lost in the ether...

adski

2-Aug-2004
8:43:09 PM

Good on you guys, the Asses Ears is a great crag that'll get better for sure with this new addition.

kieranl

3-Aug-2004
9:46:26 PM

On 2/08/2004 nmonteith wrote:
>Correction to current guide…
>La Petit Mort pitch lengths are in-correct. First pitch would be 40m at
>longest and the second pitch would also be less than 40m. The main headwall
>above the half-way ledge is only 35m high. Maybe with rope in the belay
>you could use up 50m worth of rope if you really tried.
>
They were probably using one of Noddy's ropes which was chopped off at about 40m over 10 years ago

There are 8 messages in this topic.