Ascents in Gara Gorge as boulder by Brendan Heywood

Stoked Volo got this for the 3rd ascent. Almost day flashed it, but ripped off the sweet crux undercling and was gutted. But turned out its still quite doable without it, maybe slightly harder but same grade. Got it 3rd go.

Gara delivers another classic hiding in plain sight. Felt impossible at first and slowly unlocked the micro beta. Had a bunch of 'ok one last go's, mincing up my right thumb and then stoked to send it when I was thrashed and thought I was going backwards

I remember being freaked out watching Ben on this but this time it just seemed like no big deal looking up at it. You absolutely do not want to fall but it might even be a V0.

Super happy with how I re-sent this, very smooth and controlled didn't struggle or grovel at all. All in the hips

Felt pretty hard getting back on this, took long breaks to save skin and made each go count. Got it maybe 3rd or 4th try

Second go, not sure I'll ever get sick of it

Cleaned half of this and had a bit of an admittedly low commitment go

Super classic, did a few laps on it including a no feet campus lap until the last mantle. This time we just took a single mat and moved / held it in place and way easier than trying to fix them in place with gear over the water

Approach shoes with no pad. Great hands

Pulled on and did the crux move, got to the rail and kinda lost steam. Very tired after the last 2 days in the gorge

Covered in pine needles, started to sprinkle

Man oh man what an experience! Thing thing was such a find but I wasn't sure where or how it would finish. After we all had a few goes unlocking it bit by bit I got to the far right fantastic side pinch and then prepped to grovel my way up and out of the chimney. I fought and wrestled and thrutched and thought I was off a few times and then finally back my back pressed high and dry and was basically done and then ... slid out. Gutted! Utterly exhausted and a dry mouth wreck, had a gulp of what in hindsight was waaay too much fluid and then felt much worse. Spent the next 10 mins retching. Meanwhile Ben sends it and they're egging me to get back on it while I feel like death. Then finally I have a couple vomits of red poweraid, and after a few more mins I'm good to go, shoe up and, this time actually using some technique instead of brute force, send it! Stoked with the send and feeling elated I then take 2 steps and sink to the ground retching again for good measure

A genuinely and metaphorically, categorically sick day

Still no resend but pretty happy to be slapping the last hold a few times

A real tantalizing test piece that draws you in and makes you want to do it. Both of us feeling tired and the more we pulled on the more stoke was generated. Around 15 tries each

A proper session, had a few goes going feet first and got almost sitting on the slopey exit with a toe cam. I am in love with this weird problem. Can't believe its been 7 years

Ace little problem. Onsight but dabbed, did it a couple times in different ways

This thing is cool and hard. Also would have some variant finishes out left which look cooler and harder

Got the sit start, keen to tick this fresh and with a pad

Nice little layback. Used the big foot out right, should eliminate that next time. Might also be a caving squeeze under the whole boulder to check out after cleaning out the dead black berries

Re-ticked again first time, super hot, keen to get back to the shade

Another 5-10 goes, lots of micro beta improvements and can just tickle the salmon with left hand into the high jam but still not quite into the good spot.

Did this a couple times in different ways and its nice to finish traversing left to the dyno jug finish on landing zone

YUS! I've tried this a few times and never really been able to pull on. Gotta really pretend the crimps are good and the landing jug is perfect

Fairly easy if you can really high step, keeps the grade with the sit start

Man we sandbagged everything here, this thing was hard to repeat

Ha! Was just showing the problem, not attempting it, stacked it and went for a swim

Such a classic,really one of the best in this area. Left tricep is cooked still. Upgraded and it might even be a v4

No pads and felt committed, would love to do a sit start or link it from a lower problem

Yet another sick little problem that appeared out of nowhere on rock that I've scoured many times. Lots of core and bicep action, very happy to do it first go

Hard little crimpy number, decent feet. Only a couple goes and then had to go eat the awesome bbq burger Ned put on

This is probably the best route on the boulder and I have a feeling the back of this was vegetated and has been cleaned up in the drought then flood cycle

A couple goes to resend, kinda butchered it but got to the top

Dabbed crux so took 2 goes

Got here with headlamps, sweaty from the bash up the hill. Had a few goes, so sharp and so thrashed.