Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Trip Reports

Tells Us About Your Latest Trip!

Topic Date User

Sweet Dreams...Toby, Sean & Moto 20-May-2010 At 3:55:59 PM aarond

Message

i had an exciting adventure on sweet dreams myself, probably not quite as bad...

anyway i did it with a mate after work in summer, left the car park at 630pm and got back to the car at 930pm doing the last pitch by head torch (the original plan) was great sitting at the belay final watching the sunset.

i did it a second time with another mate after work again, left at 6pm, got back at 930pm. all going to plan.

so next time i thought oh Ill take a beginner up and figured if they are only seconding and can comfortably climb the grade it shouldn't be too slow, i mean its no different to climbing 10 15m climbs in the gym on toprope in the afternoon right??

so we left at 4pm thinking thinking 4 1/2 hours of light should be ample time! anyway the walk down must have taken almost 1 hour... first problem.
then the sun was setting before the final pitch. ( no problem, id done this twice before, night climbing is like day climbing but you cant see the bottom)
but it is a problem for a beginner having to climb with the exposure and the fear of darkness approaching..... anyway 1030pm we reach the top after lots of abuse and screaming "i cant believe you would **** take my up this at night time!! what the **** were you thinking!" and resting and aiding up the final 17.

moral of my story, if your taking a beginner up sweet dreams, even if you think 4 hours ample time, its not. maybe leave 6+.