Ascents in North 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

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

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 ...