Ascensions dans Gara Gorge

I love this thing. It's such a grovel-fest every time and gives nothing. I had a bunch of attempts from the inverted sit start but no joy. I got the top clean on one attempt from the stand start. look forward to linking these

First proper session on this unique and burly piece. For much of the 3 hours we were here it was sprinkly mist above yet FC remained dry. Worked the start thanks to Skippy's hard earned beta and got myself into the jams which felt way more comfortable than the more marginal crux sequence. Elated to get the send but dampened a little given Skippy was all but on the send train before pulling up just short after a very solid session.

Another misty drizzly day, early start with 5 pads and a rope not sure what we'd do and FC was in good condition. A wicked super session, after only one or two attempts and I was back to my furthest point again - and for all the other attempts I don't think I ever didn't get back to this point, the first crux is now dialed. After Ben showed the way I got on just after the first crux and linked all the remaining moves to the nose-twiddle finish on my first go, and after that I thought I had it in the bag as I could now do every move. Tried linking it from the start, and then again and again, with longer breaks and more prep between them slowly mangling my fists and ankles and draining the energy reserves. After one really long rest refuel and complete re-tape I had one last burn and gave it everything, and got further than ever, only 3 moves from the finish, but was totally spanked. Got some wild toe and shin cramps afterward. Heaps of hand, wrist and ankle bruises, right wrist is quite swollen now. Masochism as its finest

A cool little problem sent in between drizzles.

Spent an age working this on first attempt. Got it on my second with Benji's beta.

Had a few goes and with Benji's beta I can statically press through the crux but come up literally millimetres short of the jug finish! Moving my right hand in further puts me off balance. I'm probably going to need to stem my right foot out. It's a fairly big fall

3 attempts, crux is fairly low on the left

Solo mission with 3 pads and a portable fan. It started sprinkling as I packed the car and I drove through a couple showers. The rock was still good and had a great sess with more than a dozen burns and another foot of progress. Past the crux (first?) and into decent fist jam rest and inverted. Another 2 foot of slightly flaring hands and fists remains. The sky opened as I packed up and I walked out in drenching rain.

A lot of debris at the moment, needs another good excavation. Got it second go but the stand start takes out the hardest move.

Another scout just to see how spoogy it was, totally mint so shoe'd up and ended up progressing to a new hight point all the way to the fist jam and then tenuously matched. Was right on the index knuckle, if I'd sunk it just an inch deeper I think it would have been done!?

After the uninspired start to the day, I was stoked to jump on and statically move through the crux first go and essentially fell of the top in surprise. Got it very smoothly on 3rd go

Only one go, got to last traverse move. Time to chase some shade

Start felt hard, top move kept spooging

Finally got a tickle on this thing before the trickles got intense and the rock soaked.

Had one go at this as it started spitting and slowly fell away in no-mans land. Good to see Benji get oh so close.

You get your moneys worth on this one. This grovel fest is an instant classic. Best attempt was my first go. Knee bars, stacked hands, shoulder jams, balancy feet, inverted moves and it's only 3m tall!

Such a good number to bring on the burn. I find this a pretty hard route to flash as a warm-up cause of the intense flash pump. Got it on my 4th attempt and again on the 5th

A little mantle practice in-between Dagobah runs.

An optimistic scouting missing turned into an attempt. It started sprinkling again by the time we got setup and only 1 proper burn, carefully stepping on the dry bits, but after a couple goes we were just sitting in the drizzle with soggy pads.

Water level was fairly high into the cave so did a bit of rock building first. Afters the boys had a few goes thought I should too. Probably 5 or so goes, starting from the higher fist jam, had one fairly decent go (the first?) where I got pretty high and kinda arm barring. After some discussion we have consensus that this is not a V3 and probably more like V5

Was much more interesting in a swim, a gara swim is long over due. Only a fortnight ago it was almost drought level trickle again but now its magic. (I'm sun burnt now). Did a quick lap as a warmup

Through the mantle I felt the slight twinge in my right shoulder still from a week or so ago at the wall

Post storm humid conditions but we snuck out because its been forever and the covid gut needs to go. Super happy to resend this first go and even happier to do a second lap clean.

waaaay harder (for me) than the indirect start. i onsighted the 19 and couldnt get up this on top rope, after being shown some beta.

my first granite climb and what a joy. standing and crimping on tiny flakes to gain nice ledges. well bolted except the last carrot seems to have popped out. this is no big deal as its on the easy slabby finish.

dear the person who hucked our stuff in the river - we will find you...

and thank you for actually improving my book!

Pulled the top flake almost a cm away from the rock but it didn't brake somehow, be careful!

Had a couple goes at this, hand was somewhat better at jambing but still not happy and so left it