Local info and news
This page contains information on recent happenings at South
Australian crags. Information is specific to different crags, and the
most recent are first. Submissions for this page are welcome, please
send to info@climbingclubsouthaustralia.asn.an
Adelaide March 2010- Rob Baker
Sorry about the delay on updating the website. Not enough time in the say it seems. Much has happened since the last update in 2005.
After serving as
President for about 10 years, I gratefully handed over the reigns to
Adam Clay in August 2009. I highly appreciate all the help I received
from people over the years.
There was recently an accident at Waitpinga, where 2 climbers got lost
on the walk down and ended up taking a fall when trying to climb out.
Care must also be taken when lowering off some of the routes because
the routes are about 30m or more. See on the access page for for more
Waitpinga access information and information about the accident.
The SAREA page has been updated with new documentation and information.
All meetings are held at the Robin Hood Hotel in Norwood now. Its a great venue and they provide an awesome venue and friendly staff.
Off course there is much more information to add here, but I havent got the time at the moment....
Adelaide - March 2005 - James Falconer
Tony Barker has completed his project at Nortons Summit. The route, which Tony describes as his 'magnum opus', took numerous days work and has beed given the grade of 24/25. The line is as yet unnamed.
Rebolting work has continued in the Cave, with Trundle Down Rundle now completely re-bolted. The line is now fully bolted, and has a double bolt anchor.
Re-Bolting - Janurary 2005 - James Falconer
Climbing Anchors has offered to support the CCSA's re-bolting
efforts. Climbing Anchors donates 2% of purchases to the purchaser's
nominated re-bolting fund. The CCSA fund is now listed. Members are
encouraged to purchase bolting supplies from Climbing Anchors, and
direct the donation on thier behalf to the CCSA fund.
To kick off the support, Climbing Anchors has donated five bolts and
hangers to be used in SA for re-bolting. Thanks Steve! Any suggestions
for appropriate places to use these bolts are welcome.
Check out Climbing Anchors on the web.
Moonarie - Frocktober 2004 - James Falconer
The Frocktober long weekend was a grand success, with a number of
climbers, including some interstaters, strutting their stuff. On the
climbing front Rob Baker and I picked of a couple of nice new lines
near the Little Great Wall. Body Free Fall continued to see traffic,
with Sally Ely and Rob Baker redpointing the original route (25) and
the Du Ron sending the direct finish (27).
However the real action took place on the catwalk, with Limo the
runaway winner of the best dressed competition.
Moonarie - August 2004 - James Falconer
There was not much action on the new route front over winter, but
swarms of people (by Moonarie standards) over July kept the place busy.
During one weekend there close to twenty people at bottom camp, and a
couple more up top!
Most people were content to repeat routes, with sunny places such as
the Great Wall and Checkers Wall getting significant attention. Of note
are Steve Pollard's ascents of Animal Attrition (28), Yerba Mate (27)
and Body Free Fall Direct Finish (27).
The most controversial part of the winter seems to be Colin Ridley's
route Epicol (19) which starts from the end of the first pitch of
Medici. The route is somewhat over-bolted, but that can be overlooked
as all who repeated it during the winter have said it is excellent
climbing, and worthy of a couple of stars. The real question is that
(unknown to Col) the route shares its start and finish with other
routes, which effectively makes these sections retro-bolted. Colin
wants to return and remove/patch the offending bolts, but so far all
repeat ascentionists have said that now that they are there its not
worth removing them, especially seeing as the route is pretty cool.
Anyone got any views on this?
Also by way of advance notice, the October long weekend has been declared Frock-tober.
All in attendance will be required to under take their climbing
activities in appropriate dress.
The Bluff - May 2004 - James Falconer
Steve Kelly has made the second ascent of Hopes in Slopes (22). The 20m route has 2 pieces of gear, the second one of which is a skyhook! Check the photos.
Moonarie - May 2004 - James Falconer
The end of 2004 and the summer months was pretty quiet on the local
front. Dave Bowen being the main activist, picking off the aptly named
Bold Arete, and a nice link up on Moondance Wall. Interstaters picked
off a couple of nice lines also, Stuart Whtye bagging himself a
Legendary Strongman (25). The line of the summer however surely goes to
Gareth Llewellin and Douglas Hockly who found Unreal (26) in the great
chimney.
The locals got back to it in autum, with Easter being a particularly
busy weekend. Over 50 people, including a bunch of interstaters,
climbed loads of routes. Dave Bowen and Alex Mew picked of a couple of
nice lines including a good two pitch route on Gargoyle Wall - Court
Jester (20). Geordie Webb and I fixed up a route we did years ago, and
found a few more lines in the Northern Group.
Guru Wall has also seen a bit of action, with Two Faced Guru getting
ascents from both Justin Taylor and Steve Pollard.
Moonarie - August 5 2003 - James Falconer
The winter has seen continued activity. Dave Bowen and Rob Baker have
both been at it, producing some nice new lines. In a fast return after
sustaining serious injuries at Arapiles over summer Paul Badenoch
produced No Missing Link on the Red Tier. Of particular note is Steve
Pollard's ascent of the open project on the Great Wall. Steve spent a
number of weekends on the route, and was ultimately successful in mid
June. The completion of the route, known as Drowning Direct, marks the
end of a long history of attempts started 15 years ago. It also gives
Moonarie its first 29, the first grade increase for fifteen years. Nice
work Steve.
Moonarie - June 5 2003 - Rob Baker
Over the last year or so there has been lot of activity at Moonarie.
Many new routes and repeats of existing hard routes have been done. A
lot of work has also been done with the replacement of old carrot bolts
with good quality stainless expansion bolts. None of the carrots that
have been removed would be considered safe by anyone's standards. Many
of the old rap stations for routes have been replaced and a few new
ones have been added. This enables rapping after the high quality first
or second pitches without having to climb all the mossy ordinary
pitches above and reduces wear and tear on the descent gullies.
Dave Bowen and Johnny Marshall have been extremely busy. Over about 4
weekends in 2002, they bolted and climbed a new 3-pitch mega-route on
Flying Buttress, Swooping Pterodactyls 22. The first pitch especially
is excellent climbing just left of the arete of These Eagles and has
had many repeats.
Mike Broadbent and Tony Barker have also been active with a couple of
cunning new routes in the ramparts and near the little great wall. Rob
Baker, James Falconer and crew have added some cool routes to the
checkers wall area, close to top camp and in the ramparts in the
Sweeping Statement area.
Steve Pollard cleaned up an old Stuart Williams project on Guru Wall to
produce Meditations 27, an awesome line, which follows the diagonal rib
on the wall. Also impressive is his recent ascent of the Womb Waltz 28
which had gone unrepeated for over ten years.
Easter 2003 saw a flurry of activity in the lower southern descent
gully by Dave Bowen and Company with about 5 new routes. Most of the
old carrot bolts on the great wall were replaced in a mammoth effort by
Colin Ridley with his new drill.