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Bumbling around in a World of Bouldering

Tel

5-Oct-2004
7:04:17 PM

A couple of reports... though long overdue.
Grampians 5th - 8th July.....
Never having been to the Grampians I was pretty keyed up to go, the weather really wasn't in my favour though as it was cold wet and generally pretty miserable. I arrived just on dusk and found a nice spot to camp at he back of the Stapylton campground. When setting up I always find you should prioritise, so no work can be done without coffee. Fortunately I have a gas bottle and stove so it makes for the efficient making of the coffee, except when you have a three inch flame coming out of the hose. After careful consideration I realized that if I don't get coffee, I may as well leave, so by operating the furthest burner and continually moderating I managed. The Morning arrived and it was grey and wet so a quick trip to Horsham to get the hose fixed seemed the best thing to do. With that done back to Staplyton grabbed the pad and headed to my first stop Mt zero picnic ground carpark. Looking at my trusty guidebook I could see that all I had to do was to follow a track and that would lead me to the Lower Clicke and Andersons areas. The track soon turned into heavy scrub and with much swearing and cursing I continued on. Eventually I came to the conclusion that this is all wrong and from where I was it seemed I was in the vicinity of Guernica block, completely frustrated and annoyed and running out of expletives of I bashed my way through and headed back to the carpark via flat rock. Sitting in the car thoroughly disheartened to say the least, and wondering what the hell I was doing here, I began contemplating setting fire to my now not so trusty guidebook. I was truly at a loss as to what to do, and whilst still in my pitiful state, two chaps wandered down off flat rock to there car and pulled out there pads. They noticed me and asked if I was heading out, I then explained to them that I had kind of been out. They seemed a little amused and told me it is a much easier approach from Hollow Mountain carpark. They headed off to Kindergarten and I opened my trusty guidebook. I decided to go and have a peek at Trackside since I was here so, a coffee and a cigarette to centre myself and I headed back over flat rock.
My first view of Stapylton Amphitheatre was jaw dropping, I stood there for about five minutes in total awe, it was simply spectacular and the lines look truly frightening.
Rejuvenated I headed down to trackside, the boulders looked great and I began trying to find which was which with the aus bouldering guide I had. I played around on a few lines, Simon Says boulder and Amazing Boulder but they were proving a little tough so no tickages. The weather closed in and it was getting late in the day, so I made my way out and already began looking toward the next day. Once again it was cold and wet so I headed out to hollow mountain to try and get to Andersons, I spent the night before looking through sheets of paper and felt that I could get more done there than anywhere else. This time the approach went well and I was greeted to a field of dreams, boulder after boulder after boulder. I began another recon of which was which and decided to start with a couple of V0’s both of which were sitstarts, keyhold was missing on one so after working around that and battling the damp both were topped out after a couple of shots, they were short but fun. I then had my eye on what the aus bouldering guide classed as a V1 scary (#9), I didn’t see it as sitstart, the right hand starts on a small crimp and then swing the left hand up to gaston an edge, from there it was all balance and step up for a good left hand, move up again and get reasonable hands, from there it all went pear shaped, this is where a spotter comes in handy, not for catching, more for moral support. I must have tried this problem thirty or forty times, but be buggered if I could stick the next hold. It is a good fun line though. I got sick of flying off so in search of another I went and Get Down On It, V0 was next a sitstart, pop and pull up…two shots ..nice. I then decided on playing on the line next to Green Destiny V8 (#7), which is V4, fantastic slopers (#6), these slopers are awesome, no tick, but worked a few of the moves and had a great time.
Not really a lot of bouldering done but, my first trip to the Grampians was fantastic and I cannot wait to get back there it is truly a beautiful place.

A few sleeps later had me on a plane to Brisbane for the first time in 10 years( born and bred there). My purpose was my little brothers 21st, but I managed to schedule some bouldering in also. E- Park and Tooheys forest were the destinations. I decided to do E- Park first as it seem to have plenty at my level. On my way I went through Fortitude Valley and I noticed a climbing gym, Rocksports. Being unfamiliar with my areas I thought I would ask there for accurate directions. It was there that I met Justin who gave me directions to E- Park and offered to guide me through Tooheys forest.
Using the qurank guide to springwood boulders I started to move my way along mostly all V0’s ticking 8 of the 12 lines, the V1 White Streak #2 was for me a great line to tick, I really wanted that line so badly, the crux for me was… too hard to describe, easier to look at this pic( not me), http://www.pbase.com/simon_vos/image/18901588 the next moves you have to pop up and it’s a right hand to a small sloper, stick that and rest is ok. I ended up ticking it first shot on my second day, I looked at some of the highballs and topping out on them is scary, I kept bailing though I think it would easier to try and top out as for me down climbing them was harder than going up
I trashed my hands so bad, and I still had Tooheys Forest to go. Justin from Rocksports met me at Tooheys and I have to say he is one top bloke. It was one of my best days out ever, my hands were trashed and he just kept me laughing the whole time. He is a great climber and his enthusiasm is endless. And it is with him I owe my tick of Crouching Tiger.... a V2 no less. We did some fun warm up stuff and looked at some of his warmup project lines. With every cut I just added more tape, the day ended for me with 2, V1’s Area B #10 V1 (not me)
http://qurank.smugmug.com/gallery/64187/1/2413708 is one (sorry no pic for descriptive purposes for any thing else) and a V2 and plenty of skin left on numerous other lines.

IdratherbeclimbingM9

8-Oct-2004
1:48:18 PM

It was a good read Tel.

>Fortunately I have a gas bottle and stove so it makes for the efficient making of the >coffee, except when you have a three inch flame coming out of the hose

Duct tape is the all purpose (big-wall) temporary-repair kit. You even said it yourself later ...
>With every cut I just added more tape

- - - -
>I began contemplating setting fire to my now not so trusty guidebook. I was truly at a loss
... this is the second method of brewing the essential coffee!

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