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TR Mt Alex: Mittagong 28-Nov-2011 At 2:37:43 PM matthewp

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After coaxing Simon out of bed and into the car with a coffee, we were on our way to Mt Alex. I had small hopes of finding any of the climbs dry as it had been a super wet week. Sydney had its highest five day rain total since July (263mm) as well as its cloudiest week in more than a year (only 45 minutes of sunshine).

We warmed up on:

Vox Populi (18): it's got an area named after it so it must be good.

Thomas the Tank (20): nice little climb with a enjoyable dyno to a big jug. The climb also has a really solid hand jam, but luckily you don't have to use it (doing a dyno from a hand jam is pretty low on my priority list!).

Everything Audrey (20): a bit contrived, but a pleasant way to pass the time.

Judas Escariot (21): Needed my beach towel for this one, mostly just sand and water with the odd rock. Had some nice moves none the less (except for the crux which ended in a jug full of mud).

Simon: "Help rope! You said this was a bouldering trip!"

Then it was off to the big cave to try Controlled Hysteria (25) which is the direct finish of Diagonal du Fou which I was on a few weeks ago. It heads straight through the roof instead of scooting around the side. In the photo below it goes pretty much in a straight line from Simon to the anchors.

I was hoping this climb would keep my goal, of climbing my age, alive for another year. Things where looking up, I managed to unlock the crux sequence on my first go (with a rest on every bolt). It was a super desperate undercling with the feet-above-the-head type move. Once back on the ground I made sure I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget.

Beta Alert: here is my diagram of the crux sequence. I think I need to work on my notation!

Unfortunately the climb had the last laugh. On Simon's first attempt his bad wrist flared up. He first blamed it on all the pinches, but then he realised it was from making to much pizza dough the day before.

On my third attempt I got a pretty bad flapper which pretty much ended my day of climbing as well. The preceding fall had left me dangling in space.

My injury sustained in the derailment of the send train

After this we packed up, had a banana Up and Go and headed home. Winner.