Blog from January, 2013

Hi all,

I am an exchange student to UTAS (Sandy Bay) newly arrived from northern BC, Canada.  I got into climbing with a bunch of rope rescue geeks, so my rigging and decison-making tends to be pretty conservative.  Most of my experience is sport - I am comfortable on lead to mid 5.10s (not sure what that amounts to in Aussie grading), and have done a little bit of trad on easier grades.  I also enjoy slacklining immensely, and would love to tag along with anybody setting up a highline or just slacklining at ground level.  If anybody is planning a trip that could use another member, please let me know:  xenicus@live.com.  I am free the week of the twentieth, and then after school starts February 18th.

cheers,

Chris

A question for Jake.... I know you are out there somewhere.... I saw your slack line in situ across rock away gully a week or two back.........

In regards to Freedom.... I am under the impression that it is located between Icarus and Bismark..... In the L to R re-edit of the guide is has been listed (incorrectly) to the R of Incision.... Can you advise please?

BTW, how was the slack lining?

Some of you may have met me about the place but I am a fairly recent Hobart resident of the last 18 months. I've just recently headed up the mountain and noted that there is a lot of work that has commenced on access tracks, tags and the like. At the outset I must congratulate those that have taken the time and effort to do this, the small tags are unobtrusive and a good way to mark the start of tracks. I am not sure if this is in conjunction with Wellington Park management or not, I know that there were murmurings of this about the place. I must admit that I am a little disturbed by the extent of some of the track clearing that has been done. Climbing for me is a minimal disturbance activity, I can't speak for all others but part of the enjoyment for myself and many other climbers I know in all parts of the world is the sense of untouched natural beauty. I have at times taken secateurs or small folding saws into places that I have frequented to keep tracks just clear enough that you aren't getting a face full of the dozens of spikey plants in the Australian bush however the works that have been done on the mountain I feel are a little excessive.

I am also somewhat shocked to read that people have been "gardening" established vegetation on routes such as Digitalis. On previous visits I have also seen shrubs and small trees around Great Tier and Bulging Buttress have been removed from cracks and ledges on the rock face. Removing established vegetation as opposed to the odd bit of grass or moss ceases to be gardening and progresses to vandalism. Established vegetation in cracks and on ledges are a part of the trad climbing landscape, they often form holds or viable protection, but this is also their home. We are all temporary and transient visitors to these places and should be more considerate and cognisant of the environment and ecosystem that vegetation in the vertical world represents.

Aside from this removal of vegetation in Wellington Park and National Parks/Conservation Areas is illegal. If you happen to find yourself with a new gardening tool for Christmas or a birthday present then get your fix at home on the wood pile or the neighbour's fruit trees, not halfway up a cliff where a warratah or hakea seems inconveniently placed. Again I must stress that I am appreciative of the efforts made by people to improve the tracks to single clear points of access however if there is to be significant work or removal of vegetation or even new routes for that matter then the pulse of the wider climbing community should be sought not just those who have the time, tools and inclination to act on the community's behalf.

I am more than happy to discuss

Regards, Tim Smith

Simon Young has done the steep bulge to the right of Remembrance, which has some great climbing on steep water washed rock:

★★ 3. V 17m 25 8Þ
A fun little sport climb starting 5m R of Remembrance and climbing to the same anchor. Climb up and into shallow R facing corner, continue up to steep bulge. Jugs lead to good side-pulls on the face above. Head up and R before stepping back L to lower-off. Bestest 25 on the buttress.
Simon Young, Jan 2013

Number 3 in the topo below:

Yesterday saw the removal of the last remaining shrub (waratah) at the top of this route. Never easy to negotiate past, this shrub has been taunting climbers for the past year since the Robinson gang gardened the dirct finish. Back to yesterday..... An older gentleman tooled up with his new Xmas pressie (retractable pruning saw), made short work of this recidivist offender. Waratah dispatched! It is worth noting that if you've not done the direct finish yet you might be tempted to include a couple of additional hand to fist size cams to augment what you would normally take.  Is the direct finish better than the original? My money is on the original finish.... Any comments?

For anyone that missed it, the roads to both the Tasman (arthur highway) and Freycinet peninsulas (Coles bay rd) are currently closed and all the roads in Freycinet national park are closed.

the police site has the latest:

http://police.tas.gov.au/community-alerts/

Pinnacle Rd to mt wellington was closed yesterday (it always is on days of extreme fire danger), but appears to be open today

A Sony Xperia was found on top of Bare Rock after a party completed Orange of Bisso a few days ago. PM me if the phone is yours and I will post it back to you. The same party also handed me a bolt and hanger which was pulled out by hand on the upper part of the route. I will check out exactly where (and maybe how) when things cool off a little.