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General Climbing Discussion

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Guidebook: Grampians Climbing: Sport Crags 13-Apr-2013 At 8:56:31 AM simey

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On 12/04/2013 Wendy wrote:
>I hate to say it Simey, but i didn't think Mr J was the best pitch of 25 in the country ...

So what grade 25 pitches would you put ahead of it? I recall Peter Croft onsighting both pitches and he thought it was the best route he had done in Australia (I do appreciate there have been a number of worthwhile routes added since then).

On 12/04/2013 Dave J wrote:
>On 12/04/2013 simey wrote:
>>You might need to explain to me Dave why this new route is so much better than Mr J.
>
>The climbing on Mr J is all broken up with big ledges.

Total exaggeration! The are no sit-down ledges. There are couple of places where you can milk rests, but that is all. I'm sure most grade 25 climbers aren't complaining about those shake-outs when they reach them!

> The top pitch of World Party or even the 1st pitch of 7th pillar are better more sustained pitches I think.

Just to get to the top pitch of World Party you need to climb a very bouldery and significantly harder pitch just to reach it (unless you decide to do Fisting Party as one massive pitch). As for Seventh Pillar LHV... well you ramble up the grade 16 start to a rest, climb the steep flake to a stance and jug which you can hang out on for hours and then you tackle the traverse. How does that differ to milking a couple of rests on Mr Joshua?

>Don't get me wrong...its not a terrible route by a long shot...but the competition is pretty stiff on that wall.

Mr J by the very fact that it goes to the top of the cliff at only grade 26 with bloody awesome climbing makes it pretty special. It is very onsightable and doesn't have the desperately bouldery cruxes that a lot of routes on Taipan have.

Grade 30+ routes will continue to be established on Taipan for a long time to come, but you won't find any more bottom to top routes up Taipan at a modest grade 25/26.