Grade | Route | Gear style | Quality | |||
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Sun 29th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath The Sporting Complex | ||||||
23 ~22 | ★★ Smoko | 35m, 16 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat, seconding Gene as one long pitch. This climb is better than I remember it. I still find the crux near the bottom rather tricky, but the rest of it was simply great fun, and I just enjoyed it.
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25 | ★★★ The Life of Riley | 35m | ★★★ Classic | |||
2nd shot today. Stoked! Is this perhaps the best face climb I've ever done? The first shot I struggled with the bouldery bottom crux (and after falling, took my time to figure out the super-technical, strenuous middle-crux), so that when I jumped on for the second lap it was all executed perfectly, and I still felt really good after topping out. A true climbers climb in the vein of Marxism P1, with 2 distinct cruxes, but unrelenting technicality outside of them. Brilliant!
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Sun 29th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath Reservoir Dogs | ||||||
21 | ★★ Mr Orange | 38m, 17 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat, seconding Gene as one long pitch. Still a great climb, and an interesting contrast to Wake Up and Apologise next to it (Mr Orange is far more strenous, but not particularly technical). On the money at 21 when climbed as a giant pitch.
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22 | ★★ Wake Up and Apologise | 38m, 16 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Climbed as one giant pitch. Makes a good warm-up, as the cruisy start gets you in the mood for the great top section. The top half is maybe sustained at 21, with great thin climbing and a variety of different moves. The rock looks a bit friable but neither Gene or I broke anything off. At least as good as Mr Orange.
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Sat 28th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Bardens Lookout Jean Genie Area | ||||||
24 | ★★ Goosebumps | 10m, 4 | ★ Good | |||
Too thrashed after the day. Unlike my last attempt all the moves felt easy, I just didn't have the gas left for the send. Next time I'll get on it before the end of the day. Fun tricky boulder start, and exciting dyno finale.
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Sat 28th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Bardens Lookout Adults Only Cave | ||||||
22 24 | ★★ A Most Profligate Sinner | 18m | ★★ Very Good | |||
2nd shot. Most of it is a great, tricky, varied 22 on perfect rock and with nicely spaced bolts... Except for the V3 boulder crux, that's probably more 24... But if you IGNORE that section, it's totally 22. I really enjoyed this one for the experience, but don't climb it for the grade.
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Sat 28th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Bardens Lookout Rod's Ravine | ||||||
16 | ★★ The Friendly Jackal | 20m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat. Climbed to get Guns gear back. Only placed 2 cams (the rest was wires and hexes). Nice climbing, and a friendly introduction to trad with tonnes of great pro.
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Sat 28th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Bardens Lookout Adults Only Cave | ||||||
25 | ★★ George, King of the Jungle | 20m | ★★ Very Good | |||
An embarassing number of shots for the tick (4) because I just kept making stupid mistakes and falling off. Great climb, why does this get climbed so rarely? Not hard for a 25, but amazing climbing the whole way with really funky, varied movement. I did the last move to the ORIGINAL set of anchors, which isn't really all that hard, but quite exciting. I then had to back-jump it to clean which was exhilerating from the top.
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Sat 28th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Bardens Lookout Little Triggers Wall | ||||||
21 22 | ★★ Hang onto Yourself | 20m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat. Direct start without pre-clipping the draw this time. More scary and balancy than hard. By the 3rd draw this one is over, but it's a blast getting there. Not 22 despite what the guide says.
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21 22 | ★★ Lady Grinning Soul | 25m, 7 | ★★ Very Good | |||
One move wonder, definately a grade 21 move, surrounded by easier (but still pretty good) climbing. Undercling!
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Thu 26th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Bells Line of Road & Chifley Rd Bell Supercrag Arrivals (Lower) | ||||||
24 | ★★ Ten No Trumps | 16m, 7 | ★★ Very Good | |||
2nd shot, way too smashed for the flash. Soft at 24 WITH the beta, but probably quite a hard onsight as the crux is quite sequency and the best holds are not obvious. I found the main crux hard, but the second (reachy) crux wasn't so bad for me at my height. Quite interesting climbing, and unique compared to its neighbours.
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Thu 26th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Bells Line of Road & Chifley Rd Bell Supercrag Sunnyside | ||||||
25 | ★★ The Dreaming Void | 29m, 12 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Nooooo! Placing the draws, in the sun, the tick ended on the LAST MOVE TO THE ANCHORS (which isn't even that hard) when I totally muffed the sequence! I fought tooth and nail with everything I had to get there, and it was absolutely devestating to come off when it was totally in the bag. Fortunately this is such a great climb that if I have to come back to it for the tick, that's not such a bad thing. Much more fun this time than my last lap... Except the sandpit start, that bit is horrible.
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25 | ★★★ The Reality Dysfunction | 20m, 12 | ★★★ Classic | |||
First shot today placing the draws. Alzheimers Onsight? This was the first 25 I ever tried a year and a half ago! Mindblowingly great climbing. I was making all kinds of weird noises as the climb progressed, and the jugs began to feel less juggy. The crux is turning the roof at the start (super-funky moves), and the jugs merely form the pumpy gatekeeper for the REAL test: the final flake sequence. Masterful steepness from start to finish.
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Thu 26th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Bells Line of Road & Chifley Rd Bell Supercrag Duck Wall | ||||||
24 23 | ★ Out For A Duck | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Second shot. 23 for the red-point. Fell off on the last move of the crux at the top (where everyone does). Great steep-ish face climbing to the crux, then some strenuous climbing to the anchors through the steepness (and via much glue). Definately not as bad as I've heard people say.
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22 | ★★ Lucky Duck | 15m, 7 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Placing the draws, but I belayed Bundy on this back before he ticked it, so no onsight for me. Tricky, with some interestingly weird moves, but probably about right as a "shorter" (read: less intense) 22. I sandbagged myself trying to climb it too directly, but eventually used both-seams and got the tick.
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Sat 21st Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Katoomba Area Narrow Neck Diamond Falls Mr Wall | ||||||
26 | ★★ Mr Wendle | 10m, 5 | ★★ Very Good | |||
End of day lap. Really wasn't feeling this climb, but other than the final boulder sequence after the dyno it all went pretty well. Fun.
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Sat 21st Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Katoomba Area Narrow Neck Diamond Falls Access Ledge | ||||||
25 | ★ 8 Carat | 26m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Surely this deserves a star? Bouldery betwen 3 bolts (getting established on the prow) then airy face climbing. Felt quite good. Was psyched for another lap for the tick... But then the sun hit!
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26 | ★★ Family Jewels - CLOSED PROJECT | 25m, 8 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Put together the sequence for the lower (main) crux, but am still a long way from linking the climb. Big falls onto my cams in the horizontal is mangling them pretty badly... Might be time to replace the cams with a bolt.
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23 | ★ The Bolt Bloke | 30m | ★★ Very Good | |||
2nd shot. The warm-up onsight attempted ended on the headwall when I couldn't clip a draw due to a quickdraw cockup. I really liked this climb. The start is fairly easy, but makes a good warmup through juggy steepness, and the top headwall is unlikely, technical climbing on amazing red/grey-streaked rock. If it weren't for the lack of lower-offs, this climb would be a classic.
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Wed 18th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Katoomba Area Katoomba Cliffs Echo Point Echo Point Walls | ||||||
22 | ★★★ Wally World | 75m | ★★ Very Good | |||
With Gene. If it weren't for the hideous V3 start, this entire route would be classic. P1 - Red Point. Took a few goes to get off the ground. P2 - Onsight. Both pitches are great climbing with good moves, good position and solid rock... Just ignore the semi-manky carrots. We had an epic finding the second rap (Hint: its at the bottom of the grey slabby section before the first undercut) so I got some prussiking practice. Slings for a useful thread or some supplemental gear might be a good idea.
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Sat 14th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath Colosseum | ||||||
17 | Red Solo Cup | 20m | ★ Good | |||
Seconded Guns. Pleasant, short-ish tradding with only 1 section of bad rock and good gear the whole way. The top section might be easier now that I've removed the vegetation in the flared section of the crack (still some scrub remains). Almost certainly climbed previously.
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25 | ★★★ Mixed Business | 40m | ★★★ Classic | |||
Wow. 2 shots. Would make an amazing 24M1 IF there was a dogging bolt to pull through the crux. The crux is bloody nails (If there is a grade 25 way of doing this, please tell me!) and I didn't have a hope of linking it. Nice mix of SPACED gear and bolts with stunning climbing on good rock, mixing trad and sporty movement into a must-do monster. A bit of a mental and physical endurance test at 50m. For me, it all came down to the nails crux sequence guarding the tick, or a 3rd lap on it.
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Sat 14th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath Valley Farm | ||||||
19 | ★ Virgins with Rifles | 15m, 6 | ★ Good | |||
Not too bad... Not too good. Worth doing once, at least. One tricky sequence, okay (easier) climbing around it... Didn't break anything off. Some exposure, I suppose. Something something.
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Sat 14th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath The Sunbath | ||||||
20 | ★★ Radioactive Man | 12m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat. Warm-up in approach shoes. Only clipped the bolt before and the bolt after the crux. Awesome little 20, still heaps of fun.
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Fri 13th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Lower Blue Mountains The Heights Purgatory Wall | ||||||
14 | ★ Yoda | 8m, 3 | ★ Good | |||
In the dark with my approach shoes. Not a bad little doddle. A pleasant beginners climb.
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19 | ★ 93 Memorable Years | 10m, 4 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat. A recon lap to see if I wanted to solo it. Probably the most sustained climb on this wall, and better than I remembered it. The "crux" section with the broken crimp climbs better technically using a double under-cling sequence. Best climb I did all day.
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18 | ★ Totally Testicular | 8m, 3 | ★ Good | |||
2 Laps. Nice (but short) climbing, but hideously dirty. An interesting crux move. This is the sort of climb that never actually cleans up, so just endure the dirt or stay off this climb.
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19 | ★ Col Wills Aussie Tour | 9m, 3 | ★ Good | |||
2 laps. Repeat. Pleasant climbing and interesting, long-ish crux. One of the 2 best on this wall.
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21 | ★ Spiderfest | 8m, 2 | Average | |||
Repeat. A one-sequence wonder. Felt about right at the grade, but only due to a single hold. Okay climbing.
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15 | ★ Queen or Country | 8m, 2 | Average | |||
Repeat. Okay easy-climbing. Some nice stemming.
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Wed 11th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Bells Line of Road & Chifley Rd Pierces Pass Pierces Pass East Side | ||||||
25 | ★★ Cicada - PROJECT PAUL | 45m, 16 | ★★★ Classic | |||
P3 only. Rope soloing lap. Can now climb every move in good style EXCEPT for the crux move. I'm going to move one of the bolts and redirect the route slightly.
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Sat 7th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath Colosseum | ||||||
23 | ★★★ Wake of the Flood | 50m | ★★★ Classic | |||
Wow. No wonder this is a test piece crack. Amazing trad climbing. P1 - Clean 2nd. P2 - Onsight. P3 - Red Point (took a huge fall back to the ledge onto C3s on the final move on the onsight). The Chimney on P1 is one of the most amazingly WEIRD I've climbed, the jam crack on P2 is strenuous and the coffin slot (and its exit) is weird and techy, and P3 is a sporty, bouldery finger crack. Stoked to finally get on this with Taib. Great rock the whole way.
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21 | Zucchini Crack | 25m | Average | |||
Called Finnegans Wake in the latest Blueys guidebook. Looks great, climbs okay, but with some of the most horrible rock I've ever climbed on. This rock doesn't snap, so much as disintegrate into sand with ever jam or gear placement. The crux is committing for all the wrong reasons. Climbed with some gear left below the crux (so my partner could lower off), but otherwise placing all the gear. Definately not worth it.
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Sat 7th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath The Sunbath | ||||||
22 | ★★ It Goes! | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Climbed entirely with trad gear for a laugh. The last gear is below the crux roof (for a comparison, as a sports climb this has 3 bolts through the roof, and 2 on the 10m headwall above), and the top headwall is totally unprotected. EXCITING! The gear below the roof is bomber, but a fall from above it would be very bad. Great to see it goes on gear.
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19 | ★ Empty Chairs | 10m, 3 | ★ Good | |||
Repeat. Short'n'sweet. Nice climbing which is harder than it looks. Good rock and a bit techy.
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Fri 6th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Katoomba Area Narrow Neck Diamond Falls Access Ledge | ||||||
26 | ★★ Family Jewels (Family Jewels - CLOSED PROJECT) | 25m, 8 | ★★ Very Good | |||
No giveaway, but great, weird, punchy climbing. The money part of the climb consists of 2 dynos (one off a mono, the other off an undercling), and 2 other proper hard sequences, and concludes with an exciting runout. This will be a hard FA, but I'm stoked with it. With good gear placements, I couldn't justify fully bolting it, hence the mixed climb. Looking forward to getting back on it.
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Thu 5th Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Medlow Bath The Underworld | ||||||
25 | ★ Odyssey | 22m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Rad! First shot I couldn't come up with a viable start sequence, so just kept climbing rather than going for the tick. After the bouldery start, the roof thugging is tonnes of fun, and just keeps going forever (and is excitingly run-out) at maybe 23. After coming back down and with Gene's beta I put together a sequence, and climbed the opening crux moves twice clean before bailing for the night. Next time, for sure!
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24 | ★★ Julius Caesar | 12m, 6 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Great to finally get back on this for the tick 2 years after it became my first ever "project". Even better to know that my beta from back then was spot on even today. Still took me three shots though, in the coldest summer day ever (sleet???). 1st shot as a warmup I made it through the crux, but my hands froze and I fell off. 2nd was a back-clipped mess. 3rd shot it came together and felt easy. Still great climbing in the style, at the grade.
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Sun 1st Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Leura Sublime Point West Face (Main Area) Middle Cliffs Sweet Dreams Walls | ||||||
17 | ★★ Sweet Dreams Left Variant (Sweet Dreams Variant) | 120m, 12 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Finally got around to actually LEADING this one (after all these years). Pleasant climbing in a great position. Bring some wires a few medium cams for the top seaction.
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14 | ★★★ Sweet Dreams | 130m, 20 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat. Climbed out with (heavy) packs rather than walking out of the crag. Lead Pitches 1 & 2 (linked) and Pitch 5 via the grade 17 variant. Entertainingly picturesque.
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Sun 1st Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Leura Sublime Point West Face (Main Area) Middle Cliffs Ben Trovato Wall | ||||||
23 28 | ★★★ Marxism | 62m, 22 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Pitch 1 only in the baking sun. Still took me 2 shots (today) to get it after I got lost below the crux on the first shot. Stunning climbing the whole way on great rock. This type of movement epitomises face climbing!
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Sun 1st Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Leura Sublime Point West Face (Main Area) Middle Cliffs Binary Cave | ||||||
22 | ★★ La Niña | 25m, 10 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat. Climbed to retrieve a stuck rope. Fortunately it was THIS route that the rope got snagged on and not Thai Virus, because I actually enjoy lapping this beauty.
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Sun 1st Dec 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Leura Sublime Point West Face (Main Area) Middle Cliffs Iliad Buttress | ||||||
23 | FA ★★ Trojan (The Illiad Pitch 2 Variant) | 25m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Much harder than it looks. I thought I'd knock this over pretty quickly, but ended up taking 3 shots and quite a few falls trying to sort out the crux ground-up. Quite strenuous and technical, and with only 1 real way to climb it. The gear is okay, but not great. Some small C3s and a double rack of small-ish wires would be an advantage.
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16 | ★★ The Iliad | 87m | ★ Good | |||
Repeat. P1 only to get to the ledge at the start of P2. P2 was then climbed via the Trojan (23) variant start for the FA of that pitch. The first pitch has cleaned up nicely, and was genuinely pleasant to lead.
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Sat 30th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Katoomba Area Narrow Neck Diamond Falls Mr Wall | ||||||
26 | ★★★ Super Weak | 20m, 8 | ★★ Very Good | |||
One recon lap (and some playing around at the start trying to find a sequence to the technical crux that works for me). Feels hard, but doable, though I still have my doubt about the crux. Aside from all the glue holding this route together, the climbing itself is pretty awesome, and unrelenting. The glue behind the top of the flake is cracked and the top section of the flake now moves quite a bit.
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26 | ★★ Mr Wendle | 10m, 5 | ★★ Very Good | |||
3 shots. Can stick the dyno and the moves after it (with a great deal of grunty effort) but haven't linked past the cut-loose match. Feels like a bit of a novelty, but is a hell of a lot of fun (even if you don't like this sort of climbing). Feels like it should go easily, but somehow never does.
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Sat 30th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Katoomba Area Narrow Neck Diamond Falls Access Ledge | ||||||
23 | ★ Uncooth Youth | 18m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Tried as an onsight for a warm-up. Not so good a warm-up. Had a 2nd shot a few minutes after the first, but still didn't managed to tick it. Will go easily enough next time. Cruxy and punchy, but with generally interesting climbing. The crux section is definately tricky thanks to an absense of worthwhile footers.
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Sun 24th Nov 2013 - Scarface Buttress | ||||||
21 | FA ★★ Shattered Wing | 14m | ★★ Very Good | |||
First ascent (thanks for the scouting/donation, Neil)! A nice little technical arete, which is substantially easier if you're taller. Great pro the whole way (don't forget the #4 and #5 BD Cam) and good rock. RIP beloved WRX rally-wing, you shall be missed.
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22 | FA ★★ Kaboom | 17m, 7 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Seconded Neil on the First Ascent. If you're doing Avian Abattoir, there's no excuse not to rap in and do this route as well. Varied climbing on cool pockets and features, with a tough finale that I felt was desparate (I got my leg stuck in a break!). Nice little sport number and a great addition.
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25 | FA ★★ Avian Abattoir | 84m | ★★★ Classic | |||
2nded Neil on the FA of P1, P2 and P4. Neil kindly donated P3 to me for the FA. How does this climb even go at a reasonable grade? Super-unlikely and intimidating. P1 start is a hard boulder then nice traversing. P2 has a super-technical, hella pumpy, UNIQUE roofy start, then a pleasant finish. P3 is desparately thin slabbing on tiny polished sloping crimps, to a nice trad finish. And P4 has another boulder start, to adventurous traverse and friction slab finish. EXCELLENT!
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22 | FA ★★ Terror Talon Traverse | 55m, 4 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Seconded Neil on the FA on both pitches. P1 is amazing, but hard, bold, and bloody terrifying. So much core tension to hold a series of polished, sloper undercling pockets as you move across on bad feet with a scary run-out (I was almost certain I'd fall off). P2 is great technical traversing on good gear, with only the tricky down-climb start to tarnish it. Could become a rarely repeated classic...
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22 | ★★★ Stop the Bolts! | 88m, 2 | ★★★ Classic | |||
P2 (22) - Onsight (with some beta from Neil as to where the route goes), and P4 (20) via the original finish this time (partial onsight, as I'd done some of it before in the variant finish). P2 is a stunning pitch of unlikely trad on bomber rock, with great pro, in an exposed position, and with surprisingly pumpy and technical climbing. Stoked to get on this one! P4 is good in the "adventurous trad" style.
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Sat 23rd Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Katoomba Area Narrow Neck Farside Main Wall | ||||||
25 | ★★★ Dark Energy | 22m, 13 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Soooo close on the flash! It all ended at the huge dyno 2 bolts from the top (almost stuck the dyno, but couldn't hold the swing). Pumpy, gymnastic, and with a bit of technique in there as well. Prime super-steep real-estate on this arete. You won't believe how steep it is until you lower off. The final moves after the dyno are exposed and technical: damn good onsight, JengA.
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26 | ★★ Rabbit with Fangs | 26m, 15 | ★ Good | |||
Tough number! The crux crimp section seemed ludicrously impossible until I found an unchalked, unticked CRUCIAL hold that made the sequence merely very hard. Quite tough the whole way, with a lot of glued on holds, and really weird, techy climbing. I'm keen to try it again.
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25 | ★★ Captain Kurko | 22m, 12 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Great steep, thuggy climbing, with a gymnastic start and a few more intriguing moves amongst the ongoing pumpy jugging. Maybe soft at the grade, or is that just because it's so straightforward? Tonnes of fun, though.
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24 | ★★★ Brain Drain | 20m, 11 | ★★★ Classic | |||
2nd shot. Great sustained climbing in prime position. Two hard moves, but this is not a "cruxy" route, just a technical and pumpy one. Brilliant.
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Thu 21st Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Leura Sublime Point West Face (Main Area) Middle Cliffs Binary Cave | ||||||
24 25 | ★★ Taxi Driver | 20m, 9 | ★★ Very Good | |||
3 shots in deteriorating conditions (wet mist and at night), but Gene proved pitch black and a headlamp is no excuse not to Send. Done with 1 fall on my third shot, stuck the crux move but couldn't follow through to get into the easy climbing. Would be 22/23 without the one hard sequence. Don't follow the chalk out right at the tricky start. : look around.
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Thu 21st Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Leura Sublime Point West Face (Main Area) Middle Cliffs Theory of Negativity Wall | ||||||
23 | ★ On the Wagon | 22m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Warm-up, placing the draws this time. Felt easy this time. Height is a definate advantage on this one.
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22 | ★ The Draw Thief | 20m, 11 | Average | |||
A few hardish moves, then sustained pump to the top. A bit contrived, and bad rock. Probably the worst of the bolted routes on this wall.
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Wed 20th Nov 2013 - The Balkans | ||||||
The Trenches In The Trenches | ||||||
V2 V2 R | ★★ Napalm Death | 3m | ★★ Very Good | |||
The pockets are okay, but the topout is the money. Committing.
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V2 | ★★ The Rude Bomb | 3m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Maybe the best route on this part of the trenches. Tricky pocket-match. Nice arete.
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V2 | ★★ Dubya's Dyno | 3m | ★ Good | |||
No dyno for me, I can do this static with a high rock-over.
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V1 | ★ George | 3m | ★ Good | |||
Alright bouldering.
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V0- | ★ Blood On Your Boots | 3m | ★ Good | |||
Okay climbing. A bit goey with the sit start.
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Wed 20th Nov 2013 - The Balkans | ||||||
The Trenches Bunker Wall | ||||||
V2 | ★★ Exodus-A-Day | 2m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Nice way to do this little problem, and less contrived than the originals.
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V3 | ★★ Friendly Fire | 4m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Quite hard to get established, then some scary balancy moves to the top. Enjoyable.
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V3 | ★★ Legacy | 4m | ★★★ Classic | |||
Awesome little technical problem with unique movement.
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Wed 20th Nov 2013 - The Balkans | ||||||
The Trenches AWOL | ||||||
V2 V2 R | ★★ AWOL | 4m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Fun, psuedo-steep jugging, but the mantle makes it memorable.
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Sat 16th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Bells Line of Road & Chifley Rd Bell Supercrag Arrivals (Lower) | ||||||
22 | Bell End Direct | 16m | Average | |||
A good start sequence, and one interesting move in the middle, surrounded by much psuedo-steep ugliness and knife blades masquerading as holds. Sharp and painful. Probably not worth it.
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25 | ★★★ Paint God | 20m | ★★★ Classic | |||
2nd shot. The first lap ended at the same point as Will Monks below: launching for a red-herring monster-tick mark, instead of to the crucial jug elsewhere. Super-rad roof moves, then interesting and mostly juggy climbing up the headwall. The top crux is challenging but not too bad. The final section (to the anchors) is a balancy, committing change of pace. Excitingly run out (I took a big fall on this one). Awesome.
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Sat 16th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Bells Line of Road & Chifley Rd Bell Supercrag Sunnyside | ||||||
21 | ★ When the Spirits are Calling | 15m, 8 | ★ Good | |||
Stiff at the grade, but interestingly awkward. Better than the lower-grade climbs on Duck Wall, so makes a worthy addition. Some dubious rock.
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25 | ★★ The Dreaming Void | 29m, 12 | ★★ Very Good | |||
So damn close on the flash, fell off 2 bolts from the top. Great climbing with a few different personalities. More technical and "sideways" on the steeper sections that some of the other climbs on this wall, and the techy corner above the ledge is great. Next time, for sure.
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23 | ★★ An Angel Walks By | 23m, 13 | ★★ Very Good | |||
2nd shot. I climbed like a bumbly on the first shot and totally muffed it up. A great climb that goes right to the top of the cliff, and climbs very differently to its neighbours at this crag. I found it quite stiff at the grade, but a great addition. Slopers and Underclings!
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22 | ★★★ Seamstress | 22m, 10 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Repeat. Stunning climbing, and quite long. Right up there as one of the best 22's in the mountains,
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Thu 14th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Zig Zag Giggles Wall | ||||||
21 | ★ Catweazel | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Packs a punch for 10m of climbing. Climbed at night with a headlamp as a "warm-down", but it got the blood going instead. Some great, tricky, thin arete moves in the top half.
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Thu 14th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Zig Zag Cheap Dive Wall and Beyond | ||||||
22 | ★★ Cheap Dive | 27m | ★★★ Classic | |||
New guide calls it "test piece 23", I thought it was hard for 22, but probably soft at 23. Regardless, it is radical climbing the whole way (with around 2 million bolts to keep it "safe"), with some awesome technical sections, a brief bit of thugging, a balancy arete and a thin face. Not a test piece, but certainly a classic.
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Thu 14th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Corroboree Walls Black Gold Buttress | ||||||
19 21 | ★★ Long Distance Relationships | 50m, 20 | ★ Good | |||
Climbed from the ground to the top of the cliff in 1 50m pitch with two ropes and only minor rope management. I actually thought Screen Gems had been Retrobolted and I was following that line. Took a rack of cams and I'm glad I did, though it's still excitingly run-out at times. I think the crux move is probably more 22 than 19, though the rest of the route is about right at 19-20. I got confused with the divergent carrots at the crux and rested to try and figure it out. Not bad. Adventurous!
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Thu 14th Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Mount Victoria Area Corroboree Walls Fashion Area | ||||||
24 | ★★ Work Injury | 15m, 7 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Good, but it's got nothing on Fashion next door (which I also thought was harder). Some extremely thin moves between pretty good stances, with reasonable criming to the anchors. The bottom few bolts are pretty bad.
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23 | ★★ Fashion | 15m, 7 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Awesome climbing! The bouldery start is tough, but after that the climbing is pleasant and technical to the anchors. Following the weird flake feature makes for funky psuedo-corner climbing. I agree with Will on this one, 4 bolts + anchors would have made a perfect route on this wall.
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21 | ★★ Queen Bitch | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
D'oh! I could have clipped the anchors on the onsight from the stemming stance, but decided to do one more move to the "jugs" above the anchors and fell off. Whoops! Most of the climb is funky grade 19 stemming, but the top moves are kind of tricky, and probably warrant the grade. Pretty good as a warm up, especially if you want a bit of trad with your sport.
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Sat 9th Nov 2013 - Nowra | ||||||
The Grotto Cliffline Gonads Wall | ||||||
18 | ★★ Depleted Gonad Circumference | 20m, 9 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Great arete climbing on huge jugs most of the way with 1 reachy move. Felt easy even at 18, but that doesn't take anything away from this gem.
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22 | ★ Astro Boy | 6m | ★ Good | |||
One more Dog? Why not. 22, my arse. Sharp-as, bro, and HARD for a slab. I battled up the top 2 draws to the ledge. Not bad slabbing, but not worth it unless you have skin to spare.
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Sat 9th Nov 2013 - Nowra | ||||||
The Grotto Cliffline Iceman Wall | ||||||
21 | ★★ The Dawes Solution LHS | 15m | ★★ Very Good | |||
2 laps on this, and can do it clean from the 2nd bolt (once you're on the face) to the top, but I just couldn't sort out the bottom nails start (maybe you're supposed to stem higher off the pillar before committing to the face)? Super tricky balancy move off a fingernail edge, then lots of hard climbing to the top. Hard at the grade, but good. Be careful, the huge stemming pillar moves!
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22 | ★★ Kings Cross | 20m | ★★★ Classic | |||
A few goes to get off the ground, then clean from the ground until about a 2m from the anchors. I ended up left of the holds you're supposed to use and tried to make up a sequence using my thumbs and tiny pebbles... It ALMOST worked. Ridiculously hard to a 22, but if you aren't after grade value for money, this is a classic climb in the style, with a nails hard finale. I managed to leave the draws on the ground, so at the 2nd bolt JengA threw up a rack to me while I remained on the send. Nice!
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Sat 9th Nov 2013 - Nowra | ||||||
Babylon Areas Babylon Western Cliffline | ||||||
25 | ★★ Sodom | 18m, 9 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Amazing line, but the starting boulder problem is nails at the grade and out of context with the rest of the climb. I couldn't put the starting sequence together, but climbed the remainder with 3 rests. Ridiculously steep! Bring some wires and small cams for the top headwall. It's exciting!
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21 | ★★ Bel Merodach | 15m, 5 | ★★★ Classic | |||
Absolutely brilliant! Would be a must-do consumer route at any mainstream crag. Surprisingly airy and juggy with genuinely great movement all the way to the anchors.
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19 | ★ Kadimirra | 15m, 3 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Would be an exciting trad route! A bit runout to the first bolt, but pleasant easy climbing after that. Spot on at the grade, and a better warm-up than anything else here. The weird hanging flake and surrounding features are funky.
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22 | ★ Waramsin | 15m, 4 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Fell off the bouldery start 3 times before I stuck it, and the climbing isn't over after that. Some challenging sequences all the way to the anchors, and wandery enough to keep you looking around. I'd call the start move 22, but the overall route a 21. Not bad at all.
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20 | ★ Dintir | 15m, 5 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Felt kind of tough as a warm up, but it's got more moves than you might think, and a few of them are a bit tricky. Great rock.
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Fri 8th Nov 2013 - Nowra | ||||||
The Grotto Cliffline Iceman Wall | ||||||
23 | ★★ Iceman | 20m | ||||
A few attempts to get off the ground. I make it clean to the third bolt and the heavens opened up and we bailed as the rain came down. Today really isn't my day. The hard start is a bit crap.
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19 | ★★★ Worm On A Razor | 30m | ★★★ Classic | |||
Great at the grade, but kind of intimidating. Long, exposed, with some awesomely trad-esque weird moves. The "crux" felt quite hard, but really is only 19. Very memorable. It's all in the name.
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Fri 8th Nov 2013 - Nowra | ||||||
Thompson's Point The Very Nice Wall | ||||||
18 | ★ A Nice Offering | 10m, 3 | ★ Good | |||
Oh for crying out loud, maybe it's time to sell my trad rack? Foot slipped on the dirt at the crux, and off I came. Still felt bloody desperate when I pulled back on. Dirty, cob-webby, and with a self-deploying attack bird to remind you that this should be a TRAD route. All in all, though, not too bad in the style.
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24 | ★★ Stolen Property | 10m, 4 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Better than PYU, as it actually involves more climbing than just throws. Bloody hard start, then some nice thin move, to a crimpy crux, and the same deadpoint finale as PYU. Both my Flash and 2nd shot ended at the final deadpoint on PYU (just didn't give it enough gas), which is bloody dissappointing. How does this not have any stars in the guide?
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24 | ★★ Pale Yellow Underwear | 10m, 5 | ★ Good | |||
I bailed on the first crux (about 2/3rds up the climb) when I couldn't put the move together easily. Okay climbing to there, but hardly great (and the top deadpoint is nothing to write home about). There are better climbs here.
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Fri 8th Nov 2013 - Nowra | ||||||
Thompson's Point Butterfly Wall | ||||||
24 | ★★★ Butterfly Wall Direct | 20m | ★★★ Classic | |||
Not even close. Onsight ended at the brutal undercling move, and I also struggled with the next crux. I'd like to blame the superhot conditions, but I think my weakness is more at fault. Hard at the grade, but stellar, demanding climbing. I never found a viable sequence for either of the cruxes.
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Fri 8th Nov 2013 - Nowra | ||||||
Thompson's Point Betty Blue Area | ||||||
23 | ★★★ Speed Boat Wankers | 25m | ★★ Very Good | |||
Climbs like an adventure! Tricky slabbing, weird bolting, rope management, roofing, and long for this end of Nowra. Felt soft at the grade, but nevertheless I'm glad this was as enjoyable as I was hoping, as I've been meaning to get on it for a long time.
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23 | ★★★ Still Life | 10m, 4 | ★★ Very Good | |||
2nd shot. A footer slipped near the top on the onsight. Went quite easily on the next lap. Didn't feel too hard, but is quite enjoyable for such a short route. Slopey, polished funkiness.
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21 | ★★ Broken And Barbed | 18m, 6 | ★★ Very Good | |||
This felt tough today, and I sent this in the ugliest style possible, but I still sent it! A few tough sequences with good jugs to recover on. Nice moves the whole way.
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21 | ★★ A Day at the Beach | 15m, 6 | ★★ Very Good | |||
Repeat. Enjoyable and cruisy, but the crux finale surprised me in its thin-ness. I don't remember it being that difficult.
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Sat 2nd Nov 2013 - Blue Mountains | ||||||
Blackheath Area Logan Brae Main Cliff | ||||||
24 23 | ★ Shaggy D.A. | 15m, 6 | ★★ Very Good | |||
One hard move that is out of proportion with the rest of the climb, then fun jugging to the top. The final long runout adds character to this route, without actually being dangerous. Juggy steepness.
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