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Berowra: Journos, jitters and jugs 17-May-2010 At 1:14:28 PM Hans

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This is my first trip report. I've only been climbing for 2 years or so, and have been reading Chockstone for about a year. I know that everyone bangs on about posting more stuff about actual climbing so I figured I'd give that a go - hopefully someone enjoys it.

The weekend just gone Josh and I trekked up to Berowra for a Sunday of climbing. We’d originally planned to head to the Blueys, but changed our minds for two reasons.
1. Josh was to be interviewed by my housemate. She’s a journo for the ABC’s (soon to be announced) news channel, ABC4, and is putting together a piece on several different voters and the issues that’ll affect their vote on election day. As a result we needed to stay closeish to town.
2. The predicted maximum of 13degrees in Katoomba. No deal.

Josh suggested Berowra as an alternative. I’d never been there before, but the promise of a short drive up to a short and sweet crag had me sold.

We started up late, stopping at Pierre’s Café in Turramurra for coffee and bakery treats. I’d never been there before, and the place had everything we needed: awesome black cherry danishes, croissants, pies, quiches, and discussions about whether the Sunday morning cyclists’ lycra was really necessary (verdict? No.). After finishing we scored a couple of baguettes and grabbed sandwich fillers from the grocery store and continued up to the crag.

Arriving at the end of Wideview St, the sky was clear and blue, the sun was warm, and the view from the top of the crag was beautiful - an outlook over hills covered in deep green bushland, the occasional house nestled here and there. Apparently Lantana was filmed up around that way? I can see the resemblence to the scene where the girl legged it over the edge of the cliff while running away from Vince Colosimo. Silly thing.

We rock-hopped down to the bottom and wandered along the base, figuring out which lines we’d like to get up for the day. I was surprised at how busy it was. I usually do shift work and head out climbing on weekdays when it’s pretty quiet, but I guess on the weekends waiting in line for a popular climb must be commonplace. Everyone was friendly and there was a gorgeous black kelpie X (Woofy) at the base of our first climb, so a good vibe was set for the day.

We started out on Comausminpab (Grade 18) for a warm-up, Josh tying in for the lead. The climb starts out with a small roof, then up over the lip to some slopey sandy holds, then pockets and jugs up above that. He managed to thrash his way up it gradually, hanging several times as he became ever more dubious about the grading. When he lowered off the top and it was my turn to head up, I could see why: I felt pathetic slipping and sliding off the lower holds, unable to get purchase on any of the slopers it seemed you needed to use to get higher. After 10 minutes or so of falls within 4 metres of the ground, I headed back down, defeated and embarrassed. Tough for 18.

Next we headed right to Mental Fatigue (18) and Josh headed up once more. This is more my type of climb – none of this “pulling the lip” or slopey rubbish, just a nice flake diagonally up to a fun bit of traversing, followed by a flat section to the top. He climbed it no probs, then pulled the rope and I led up on his draws. I climbed it clean which I was pretty stoked about – it’s a super fun climb and I’d definitely recommend it.

Third was Fox/Sox/Pox (18), which I roped up on first. This climb intimidated me, as when we’d arrived and walked past I’d seen a German fella trying and failing (on top rope) to pull the first proper move over the lip, and I didn’t like the look of the fall that could eventuate if I muffed it. And hell, if a hard-looking German dude can’t do it, what chance have I got? I tried the move unroped with Josh spotting to see how it felt, and managed it ok, so figured I’d give it a go.

I managed to get my feet on a ledge, lean back and get my left hand to the big edge over the top of the lip, and was reaching up with my right hand when the left popped off. I fell around 2m onto my feet, with my left foot safely between two ankle-destroying rocks. I initially felt ok (thanks to the German dude for checking if I was alright), but felt a bit horrible and sick afterwards thinking about how smashed my ankle would have been if I’d fallen badly. I’ve not taken any decent falls before and was a bit too psyched out to try the move again without any protection, so I untied and handed the rope to Josh who cruised the climb.
On my next go (with the first bolt clipped to prevent a repeat of the earlier foolishness) I was sweet – the move that I’d been packing it on before was easy, and I climbed quickly up near the second rebar staple (apparently they’re needed for the rock on this climb). When it came to clipping the second bolt, though, I was feeling a bit pumped, and thoughts of what would happen if I missed the clip and fell back to the ground started going through my head. I wimped out and grabbed the staple, clipping myself in to it, and then cruised the rest of the climb, pretty annoyed with myself for wussing out of the move.

We broke for lunch then, and the journos arrived, so we met them up top and sat looking out at the view as we ate. We were stunned with how long it took them to set up, and film, and re-take what would end up being a 2.5min segment. Josh spoke about his thoughts on climate change for a bit, then we headed back down so they could get some climbing footage for the piece. As we brought them past the other climbers, the mood seemed a bit darker, and even when I apologized for bringing journos, no-one seemed to keen to see them there.

Anyhow. Best ‘til last: the final for the day was Ladder of Gloom (19), an excellent climb involving an initial traverse across a minimally-featured crux, then a cool rock ladder up to the top. A Brazilian couple were on the route before us, making it look pretty easy, so we sat and watched as they finished up (and the camera got set up). Josh led first (with camera crew filming, and annoyingly asking him to repeat the moves again… and again…) and after lowering off pulled the rope. I tied in and got started.

The start psyched me out a little (another, higher, ground fall would ensue upon failure) but I found the traverse pretty easy and super fun once I took a few breaths. The rock ladder was cool and man the jugs up near the top were nice.

All in all, a really fun day, and I’m stoked that I led up a 19 (even if I failed on the much harder 18 that I initially tried).