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Red Rocks New Routes

nmonteith

16-Sep-2002
11:31:39 AM

I started off with a solo big drive to the Vic Ranges, a good 4 hours of mind numbing Saturday morning driving. Upon arrival I shouldered the monster bolting kit and hiked the easy 15 minutes into the aptly Red Rocks. My first mission was to install ring bolt anchors above my new route, Vertebrae done a few weeks back. This involved soloing a short easy route up the back of the pillar which was done with the aid of a handily placed crashmat. After doing that work I went scouting for a classic boulder problem amongst all the rock in the area. I found one good looking 5m high ball line which I achieved about four metres height. The moss covering the holds above my high point will need removal to un-earth more handholds hopefully.

Next I went to aid another of my routes, One Ring to Bind Them (23), to try and reach the top of the main pillar. This turned into quite a scary route with the top involving some scary moves. The last bit went from a shallow #2 Rock to a crap #2 RP to a skyhook then to a lasso sling around a creaking block then finally to a cam behind two loose blocks. I was completely gripped by the end. This is the amazing thing about the main wall. It is guarded on all sides by steep rock, which means the easiest line up would be the runout Red Raggin (17). After gaining the summit I set up a rap line down the south side to check out a new route I had planned. I self belayed my self on top rope to get the bolt placements right, finding the route to be sustained fingery wall climbing with an exciting roof move down low and a crux of about grade 21. I used the last of the battery power to place seven ringbolts in its 25m length. For the afternoon I went for a stroll up behind the main wall to see if I could spot any other potential. I found a newly bolted route, with three fixed hangers which looked mighty hard. It had a great absence of chalk on it so perhaps it hasn’t been done. I spotted and rapped down a few good looking hard lines to the right which looked similar to Cut Lunch Walls. Lots of good rock and some amazing bouldering potential. The area is so confusing and complex.

I left all my gear at the cliff and retreated back to the car for the night – stupidly leaving my head torch and sleeping mat behind at the crag. On the walk down I saw many emus and kangaroos munching away on the green grass. I was up at dawn and leaping up the hill to dismantle by ropes form the previous day. Another top rope lap of my newly bolted route, so as to check the glue and I rapped back to the ground. I had a go on another good easy line, about grade 17, on the back wall. It had amazing big pockets up a grey slab. The wind was getting ridiculous by this stage and trying to set up ropes was not worth it. I would throw it off the top and it would blow straight back up again, hitting me in the face and wrapping around the closet tree. On the walk down I found another two awesome gear lines, one was a big stunning undercling flake on immaculate orange rock. Perhaps grade 30?

I spent the rest of the afternoon looking at potential on the hill sides above Mt Fox. Apart from the steep bush bash, it was quite a pleasant area with much potential for hard routes up large walls. The main cliff just right of Hollywood Bowl looked especially promising.

HM33

16-Sep-2002
11:48:06 AM

neil,
great read. red rocks sounds great. would be great if i could get a hold of that file on the area. might try and head there for a day when im down that way.
steve

Mike

16-Sep-2002
11:57:24 AM

Neil, sorry I wasn't able to accompany you. At the last minute I couldn't get free on the Saturday, and a friend, who was going to come down with me, also had to bail. Hope you got my phone messages. Sounds like you self belayed all that work? Bold!

We did eventually get out on the Sunday, as far as Ben Nevis, and also encountered the killer wind. It was so strong it was lifting me off the delicate slab moves!

nmonteith

16-Sep-2002
2:49:36 PM

I will try and do up a online guidelet tonight...

Steve, what grades and styles are you after?

HM33

16-Sep-2002
4:28:03 PM

sport grades upto 23 or 24 ish. although i love trad also. probably prefer sports climbs for grampians as majority of time will be spent trad at araps. As for styles. well whatever comes. One ring to bind them sounds great and i saw the photo for strike the first blow in rock ( 25!! ha, i just wish i could climb that hard).

nmonteith

16-Sep-2002
5:20:43 PM

okies Steve,

For sport climbing at that grade go straight to the Gallery. You could spend half a day there doing Weaveworld (23) and Two Tribes (24). If its shitty weather this place is perfect and protected. From there is a very easy 5min drive to Red Rocks where i recommend Verterbrae (20), Fat Fingered Freak (23) and Varieance (24). Remember many of these routes actually require placing some gear. Most of the time is best to pre-place. I don't recommend One Ring to Bind Them. The top is nasty with some fairly crappy small wires. Good top-rope though! Hopefully if i get out this weekend I will have ticked my new grade 22ish sport route on the pillar which will also be good.

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