Foreigners Invade Arapiles

Weekend of the 22-23 August 1998

On Thursday I went to the Mill climbing gym and met up with a climber who I had phoned from his 'climbing partner wanted' notices. He is a Brit called Paul who is over for a year a working holiday. I finally got a chance to lead the monster roof at the mill (8m compeletly upside down). I did two 20's which where really easy jug fests. The moves where so easy, they felt like 15's but were very sustained. Paul is quite a crap climber, he struggled up a few 16's but wasn't very confident leading. We still had fun though.

Friday I organized with Paul and another climber also called Paul to go to Arapiles for the weekend. The other guy is a Danish New Zealander. I started to pick up an ascent by the end of the weeeknd with all these foriegners!

Saturday morning we awoke to the sound of pattering rain. Another weekend plauged by bad weather. After waiting for the clouds to clear we headed over to do XI. Danish Paul managed an easy onsight of this classic 19. Brit Paul seconded, did the crux, but pumped out so I finished the route for him. Next we headed over to Major Mitchell Gully to do Arab 107m 16 (page 93 of guide). Brit Paul piked out so Danish Paul and I did a fast clean ascent on this awesome route. The only hitch was on the third pitch when it started hailing! I was belaying on a hanging stance when it started raining. I was thinking 'Rain dosn't normally bounce off the rock like that?....' then the bigger hail started hitting. It was all over in a matter of minutes but I nearly froze to death as I had left my jumper and beanie at the base of the route!

Brit Paul seconds XI

To round the day off I onsighted a fantastic route called Morfydd 30m 20 (page 98) which is up and left of XI. In the guide its only a one star route but I reckon it should be two maybe three stars. Really fantasic start up a tricky overhung balancy wall then a great corner with heaps of bulges and crazy hand jams finishes it off. I was very happy with this ascent as I havn't really led on nautral gear or even with ropes for over 4 months. Danish Paul led it also with two rests. Just after he rapped down he almost colapsed of tiredness and dehydration. When we got back to camp at 6pm he crashed straight away before dinner and didn't wake up for 16 hours! He must have been severly tired from working that week. Dinner was pasta and the trusty rice custard.

On sunday we teamed up with another climber, Johhno from Bendigo and headed up to the upper Organ Pipes. I jumped on the classic thin test piece 'The Wraith' 35m 21 (page 67) right of Tanin. It was very scary on thin wires. I took a rest at the crux then was forced to run it out about 8m on a RP 3 over a tricky section to a good rest. I stuffed a moderate cam placment (3 cams touching out of 4) and took another rest. My endurance isn't what it used to be! I topped out up a great flake. Its a great route, mega sustained. I was again happy with this attempt. Johhno led Tanin, then I led 'Wyrd' 50m 19 (page 67) left of Tannin. Its another classic with a good roof and a bold traverse move up high. The rock at Arapiles is awesome! I have forgotten how many classic can be compacted into a short area.

After a brief rest we went to D Minor pinacle and Danish Paul led Lemmington 18m 19 (page 62) which I seconded. He was gripped the whole way up almost falling from 6m above a crappy wire. I was packing death just belaying him! Its a great route on really nice granite like rock. I then led Aadvark 18m 18 (page 63) opposite Lemmington. It also is a fantastic route on great rock. Both of these climbs should get more than one star. Johhno led Lemmington in a display of gutso (he had told us earlier in the day he could at best lead 17!) taking two big falls thanks to the poor belaying of our Brit friend Paul. It was so funny, Danish Paul and I watched from the top of Ardvark as Johhno instructed Brit Paul how to lock off the rope. A second later Johhno came screatching off taking a 7m fall. I don't think Brit Paul had ever held a serious lead fall let alone seen one! He kept the rope far too tight after that. Johno had to keep saying 'slack slack slack... ' the whole way up.

The drive home was nightmare. We were all so stuffed it felt like it took 8 hours not 4. It was even more severe when I had to go to work and prep an edit for Monday morning. I didn't get home until after 1am.

This weekend we move into our new building, we packed most of our stuff today, so no climbing. Next weekend though I should be going out to the Grampians with Danish Paul to do some of my new routes at Lunar Crag. It should be most cool.