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The Sun Gate Challenge (Grampians) - Jan 12&13

jgoding

17-Dec-2007
8:41:13 AM

Good Morning,

right - here is a straight forward challenge for you all.

Come and climb as much as you can - simple. Tick as many routes as possible, even repeat routes and get the most points in a day and you're the winner. This way you don't have to be the strongest climber to win the comp - just do heaps of routes!

3 cliffs fall into this category - The Sun Deck, Cave Cliff and The Sun Gate.

The comp will run across both days, and there will be an A4 printed page available at the car park (or I can e-mail it to you) with a tick list for all the routes, as well as an area for your name.

There might have to be the odd rule or two if it gets really busy (like you must let the next person in line go after you, and time limits on attempts etc - but we will see how popular it gets eh?) Any ideas for rules most welcome.

This area is suitable for sports climbers.

Hope you can enjoy this comp with us!

Good luck.

steff

17-Dec-2007
9:49:35 AM

just do not do it. The developement of this area is not very well received withing the NP admin anyhow. Jut a couple of month old and the whole area starts to suffer from the activities. To create a path with the removal of some (little) trees , should be a real no go and the base of Cave Cliff starts to suffer from erosion. The work that has been done to create some sleeping platforms in the cave hasn't helped as well.

Thanks to the developers for the new area, but why not keep things a little bit quieter, instead of having a climbing competition at the cliffs.


simonu

17-Dec-2007
9:57:52 AM

We spent Sat and Sun up there and while we enjoyed the climbing, a lot of sizeable chunks of rock were dislodged. We were lucky that the pieces didn't land on anyone but if you get loads of people around the chances of someone getting twatted by a rock obviously increase.
To echo what people have mentioned on another thread: if you pay a visit to the Sun Deck or Sun Gate wear a helmet - on belay and on lead.


phil_nev

17-Dec-2007
10:37:36 AM

wow... never seen such desperation to get more people to a new crag.... :)

17-Dec-2007
12:52:07 PM

And the prizes are ?


westie

17-Dec-2007
1:06:38 PM

On 17/12/2007 steff wrote:

>Thanks to the developers for the new area, but why not keep things a little
>bit quieter, instead of having a climbing competition at the cliffs.

She has a point there. There are gyms for that sort of thing. It sounds about as safe as competition bomb dismantling or trying to set a world record for the fastest packing of a parachute and skydive. Speed trad climbing? No thanks.

If you get it up though and there's a hot dog stand and a car park at the base I'll be sure to bring the kids... and a caravan, and my TV, mobile disco etc etc.


dimpet

17-Dec-2007
1:15:56 PM

How exactly do you get to theses areas? Is there a map somewhere?


nmonteith

17-Dec-2007
3:09:46 PM

This is the oddest trip report i've ever read.

17-Dec-2007
3:23:25 PM

Come on Joe, surely this has to be a joke !?

jgoding

17-Dec-2007
3:37:19 PM

Jeez guys, if this was at Taipan or somewhere at Nowra or the Blue Mountains, would there be the same reaction? I think not.

What's your problem people? If this was in the lactic factory it would be just another day. What's your issue with bringing this concept outdoors?

This place already sees a fair bit of traffic.

Steff - In relation to the track, I would suggest one well marked track is very preferable to people bashing their own lines up wherever they like, so I have always had a strong opinion to mark one decent track and reduce and erosion / damage - not to mention that people can actually find the cliff!

Phil - no desperation here - just trying to share the enjoyable climbing is all. Come along or not as you like.

Prizes KP - yep good idea. I might look into that.

Maybe I could place an ad in The Age too?


westie

17-Dec-2007
3:56:51 PM

On 17/12/2007 jgoding wrote:

>What's your problem people?

what about the safety issue of a (lets pretend) crowded crag with people racing up the lines against the clock. If it wasn't so dangerous it'd be laughable.

drdeviousii

17-Dec-2007
4:05:52 PM

On 17/12/2007 jgoding wrote:
>Jeez guys, if this was at Taipan or somewhere at Nowra or the Blue Mountains,
>would there be the same reaction? I think not.

yes it would be the same reaction . some do not want large groups trashing a place.

>What's your problem people? If this was in the lactic factory it would
>be just another day. What's your issue with bringing this concept outdoors?

it is a national park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! one place is a wild natural place. the other is a warehouse in a city . if you can not see the difference then we are worried .

>This place already sees a fair bit of traffic.

too much already. why create more?

>Steff - In relation to the track, I would suggest one well marked track
>is very preferable to people bashing their own lines up wherever they like,

her point was that the cliff area is already well trashed from the amount of people going there now. getting a group of 30 competitors there in one day will only accelerate this damage . destruction in the guise of recreation is obscene.

people have pointed out that a place with regular rockfall such as this is not the best venue for a competion . near misses are common already . add in a group of spectators or a queue and you have sitting ducks. -- DD

steff

17-Dec-2007
4:11:34 PM

Joe, there is no problem with a track, but there is a problem with the removal of vegetation in a National Park. It would be not a bad idea to talk to the rangers prior establishing it. A new sport cliff will actract masses of climbers, the path will get bigger and bigger and a haphazardly created well trodden path will eventualy benefit erosion. Do not get me wrong, Cave cliff is nice, the views from the Sun Deck are great. Good place to have a climb after work. I just see some problems with the NP admin in the future, if it is overpromoted and I know the crew pretty well. I really think a climbing comp in a NP should not happen.

hipster

17-Dec-2007
4:57:05 PM

On 17/12/2007 jgoding wrote:
>Jeez guys, if this was at Taipan
Do Victorians climb at Taipan?? I thought I saw one once heading up, but they stopped at trackside boulders!!


nmonteith

17-Dec-2007
5:03:28 PM

I was the token Victorian when you were down Ado!

simey

17-Dec-2007
5:28:31 PM

On 17/12/2007 hipster wrote:
> Do Victorians climb at Taipan?? I thought I saw one once heading up, but they stopped at trackside boulders!!

I think we established all the routes on Taipan years ago Ado, so you guys could come and fail on them.

kieranl

17-Dec-2007
8:49:41 PM

Much as I appreciate Joe's enthusiasm, this is not a good idea. I'm not speaking from a position of pontification here but as a participant. A long time ago I got very enthusiastic about running a boulder competition in Gariwerd along the lines of the Pocatello Pump - informal community event. I broached the subject to Dave Mudie and it took him about 60 seconds to dissuade me.
The biggest problem with my proposed community event and Joes' is that you need a site that can safely cope with a lot of people at one time without damaging them or the environment.
The Sun Deck/Gate area just does not qualify. The approach is steep and subject to erosion. The steep ground does not accomodate groups of people hanging around at the base of the cliff. In the Sun Deck's case, there is a real risk of falling rock to people below.
Before we start talking approval from National Parks or insurance the project is doomed because of the unsuitability of the site.
Joe, it's a good idea. I don't have a problem with it if you can find the right venue but the Sun Gate isn't it.
I guess though that there is a reasonable question to ask about the similarities between this and the Arapiles TriHurtalon (sorry, forget the "real" name) that Simey "organises" .

jgoding

17-Dec-2007
9:39:31 PM

All right - concede - bad idea. Event called off.

Kieran - maybe you could enlighten us as to the historical events surrounding the Arapiles TriHurtalon?

kieranl

17-Dec-2007
10:13:43 PM

Sorry, it's not Hurtathlon, it's Goatathlon. Just couldn't think of the name at the time so made up something that conveyed the pain.
All that I really know about it is on Chockstone.
It's an informal community event at Arapiles. Using existing tracks and roads it probably doesn't add much impact with current low numbers.
Probably best to PM Simey about any organisational details (if there are any).


Macciza

17-Dec-2007
10:15:26 PM

The other thing you might need to check is whether competition is allowed in the Park - In NSW
'competitive' events need permission even if the activity is otherwise individually allowed.

There are 25 messages in this topic.