Ascents by Graham Dowden having Distinct route

More friction than crack in places, and not a great deal of pro, but it's 10, and it's adequate.

A lovely late arvo excursion: just few enough bolts and enough natural pro to make it interesting.

Onsight trad FA to practice pro placement.

#doitinafroq

Massive jugs, just as easy in the rain as dry.

Considering this is now my local - being less than 5 minutes drive to the pumping station gate - it was time to get re-aquainted with the route, rope-solo devices and 100m of Tendon static.

Lead this in bare feet, hand-painted pants, embroidered Whillans harness, and a couple of Chouinard hexes with Peter Martland in the 70s. Bring on the Psyncaive reunion and mass old-timer ascent!

Dirty wall and blunt arete, went straight up from bottom with bits at 5-8m then maybe nothing for 20m.

There's only time for one track on the short drive from K Town to the trailhead at M Town, in this case 3'47" of Marvin Gaye's What's Goin On. The intent was to check out Flibbertigibet, but the top of "Who's Lead?" proved both adequate rhetorical question, and easier to identify among the sawn off stumps adjacent to the powerline corridor.

Inspection on descent revealed this climb has returned to the state nature intended,with at least 10 species of healthy plants resident. Intention was therefore redirected to the arete.

2 Climbed right wall avoiding veg.

3 A-shaped chimney which brought on a little dry heaving or breathing.

As I suspected, lovely position, great jugs and easy climbing, but not many placements toward the top for one on the sharp end. 20ft out from the last potential sling I heard a voice from the past from below "Leper, that's not grade 10!"

Easy stemming and jamming up the crack.

Love the rock

At last some honest old grading and technique: chimney like a sweep and don't be tempted to go wall climbing.

Only 3 bits of pro in 25m with the crux in final moves, an iffy mantle up slippery red lichen above a poor wire.

Let's face it few will contemplate, let alone complete, these climbs, and for good reasons. Firstly there are far better well protected easy trad lines like Gardeners Crack and Kedumba Sisters literally on the same block. Secondly they are cruddy lines with not much actual climbing. Still, they are at least trad, and the itch must be scratched, if only to counteract watching the olympic competition, well and truly sunk by the format, and ridiculous mens bouldering final and its ghastly commentary.

5m grade 2 steps followed by a bit less steeper stuff with 3 bits of pro for this one.

Opening the Kaputar account in sandals carrying two packs. Certainly far from self abusive.

Grit, sand, lichen and a veg ledge.