Grampians Update

As usual we waited to do a new blog post in the hopes that we would have sending to talk about instead of projecting. It worked well in this case as a bunch of new problems have gone down and a whole new round of projects are now underway.

Is it a good idea to collect water on the top of an outhouse? 

Things we've enjoyed doing over the last few weeks.

Wimmel Friendhoff v5. Called "Australia's best v5". Indeed it was great. Both Cassie and I finished it (Matthew flashed it). A standstart with jugs above your head, you immediately pull off the ground into a heel hook horizontally about 6 feet off the ground, a few moves through jugs brings you into a hard move to a pocket and rolling onto your heel hook, a few more powerful moves and you're on top. Excellent climb.

Cassie sending Wimmel Friedhoff v5

Tim Tam Traverse v7. Cassie finished this project and really had us nervous for the send as she fell of the final heel hook not once, but twice trying to mantle onto the slab. The second mantle attempt ended with much cursing and screaming trying to get that final inch or two out of it, but the third time was the charm as she easily dispatched it. Tim Tam starts with a heel hook and traverses right into terrible slopers. While most of the climb your feet are only a few inches from the ground the struggle to stay on the slopers is enough to make you forget where you are and all you concentrate on is not slipping. Congrats to Cassie on this one as it's easily one of her hardest sends to date and is maybe the first of her hard climbs involving slopers. Her finger is still not quite good yet so she's staying away from crimps. 

Cassie hitting the first of many bad slopers on Tim Tam Traverse v7. Sent.

Gay Hip Flexor v7. Matthew sent this one. Though the name is a little politically incorrect the climb itself was quite good. Just a few roof moves to a crazy left heel hook right toe-hook/dropknee to a jug. Pretty weird climb but fun nonetheless. Is probably my first dropknee/toe hook ever. Great stone

Gay Hip Flexor v7

The show must go on v7. A Matthew send. We came upon this one as a local climber Andrew was working out the moves. Matthew innocently asked if he could have some beta and try it with Andrew. He agreed and Matthew sent in two tries. Not very nice to do someone's project that fast, but as Matthew said "at least I didn't flash it" :)  It is a roof climb on good slopers to a hard cut lose move and then up good holds. No photos of it though.

Rave Heart v8. I (matthew) spent about two days trying this climb and it really suited my style. Starts with a heel hook and a big throw left to a pinching sloper pocket, then two hard bumps up with the right hand into an undercling in the roof (crux) finally a couple of tenuous moves out the roof to jugs up the face. A really really good problem and one of my favorites ever. 

Rave Heart v8

We've backed off the volume/number of climbs we are trying significantly in an attempt to finish some projects. Cannot believe we only have about two weeks left. "NOT ENOUGH TIME" is usually what we are talking about. Hopefully we can get a few more projects finished before we leave for New Zealand on October 2nd.  Though I'm sure we'll leave many climbs undone we've both enjoyed the incredible variety of the climbing here and we've done far more amazing climbs than we expected. 

Castle Hill New Zealand is calling out names a little quietly now, but that will get louder shortly. We expect to be falling off "easy" mantles quite a bit and are looking forward to getting schooled. Mark, we need your mantle skills!

Nevin Rule v7 - still waiting for this send. Perfect rock.