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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

Area	Location	Sub Location	Crag	Links
VIC Arapiles	Central Gully Right	(General)	Preludes Wall	[ Arapiles Guide \| Arapiles Images ]

Topic Date User

Loose blocks on Interlude (18), left of Preludes 11-Oct-2015 At 11:03:24 AM duglash

Message

http://www.thecrag.com/climbing/australia/arapiles/central-gully-right/route/12895891

I did this route yesterday and, while the climbing is quite good I wouldn't do it again or recommend it to others due to the loose blocks on it.

There's a large block about halfway up that I didn't put gear behind as it was hollow sounding - this makes it a bit runout and I'm worried that less experienced leaders - which frequent this area in summer - will put gear behind it and shock load it. At the topout I had placed a cam under the summit block. When I pulled around it I realised that it was a massive detached block, already angled over the cliff edge, and reached back and unclipped my cam. There's a shrub growing behind it and it will probably go by itself one day.

I found the top pretty desperate as I wasn't 100% confident in the gear and you'd hit the ledge on ropestretch - you could do it in two pitches to alleviate this of course.

I know it's people's own responsibility to learn not to put gear behind loose blocks but just thought I'd put out a general heads up as the blocks haven't been mentioned on thecrag or probably the new guidebook.

I did the route with Abby Watkins who was also concerned enough about the blocks that she warned some people off the route who were about to start up it.

Cheers,
Douglas