Ascents in Southern Crag as Tick or First ascent

What an absolutely amazing day out!! Opted to not do the direct start as it looked horrifying. The other start was fun up until the void of death. I saw Evan's foot just make it and thought it can't be too bad. Evan and I cracked ourselves laughing as we tried to figure out how I'd get across. My best solution was just to jump and go swinging. I started down climbing to let go and then realised I could just get my foot across. Fun. The second pitch I lead and got to the offwidth section and had a battle with it but it won. My blood is there for the proof. Evan seconded and ended up avoiding offwidthing by reaching to an OK hold out left. I was outraged he'd avoided the fun I'd had with it! Rest of pitch was fun! Last pitch was an absolute blast up the chimney and overall a fantastic day out!! You definitely go for the adventure. Beware it's chossy, run out and has limited pro but that's the fun of it! Will definitely do again such a fun day!

Now this is what we came to narrow neck for. We started the day off with a cruisy run up cave climb and had a blast. Rapped back down our fixed line and had lunch under a shady boulder while we waited for our other party to finish. We conducted a "wife swap" of seconders as Yim likes to call it then Jack and Johnny started up the regular start of Fuddy Duddy. Jack intially enjoyed the beginning of the route then cursed the rest of it and recommended we check out the direct start and save ourselves some dodgy climbing. At this point we had no idea what we were in for. Yim tied in for the direct start and on the very first move his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas "BOOOTYYYYY! MY FIRST BOOTY I AM SO HAPPY!" As he pulled a #9 dmm nut out from the boulder on the ground. A stellar start to the route, less can be said about the rest. Yim consistently cursed the route being full of spiders and choss, "The most disgusting route i've ever climbed" then he was faced with the dilemma of either the chimney or a sketchy uncertain face climb, so the chimney it was. Towards the top of the chimney Yim turned to loving the pitch, the joy of successfully soloing an unprotected chimney. Until this point probably took about 20 mins, then after another 10 minutes and noticing the middle marker of an 80m rope passing on a 30m pitch I had to tell out and see what was going on. Yim had decided to nail down and link the first two pitches like an absolute machine and I had to follow. Backpack on the pitch 1 chimney was absolutely fucked and did not spark joy. No protection, choss sandstone galore, holds breaking everywhere and my backpack between my legs being caught on everything. The sun decided to peer through and absolutely beam me as I struggled my way up reaching onto anything above me, blinded by the light. I made it through to the view of Yim manically laughing from the top of pitch 2. Choice words were exchanged towards the pitch and towards Yim for finding a sick joy in the climbing. Pitch 2 was an absolute off width battle. Knees were barred, chickens were winged, the crux move at the carrot certainly a struggle for grade 15. Somehow during the crux battle my chalkbag dislodged itself and fell into the abyss. Upon reaching the top of P2, exchanging more choice words, breathing for the first time in 30 mins, we saw another party coming up behind us. Tom and Jay, two more unlucky souls who had succumbed to the direct start. Saved my chalkbag though, absolute heroes. Pitch 3 had a clear grade 18 boulder problem start. Some crucial permanent tick marks stop you from hitting the deck but definitely weren't expected on a "grade 13" pitch. The chimney climbing here was surprisingly pleasant and flowy?? No protection yet again, but if you traverse towards the face half way up leads to a significantly better time than squeezing through the narrow part, pick your poison I guess. The top out was glorious. We meandered back to the car with the sun shining in our eyes asking if the warm beers had manifested themselves into coldies, to an unknown voice exclaiming that they had. The fellas had made friends with Kiki, a lovely girl that was doing a lap of Oz and was taking warm beers in exchange for coldies in there fridge, an absolute life saver. Tom and Jay met us at the car and we had an absolute yarn for the next hour over further beers. An absolutely perfect day out on incredibly unique climbing with bonus friends at the end, couldn't ask for much more.

Todays installment was a day out at narrowneck to climb the bumblers. Cave climb first on the menu. Will forgot to leave the big gear for j and y so i had to lower him halfway down the climb to re-place it all. Had a undies shower in the trickling waterfall; i wish theyd turn the pressure up on that thing. Some difficulties finding the start of fuddmania but ended up shooting for the carrot. Told will and yim the first pitch was shit and maybe they should go direct start. They ended up taking over 2 hours longer than us to complete the climb with some large solos. My hands were too sweaty to fist stack the offwidth on p2 but werent too sweaty to grasp a fistful of dyneema. Johnny and i hung out at the car for a bit before a girl named kiki drove past in her truck asking for camping advice on the area. She ended up doubling back despite my lack of help and gave us freezing beers and chatted to us until the boys came back. 2 other lads followed them out the top of the chimney and joined us for a bev for sunset. Kiki seemed interested in climbing and was encouraged by the vibe of post climb beers but yims 20m run out chimney recount quickly eroded her enthusiasm for it. She was also potentially not 100% convinced we were real climbers after 50% of us (yim and i) almost came off the boulder problem that was mounting wills car roof with racks on. Hardly a V6.

What a fun climb! Pitch 1 was a absolutely not grade 13 climbing at the start and pro was a bit sparse at parts. The tree does not exist, it is beyond dead and loose, linking pitches 1+2 is the only way forward. A very suspect flake is located just before the suspect tree, will probably go at some point as it's a major hold for the traverse. Top of pitch 2 had a great fridge climb toe jam section that I rate. Pitch 3 is through the cave, no pro and no other option if you want to really climb cave climb. Absolutely the money pitch and super fun, definitely recommend it!

Mega classic 👌 good exposure for a fun little ramble up the juggy corner

Repeat just as good as i remember. Could get away with a single rack of cams to hand size, and a set if nuts.

Good day out climbing in a three. Always a good idea to check the location before walking from the car in the wrong direction. Quality climbing and the mention of rope cutting and exposure on the second pitch boulder make it scary but it's not as difficult as you think.

a thrutch a day keeps the doctor away ❤️

amazing, good day out. Needed big pro, went up through cave- thrutchy goodness! little chossy, first pitch direct start a little unprotected. Second pitch all beautiful #4, the rock is not great on the roof traverse on the last pitch… a little unnerving but all fine in the end. Great to have #5, #6 helpful. Thank you mira ❤️

Repeat.Probably the best multi in the bluies. Fell off the start on 2nd and fell back to the tree, pulled back on and went to the anchors. One of the hardest, sustained grade 23 pitches around. The rest of the pitches went without any problems but still needed to put in a lot of effort. Brilliant!

Only pitch 1 and 2 and then rapped off. Worth the effort on mostly good rock.

Pretty bloody awesome!

Direct start and in two pitches. Good climbing, the cave gives it the stars. Take 3 #4s but 2 also works.

Very different climbing styles on each pitch. My first offwidth and chimney... and in pouring rain!!

Seconded the whole route. The leader had 2 #4 cams but would have liked a few more. Direct start with bouldery move to make the second ledge above the new carrot on left. Linked P1 and P2 and at the middle of P2 went out to the face on the right to avoid offwidth and then back. P3 is superb going outside the cave with good gear in crack and climbing on the face up the jugs. We left abseil rope in place and it didn't interfere with the climbing

A fun outing with two mates.

Fun day out showing off some historic blueys trad in perfect weather. Dave complained about the squeeze chimney on pitch 3 but deep down I’m sure he was having fun.

Tricky onsight. Nice climbing bottom to top in 2 pitches.

Just the last pitch today.