Ascents in Downstream climbing areas

Perhaps unsurprisingly this is a pure crimp fest! The start of the climb is quite fun before the vertical section starts. Made a few links through the cruxy very static crimpy section directly above the horizontal break. The top half is a little smoother - not sure it would be after linking what lies beneath. And then there's the view! What an awesome route!

Cleaning, belaying, faffing around with a belay chair

Rapped off and jugged up taking pics of Sasha, who all-but sent this

FFA. I’ll always remember the first time Skippy and I stood beneath this grand granite roof staring up dumbstruck at the splitter crack that runs through the heart of it. From that moment on it became somewhat of an obsession. Armed with honed beta, extra chinnies and an anticipated cool southerly change, I finally got up it clean on my very last attempt before the rain arrived and a planned leave of absence set in. This one was a team effort. Massive fist pumps to fellow roof crack froth-dogs, Skippy and Benji. May both of you always ‘just gonna send it’.

Great line, hats off to Kyle for leading this one.

Need some more Weet-Bix for this one. Sea Cliff delivers again - Fantastic climbing

Crux moves felt better this time around. Still have to psych myself for the move up and through the overlap - some staunch layback/pinching, high opposing smearing and teeth gritting get you through it and into a beautiful but nails finger line. Will need a serious bowl of weet-bix (and a few more T.R's) before having a 'proper' non-top-roped go at this.

Just sussing/playing around TRS on my lonesome ): With a good clean up and a psyched partner this line would be absolutely mega.

One lap of gardening, 2 more laps of TRS. Such a sick line. Clean to the bulge before the crack, not sure how to approach that part. Most moves on the head wall figured out. Keeeen!

More TRS. Bottom half dialed. Getting somewhat of an idea for establishing in the crack and the following few metres, definitely the crux. Top 1/4 is pretty much dialed too. 🤙

With some know how from Brendan found the walk in a million times better and quicker. Rapped in and replaced the old rusty anchors. Cleaned up and ready to be worked on over winter, psyched!

Trs. Some good little links today

Biiiig links and progress and finally figured out the bulge courtesy of Evan

Crack was all wet, dried up enough to work on the crux some more though so not all wasted

Rapped into to take some pics and got a nice vid of Michael taking a whipper when a piece popped. Done a lot of jugging today, way more than the I've climbed

oof whadda day. First day trying to lead it, went really well. New high point but also took a gear ripping whipper, nothing too bad just banged my knees up a bit on the swing back into the wall. Jumped but on tr after that to really dial in the redpoint crux. Did that sequence countless times and linked it to the top whilst very fatigued so good for the psyche.

Weird sesh. Head wasn’t really in it and I think having 3 weeks away from it just needed another tr rehearsal sesh. Although managed to break a huge chunk off the side of the crack at the end of the crux. Climbs a little different, maybe slightly harder, still goes. Linked from the last 2 moves of the new crux to the top so idk.

Back on the lead attempts. Stuck the crux from the ground but was a bit shook and the head melted and came off. Route done in two parts on lead now, gittin there.

Oof, new high point about halfway up the head wall, pumped out too much to clip the gear. One hang placing the gear.

Fuaaaak, foot popped out of the crack on the last move of the red point crux. If that stuck I would be in with a really high chance of sending. Anyway can’t be sad with a highpoint.

Crack was damp from the rain yesterday, did dry out a fair bit but still felt a bit meh. Still managed to match previous high point and fall on the last hard move. Only so many of those before she should be a goer

Last move of the red point crux again, might have to rework that sequence.

TRS sesh looking at the redpoint crux again. Found some different feet that may help.

Back on it after a break from training/climbing. Was needed for re-motivating. As such expectations were low but I made it through the crux. Then proceeded to make a stupid slip and take the biggest gear ripping whipper of my life. I live to try again.

Finally cold enough to head back out. TRS refresh sesh. Refined some gear placements and a small part of the crux. Keen.

One top rope refresh lap went well so back on lead. First attempt was very jittery, hadn't been on it in a few months and the last time I took a huge gear ripping whipper. Still made it to the end of the crux before coming off. Tried again and made it to the last 2 moves of the red point crux up high with much less jitters so pretty happy with that for first sesh of the year.

Agonisingly close. Best I've ever felt on it, any sesh now.

Oh my god, stuck the redpoint crux and fully punted on the very last section.

sigh, another foot slip on the last move of the red point crux. Head wasn't really in it today.

Another really close attempt

2 laps, both one hangs.

Very close attempts but slipping on blooooood

'Attempt' is being polite. I flailed on this hard. I've given Michael so many catches it was overdue I had a play. The first half is nice and easy but not trivial. Maybe grade 18 and I've often wondered about it being a route in its own right as the two sections are so different in style and grade. At the roof the doom music kicks in and its just ... hard. I may have done about 4 actual moves total on the head wall between sags

Physically felt good but the head wasn't in it, felt quite gripped. First sesh back so I guess it's to be expected hopefully few sessions the head will catch up.

Very close attempt, slight adjust in foot sequence for the second crux worked out well

Excellent roof awaiting a free ascent

Even sweeeeter. Great moves, bit of everything and then it gets better. The extended top-out is icing on the cake.

Whoa! Epic, daunting, steep, tantalizing, humbling

Lead to first roof and then shut down

Holy smokes. Cooked. 'Aided' the shit out of this. Will have to either get younger or do some proper training for this. Very inspiring!

Didn't pull on, just cleaning and belaying. Found a perfect photo ledge level with the main roof with the water fall in the background

Figured out to the big roof, the moves in the roof are a bit beefy but not too bad then the lip is proper fightin territory to go free. Very keen to make this go.

Two goes on top rope and made a lot of progress. This feels very doable now compared to last time. The first roof is not too bad after all, pinch abd layback instead of jam. Second roof is perfect hands for me, the lip is just a constant grunt fest and is more of a stamina thing than pure technical difficulty. Head wall is just more constant fight and thins out and I think you’d want to just punch through it quickly up to the rest before the third little roof. Final section was surprisingly easy and flows nicely. Strained my shoulder / bicep somewhere on the first go and should have taken it easy and cooked it a bit on the second go

All figured out, time to turn the burners on