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South Jawbone update, Sept 27 |
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27-Sep-2015 10:50:11 PM
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Just a few words about the state of things at the South Jawbone in the Cathedrals for those who may be dreaming of climbing there but is hesitant to go.
The first half of the way down from the saddle is fine, no prickles. Further down the prickles start, they are relatively dense and unforgiving. On the positive side, these acacias are flowering at the moment and smell just fantastic!
We bashed our way to the crag base pruning the prickles as we went. This "tunnel" might still be there for another couple of weeks.
At the base the crag is relatively clean and and it is managable to walk along.
We then went up the Pulp Friction cleaning the route from prickles and soil. What a wonderful climb with some funky protection placements!
All in all, I feel the South Jawbone is undeservedly forgotten. The crag has a great potential for harder slab routes (many unprotectable, need bolting) and would prosper if there were a couple of sets of rappel anchors. Even though bush bashing eats a lot of energy and leaves a lot of prickles everywhere, the crag is well worth a visit, especially now with one of its best routes being clean!
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28-Sep-2015 6:25:08 PM
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As it happens there is a rap route down this great cliff.
Take the walking track to the top and scramble down about 5 metres to anchors. (Behind the word "walking" on p 120 of the guide. This takes you to another anchor in the side of the corner that delimits the left end of The Terrace. From memory, raps are 60m then 50m .so you need two ropes
If South Jawbone gets the traffic it deserves, and everyone snips a few prickle bushes it'll be great.
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28-Sep-2015 8:20:38 PM
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I don't think I've been to the South Jawbone, I'll definitely check it out one day.
I also wish I knew how to install anchors and bolts. I have so much spare time sometimes that it seems like something I could do.
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29-Sep-2015 1:03:09 PM
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On 28/09/2015 bentobox wrote:
>I also wish I knew how to install anchors and bolts. I have so much spare
>time sometimes that it seems like something I could do.
Hey botoxbot, Australian climbing has a long and steeped tradition of bored people who don't know how to place bolts throwing caution to the wind and giving it a good old Aussie go. In fact there are several forum regulars who would probably be happy to mentor you, you don't happen to live near Sydney do you? The easiest way to place bolts is to just hammer them into a crack, its hard work and sometimes the rock cracks but just keep trying, you'll get it on the third of fourth try. If you don't know where to bolt just pick any 3 star route in the guidebook as these usually have pretty good cracks for bolting. Also, you can get heaps of free bolts by stealing them from the roadside, such as traffic lights and give way signs, also the ground bolts on street lamps are pretty big and gnarly but sometimes they can be hard to unscrew. So grab some bolts, grab a hammer and get out there and have some fun.
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29-Sep-2015 1:04:47 PM
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Ps. Just having a laugh Bento old boy.
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29-Sep-2015 8:31:57 PM
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I didn't say anything about being bored.
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30-Sep-2015 9:57:40 AM
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Couldn't agree more with you Mike. Had a similar trip a few weeks before you and thoroughly enjoyed the climbing. Prickles were heinous, especially on the halfway ledge. I will be going up there regularly this year so will keep your track 'open'.
If anyone is a bit tired of Nth Jawbone Speigals/Xanthene et al. then South is a good option. I noticed a new slab climb to the right of Pulp Friction that isn't in any guide book. I agree on the new route potential in the thinner territory as well.
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30-Sep-2015 1:01:26 PM
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And the nearby trout streams are just starting to warm up making for a good day out for all. Be careful of the snakes out there guys, I was within 5 feet of one on Monday when I heard it rustle and rush back into the undergrowth.
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30-Sep-2015 2:24:05 PM
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On 30/09/2015 ambyeok wrote:
>And the nearby trout streams are just starting to warm up making for a
>good day out for all. Be careful of the snakes out there guys, I was within
>5 feet of one on Monday when I heard it rustle and rush back into the undergrowth.
We almost stepped on one too bush-bashing down from the saddle.
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