© 2002 Will
The Details: The most distinctive thing about this place is the atmosphere! Spatial Commitment (18) is a very apt name - this climb looks amazingly exposed. I got the heeby jeebies just walking round the ledge to it, so I’ll need to grow some elephant balls and get onto it - it looks phenomenal. On the other hand, the start for Struggling Man (18) just looks stupid. Start on a ledge 40m off the deck, climb up a puny branch of a tree out over the void, reach way up to hanging arete to clip the first BB. Anyone who has led this climb without preclipping the first bolt on rap is an idiot!! (It does look good after that though......)
On the other hand, this crag is also quite scary, with lots of debris just waiting to go over the edge, and some of the bolts do look suspect - particularly on Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine (20), and the remaining belay bolt on Peace Frog is downright dangerous - considering an identical one has ripped out right next to it! (Is this the reason for the rather morbid cross on top of the cliff here?) The ledge is also quite precarious in spots - do not slip!!
On the whole, I wouldn’t strongly recommend this crag, but there are a few good climbs here.
Access: 15min drive from Mt Victoria, 3min walk. Remarkably good access - the climbs are only about 250m from the carpark. Check out the lookout first (very impressive!), then backtrack about 30m and duck down E on faint track. Down into steep loose gully until it’s impassable, then L or R onto ledge.
Described L to R, facing the cliff.
All Models are Orphans 30m 21 (TR)
Start 8m L of the hanging arete of SM. Steeply up initial flakes to BB, then an absolutely horrendous move gains a stance on the lip (cam under flake). I can’t believe they thought that move was 18 . . . Anyway, trend up R past 2nd BB, then some good face moves lead to a shallow wire, and mantle (easier on R). Two more BB then big run out up final wall.
** Spasmo’s On Acid 30m 21 (L)
The beautiful orange wall 50m L of the descent. Up to good #0.5 Fr in pocket, then a thin move to clip 1st BB. Very thin moves to gain flake, then step R to clip 2nd BB. Technical traverse R leads to good stance below 3rd BB. Nice moves lead to pocket, then interesting to gain very poor crimps on lip of bulge. Cranking strength will get you through to a better crimp, than another crank gains a stance to clip 4th BB. Trend up and L past a wire to final corner. Some absolutely stonker wires protect sustained bridging moves to the top.
Initial View 20m 13 (YP)
Nowhere near as chossy as it looks, though some of the face holds are pretty suss. The gear is good, and there’s some nice moves, so on the whole its not bad.
* Peace Frog 28m 21 (L)
Memorable for run outs (only 5 bolts in 28m) and for possibly the scariest belay I’ve ever seen - thank god we had a second rope to run down from the top of the cliff. The single remaining bolt is in rock that looks like cheese - there is a great divot ripped out just next to it - a ripped bolt? A bit contrived too - the crux section past the 2nd and 3rd bolts is very simply avoided up the flake 60cm L. Nice rock to halfway, but don’t trust the thin flaky bits - I ripped a brick sized chunk off, and hit myself in the head with it - three cheers for helmets! Barely gets a star in my book.
© 2002 Will