Ascents in Scenic Rim as trad by Mark Gamble

Based on the previous 2 routes we did here, both listed as "16", I felt confident I could lead this. Unfortunately..... it turned out to be a solid 16 & the arthritis was biting. Bailed at the 5th bolt. :-(

Almost didn't make it clean! Tough exit.

Good lead by Daniel.

Good lead by Hilton.

Good lead by Hilton, good gear placements.

Couldn't manage the crux without a rest. 4.5hrs sleep just doesn't cut it. :-(

With Brad. Tricky moves up to 2nd ledge and getting into the chimney, but nice chimney moves.

Joe started up this one after I took the whipper on a new project & backed off. He was stymied by the lose rock at the top. I went up to the same bolt, but was still too shaken from the fall to finish it. Next time.

Lovely climbing over grippy rock.

Brilliant rock, brilliant climbing. Easily the best, so far, at the Grey Wall. Nice confident lead Gen.

With Steve. Bloody good effort on his part to onsite it. There was no way I was going to get up it without aid.

Pumped out hanging on while trying to get gear that I'd forgotten passed up to me, so I opted to bail & come back another day & lead it clean.

Still couldn't do this sucker clean, but at least I got to the top. Think I'm going for 19, it's pretty thin at the crux. Pt Zell belayed & 2nded.

Didn't have the strength at all in my arms after Wednesday's huge effort. One rest at the crux, then blasted on thru. Brad agrees with upping it to a 19, it is definitely as hard as P3 of Sunburnt.

A very tough & serious lead. Doesn't earn a "very good" rating as you can do serious damage taking a fall while clipping the 3rd bolt, hitting the ledge below. I really had to strain to get the moves on this one. The top part, the crack is just a fab. ending with great gear.

Not easy up to clipping 1st BR, & then very thin & sequency moves to 2nd BR, bit easier to top of ledge, but run-out. I'd never have been able to lead it. Brad did it clean on TR tho. Definitely steeper & harder than Fads, Fashions....

Nice up to bolt, then very balancy to 2nd bolt, then committing moves to top of ledge. David from Spain belayed & 2nded then Brad showed up & 3rded.

My first lead fall of 2006. Took me about 45min to figure out the first 5m of this route, then my foot slipped. Had Dan lower me so I could start again, but even after some lunch, the tiredness just washed over me in huge waves. I stripped off & went up & cleaned my gear & we lit out for Flavors at 2pm.

With Steve. Better than I had expected with some interesting moves around the tree & thru the caves.

I really wanted this onsight, especially after last week's marathon effort. But I had to rest about 7-8m up. It's so sustained I'm giving it an extra grade in the guide. The top was scarey; I was 8m above my last "good" gear, above 2 equalised RPs, when I spied a heaven sent RB to protect the crux move & 10m runout to the top. Dan belayed. 11.3.06 Ghost: My first lead fall of 2006. Took me about 45min to figure out the first 5m of this route, then my foot slipped. Had Dan lower me so I could start again, but even after some lunch, the tiredness just washed over me in huge waves. I stripped off & went up & cleaned my gear & we lit out for Flavors at 2pm.

Some nice climbing on good rock, but jeeze, bold moves up to & above the FH. The cave itself is very impressive and imtimidating. Simon Voss lead it & Thisrod 2nded.

Back again only Dave forgot his shoes, so we spent the day swapping. Still & all, it was going well, I got thru the demanding 2nd P in style & Dave started up P3 at 2pm, then spent 3.5 hrs on this one pitch! Taking an 8m whipper in the process. We got to a big ledge in the dark & then bailed; abseiling back down - only Dave's 2 headlamps failed him (!), so the walk/scramble out became an epic. Back at the car by midnight. 25.9.05 Dave led P1, I got into tough territory on P2 (still worn out from DII w. Terry yesterday), & ended up aiding it up to a ledge & we called it quits at 3:30. We left my gear there with the promise to return next w/e. 3.9.05 Ben led P1, I got off route on P2, ending up L on Yoni & bailed at 3:30, Ben & I walked out in the dark after 5 abseils!

2nded Brad up p1 of this to the Rocks of Honey ledge, then back down. A ripper of a pitch.

First p. is all right, but 2p is pretty yukky. Dan belayed - we walked out leaving the gear for tomorrow as it was getting dark.

3rded Rob & Terry up P1 which has great moves, up the layback flake. Then Terry & Rob up part of P2 (too much rope drag), then I lead the last part of P2 to the top. We trundled a large block from P2 corner.

Lead pitch one to recheck the grade: For better or worse, it's going down to 15 in my guide. Definitely not a 17.

I lead P1, which is quite nice & straight forward, but cheeses, P2 is vicious. Right off the belay ledge, thin gear and thin holds. Steve took 3 falls & 6 hrs to do this pitch, but some very gutsy leading to get there in the end. I'll have to look elsewhere for the original route. With Steve Turner.

With Geoff. Got it down to 4hrs this time.

We knew at the time it was good, but in retrospect it's definitely a classic.

Your basic Frog nightmare. God help any grade 12 leader trying to get up this one - it's more like a 15. Terry lead it in fine style whilst I struggled just to get on the slabby start.

2nd Dave up it. He seemed to find it just as grunty as I did.

Had this one in my sights for a while now. Aside from the vegetated chimney, the moves were quite nice. Gear was rather finiky & bit run-out in places. Terry patiently belayed in the hot sun, thanks mate, you're a champ!

2nd Damien up this a nice line. The chimney up the top was the most awkward part tho & on a re-visit I found I couldn't even manage it!

Daniel wanted to lead it, but had to back off so I finished it up. 4.02 OSF Damien belayed. Some nice moves and good gear make for an enjoyable climb.

Andrew Collins belayed my on this one, a nice climb for the grade.

Horrible. Crap gear, runout & dangerous above the 2nd ledge. Dan belayed & 2nded.

Not a line that will ever see a repeat. Dislodged about 4 pieces, one larger than a football had Dan & Dave scurrying for cover. Dave belayed - Dan 2nded.

With Mike Meadows, Greg Sheard & Ricarda Thier - what an honour it was to climb with these guys who climbed with Rick back then just after he put this one up & hear the stories of climbing in yore. Got P5 & 6 better sorted this time, but made the wrong start on P8. Looks do-able but dangerous. The reason, according to Mike, that Rick never repeated it.

Wow, what a line. Pity I'm so *%$@ up at the moment, couldn't pull thru those crux moves. Nice gear all the way, just as well I had the #5 & 6 cams with for Pete to use.

What an incredible honour it was to do the 2nd ascent of this route (the last ascent being 32 yrs ago!). Probably the 2nd most unique route I've ever climbed! I take my hat off to Rick for putting this one up, and to Rob for his awesome lead. I couldn't even manage the chimney crux without resting 2-3 times, then again at the crux on the face.

Scott made this one look so easy, although I should have been alerted by the fact that he took 10min to prepare for the crux (3 #1 RPs equalised! No thanks!). I had to practically jumar my way up it. And to think, Brad wanted to lead this one!

A varied climb with some interesting moves on it. The rotating chock stone scared the shit out of me & Susy caught my fall, nice belaying Suze!

Had to do this one to check out the crag. Terry got the honour.

With Damien. We started on DI and somehow fluked our way on to the 1st belay ledge of Ruby. P2 went sort of OK, but we belayed too low. I took P3 and ended up setting up a belay in the cave. I then continued up to the corner, but was stymied by the moves there and lack of gear. Damien freaked about this time (it was already 14:30) so we bailed, down climbing P3 to the tree and rapping off that.

The walk in practically finished me off. Good effort by Andie & Trent to get up it tho. There's always next time :-|

Very nice. Bit thin at the start, but then it eases into a very nice 16. Man am I glad for my tricams, I seem to be finding all sorts of placements for them where nothing else will fit. NZ Mike belayed, then I rapped down & he lead it.

Meinen Gotten!! My bane, my nemises & I got up it clean & without further damaging the left hand. Just have to approach that crux hold differently. Dave belayed. (The rock fall is super scarey.)

Very nicely picked by Rob. Aside from the initial friable flake, this is surprisingly good climbing.

With Bruce. He lead all but p2. Glandular is kicking in again, got my knickers in a twist at the crux & had to take the back pack off to get it. Attempted the variant P2 & backed off. Just as well, Bruce tried it on 2nd & couldn't manage it.

Dave chose this one, so it's all his fault! Seriously tho, it's a pretty horrible off-width that eats big gear (my #5 & 6 cams). Dave & I had to aid it.

1st pitch is very good and the crux had me thinking although the scariest bit was the 4m runout to get to the crux! 2nd P is a bit wandery & scarey. I was rewarded from the day's efforts at Viewpoint with a big blister on each heel from wearing tight shoes on 2 hot days.

Certainly a classic example of a Frog crack. What a line. For God's sake don't tell anyone I TRd this classic line or I'll be ostracised forever by the community! This was with the EFC gang at Frog one Sunday.

With Wayne. He got a little off route on P2, otherwise it all went well. Zoomed up it in 4.5 hrs this time - what a change from the last ascent!

With Dave. Knocked it off in just over 4hrs.

A good lead by Kevin Pearl. I found it too tough to keep hanging on the tiny crimpers and had to rest at the crux.

This is such a tough & sustained climb, it really should have a grade or two added. 2nd Patrick up this one and had several rests to get up it.

After Craig. Fell my way up it. Should do this more often to get that jamming technique down.

After I bailed at the crux, Brad did a very nice lead on this one. Somewhat pissed off at myslelf for being such a wimp - I cruised up it on 2nd.

Bloody wind was howling a gale, I honestly don't know how Scott got up it without being blown off. Man it was cold! Gear is small & finicky = had to rest several times to get it out.

Bit hairy with the crux below the first gear, but good after that flake.

I did get 2/3 the way up this one on lead before I ran out of steam and ended up TRing it. Susy belayed and I lost her wedding ring - yeah gods, what a day!

2nded Brad up it, it's a great climb with terrific moves. David 3rded.