Ascents in Scenic Rim as Hang dog by Mark Gamble

The old fart couldn't do it clean. Needed rope assistance at the top.

Rather thin crux, couldn't pull it off clean. Good lead by Max.

Some "16". Very thin, very sustained - right to the end over the death blocks. I think I had less than 20,000 rests. But it did take me about 2hrs to second.

Bold lead by Max. Very well done matey.

Good lead by Hilton, good gear placements.

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

Couldn't do it clean.

Could barely manage this pitch.

After Craig. Made a mess of the crux move.

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

Committing crux & the loose rock meant I had to back off & re-assess. Trad = I clipped the crux bolt only.

Don't know what the F "runout" Andy was talking about when he lead this 3 years ago, there's gear all over the place! I got something like 20 pieces of gear in! Had to dog it unfortunately, think the GFs coming back ;-( Ron 2nded clean.

Damien did most of the work placing gear, but even then I couldn't do it clean. Sprained the left hand again - badly. Ron belayed & 2nded.

Almost came to grief at the start of p2 when the ledge I was standing on collapsed. Quite a bit of loose rock on p2. Some very interesting rock & the cave is awesome. Dan belayed & saw his life flash before his eyes - fortunately all of it missed him - by at least 5cm.

With Terry & Lillian. Tricky crux = came off just above the 2nd bolt. The rock is good, some loose blocks here & there, needs a bit more traffic.

With Dan, Terry & Lillian. couldn't make that crux move without a rest. Some tricky bridging.

Pathetic. Dan 2nded.

With Bill & Ross. Fell my way up it - pathetic. It's much more positive than I remember it.

Had to dog it this time. Depressing how much strength I've lost over the last few months. Nick belayed

I lead most of p1, but couldn't pull off the crux, neither could Brad, but he did get there in the end, bloody good effort. The giant loose flake at the crux didn't help matters.

After Terry. He did a great job on lead, pity I couldn't emulate him. The Glandular just keeps taking its toll. Had to fall my way up it.

After Terry. Had to fall my way up it, I'm soooo piss weak at the moment. Nicely spotted by Terry.

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.

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!

Up this again after about 3hrs on The Last Tango. This really is a mind boggling route.

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.

3rded Brad & Terry up this, nice face climbing, but I had to rest below the second ledge.

My arms were shot after Wednesday's marathon. Nice rock, nice moves & the gear's good all the way. Brad was totally stoked at getting the onsight.

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.

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.

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....

After Andy, man he made light work of this. A thrutch epic for me.

After Andy. He made light work of it. A thrutch of epic proportions for me.

3rd Thisrod & Simon Voss up this, but found it very hard going, the thin finger crack start would not accept my stubby fingers, and the arm bar higher up, just wore me out. But what a great line.

Brad did a pretty good job of leading this one. Vasilating over a 21 - tough move at the mantle. I had to rest twice on it. Gear is adequate tho.

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.

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.

Wanted to have a go at my first Frog 17. It was all going well up to the overhanging offwidth. Andy patiently belayed & 2nded.

Terry did a good lead on this, knowing we did not have the big gear needed to adequately protect the crux. Terry's cam got jammed & my foot slipped as I contorted around to get it out - damn! But looking back, I like the moves on this one - short & sweet.

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.

2nd Scott up this & took a fall at the same crux, very sequency moves. I take my hat off to scott for leading this one on trad gear. I honestly didn't think it possible, but he got in 23 pieces, all good, & relied on 2 of Herb's bolts. 28.8.04 I was a bit wonky on the day due to only 4 hrs sleep the night before. Alex from Austria arrived midnight. He came along and lead this one.

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

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.

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.

Had to have another go at this climb, but couldn't get my head around the crux move & had to rest on some gear, stupid me, I should have pushed thru, there was a very good rest just above. Sept 2002 2nd Susy up this one back then when she was just starting to fall in love with Frog. Found the crux rather daunting - bit thin on gear & haven't been back since to Red Point it.

Tried to exorcise my demons on this one, get it clean, but failed again at the crux section & had to dog it. Got a great placement for the Big Bro just below the overhang. Feb. 2002 This is a terrific line & Troy belayed me & caught my fall on the crux. Fortunately I only banged my left knee. Then Susy & Greg showed up in the afternoon just as we were finishing & Susy 3rd us up it.

Very good climbing all the way, lovely hand crack above the overhang. I took a 3m fall from above the overhang, but at least it was clean & I had 3 pieces in at the overhang so I felt pretty secure about taking it. Peter did an excellent job of belaying. Dan & Owen 2nd & 3rd.

Started on this one first up, but couldn't get up it, so I did some others & came back in the afternoon. The gear is good despite the rock looking very doubtfull (I placed nests of small gear), but was very grungy up the top - thick with vegetation & moss. Took a 4m whipper when 1 of my pieces poped. Peter did an excellent job of belaying - owe you 1 mate! Owen 2nd - Dan did a cop out!

Tried it again with Dan belaying. Still had to aid the crux. 10/4/2005 What a bloody epic - 5hrs - went home in disgust after this one. I later figured I must have been about 1:20min at the crux trying to get my head around it before backing off it. Dave must have been 30min or so on the crux, & even on 2nd it took me 4-5 goes to get the crux sequence.

Dave & I trudged 2hrs into this unique crag. Dave led up it in fine style and I struggled and grunted my way up this fine finger crack line. lots of loose rock on this one kept me dodging on belay.

Not a bad line. I lead (Red Pointed) Wiches to get to this ledge & the unnamed 5m climb & Dave lead this one, but in my weakened condition I couldn't make it without a rest tho.

I 3rd Susy & Ben up this one, on which I did my best to imitate a beached whale. The Glandular Fever was setting in at this point in my career - not good.

2nd Susy up this, what I thought was a 19. A very nice lead at the grade. Susy lead it in style & set up a belay at the ledge turning it into a 2P climb.