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Araps or other spot near Melbourne!

eLwood

11-Apr-2010
11:43:28 PM

Hello!

I was wondering if there is a climber somewhere out there who wants to have a few climbs together. Or even a few more.

I just started climbing 3 1/2 months ago. Muldoon at Araps was my first climb ever! But I knew it right after the climb. Rock climbing will be my new passion. And so it took just a few days till I bought my first own climbing shoes.

Since then I had a few climbs but I'm not that experienced. I had just this one climb at Araps, one longer climb at Mt. Wellington, around 10 days of climbing at a small outdoor wall in Hobart and I climbed the easiest route at the Moai. Yeah! :-) Hardest lead till now was a 18 (10m). But no trad. And hardest climb toprobe a 20 (20m).

Unfortunately I'm actually a Backpacker. So I got just climbing shoes, a harness and my backpack. No rope, no cams, no tent, no gear at all. :-(

I'd love to go back to Araps for a longer period. But I wouldn't say "No" to an other climbing spot near Melbourne. Doesn't matter if just for a day or longer.

I know. I don't can offer a lot. Actually just my company and the promise to be a good belayer. But if you're interested to have one or even more climbs together: Let me know!!! :-)

Cheers
Sam

ambyeok

12-Apr-2010
7:05:39 AM

My first climb ever was at araps, I crapped myself, it was tip toe ridge, grade 4 or 6. I cant imagine how you must have felt on muldoon. Im impressed by your enthusiasm.

You mentioned you had a harness, have you got a belay device, biner and nut tool? If not I could lend you those, you can send me a pm. Perhaps another chocky user has an old tent?

Araps has a culture where lone climbers can usually ask around and score a climbing partner. If you know the dates then you can post here too. If you are at araps trying to connect with a climbing partner than a cell phone would be useful, it would need to have an optus or telstra sim. There is also a payphone at the campground and internet in natimuk. If you cant score a climbing partner on any particular day then there is still a lot of good bouldering to be had, provided you are willing to foregoe a crash pad, which would limit some of the problems you can try.

If you can beg, borrow or steal a tent then getting up to araps shouldnt be a problem. The train (vline.com.au) costs about $25 and gets you to horsham (train or train + bus). Many enthusisatic types then hitch to araps which I believe is not too problematic. If your hitching then the 'overlander' does a daytime train trip all the way to horsham, arriving at a time when hitching would be much easier. The train station is a little out of horsham, its about 15 minutes walk to the centre; pop past safeway, grab your food and lots of water, then hitch on to araps. Not sure how you would cook hot food but the quality of routes at araps may justify a few cold tins of baked beans or the like!!! Buy some meths and you may be able to borrow a trangia off someone once they finish cooking.

Failing that, you always have the VCC trips, a google search of chockstone will reveal much about that.

Best of luck

Sarah Gara

15-Apr-2010
9:44:29 PM

>Perhaps another chocky user has an old tent?

I get back to Oz next week and can lend you camping stuff for the duration of your stay at Araps I have tent, thermorest and trangia even sleeping bag if you need it. PM me and let me know if you need.

Also very impressed about Muldoon being first climb - I started to do that but whimped out halfway up 1st pitch and seconded the rest -but was scared going round that corner on 2nd.

I'd prob be up for a climb or two as well. x

Hugh

15-Apr-2010
11:05:07 PM

elwood, we head outdoors failry often. Pm me and we'll see if we can hook up a climb or two

eLwood

19-Apr-2010
12:36:30 PM

Hey!

Thanks! I have to admit that I was scared before the climb and to go around the corner on the 1st pitch was Wooohhaaaa. But to climb was actuelly all right. To sit a long time and wait for the other climbers after the 1st pitch was much more unpleasant for me. Anyway... I felt fantastic after the climb!!

@ambyeok: Thank you very much for the tips and the offer to borrow me a belay device. I haven't one at the moment. So I would contact you if I need one. ;-)

@Sarah Gara: That sounds awesome! But I thought you live in Robinsvale... !? I'm not quiet sure at the moment what I'll do in the next time. But if I hit to Araps to stay there a longer time I'd relly love to use your offer. :-)))

@Hugh: If I stay here in Melbourne, I'll sen you a pm soon.

By the way: We went climbing yesterday. Three nice climbs at YouYoungs. 16,17,18. ;-)

Sam

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