Ascents in Oceania by David Jefferson having sport-cpr or ascent-date

Having a play since the rope was already up. Too much stretch to work on TR, will lead next time. Could make all the moves except two, but damn are they hard! Might invest time in this one.

Still not able to make a couple of the moves. A lot turns on getting the heel to stick. Feels good to try something that feels on the edge of possible.

Bit of progress today, have now made all but 2 moves. Need to find a way to make the heel stick.

Opening the account on this pumper of a line. Made basically all the moves albeit with much dogging and dabbing. Will be quite the task to link it all together.

Bottom section felt easier today but crux seemed harder. Will keep chipping away at linking moves.

Wow, what a king line! Climbed through to the headwall (with a few rests), and sorted out the moves on the traverse. Will be an aspirational project for me!

Had a play and made some moves on the arête. Feels like my style, but definitely next level for me.

Made a few more moves and got established on the arête. Will take some go go juice.

Second look at this one, climbed clean from the ground through to the start of the traverse. Didn’t stick the dyno, but close. Keen!

Hanging draws.

Climbed through the crux clean but couldn’t clip. Went through to the anchors easily from there. Great value, some choss, and nicer than One Eyed.

Just couldn’t stick to the pocket today. Spoogy conditions and quite hot, especially the last shot in the sun. Need to return when cooler!

First attempt felt terrible. Spoogy and poor concentration.

Second shot felt nearly flawless. Rested well midway, fired the crux, skipped the clip at the pocket, locked myself into the corner and relaxed. Managed to get it all back and climbed easily to the chains. First of the grade, and a great line.

Account officially open. Was able to make all of the moves, with some good links on the last burn. Will take some work, but I can see it happening. Never thought I’d try something like this, but super keen!

Hanging draws.

Made a few good links today, including getting onto the arête properly. Good progress, but with work ahead!

Got it down to one hang the last shot, climbed clean through the crux 3 times but just couldn’t quite latch the jug at the 6th bolt. Feeling quite good about this, should go soon!

Miserable conditions today. Every hold on the arête was wet.

Managed to make it through to the 6th bolt despite the dampness but feet popped going to the jug. Beta is well sorted now.

4th burn of the day, zero expectations and tired. Pulled on and everything felt flawless. Climbed the arête in fine style then proceeded to fall whilst setting the kneebar where the jugs begin. Had skipped 3 clips so took a massive whinger into space. So tragic, yet so much fun!

You rippa! Sinking the kneebar at the top of the arête while redlining was euphoric. Ranks among the most satisfying climbing experiences I’ve ever had. The perfect culmination to a cracker of a season in the cave, and to my years living in SEQ.

Opening the account on this stonker of a route. Amazing movement! Made all the moves to the penultimate bolt, just below the waterfall. Definitely need to refine some beta, but mostly need to be able to hang on!

Made good progress today, sorting out heaps of beta and making it to the last draw below the lip. Top of the cave is still a waterfall, so didn’t make it to the anchor, but the rest of the route is coming together.

Pulled a few moves but feels a long way off. Basically a V8ish boulder problem.

Can make all the moves, but putting it all together is going to take work.

Clearly need much more bouldering strength if I’m going to pull this one off.

Made a few more moves but still feels heinous.

Account open. Made all the moves, first time to the anchor. Got the full spray down so beta is fairly sorted. Just need to start making links!

First time going all the way to the anchor, and figured out some key beta. Still need to sort out 2 moves, but it actually feels possible this year. Stoked!

Went from feeling like this thing is impossible to falling after the last hard move of the crux in one session. Game on!

Good progress today, very nearly got there. Wasted 2 goes with poor draw mgmt, which resulted getting my hand caught up in the rope on the crux move. 3rd and 4th go were both very close, and got past the hardest moves. Got a good chance at it next session I reckon.

Don’t know why, but still couldn’t make it happen today even after one hanging for the first time on the first attempt. Kept slipping out of the knee bar at the crux, despite the good conditions. Found an easier way to do the last move of the crux though, so all is not lost!

Finally slayed the mighty Kublai Khan, but not after punting off the top once! Turned out changing the shoes was the beta I needed to get it done. Only one hard route remains for me at Lyttelton now. Coming for you Dr Strangelove!

All moves made, even on the wet holds. Need to start making links now! Not sure if it feels close or far off, but stoked to start the journey.

To the chains with 3 sits, each time doing the subsequent moves first go after a rest. Need to start making more links, but the beta is pretty well dialled.

Body was pretty thrashed after the manual labour yesterday, but still managed to sort out some new beta for the bottom and top.

Excellent progress today. First time making it through the start crux, then climbed from there clean to the second last bolt. It’s on!

High point, to the end of the first crux. Continuing to refine beta, especially for the rests, but it’s basically game on now!

Good progress today. Managed my first proper one hang, despite feeling quite tired. Lots of subtle refinements, feels like it’s coming together.

High point x2, falling at the last hard move of the second crux. Can’t get much closer and not send!

A dream come true! Started the day with zero expectations after feeling a bit of elbow tendinitis flare up, almost didn’t have a final burn as I needed to rush home to the family, then all of a sudden I was clipping the chains! Shifting to the left knee bar at the second rest was a game changer as I could actually recover properly before the back to back cruxes at the end. Beyond stoked to have completed this milestone in my NZ climbing career!

New project, first day on, already down to one hang! Won’t be a giveaway, but hopefully it’ll go down relatively quickly.