The last Wednesday of term was important for two reasons. Firstly it meant that Alex and I were going to the Grampians the next day. Secondly, it meant that the UTAS Students Law Society was having a barrel (read:piss up). So when my tutorial finished we headed down with great enthusiasm and got amongst the $2 drinks. Suffice to say I enjoyed myself rather too much, and ended up getting home at about 3am. Not ideal when you have to get up at 6am.
Somehow managing to get to the airport, Alex and I flew to Melbourne, then took a train to Ararat. We couldn't take the boat 'cos we left it too late to book, and we couldn't hire a car 'cos neither of us is 21. Flying didn't help my raging hangover. Arriving in Ararat, a pretty bogan town somewhere in Western Vic, we set about gathering supplies for the next six days. Just chilling outside the bottle shop with all our stuff, and a stolen trolley:
Grant (Rowbottom) was a legend and picked us up (rescued us) from Ararat, and soon we on the way to the campsite at Mt Stapylton. We got our first glimpse of Taipan Wall on the drive, fueling the psyche (this photo is actually from the walk in but whatever):
Cruising into camp an awesome crew welcomed us: Lee, Amanda, Doug, Andrea, Sam and Bec.
The next morning we charged up to Taipan with Grant, who gave us the guided tour. Taipan was in cloud so for the whole walk-in we couldn't see it; only when we got to the base could we see these amazing black and orange streaks projecting skyward.
We got stuck in and decided to warm up on Dial-a-Lama (24) on Spurt Wall. Alex casually onsighted it and then I flashed it by the skin of my teeth, getting ridiculously flash-pumped. Here's a couple of photos:
Alex then went up Serpentine (29) with Grant, and I ran around like a headless chicken trying lots of things, then decided to get stuck into Tyranny (29), which Andrea was also trying. Also on Spurt Wall, it is short and sweet: two boulder problems followed by a pumpy finish. Lee was trying his project (that would become Sneaky Snake 33) that blasts up the middle of Taipan, and Doug was trying the Groove Train (33/34).
Next day on I tried Tyranny again, falling at the second boulder a couple of times. A couple of Euro dudes were on Serpentine all day so Alex couldn't try that which was a bummer, so he tried Mr J (25), but peeled off at the crux (this was to become a bit of a theme). Lewis warming up on the Big Red 'Crag Board', which was very popular at the base of Spurt Wall for getting the fingers recruited:
On Saturday we both woke up and felt like we'd be hit by a train! I decided to have a rest day, while Alex was still keen for Serpentine. Looking up:
Being true sport climbers we then went to a party in Nati that night at Toby's house. The next morning was a bit of a struggle. I had another four or so cracks on Tyranny, and Andrea sent it, which was awesome! Alex sent Mr J as well.
Cheers to Alex for an awesome trip, as well as everyone who was up there (especially Grant, thanks man).
On Saturday we both woke up and felt like we'd be hit by a train! I decided to have a rest day, while Alex was still keen for Serpentine. Looking up:
Not wanting to psyche himself out, he didn't look up while jugging up the fixed line to the belay. Upon arrival, he stuck his head out and found that all the gear had been stripped and he only had two quickdraws. Potentially ambitious. We both decided to have a rest day, and watch Lee fall off the last hard move of the project. Here he's in a blue shirt, just before the crux:
Lee sent it that afternoon, calling it Sneaky Snake (33). Looks like one of the best hard routes in Oz! Nice work Lee!
We bailed early and headed to Arapiles: we now had a car, as Alex's mum Krystyna had decided a bush-walking holiday in the Gramps was in order. A bit of 'active recover sololing' on Tiptoe Ridge (5), helping people having screaming epics with stuck ropes...
Being true sport climbers we then went to a party in Nati that night at Toby's house. The next morning was a bit of a struggle. I had another four or so cracks on Tyranny, and Andrea sent it, which was awesome! Alex sent Mr J as well.
The last full day of the trip saw Alex crush Invisible Fist and Snake Flake (both 26). Sendage on IF:
I tried once again to send. No luck. However I got some crucial beta off Josh Grose (thanks man!) and changed my sequence so instead of yarding off a henious sloper, I used the intermediate crimp and got my foot up high. I fell again again at this move, but next go made it to the very last move. Pinging off I thought it was over for the trip...
That afternoon we went to Araps again and Alex fell off the last hard move of Mind Arithiritis (27) which was still a solid effort with no skin at all!
After packing up the tents the next morning I decided to give it one last go. We had to leave by 11am so the pressure was on. I warmed up on the Cragboard and went for it. Again the second boulder got me. On what was the very last go of the whole trip I moved easily through the first section I had wired, got to the boulder, stepped up and hit the hold! Off on every move, including the last one, I somehow managed to clip the chains and send! Glad that it was done we set off back to Hobart, both happy to have done something. First boulder on Tyranny:
Cheers to Alex for an awesome trip, as well as everyone who was up there (especially Grant, thanks man).
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