Neil Monteith & Nick McKinnon
An amazingly productive weekend was had by Nick and I. Seven new routes and one bolted project over two days and a solid 24 hours of climbing. We hardly rested as we set to work dragging mountains of gear in, bush bashing to the top of the crag and throwing ropes down. Tender moments on abseil were had as we pocked and prodded potential 'death blocks' that lurked on our chosen lines. After placing the required gear, including several bolts we set to work climbing our new lines. First to go was my classic white face interspersed with bullet hard pockets and heucos, the abtly named 'Wild Iris' in memory of the superb limestone crag of that name in the USA. Four glue in carrots protect this fine grade 18 wall with several reachy moves. A lower off chain gets you safely back to the ground so you don't have to climb the thirty metres of skank vegatated rock above. As soon as I hit the ground I went back up again to do the right hand variant of the route. At the second bolt you traverse rightwards on small widely spaced two finger pockets with next to nothing for the feet. I struggled, heaved and skated my way across this slick rock to finally grapple the big jug and finish the line. My pump was massive and my arms lapped up the huge finishing holds.
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| Neil on the FFA of 'Wild Iris' (18) | Nick on the second ascent of 'Wild Iris' (18) |
Nick and I both went our seperate ways to check out some other lines. Nick wanted to try a huge clean arete in the centre of the cliff whilst I went to check out a rounded face crack on the left side of the crag. I soloed a shocking slabby handcrack filled with sticks to gain the ledge to set the anchor. My line looked awesome and doable on gear so I went to help Nick bolt his route. After a long while watching Nick shunt and prep his route we were finally ready for some more new routes. I onsighted my way up my chosen face crack, finding the gear and climbing surperb. The rock was frictinal grey 'grit' which was technical and balancy to climb. I named the route 'Pickiing Plums'.
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| Nick seconds the FFA of 'Picking Plums' (19) | Nick seconds the FFA of 'Picking Plums' (19) |
Nick had a go on his route before dark and sussed out the majority of the moves. Next day we were back at the cliff by 8am and raring to go. The weather was very dicy, with constant mist and light rain but Nick still wanted his first ascent. His first attempt on the smooth stemming corner at the start ended with a slip and myself acting as a crash matt. A little bruised and shaken, and with a bleeding finger Nick set back up the line. The start was excellent pocket pulling on a slab which relents to several metres of juggy heucos. After that it rears back through a bulge and then the business begins. Nick fought along a sloping flake with little feet and crimped onto the feature headwall. Much like Soeweto but far harder this wall contains the crux, a long pull on a slopy sideways pocket. Nick cranked through, placing a vital wire and finally got to the juggy arete. Another first ascent was in the bag. I seconded with many falls on the hard crimp section. 'Face the Dissection' (23) might even be a sandbag.
Nick climbs the amazing 'Face the Dissection' (23) on the first ascent.
The rain got harder but we still wouldn't give up. I went to bag the crackline directly left of 'Picking Plums'. Luckily its subtle overhanging nature meant the route was fine, but Nick belaying down below got saturated. It was another absorbing lead on rounded grit rock which takes many large cams. If only I had brought some with me!
Neil nears the end of 'Pineapple' (18) on the first ascent.
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