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Favourite Victorian climbs 28-Jun-2002 At 3:43:21 PM The Blond Gecko

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Least favourite climbs... dunno about that, but my most character-building climb was Sweet Dreams (6 pitch, 160m? 13) in the Blue Mountains, which I was rather optimistically told was a sport climb. First and second pitches had one bolt apiece (but with nice beefy bolt belays, which at least was nice). Third and fourth were relatively well protected - 4 bolts on a 40m traverse for the third, and 3(?) bolts for the fourth (but once again with nice bolted belays). 5th pitch had no bolts, but was up a manky looking corner with a few slingable protrusions. After this, though, it went seriously pear-shaped. Without natural gear, the belay at the top of the 5th was essentially non-existent, as was protection on the final pitch, a very exposed, very fragile looking piece of choss, with a slightly overhanging start on holds which looked like they'd break in a stiff breeze. Luckily, they held, but starting off that pitch was quite... nervy, considering that it was effectively a solo >100m off the deck. The pitch was mercifully short, and ended up at a couple of beautifully beefy banksia trees.
Apart from that, I remember thinking evil thoughts while thrutching through the narrow chimney atop Smoked Banana (40 m 18) at Frog Buttress in Queensland, but the rest of the climb more than made up for it. Can't say I've ever climbed anything that I actively hated.
Maybe I need to try harder.

Cheers,

Tristan
"On climb, belay when ready"