Ascents in Oceania as various tick types by Thomas Gissing

Full sun. Brutal.

First and last route of the trip. See ya next time Bluies.

Really good, despite the bouldery start.

Caught the slot after the big throw with the skin of my chinny chin chin.

Lovely! Little mini-exposure around the arete.

Noice!

Pretty dang mincy for 16.

Lovely! Little mini-exposure around the arete.

Noice!

Pretty dang mincy for 16.

Coolies!

Top is way harder for littlelies. Poor Lu took some big lobs!

Warm up. Love this thing. Stayed light on the knee.

Warm down

5 min rest and just went again. Would've been well stroppy if I fell again.

Rock is pretty crapola, but the movement is good. Would be a rough one for the shorties - especially having to jump for the jug at the first.

Had the moves right and went through it fairly easily. Climbed like a spud on the top jugs after being surprised I was there on the second go.

Really happy with this one. Love this old-school style face climbing.

Some thin crimpage, a bit of a dodgey second clip. Otherwise OK.

Used different beta at the top. Much easier. Super gymnastic and pretty reachy, but great for the style and length.

Climbing with Lu on day 1 of the trip!

About as good as it gets at 15.

Nice. More delightful, slightly overhanging jugging.

Doneskis! Thought it was a long shot given it was burn 3, but made it through. Climbed very quickly through to the swing, then rested briefly, before getting through the swing and into the double knee bar rest. Took a proper recovery, then to the end without too much drama.

First 26. Even better, I legitimately got better at climbing by going through the process of working it. Happy days. Fantastic route, with some super speccy moves.

Tried the start until I got through it (4 goes?), then to the top. Bit of a fight, but hard to fall off after that with the plethora of kneebar options.

Great day at the crag with some grade A banter from an eclectic crew.

Won't go down as a mega classic, but a worthwhile little jaunt. Last difficult sequence using the scoop is great.

Another lap putting up top rope for Lu. Super high gravity day, feeling super average.

Not too bad. Concur with Matt re: the bolting. Especially considering this is the 'warm up' here.

Enjoyed it. Pretty good holds all the way ups. Lower-slider esque. Definitely not 23, maybe even soft at 22.

Getting draws down.

Warm up.

Did it as the warm up this morning. Getting Coolum fit evidently.

Much nicer route than how I'd previously heard it described.

First time I've properly rested on a route and got it back - very happy on that front.

Really enjoyed this route - feels substantially longer and more of a journey than the other stuff at Lower. Just Monkey Magic and the 27 left to do.

Putting up top ropes for the homies.

Being a hungover belay bitch today. Lu sent this on her 4th go! Woo.

Packs a punch for 10 moves. Enjoyed it.

15 moves on this one. Basically 2 boulder problems split by a nice shake on the slot - never pulled so hard on a 23.

Draw retrieval mission. Fun jug haul.

Warm up.

Still really fun through the roof. First trad in yonks.

Wobbly as! 0% faith in the gear. Must've been braver or more naive when I did it the first time.

Seconding Big All.

Pretty funky and step.

Letting Lu do her thing on the sharp end end. Good conditions once it's in the shade.

Route not as nice as I remembered.

Felt pretty casual knowing the beta and being warmed up.

Happy with this. Haven't onsighted anything for quite a while, and I think this is the hardest I've done. The start was funky to sequence, then its just keep it together till the chains.

The rock is a bit crapola, but this and the 24 are both worthy routes imo.

Getting gear back for a friend. This route is really tops. It's like 3 chapters of climbing rolled into 1. The final corner felt so much less tricky than I remember.

Lu sent second shot! So proud.

Found myself at the shake out before the crux before I knew what had happened. Little pep talk and pretty smooth through to the end. 4 tie ins over the last 2 weeks, and a bolt to bolt about 9 months back. Two 25's in 7 days! Yippee!

There seems to be RH and LH variant beta now without the jug that fell out, both still go at 25, but adds a bit of pump and a less solid clip.

Finishing up for Lu.

Always interesting to go back to routes that gave me huge trouble previously.

Found some way more fun, heel hook beta that makes it more direct than what I used to do. Like it more that way.

Lu sent second try - great effort.

This is one of the best beginner leads going around. Secure climbing on jugs, on steep enough ground that falls are perfectly safe. Shame about the carrot bolts.