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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

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VIC Grampians Central (General) (General) [ Grampians Guide | Images ] 

Author
New 3rd pitch to The Last Rites?
JDB
1-May-2013
10:00:46 AM
When scoping out the "intimidating corner"(p3) at the top of the 2nd pitch and you deem it too intimidating, scurry 10m left across the airy trarverse into a vegetated gully to belay. Go straight up the bulging grey corner(~grade 16) to the long ledge (as per original)
kieranl
1-May-2013
10:10:41 AM
I think you'll find that's a variant to RIP corner that was done back around 1981.

*edit* On ACA it's actually written up as the way to go. Must go back and amend this to also say where this pitch originally went.
P3 (36m, 16) Up corner at righthand back of belay ledge then up walls until level with lip of large roof to the left. Traverse left to the lip of the roof.
kieranl
1-May-2013
10:20:40 AM
And the little corner on the arete between this and Last Rites is P3 of The Loved One
gfdonc
1-May-2013
11:15:31 AM
As I *told* John before he headed up, but I'll include here for the record, the route descriptions in both the Baxter and Select guides are poor.
Here's my notes from when I did it in 2008. *Beta Alert*. Oops sorry John, didn't see this until now. You'll have to go back and do it properly:

P1 18
Up the left-leaning flake/crack, hard start then up the slabby crack to a rest below the roof. At the roof, move left to gain the horizontal break, then right to turn the roof (hard) and make another move up before stepping left to belay on a small stance. Watch out for rope drag.
P2 18
Step left from the belay then up the wonderful clean corner which becomes slabby (and thin). Stay right when the corner 'splits' (the V is visible from the ground) and follow the major corner system. It steepens, make some exciting bridging moves up then move right to belay at a stance. Care: the flake you’d like to put gear behind to belay from is detached (but not loose), look for backup/alternative placements on the right. The horizontal break takes a yellow Alien. (alternative: it has been suggested this can be linked with p3)
P3 19
Ignore the Baxter guide which says “left 9m”, someone needs a new tape-measure. Step down from the belay and hand-traverse left 4m until you can mantel onto a good stance at the bottom of the next corner system left of the belay. One hard move up this (look for a hold on the L wall) then a couple of “thank ..” jugs. Up to a small roof, which is turned on the left, clip a fixed pin (small cam to back it up) and slither upwards (crux). Go up easily through the jagged overhangs (visible from the ground) and up to the good long ledge below the orange rock – this is a few metres below the major roof which is also visible from the ground. Belay from cams in a horizontal (guide says pitons but we didn’t see any).
P4 17
Walk left about 4m (just left of the corner system above formed by the left edge of the roof) where it is possible to pull off the ledge and up the wall. Step right to the base of the corner and up into this for a rest. Breathe, then launch up the spectacular overhung corner system which is sustained and brilliant. This pitch would be a 3-star single pitch if it were at ground level; 100m up must add a fourth star. (Neil: clearly I thought of it first)
At the top of the corner exit onto grey rock (still tricky) then up easily (sparse pro) to the bottom of a final steeper corner (possible belay). Up this to belay from the top.
MichaelOR
6-May-2013
5:00:23 PM
Ross and I did The Last Rites on Sunday – inspired by Steve’s post and the great weather! An accurate route description is very handy on a wall full of corner systems and cracks! What features. A total stunner of a route and very sustained. Great in the sun and very cold in the shade with the wind!
BETA Alert.- it's a *** classic!
I led P1 & 3 and Ross led P2 & 4 – pretty much as described above. After P1 I belayed on a small stance higher than described above and above where shown in the photo topo in Kevin’s Sublime Climbs. Probably 5/6 metres further up to the top of the flake. Gear is there but also clip a piece a bit higher in P2. Probably best to belay just above the roof at the first stance to deal with the inevitable rope drag. P1 is hard off the ground and then keeps giving. The moves at the roof are very good.
In P2 the corner splits after about 4 m – there is a big orange V. Take the right thin crack. Nice moves.
P3 was done as above. The easy ‘hand traverse’ L has gear and big footholds – go about 2 m left then easily up to a good stance with a bomber #5 RP. Then a harder move up. The Baxter guide didn’t say 9m left at the start of P3 – that is for the next pitch, but is also incorrect! Good gear and moves all the way up this thought provoking pitch. The crux is well protected and it’s clear when you get to it! For the belay, it’s best to gain the huge ledge, place a runner and then belay about 3 or 4 metres left (not Baxter’s 9m) – at the start of P4. As in photo topo in Sublime Climbs.
P4 starts at the L end of the roof and climbs straight up and R into the steep corner system. V solid pitch of Grade 17. Again, sustained and great climbing. Bit disconcerting coming out of the steep corner system onto rounded holds and not much gear! Probably best to belay just below the very last corner and add a short pitch – a lead fall here with lots of rope out and the belayer out of sight might be an issue. Gear is also a bit spaced and your rack will be depleted somewhat. Also the lack of communication is an issue. But Ross climbed it out all the way to the top. Awesome.

Overall, as Kevin says: “Sustained and absorbing climbing”. And Kevin freed the aid moves (at the crux) before cams in 1976! I thought of that as I climbed above my small cam.Still, we took and used double cams – especially the small to medium sizes. Lots of smaller/medium wire placements too.

Thanks for the description Steve – we actually climbed the route! The description in Simey and Glenn's guide is good; the one in Baxter's reads like a different climb. It is actually P1 & 2 of the Requiem, but that didn't really sound what we climbed! Simey did an excellent job in his guide after starting with Baxter's description!
Michael
kieranl
6-May-2013
8:03:48 PM
On 6/05/2013 MichaelOR wrote:
>Thanks for the description Steve – we actually climbed the route! The
>description in Simey and Glenn's guide is good; the one in Baxter's reads
>like a different climb. It is actually P1 & 2 of the Requiem, but that
>didn't really sound what we climbed! Simey did an excellent job in his
>guide after starting with Baxter's description!
>Michael
>
Good one Michael.
In fairness to Chris the first pitch used to be climbed differently so it does read like a different climb. I think the corner all the way to the roof was first done by Terry Tremble in 1984.
That long last pitch is memorable and I think most people will prefer to grind it out to the top. Rigging an interim belay with a depleted rack feels a bit sketchy and it's so much more in character for the climb to keep it going; a belay 10m below the top would detract from the satisfaction.

Rupert
6-May-2013
8:21:04 PM
Just a brilliant cliff with so many inspiring lines.
JDB
7-May-2013
9:36:13 AM
>Thanks for the description Steve – we actually climbed the route! The
>description in Simey and Glenn's guide is good; the one in Baxter's reads
>like a different climb. It is actually P1 & 2 of the Requiem, but that
>didn't really sound what we climbed! Simey did an excellent job in his
>guide after starting with Baxter's description!
>Michael

O'Really !?.........

There are 8 messages in this topic.

 

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