Ascents in Australia by Graham Dowden

Pants-pooping traverse and upper overhang (P2) despite being on the blunt end. Cracking P1, of which I remember the start, done with Peter Martland or not, definitely around '80, not '18.

Actually came to revisit my teenage brain from above but got spooked. Had a good old look at P1 from below and remembered a few spooking moves off the deck. Guess the bolts are at the belay ledge, which means maybe two bits of gear in 20m past the scoops before that. And who knows what sparse landscapes extend above the P2 roof?

Big-ups to Harry for cracking out another new route 42 years after Chimney and Wall. Passed a zillion FH and carrots in the intervening decades.

Suprised to do it from the bottom including cruddy crimps and avoiding left corner, and lizard in upper break :-O

Actual arete finishing right is about 17 though it's not the actual route.

Easier than last time.

Six previous ascents? I must think it's good ...

Managed to avoid the wet right wall by 'powering' up the middle block: jambs ahoy! And bravo to Haily for leading the nano tradventure.

Starting move harder than 10 to lead

Fell off a few times at 19? crux bolt move and retreated into Joseph. A little bit of route finding and adequate gear in breaks before that.

Came in from Joslab

Following Haily's swift and effective lead.

One can see why the punters don't line up for this. Choose your own adventure, but mine was 4m of concerted tips laybacking before the obvious rest. No time to whip in a smalll cam sight unseen. Easy street after that to the ledge.

Always a pleasure, albeit brief.

The morning crowds had left and we had the whole of Piddo to ourselves: golden afternoon sunshine bathed the cliff, and down in the valley someone was driving the ride-on around and around the house paddock.

I could see the mower's battered hat, craggy face, and sunnies beneath, and an honest dog, konked out on the verandah, wondering why anyone would make any effort at all, in the sun, all afternoon, when there were far more comfortable places to rest. As the rope slowly ran out I could to see more clearly. I knew exactly what the mower was thinking.

It was that moment when the work was done, the mower back in the shed, and in the old armchair on the verandah, to the smell of fresh grass and the sight of the neatly mowed lawn would come that crisp, percussive, irresistible, crack! as the first icy beer was opened.

5:30. The mower stopped, we packed up and walked out.

And as we did I recalled, looking down at my feet at the time, traversing out to that same arete 45 years ago.

Great lead up a fine pitch by Haily. Thought it would be harder and more fraught, but well protected with good rests. A logical continuation of Prologue.

To finish went straight up the groove, placed two bits in the average crack and belayed off a small tree, poxy bush and average cam. Just didn't feel like following more bolts up the arete. Was this the original sortie naturelle?

Following Haily's able onsight

Following Haily's able onsight

Could not crack the start so came in from HdL and took a couple of rests at thr crux.

Dunno how Andrew did it but dogged thru the crux in the manner Jeff indicated, which seemed quite unsatisfactory

Yes it is several grades easier than it's neighbour

Just held a slipped foot and avoided hanging on the arete for a spicier finish, aided but not abetted by the thin red line.

Expected to find repudiation in place of redemption but not.

According to the first (and many subsequent) ascentionist "A great problem. I used to do laps on it with a weight belt then exit up the flake roof route." Which I guess would make it Australia's first V(w)eight.

Just couldn't stick it

I remember talking to Coral in a headscarf at Buffalo. Not my headscarf.

Think I read someone might have done this in the 60s for a bet.

Following the new edition bouldering guide. Tried a zillion times and nearly stuck once. Only 2 hard moves.

Fell of the crux roof of this with Mal Johnston belaying circa '79 in bare feet - ouch! Can't recall if he then lead but no need anyway: 20ish wall with a few sketchy moves and 3 crap bolts, 1.5m ceiling with what look like broken holds, then a 20m grade 8 slab with minimal pro. One for the history books.

This time deliberately jugged thru the crux.

Friction suddenly blew up, slipped off then had to struggle to stay on.

Clean first shot

Aided thru crux then clean, at least 2 grades harder than Bloodbath. Start could be dyno.

Almost slipping off

A giant dog - what a bog!

Delicate start then super-highstep. Sport climbers will be stick-clipping in droves.

High step, grade not much different from neighbour

A bit humid

Smeary slabbiness on cooling rock

Surprised myself to be able to follow Mr M's excellent onsight.

Despite having last year clocked up just under 61,000m of vertical ascent (up stairs and bush trails, sadly not rock climbs) the mental rigours of slab climbing seemed to benefit little from aerobic or indeed physical capacity. After several strained moments staring at a pathetic indentation or crystal flake wondering if it could hold a foot or other appendage, one generally retires, shattered, with a well-worn mantra pounding through an overloaded frontal cortex: "These slabs are definitely doing my head in".

Far easier in the sticky Mad Rocks.

In the new blue Salewa approach shoes for NYD, which, thanks to the innovative Switchfit system and Pomoca sole, permitted a relative upgrade from 19 to 20, toprope notwithstanding.

Ironstone edges into erosion.

300th Bluies ascent, some kind of milestone. Flew off the first time then flew up.

Like the proverbial possums up a pole

Definitely easier than the two on the right because of the more definite edges

Tenuosity amid the lichen.