Ascents of The Kraken

wahoo got it! committing to the moves down low and in the layback served me better than the faff nightmare climbing I did last time. Thought it was harder than janicepts, but maybe I have switched camps. This felt more chill than my second janicepts burn, which required some inventive resting. They're both great do em both!

p1, cleaning after JDs awesome lead, heady laybacking crux. Finger didn't seem to mind

Wow I barely managed to power thrutc my way up this. Was so close to popping off and so goddamned pumped. Went to place a .5 while laybacking and it was too small so I had to throw it to the ground a-la nickmartino on carbondale shortbus to get a green in before my arms gave way. Also managed to kick out a stopper below me so there was gear flying everywhere

The way I climbed this it felt harder than janicepts but somehow managed to be 1% less of a scaredy cat and managed to push through the thrutchy lie back parts. Still need to place less gear tho

Stunning corner climb. Tricky start. Fell onto a well-placed nut the first go, blowing the flash.

Hard sequence of moves followed by a good stemming rest. Pumpy layback that you just want to get through asap to gain easier terrain and breathe a sigh of relief.

I found this much easier than Janicepts despite being the same grade. Must be a style thing..

Cardio layback

Stoked to get this. Some strenuous moves and okay-ish stances to place gear. Finger jammed first section and laybacked second. Extra #1s and .75s are useful.

So sick! Glad to tick off the other mega classic of piddo, had to commit hard after that deep pod, fat pumpy layback up to where it gets chill again. Chalk was running out on layback hahah

Pretty cool stemming moves and some kneebars

Amazing line

Surprised you don’t hear more about this route. Really good layback with some very marginal stances to place gear. Pumpy.

first decent 21 on gear, pretty happy with it. Battled up the first crux but had a good rest and the second part went pretty easy with jams

Gutted that I belw the onsight and took a fall moving for the jug right at the top of the crux sequence. Despite the disappointment it was definitely a lesson in not rushing through moves even when you think you're on easier terrain.

Great climb and it means I have some unfinished business at Piddo for next time.

Plug and go!

Great to get on this one 😁

All time!!!

Get pumped

and just like that I instantly found my next piddo project. Although the general consensus is that this is easier than janicepts, I firmly disagree. Could someone explain how janicepts was the first 21 in Australia, but apparently Bryden freed the kraken in 1972?

A fantastic line that is definitely in the shadow of its big brother around the corner, The Janicepts.

Usually I'm a jamming fiend but I power lay-backed the heck out of this! Beautiful, steep, corner crack goodness.

Thanks for the gear and crux beta Jack Seawright!

Jacko forgot to leave gear in for the second, just more pressure to get up it.

A day of victories and be-reals. In the frigid morning breeze, kobi procrastinated and almost convinced us that he actually couldnt place a retrieveable cam, then touched the wall and turned into a beast, shooting up eternity for his first 18 trad onsight. Inspired, georgia fought an empty harness 10m below the chains with singing and careful pseudo-soloing to set the line up for sydney on joseph. With yim guiding maddie up sparto, i dragged the gang to the kraken and stupidly lowered the gear off for the top rope laps but the overhang made this futile. We did however get a tr groundfall for georgia (butt was apparently due protection from any further injury), as well as what looked like a silk performance trying to use the top rope to get back on the wall post-fall. Tilly was getting thrown around on the belay ledge like a ragdoll. Eventually kobi belted the crux in full layaway style and we finished the day putting everyone else up the spartan. Kobi laughed at me for protecting p1 with 2 pieces then did the same himself, but i called him out so he quickly snuck a 3rd garbage piece in before the anchor. Everyone freaked it abit on p2 and most importantly, georgia was able to bank her bereal photo for the chimney top out. Social media has been graced! Fantastic to see some people making real gains in their trad game in ewbanks backyard this morning.

Very wet and not very hard.

Quite thuggy

Pitch 3 of PIAD. Probably not fully warmed up, as this felt the hardest of any climb today, certainly harder than Jammycepts.

Fell at the low crux this time, too much seeping on the left wall [and other list of excuses so long that getting on the climb at all was really the mistake]

Really great. Especially for small hands, 22 in the new book is overkill IMO. Got over the overhang and in reach of the ledges but a bit tangled up with the limbs. Had battled too much earlier and had nothing left to give to sort it out.

Yay! This was a thoroughly enjoyable climb. Some stemming to be found but don't forget to crank when you gotta crank 😊