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Alex will miss Benny 5-Jan-2012 At 11:32:04 AM f_ladou

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Alex is going away.

Bummer.

First he got married, then he had a cute daughter and now he's leaving us for Austria. Austria! Not forever mind you. No, Alex can't stay away from the Grose for too long. No, six months only, in a laser research lab in Vienna. "Working".

Nevertheless, his departure is making me a little nostalgic. You see, Alex, Dominik and I have been climbing together for a while now: 6 years. True, in the grand geological scheme of things, the three of us are new kids on the rock scene but for us, this is virtually our whole climbing life.

I remember meeting Alex at Palm Beach during one of my first climbing outings sometime in 2005. Curiously, he was climbing with some French-Canadian dude and I with an Austrian friend. Strange serendipity. Browsing my photo albums, my very first picture of Alex in on Everything but the Wasp at Thompson's Point (Nowra) in September 2005. As for Dominik, I've got this cool picture of him on the second pitch of Wild is the Wind (Mount Boyce) shot on October 1st 2006. That was our first multipitch adventure. I still remember how excited he was and six years later things haven't changed that much. He gets fed up with me from time to time but that's the fate of all old couples.

Last week, Alex insisted to do one long multipitch before his imminent departure and suggested Benny Bucket Buttress in the Grose Valley. Brilliant. What a great idea to revisit for the second time a climb that carries so many memories. I can hear you say that "revisit for the second time" sounds clumsy. Second or third time? Well, it's was for Alex and me a third visit and a second one for Dominik.

When Alex and I first jumped on BBB in October 2006 it had 9 pitches, millions of camouflaged carrot bolts and had seen little traffic. Now pitch 6 has been re-graded from 17 to 18 (fair call), pitches 7 and 8 haved been merged into one long 40 meter fun jugfest (also re-graded from 17 to 18 for that reason), but the most visible change has been the complete rebolting. Mike applied a cunning strategy: one u-bolt for one carrot bolt. No more plates, no pfaffing around, no "where the pfaff is the next bolt?". Amazing how this improves subjectively but radically the nature of the climb.

The first time we did BBB, I considered 18 to be really challenging. That day was an epic. I don't recall if we started too late or were presomptuous but we finished it in the dark, dehydrated and rooted. My forearms were cramping from dehydration on pitch 6, 7 and 8 and when we finally topped out, after I dropped the only headlamp we had (Alex's), the sun was setting. I was coiling the ropes when Alex pressed me for the topo with the description of the way out: we had to find that path before complete darkness. I gave him the wrapper of a chocolate bar, mumbling something about not being able to read it in the fading light. I could not understand what he was talking about when he explained to me, wrapper in hands, that this was of little help... The next three or four hours were nightmarish as we quickly lost the path back to Bell's Line of Road and basically bushbashed our way in the dark through thick shrubs. I also remember how we devoured a cucumber that I found at the bottom of my backpack. I could have sucked it through a straw. Best cucumber ever.

So, yesterday, we three amigos jumped on BBB once more to revisit the past: our early days as eager climbers. Dominik was particularly keen to revisit the roof section on pitch 6 while I, that exact moment when, from that same roof, you pull onto the sixty meter vertical head wall. Here's Alex at it:

Alex tackling the traverse below the roof on pitch 6. I remembered this as very committing. Five year later the fear has subsided but the fun remains the same!

One funny thing about BBB is that the first move of the climb is the crux of the climb! Yes, of the whole 270 meters of it (someone begs to differ?). Psychologically, this is fantastic if 18 is your limit and you are hesitant to tackle such a long route. In fact, here's Alex on the crux. Notice how well equipped the man is.

For those interested to try BBB, we took 7 hours car-to-car to complete the climb. An efficient party of two could shave perhaps one hour, not much more. It was a hot day but at this time of the year, the climb stays in the shade until 14:00, so an early start is advisable. We brought 1.5 litre of water each and the whole thing was gone by the end of the day. We parked at the lower car park but I recommend to park at the upper on. It'll cost you an extra 10 minute walking at the start but, believe me, you'll be a happier camper at the end. You need two 50 meter rope for the initial abseil next to Mirrorball:

Talking about abseil, please keep a minute of silence for the passing of the old Mirroball abseil tree. Respect.

So Alex, have a fantastic time in your native Europe. We'll keep the double ropes in a dry place in Little Hartley ready for your return.

And lastly, many thanks to Vanessa and Mike for this excellent route.

Benny Bucket Buttres (270m, 18 max) V. Peterson, M. Law, 2005