Ascents in Victoria as sport by Josh Ellis

Went up to suss how the moves feel on a 29… they felt bloody nails. 😂 Couldn’t do any of the “hard” moves, think 29 is still a ways off for me.

Fucking nails!

Cool link up! Boogie is the route that just keeps on giving! Thought it might go second go but the dead point I’m doing is a little bit low percentage. I’ll be back!

Went into the first go so confident I was gonna’ send, lined up perfectly for dead point and then somehow still ended up dangling! 🤷‍♀️ Went to lower tier to climb some over stuff as the block was fairly busy, came back up later for round two. Bit tired but still determined, lined up again and somehow the rope kinda’ got tangled round my knee right at the crux, faffed and fell. Tried the move again and same thing happed! Reminder to self: longer draw on the far left bolt otherwise you get tangled!

Had ambitions to do “Velvet Goldmine” but after a shaky warmup on “Terminal Insomnia” I wasn’t really up for it. Decided to retry the moves on this as Ben had it up. Did all the moves which was nice, but didn’t have a red point burn, was feeling too shaky.

Linked the hard section on the way down on the first go. Clean run second, out of beans by third. Reckon I need one top rope go to dial the moves then go for the lead. Held off as I don’t feel like I can clip the third “independent” draw but I think I just gotta’ go for it.

First go felt impossible with my old beta being probably 10 degrees warmer than last time I tried it! Tried Matthew Follent beta which was definitely better and managed a clean top rope lap, just out of beans and skin by the time I figured it out. Maybe next year! 🤷‍♀️

Actually felt pretty comfortable with the right beta.

Felt cruisy today!

Reckon I got it mostly figured out now. Hopefully next time. Left the draws on it, feel free to use ‘em, don’t feel free to take them home!

 

1. Ah it’s been so long, it all felt weird and hard… as it always does first go.

2. Could have been smoother but fought my way up to the last bolt and fell at the second last “hard(er)” move.

3. Smoother but tired, fell at the last bolt, last hard move. Sigh

Moves felt way easier than last time, didn’t get any higher though. 🤷‍♀️

Cool V5 on a rope! One go to figure it out, one go to fall off like a punter. Should have sent it got to the "jug" and tried a silly stem when I should have oulled through. Should go next time.

Tried it, sussed the crux beta (high right foot kneebar scum) thought oh yea “that’ll go next go” then fucking wrecked myself putting up "media puzzle" and climbing it like a wanker. Had terminal pump before even getting on but the weather was miserable so just wanted to get the gear down. Didn’t send. Cleaned in pissing rain. All round worst day I’ve climbing over had in probably over a year. Well done to Tommathy swift for getting his first 26 though.

So close second go! Good training I guess…

Another day, another punt! Didn’t have any expectations given my recent shoulder injury but actually felt surprisingly good. Third go I actually hit the “final” hold but didn’t quite grasp it properly!

Nearly went second attempt, but foot slipped down low.

Bring your steel finger and toes caps for this one! Took a while to figure out, a fair bit of lichen and no chalk to be seen. But actually pretty good climbing. Fairly spicy even with the extra bolt!

Loathe to log this. After a mentally shaky weekend of not really sending anything this one was my “sure thing”. Had done all the moves before and felt very doable. Backed off putting the clips in as my wrist felt tweaky on a sloper. Taped it up, went again DID THE CRUX chill as, got a no hands knee bar mid traverse, then just chickened out right before the chains. Didn’t have the beans third go. Something about this climb always results in a shite trip.

Stuck the bottom boulder second try but the dyno is just so unlikely for me. I defo got closer, but it took like 100x tries and way to much skin. Fair play to Chris Martinez sticking it first try!

Cruisey up till the crux, then impossible! Will Gregson could kinda do it static, James was going at it dynamic, neither really felt possible for me… 🤷‍♀️

Was gonna’ try for the onny but someone was on it while I was belaying next door. Fun route with some cool sequences down low.

Felt cruisy with some skin and the right beta! Being too cold to feel my fingers was probably advantageous too!

Thought it’d be nice to send something at Ravine for a change! Jordan Edwards first 25!

Nice to put this one away. Tried it years ago, was super intimidated, couldn’t pull crux and probably wouldn’t have done the run out if I could get there. Felt hard getting the draws on, but knowing where to go makes a huge difference, doubt many people onsight this one. Great value route!

Early morning session with gsmizz after my evening punt the night before. gsmizz pointed out the foot I missed the night before, getting me through the crux. Made some new noises I haven’t made before when I managed the top!

Bit of a weird start! I feel like the rock is so visually noisy it’s hard to repeat a foot sequence. Thought it might go 2nd crack but the start kinda’ cooked me and I was trashed by the 3rd draw, then it rained! Maybe one day but not really in a rush to get back on it!

Flailed around for like 40 minutes trying to sus a sequence, figured it out still felt absolutely nails. Gave it a red-hot second try anyways, no dice. As I was accepting I’d never get this ever a “local” showed up (Steve I think, cheers Steve 👍 ) and gave me some beta to try. Went up with new beta and fell on the last hard move. New beta made it feel heaps more do able and pleasant! Gave it one more go but with the sun on it and little to no skin left (it’s a skin shedder!) it was pretty desperate! Pretty sure it’ll go next time now and I think I kinda’ enjoyed it even! 😂

Pretty fingery and actually quite good. Probably not the best condies for it today was a bit humid. Only one go as it started raining.

I think I can do this, I just got super intimidated by the run-out between draw 4 and 5. I even took the fall a few times, but never really fully commited to doing it. Regret ☹️

Rocked up at Araps with less then an hour of light left, run up to the flight deck for a burn. Pulled on just as it was getting dark, felt cruisy up to the crux, got the crimps, could not found my feet, punted off. Would’ve been nice to get that and “L’essence” in a day but maybe that was just greedy. 🤷‍♀️

But if a pumpy warmup! Very satisfying onsight, got pretty close to pumping off!

Probably should have flashed it but took two goes. Not sure it was the best climb to break in the brand new new TC pros! Couple of cool tension board-esque bouldery moves.

Nice to put this one away! Not nothing though, weird combination of powerful/techy.

Similar experience to lots of other routes at Macedon, incredibly hard to read on the onsight, fell off, faffed around with a bunch of impossibly hard sequences until finding the “right” way, making it feel several grades easier. It’s really it’s own style at the hump!

Nearly pumped off it right at the end, but Scotty the wise mountian guru calmed me down for the send.

Tried this ages ago, so the onsight was already gone. But doubt I would of got it anyway. Pretty sequencey in the middle, fell multiple times figuring it out.

Came down from my first go, pulled the rope and straight back on as it was home time.

Already blew the onsight years ago, but bit peeved I didn't get it first go. Sorta' started slippin off on the last "hard" bit and sort'a instinctivly grabbed the draw. Can I blame it on condys?

Breezey second time round, gotta' be the nicest route here I've tried I reckon.

First time today putting the draws in, but I think I’ve tried this in the past so can’t claim the onsight. Amnesia onsight I guess! Bit of leg dangling over that first lil rooflet!

Can’t claim the flash as I’ve done both the linked climbs.

I’m pretty sure I used to onsight 23’s like 2 weeks ago… 😂

Warmup/cleaning. Pretty tricky couple of moves for the grade I reckon.

I’m fucking loathed to even log this. Can’t believe I’ve waited this long to fucking punt off this, what a bellend.

Bloody shocker of a day for me by this point, fell off the 21, couldn’t do the dyno on the 26 and then fell off this. Cool moves but absolute bag of sand, unless I’m missing something it felt maybe a grade “easier” then the 26!

Went up twice, once to put the draws on for Caroline Chang, then again to clean. Wish I hadn’t! Got totally flash pumped on the onsight found a seeping pocket, rope fell down a hole, etc. The second go didn’t feel any more enjoyable tbh! No idea why this one gets the stars, least favourite route at “VDL”.

Good pumpy climb!

Quite pumpy! Can’t really claim the onsight as I squizzed some guys punting off the last draw earlier in the day.

Didn’t do it today but done in the past and didn’t log.

Classic unsend/resend combo. 😂

Head torch ascent to get the draws down!