Ascents in Grampians by Andrew Connolly

P2 (P1 described separately). First attempt - just trying to demystify the legend. Getting old, so about time I started working on it.

Roof crux seems okay, delicate traverse afterwards was indeed delicate, turret was relatively straightforward, crimp crux was hard. Then was so rooted by the big break that I bailed. Shot number 2 will be a lot better I assume (well, I hope anyway)

A lot better than I was led to believe. Convoluted of course with an 8m traverse down low and a 5m traverse up high but I thought it climbed really well regardless - definitely thought provoking.

Got stopped at the first bolt, then had to work very hard with the mantle up to the 2nd bolt. Traverse out to the 3rd bolt got tenuous at the end because I didn't drop down.

Great work from Brent to get our rope up to the 2nd bolt ! Bigger testicles than I own ...

Unquestionably 25. Figured it out but putting it together will be another thing. There's a no-hander just before the final crux sequence which helps a lot, but I'm pretty sure I'll still find a way to blow it after that.

Very hard getting your bum off the ground. Novelty thing which just isn't that awesome.

Close, actually. Did the first move (yes, being 6'1" helps a lot). Nearly did the second move. It's 2 moves long ...

Awkward mantle move

Very hard first move

Yeah, V6 feels about right (guide says V5). Got scared

Lovely rock

Two goes on top tope - did all the moves a couple of times each, but geez, linking this will be tricky - it's on, all the way to the final horizontal. Felt harder than Eye of the Tiger for me and Marty thought harder than Serpentine so 28 might be a tad solid (unless we were both missing half a dozen holds). Also a tad scary in places and in need or a re-bolt.

Really good grade 17 climbing with a single hard move above your gear

Punchy finish - I think this is given 17 in the guide which felt stiff

Really nice holds (hold manufacturers take note ...)

Committing finish. Tribute Upper is quite a lot better than Tribute Lower ...

Tricky (but not actually difficult) start - a doddle after that

Fun start, then a doddle. Over all too soon.

Watch your head standing up on the shelf at the start !

Got pumped to the eyeballs on this one. Quite a lot harder then MS to its left

Nice and sustained

Thanks to the FA's for providing these warm up routes !

Stay left at the top and just run it out (Don't traverse into the top of IH which is harder)

(Fun) grade 17 up to a fun but harder finish. It's a shame this wasn't the original finish of Crime Wave as together it's a superior route to either. Done twice to get my gear back. Do it as one pitch.

Worked on lead - two hard moves. More awkward than difficult actually. Rising traverse to finish is great fun. Need to come back to this.

Extremely height dependent. Nowhere near 18 (much harder) if you are 5'7" like one of our party

Done by accident because Chris can't follow directions.

Pretty cool but disagree with the description. It's actually really well protected (gear close to and backing up the pin, and then big cams before and during the rooflet). It's also nowhere near 18 (we did The Last Rites just before it which was grades harder).

Original grade of 16 (no "R") was probably about right.

Geez, this thing covers some impressive terrain at the grade. Not recommended as your first 14 or 15 though. Stratospherically more difficult than an equivalent route at Arapiles (like Lamplighter).

As with the The Last Rites (done immediately prior), pitch lengths are rubbish. Top of the pinnacle is 48m not 60m, and pitches 3, 4 & 5 combined are also 50m, not 62m.

With a 70m rope, some long slings, judicious gear placements (don't put anything near the chains at the end of p1) and the benefit of hindsight, I would combine pitches 1, 2 & 3, then pitches 4 & 5. We put pitch 3 in with 4 & 5 instead because I selfishly wanted to hang out on the top of the pinnacle.

We also finished up Debutante Direct Finish which is also pretty cool, although definitely much harder than the rest.

Party of 3, 4 hours bottom to top and back down again.

Really offers an awful lot of variety. The two closed, fused corners (on pitches 2 & 3) test the brain, and the overhung corner crack on perfect rock on pitch 4 is as good as it gets. Was smiling to myself as hold after perfect hold appeared before me ... it just kept going !

Pitch lengths both here and Sublime Climbs are rubbish though. I combined pitches 1 & 2, which was about 40m total, and 3 & 4, which was about 58m - so I am guessing they are more like 22m, 18m, 18m, 40m.

You could probably combine pitches 1, 2 & 3 with a 60m rope (bit of stretch) and easily with a 70m rope but you might run out of gear (like I did).

Party of three, 4.5 hours bottom to top and back again.

Really liked this. Genuine onsight if you count all the times I slid back down to the ground on the first move as not falling ... two hard moves low, then nothing surprising to the top, although the last bit above your gear (a couple of small cams and/or small wires in the last horizontal break) make it exciting.

For reference, I did 3 routes this trip (this (23), Krankendangle (24) and Eye of the Tiger (29)), and the start of this is harder than anything on either of the other two routes. It doesn't make it bad though - better at the start than the last move !

4 shots over two days. All sorted now. Span in the roof is no problems, getting through the steep stuff to the rests will be the business. Can't wait to go back - this is the best route I've been on in my life. So varied, great movement and on a great natural line.

Blew the flash on the one hard move after the 3rd bolt. Second shot.

Literally one hard move from the 2nd to 3rd bolt - and it isn't actually that hard. This feels about 2-3 grades easier than the Birthday Barrista, so not sure why they are given the same grade (here at least), but still fun !

Did this in the rain which made things a bit exciting. Stay low on the traverse near the roof at the top to avoid some very dodgy rock. Bo cleaned up a few hundred kilograms of loose rock near the top when he followed me up it so it continues to get cleaner and cleaner.

Sat on the first bolt so not strictly a legitimate ascent, but otherwise onsight. This is a really good route as well - not quite as good as Double Shot Espresso to its right, but nonetheless a great excursion.

All about pump management up high, just don't go too far left because the grey rock around the corner is very loose and life-threateningly dangerous for inattentive belayers / spectators.

Thank-you to the developers of this area for a fantastic day. 23 is the right grade for this area

Pretty soft for the grade ... felt more like 16 or 17 but enjoyable climbing nonetheless

End of the day shot just to feel the holds. Nearly got it on sight and frankly, this is the best route around here. Solid rock the entire way, genuine gymnastic climbing movement down low, then pump and arm management for the next 20m on good quality rock. Loved it. 3 stars.

Easy when you commit to the movement ! Hard if you don't (like I did on my first try).

Undercling moves were harder than it was in 1996 ... Shoulder-y high-step-and-up-move was harder than 1996 .... Traverse was harder than it was in 1996.

It is possible that I am just weaker now.

Unnerving mantles, yet easy climbing. Alzheimer's onsight.

OCD on my part. Had to tick all the problems here that I could given the 3 hour drive and the rain ...

Difficulty varies significantly depending on how much you are prepared to stem on the left wall. Avoiding the crack and left wall makes it depressingly difficult.

If you can find a way to get to the crimp with your right hand, everything just works out

Ultra classic problem with a number of different solutions - none of which I could do ... Dave did manage a repeat 20 years after his FA.

Can very nearly do the mega-throw although if you are shorter than I am (6'1") you'll need to find a different way. Outstanding problem.

Cool problem. Took more goes than I wanted - an exercise in core strength

One of th best routes and one of my better onsights ... 26 years ago now though !?!?!

Mucking around with Dave seeing if it would go free

Easy once you know how, probably 24

Fun, guessing on the date

Guessing on the date

Guidebook says 20 but 21 feels about right. Linked with HIM Pitch 2 first up, then came back and did it again to get my gear back but I refuse to log 2 ascents here.

The hardest 26 in the universe ...